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Pinot Noir Masters 2016: the results

This year’s Pinot Noir Masters revealed an encouraging number of balanced and refined entries, particularly at higher price points, reaffirming the judges’ perceptions of this most pernickety variety.

However hectic your wine tasting schedule, it’s hard to get a truly global handle on the stylistic trends concerning any single grape. But with our annual Global Masters, you gain exactly that – a current snapshot of winemaking fashions among the major noble grapes.

Not only that, but this is delivered in just one day – each judge tastes up to 70 different wines from the same grape within a matter of hours.

As we’ve reported before, with Chardonnay, wherever it’s from, we’ve seen a shift from heavier styles, as winemakers dial down the diacetyl and new oak. On the other hand, we’ve seen the emergence of matchstick characters in this grape, as cellar masters engineer the production of volatile sulphur compounds, or sulphides, which are a by-product of a reductive winemaking approach – such as leaving the wine on its lees for extended periods without stirring.

Meanwhile, in Sauvignon, as we wrote last month, there’s a move towards more textural styles, created through later harvesting, increased lees contact, and the use of barrels or foudres for fermentation and ageing, among other techniques.

But what about Pinot? With this grape too, judged on 18 February by nine Masters of Wine and one Master Sommelier, there are clear developments. Most of these are good, such as the emergence of more balanced wines. This year’s competition certainly saw fewer examples where the oak was too dominant, tannins too coarse, or alcohol levels so elevated that you’re left with a burning sensation on the finish.

It seems that those who choose to work with Pinot understand that it’s best when handled gently, and grown in cooler sites, as well as picked when ripe enough to ensure the retention of bright fruit, and avoid that bland raisined character.

Reduction problem

Nevertheless, one development that was emerging last year, and more widespread in 2016, was the occurrence of unpleasant reductive aromas. As Jonathan Pedley MW, a regular judge in our Global Masters, said: “Reduction was a problem: I guess that winemakers, in their quest to preserve the fragile fruit aromas of Pinot Noir, are avoiding any oxidation, but have gone too far to the other extreme.” As a result, he observed: “So many of the wines had vibrant colours but were flat, tarry, rubbery and smoky on the nose; no oxidation but no Pinot Noir charm either.”

This did mean that, compared with other Global Masters tastings we run, a high number of wines were rejected in the Pinot competition, which was a shame for those producers who had made the effort to enter. Although you won’t see those wines in this report, let’s hope that this wine fault doesn’t continue to plague the grape, particularly as it holds an enviable upmarket reputation and is liked by so many for its attractive perfume.

What did the judges think?

PATRICIA STEFANOWICZ MW

“The tasting confirmed that a vineyard must have a very good site and an appropriate growing year to achieve substance, balance and harmony and some longevity for high quality. It also confirmed my opinion that a cool climate (or site) probably produces the best Pinot Noir. Apart from Burgundy, one might find good examples from parts of New Zealand, especially Martinborough and Otago, and the best parts of the Willamette in Oregon. A few sound examples appear from parts of Chile and, in a richer style, from California and, in a more delicate style from eastern Canada around Niagara.”

SALLY EASTON MW

“There’s still a long way to go with too many Pinot Noirs; too many of my notes said something along the lines of ‘red wine not Pinot Noir’, ‘lacks varietal definition’, ‘too little characteristic perfume’… Those that scored poorly need to get the heat and hulking body out of the wine, get perfume, typical fruit, elegance and silky smooth texture in. Pinot noir is such an exciting cultivar, and is doing great things in places such as Australia and New Zealand. The benchmark in the New World is so much higher than even just a decade ago.”

JONATHAN PEDLEY MW

“The tasting re-confirmed what we all know: Pinot Noir is very hard to get right, particularly at the cheaper end of the price scale. In terms of sources, there were some good wines from cool climate Australia and New Zealand, and, overall, there were a handful of graceful, aromatic, elegant wines, but they were few and far between. Oak, where it was used, was generally well handled. Reduction was a massive problem. A few wines were over-extracted, with excessive toughness and dryness killing the silky palate texture that characterises great Pinot Noir.”

NATASHA HUGHES MW

“The results of the tasting were in line with my perceptions of Pinot Noir. It’s a finicky grape that only seems to thrive in certain regions. I get the feeling that some countries and some producers feel that they should have a Pinot Noir within their range, and therefore plant the grape in inappropriate areas. The resulting wines demonstrate the weakness of such practices. When Pinot producers get it right, the wines have it all: gorgeous aromatics, silky texture, bright acidity and supple tannins.”

