Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2008 Waitaki Vineyard Pinot Noir has ripe black cherry and blackberry aromas with nuances of black pepper and rare duck breast. Light to medium bodied with just enough elegant mid-palate fruit, it has silky tannins, refreshing acidity and a long, pure finish. Drink it now to 2014. No known USA importer.

Moderately saturated bright red. Distinctive, sexy aromas of red cherry, red raspberry, violet and black pepper; smells like something from the Vosne/Chambolle neighborhood. Savory, vibrant and soil-inflected, with a sappy framboise flavor complicated and lifted by mineral precision. Impressively broad yet tangy and light on its feet. This is about much more than simple pinot fruit. Offers sneaky flavor intensity without any excess sweetness or weight. Finishes tactile, saline and long, with solid structure. I was impressed by this producer's 2007 pinots, and this wine is a bit less lush and more serious than the earlier vintage.

Intriguingly floral and savory upfront, this delicate wine then adds a deep base of ripe cherries that expand effortlessly across the palate, giving an impression of fullness without weight, suppleness without being soft. Finishes long, with a great deal of complexity. ——J.C.(6/1/2010)—— 91