The 2016 Thomas Brothers' Pinot Noir is unabashedly ripe and rich, with a heady 14.5% alcohol reading and plenty of plummy, black cherry fruit. There's new oak as well, hinting at cedar and vanilla, and maybe even some cola notes in this full-bodied Pinot Noir. It has more in common with many California (think Russian River Valley) Pinots than most of its brethren from New Zealand, but it offers a fun, hedonistic experience, loaded with velvety goodness.

Drawn from a steep, low-vigor portion of the estate, the 2015 Thomas Brothers' Pinot Noir is a dark, intense example of the variety. Black cherries and plums are supported by a frame of oak and firm but ripe tannins. Hints of baking spices and vanilla creep in, along with hints of cola and root beer, while crisp acids provide focus to the lengthy finish of this medium to full-bodied Pinot.