Pinot performers

Now, to get back to the positives. As always, once the medals have been awarded, we can see whether there are certain countries or regions that perform particularly well. And it was satisfying to witness that areas which are becoming renowned for great Pinot picked up Golds in this year’s competition, in particular Central Otago and Martinborough in New Zealand, the Yarra Valley in Australia, Leyda and Casablanca in Chile, Hemel-en-Aarde in South Africa, Willamette in Oregon, Edna Valley in California, and Alto Adige in Italy.

Furthermore, a special mention must go to Champagne, which collected four golds and one Master – the competition’s highest accolade – for blanc de noirs made from just Pinot Noir. Although a style of fizz that can be hard to get right, as we pointed out in this year’s Champagne Report, more Pinot Noir is grown in Champagne than along the whole length of Burgundy, and the famous sparkling wine region has been benefitting from a succession of ripe vintages, bringing riper phenolics along with poised fruit. As Michael Edwards writes about Pinot in Champagne, not only are producers making “balanced” and “silky” blanc de noirs, they are “costing less than the now ruinously priced grands crus of Burgundy”.

Top sparkler

A chart topper in this year’s Pinot Masters was the example from Philipponnat, combining not just a great site – grapes sourced from premier and grand cru plots in the Montagne de Reims and the brand’s own vineyards in Mareuil-sur-Ay – but also a first-rate vintage: 2008 was one of the greatest harvests of the last 50 years. As always, the wines were tasted in price bands, and the day began with those below £10. This is a hard place for Pinot, which requires careful handling in the vineyard and doesn’t respond well to higher yields, which can be necessary to produce low-priced examples. Nevertheless, there were good examples, with Les Domaines Paul Mas standing out as a source of Pinot that is inexpensive, tasty and with varietal typicity – and as a result several of its entries gained Silvers. But we also discovered a pleasing Pinot from Romania and the Pfalz – the latter debunking an idea that German Pinot has to be pricey.

Chilean stars

Moving over £10, but staying beneath £15, it was good to see Chile cement its reputation as the source of excellent value for money Pinot, while also highlighting the superiority of Leyda and Limarí as homes for keenly-priced wine from Burgundian grapes. But Marlborough too performed strongly within this price band, prompting one judge, Patricia Stefanowicz MW to comment: “There were some rather elegant, plush-textured, but not overly herbaceous samples from Marlborough,” which, she admitted, “was a surprise for me.” Between £15 and £20, we had 10 Silvers from a wide range of sources, including Baden in Germany, North Canterbury in New Zealand and the Santa Lucia Highlands of California’s Monterey County. However, it was not until we moved over £20, but below £30, that we saw plenty of Golds awarded, confirming that Pinot is a grape requiring expensive handling. Significantly, two of the Golds in this price band were from Monterey – Jackson’s Carmel Road and Hahn’s SLH ­– marking out this area of California as a source of juicy and balanced, but still relatively inexpensive Pinot.

The same too should be said of New Zealand’s Central Otago, which gained three Golds, though two of these were from the same producer, Rockburn Wines. Beyond £30 and over £50, the same regions dominated, complemented by Chile’s Casablanca and California’s Sonoma Coast. As for producers, Bouchard Finlayson, Craggy Range and De Bortoli have a history of doing well in our competitions, and didn’t disappoint this year, while proving the high quality of Pinot produced in Hemel-en-Aarde, Martinborough and the Yarra, respectively. We also discovered a name that was new to us from Oregon: Van Duzer, which is making lovely and distinctively packaged Pinots. We were impressed too by the range from Tolosa, in Edna Valley, which submitted three wines, and, impressively, picked up three Golds. Another strong performer, first spotted in last year’s competition, is the Alto Adige’s Castelfeder Winery, as well as Cono Sur, particularly with its range-topping Ocio Pinot, a wine that has consistently done well in the Global Masters.

Highs and lows

Like any of our tasting competitions, there were highs and lows, but it does seem, with Pinot Noir, that it really is a case of great peaks and deep troughs. As two of our judges independently said, Pinot is “like the little girl who had a little curl: when it is good, it is very, very good; when it is bad, it is horrid”. Nevertheless, as noted above, the overall trend is good for Pinot, wherever it’s grown. Whether it’s red or black fruit, more producers appear able to capture a delicious combination of mid-palate sweetness with a refreshing finish. Oak is increasingly complementary, not dominant, adding to Pinot’s inherent sweetness, while providing a structural boost. And thankfully, alcohols, which can easily rise to high levels in warmer climates, seem to be more moderate, or at least in balance with the wine. As Natasha Hughes MW summed up “When Pinot producers get it right, the wines have it all: gorgeous aromatics, silky texture, bright acidity and supple tannins. What’s not to like?”

