The 2007 Te Muna Road Vineyard Pinot Noir has also come on leaps and bounds since last year. It has a deep, rich plum-scented nose with touches of orange zest and apricot both side of stage. The palate is medium-bodied with firm, grainy tannins, good acidity with a more masculine, tannic vintage than the entry suggests. Good weight, quite backward with a rounded, quite silky finish. It just lacks a little persistency and verve of the 2006. Craggy Range continue to press forward with their ambitious plans and are rapidly becoming one of the most familiar New Zealand producers both at an entry-level, having successfully penetrated the competitive supermarket shelves in the UK, but also winning plaudits for their array of flagship bottlings such as Le Sol, Sophia and The Quarry. I concentrated on new releases but re-tasted some of the Pinot Noirs that I felt have improved significantly.Importer: Kobrand Corporation, Purchase, NY; tel. (914) 253-7700

From Craggy’s own Pinot Noir vineyard, this medium-bodied, creamy-textured effort boasts bright, vibrant aromas of cherries and vanilla. It comes across as soft and easy but not unstructured, with plenty of persistence and elegance. Drink now–2012.——J.C.(11/1/2009)—— 90