The judges (l-r)

Miles Corish MW
Hugo Rose MW
Patricia Stefanowicz MW
Patrick Schmitt MW
Rosemary George MW
Jonathan Pedley MW
Clément Robert MS
Keith Isaac MW
Natasha Hughes MW
Sally Easton MW

About the competition

In a crowded wine competition arena, The Drinks Business Global Pinot Noir Masters stands out for its assessment of wines purely by grape variety rather than by region. Divided only by price bracket and, for ease of judging, whether the style was oaked or unoaked, the blind tasting format allowed wines to be assessed without prejudice about their country of origin.
Wines were scored out of 100, with those gaining over 95 points being awarded the top title of Master. Those earning over 90 points were given a Gold, those over 85 points a Silver and those over 80 points a Bronze. The wines were judged by a cherry-picked group of Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers on 18 February at The Princess of Wales in Primrose Hill. This report only features the medal-winners.

Pinot Noir – Sparkling White

Company Wine Name Region Country Vintage Medal
£15-£20
Azienda Agricola Travaglino Gran Cuvee Brut – Blanc de Noirs Lombardy Italy NV Bronze
Azienda Agricola Manuelina ‘137’ Vino Spumante Di Qualità Pinot Brut Metodo Classico Lombardy Italy 2012 Bronze
£20-£30
Champagne Gremillet Blanc de Noirs Champagne France NV Gold
Champagne Montaudon Blanc de Noirs Champagne France NV Gold
Juvé y Camps Blanc de Noirs Pinot Noir Penedès Spain 2012 Bronze
Exton Park Wines Blanc de Noirs Hampshire England NV Bronze
Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte Grand Cru Pinot Noir Millésime 2006 Champagne France 2006 Gold
Over £50
Champagne Philipponnat Blanc de Noirs Champagne France 2008 Master
Ferrari Perlé Nero 2008 Trento DOC Trentino Italy 2008 Silver

Pinot Noir – Sparkling Rosé

Company Wine Name Region Country Vintage Medal
£10-£15
Edoardo Miroglio EM Brut Rosé Nova Zagora Bulgaria 2011 Bronze
Azienda Agricola Montelio Pinot Nero Rosé Quaquarini Brut Cruase Pavese DOC Costarsa Lombardy, Oltrepo Pavese Italy 2011 Bronze
£20-£30
Champagne Gremillet Rosé Vrai Champagne France NV Silver
Bottega Bottega Rosé Gold Lombardy Italy NV Bronze
Over £50
Champagne de Saint Gall Glam’s Rosé Champagne France NV Gold
Champagne Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Champagne France NV Silver
Champagne Drappier Grande Sendrée Rosé Champagne France 2006 Bronze

Pinot Noir – Unoaked

Company Wine Name Region Country Vintage Medal
Under £10
Les Domaines Paul Mas Domaine Ferrandière Pinot Noir Languedoc-Roussillon France 2014 Silver
Les Domaines Paul Mas Arrogant Frog Pinot Noir Languedoc-Roussillon France 2014 Silver
Cramele Halewood La Umbra Pinot Noir Dealurile Munteniei Romania 2015 Silver
Viña Valdivieso Valdivieso Winemaker Reserva Pinot Noir Bío-Bío Chile 2015 Bronze
Calmel & Joseph Villa Blanche Pinot Noir Languedoc-Roussillon France 2015 Bronze
Les Domaines Paul Mas Domaines Martinolles Pinot Noir Languedoc-Roussillon France 2014 Bronze
Cramele Halewood Waitrose Pinot Noir Dealurile Munteniei Romania 2015 Bronze
£20-£30
Château de Santenay Clos Philippe Le Hardi – Monopole, Hautes Côtes de Beaune Burgundy France 2014 Silver
£30-£50
Bar Z Winery Efflorescence Pinot Noir Texas High Plains USA 2013 Silver

Pinot Noir – Oaked

Company Wine Name Region Country Vintage Medal
Under £10
Les Domaines Paul Mas La Forge Estate – Pinot Noir Languedoc-Roussillon France 2014 Silver
Les Domaines Paul Mas La Forge Estate – Pinot Noir Reserve Languedoc-Roussillon France 2014 Silver
Zimmermann-Graeff & Müller Peter & Peter Pinot Noir Pfalz Germany 2014 Silver
Colli Vincentini Torre dei Vescovi Pinot Nero Vicenza Italy 2014 Bronze
Cantina Colli Del Soligo ‘Levigato’ Pinot Nero, Marca Trevigiana IGT Veneto Italy 2013 Bronze
Les Domaines Paul Mas Domaine Astruc – Pinot Noir Reserve Languedoc-Roussillon France 2014 Bronze
Siegel Family Wines Special Reserve Pinot Noir Leyda Chile 2015 Bronze
La Vierge Wines The Affair Pinot Noir Hemel-en-Arde Ridge South Africa 2014 Bronze
Les Domaines Paul Mas Paul Mas Estate – Pinot Noir Languedoc-Roussillon France 2014 Bronze
Les Domaines Paul Mas Domaines Ferrandière – Pinot Noir Reserve Languedoc-Roussillon France 2014 Bronze
La Vierge Wines La Vierge Noir Hemel-en-Arde Ridge South Africa 2013 Bronze
Viña Cono Sur Bicicleta Central Valley Chile 2015 Bronze
Les Domaines Paul Mas Jean Claude Mas – Pinot Noir Languedoc-Roussillon France 2014 Bronze
£10-£15
Luis Felipe Edwards Marea Valle de Leyda Pinot Noir Leyda Chile 2013 Gold
Yealands Estate Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir Awatere Valley Marlborough New Zealand 2014 Silver
Edoardo Miroglio EM Pinot Noir Nova Zagora Bulgaria 2012 Silver
Giesen Estate Pinot Noir Marlborough New Zealand 2014 Silver
Santolin Wines Individual Vineyard Pinot Noir Yarra Valley Australia 2014 Silver
Viña Maycas del Limarí Maycas del Limarí Pinot Noir San Julian Limarí Chile 2014 Silver
Sileni Estates Tahuna Pinot Noir (UK Bottled) Hawke’s Bay New Zealand 2015 Bronze
Framingham Wines Pinot Noir Marlborough Marlborough New Zealand 2014 Bronze
Luis Felipe Edwards Gran Reserva Pinot Noir Leyda Chile 2014 Bronze
Weingut Becker Landgraf Spätburgunder – Pinot Noir Dry Biebelnheimer Rosenberg Rheinhessen Germany 2012 Bronze
Viña Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha – Pinot Noir Limarí Chile 2014 Bronze
Sileni Estates Cellar Selection Pinot Noir (UK Bottled) Hawke’s Bay New Zealand 2015 Bronze
De Grendel Wines De Grendel Op die Berg Pinot Noir Ceres Plateau South Africa 2013 Bronze
Viña Tabalí Tabalí Reserva Especial Pinot Noir Limarí Chile 2013 Bronze
Viña Falernia Pinot Noir Reserva Elqui Valley Chile 2014 Bronze
Viña Porta Veranda Pinot Noir Bío Bío Chile 2013 Bronze
Hahn Family Wines Hahn Pinot Noir California USA 2014 Bronze
Terramater Vineyard Reserve Pinot Noir Leyda Chile 2014 Bronze
£15-£20
Mario J Burkhart Rarus Noir 1 Gewächs Fahrental Blauer Spätburgunder Baden Germany 2014 Silver
Giesen The Brothers Pinot Noir Marlborough New Zealand 2013 Silver
Sileni Estates ‘The Plateau’ Pinot Noir Hawke’s Bay New Zealand 2013 Silver
Jackson Family Wines Nielson by Byron – Santa Barbara Pinot Noir Santa Barbara USA 2013 Silver
Mt Beautiful Wines North Canterbury Pinot Noir North Canterbury New Zealand 2014 Silver
Australian Vintage Nepenthe – Good Doctor Pinot Noir Adelaide Hills Australia 2014 Silver
Jackson Family Wines Kendall-Jackson – Reserve Pinot Noir California USA 2013 Silver
Sileni Estates ‘The Plateau’ Pinot Noir Hawke’s Bay New Zealand 2014 Silver
Hahn Family Wines Lucienne Smith Pinot Noir California USA 2013 Silver
Yealands Estate Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir Gibbston Central Otago New Zealand 2014 Silver
Little Beauty Limited Edition Pinot Noir Marlborough New Zealand 2014 Bronze
Santa Carolina Reserva de Familia Pinot Noir Santa Carolina Chile 2014 Bronze
Averill Creek Averill Creek Vancouver Island Canada 2012 Bronze
Garcés Silvia Family Vineyards Boya Pinot Noir Leyda Chile 2014 Bronze
Château de Santenay Bourgogne Pinot Noir Vieilles Vignes Burgundy France 2014 Bronze
Jackson Estate Vintage Widow Marlborough New Zealand 2013 Bronze
Viña Arboleda Arboleda Pinot Noir Valle Aconcagua Costa Chile 2014 Bronze
Viña Valdivieso Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Leyda Chile 2012 Bronze
Chamlija Felix Culpa Pinot Noir Strandja Turkey 2014 Bronze
Kellerei Meran Burggräfler Blauburgunder Riserva Zeno Alto Adige Italy 2013 Bronze
Viña Casablanca Nimbus Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Casablanca Chile 2013 Bronze
Viña Cono Sur 20 Barrels Pinot Noir Casablanca Chile 2014 Bronze
Tiki Wines Tiki Estate Pinot Noir Marlborough New Zealand 2014 Bronze
Calista The Coast Range Pinot Noir California USA 2013 Bronze
Vinultra INSIGHT Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Marlborough New Zealand 2013 Bronze
Giesen Small Batch Pinot Noir Marlborough New Zealand 2014 Bronze
Australian Vintage Nepenthe – Good Doctor Pinot Noir Adelaide Hills Australia 2013 Bronze
Prophet’s Rock Wines Rock Point Pinot Noir Bendigo, Central OtagoNew Zealand 2014 Bronze
Jackson Family Wines Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Pinot Noir California USA 2013 Bronze
£20-£30
De Bortoli Wines Riorret The Abbey Vineyard Pinot Noir Yarra Valley Australia 2013 Gold
Jackson Family Wines Carmel Road – Monterey Pinot Noir Monterey USA 2013 Gold
Craggy Range ‘Te Muna Road’ Pinot Noir Martinborough New Zealand 2013 Gold
Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak Pinot Noir Hemel-en-Aarde South Africa 2013 Gold
Van Duzer Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Willamette Valley USA 2013 Gold
Lowburn Ferry Wines Central Otago Home Block Pinot Noir Central Otago New Zealand 2014 Gold
Rockburn Wines Rockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir Central Otago New Zealand 2013 Gold
Rockburn Wines Rockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir Central Otago New Zealand 2014 Gold
Hahn Family Wines Hahn SLH Pinot Noir California USA 2014 Gold
Jean-René Germanier Pinot Noir Venthône ‘Lapon’ AOC Valais Valais Switzerland 2013 Silver
Burch Family Wines Marchand & Burch Pinot Noir Mount Barrow Mount Barker/Porongurup Australia 2015 Silver
REX HILL Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Willamette Valley USA 2013 Silver
Iona Vineyards Iona Pinot Noir Elgin South Africa 2013 Silver
Akarua Akarua Pinot Noir Central Otago New Zealand 2013 Silver
Antonio Colombo – Cascina Pastori Piemonte DOC Pinot Nero Piemonte Italy 2012 Silver
De Bortoli Wines Yarra Valley Estate Grown Pinot Noir Yarra Valley Australia 2015 Silver
Montes Wines Montes Outer Limits Pinot Noir Aconcagua Valley, Zappallar Chile 2014 Silver
Rosehall Run Vineyards JCR Pinot Noir Prince Edward County Canada 2013 Silver
Jackson Family Wines Siduri – Willamette Pinot Noir Willamette USA 2014 Silver
Bodegas Salentein Salentein Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Uco Valley, Mendoza Argentina 2013 Silver
Cantina Terlano Montigl Alto Adige Pinot Noir Reserva Alto Adige Italy 2013 Silver
Weinhaus Werner Näkel Gmbh Blauschiefer Ahr Germany 2014 Bronze
Heirloom Vineyards Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir Adelaide Hills Australia 2014 Bronze
Château de Santenay Mercurey 1er Cru Les Puillets Burgundy France 2014 Bronze
Tolosa Pinot Noir Estate Edna Valley USA 2014 Bronze
De Bortoli Wines Yarra Valley Villages Pinot Noir Yarra Valley Australia 2015 Bronze
Jackson Family Wines La Crema – Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast USA 2013 Bronze
Jackson Family Wines Cambria Estate Vineyards and Winery Bench Break Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley USA 2013 Bronze
Conte Vistarino ‘Pernice’ Pino Nero IGT Provincia di Pavia Lombardy Italy 2012 Bronze
Pegasus Bay Winery Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir Waipara Valley,North Canterbury New Zealand 2012 Bronze
GH Von Mumm Assmannshäuser Spätburgunder Rheingau Germany 2013 Bronze
Weinhaus Karl May Spätburgunder Reserve Rheinhessen Germany 2013 Bronze
Bellvale Quercus Vineyard Pinot Noir Gippsland Australia 2013 Bronze
Viña Errazuriz Max Reserva Pinot Noir Aconcagua Chile 2014 Bronze
De Bortoli Wines PH1 Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Yarra Valley Australia 2012 Bronze
St Michael Eppan Sanct Valentin Pinot Nero DOC Sudtirol-Alto Adige Italy 2011 Bronze
GH Von Mumm Assmannshäuser Spätburgunder ‘R’ Rheingau Germany 2012 Bronze
Maison Joseph Cattin Pinot Noir Rouge Steinbach Alsace France 2010 Bronze
Château de Santenay Mercurey Vieilles Vignes Burgundy France 2014 Bronze

Pinot Noir – Oaked (continued)

Company Wine Name Region Country Vintage Medal
£30-£50
Viña Cono Sur Ocio Casablanca Chile 2013 Gold
Van Duzer Vineyards Saffron Fields Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley AVA USA 2013 Gold
Tolosa Marley Anne Edna Valley USA 2014 Gold
Giesen Single Vineyard Ridge Block Pinot Noir Marlborough New Zealand 2013 Gold
Castelfeder Winery Pinot Nero Riserva Alto Adige DOC ‘Burgum Novum’ Alto Adige Italy 2012 Gold
Tolosa Lily Gil Edna Valley USA 2014 Gold
Jackson Family Wines La Crema Sonoma Coast Sonoma Coast USA 2013 Silver
Little Beauty Black Edition Pinot Noir Marlborough New Zealand 2014 Silver
Ferrari F lli Lunelli Maso Montaldo Pinot Nero Trentino Italy 2013 Silver
Tolosa Dijon 115 Edna Valley USA 2014 Silver
Tolosa 1772 Edna Valley USA 2014 Silver
Sileni Estates Sileni Estates Exceptional Vintage Pinot Noir Hawke’s Bay New Zealand 2014 Silver
Jackson Family Wines Tiran Moraine Yamhill-Carlton Oregon Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton AVA – Oregon USA 2013 Silver
Joseph Phelps Freestone Vineyards Pinot Noir California USA 2013 Silver
Cloudy Bay Vineyards Pinot Noir Marlborough New Zealand 2014 Silver
Tapanappa Wines Foggy Hill Pinot Noir

Southern Fleurieu

Australia 2012 Silver
Moorooduc Estate The Moorooduc McIntyre Pinot Noir Mornington Peninsula Australia 2013 Silver
Tolosa Clonal Select Edna Valley USA 2014 Silver
Tolosa Beyond Edna Valley USA 2014 Silver
Angela Estate Angela Vineyards Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton AVA – Oregon USA 2012 Bronze
Averill Creek Averill Creek Reserve Vancouver Island Canada 2009 Bronze
Château de Santenay Beaune 1er Cru Clos du Roi Burgundy France 2014 Bronze
Van Duzer Vineyards Westside Blocks, Pinot Noir Willamette Valley AVA USA 2013 Bronze
Angela Estate Angela Vineyards Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton AVA – Oregon USA 2013 Bronze
Ste. Michelle Wines Estate Erath Willakia Vineyards Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills USA 2014 Bronze
Adamswein Spätburgunder Kaliber 48 Rheinhessen Germany 2013 Bronze
Brengman Brothers at Crain Hill Vineyards Pinot Noir Crain Hill Vineyard Artist Series Leelanau Peninsula AVA USA 2012 Bronze
LoveBlock Vintners Pinot Noir Central Otago Central Otago New Zealand 2013 Bronze
Giesen Single Vineyard Clayvin Pinot Noir Marlborough New Zealand 2013 Bronze
Château de Santenay Aloxe-Corton Les Brunettes et Planchots Burgundy France 2014 Bronze
Trefethen Family Vineyards Trefethen Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Oak Knoll District Napa Valley USA 2013 Bronze
Tapanappa Wines Foggy Hill Pinot Noir

Southern Fleurieu

Australia 2014 Bronze
Over £50
Craggy Range Aroha Pinot Noir Martinborough New Zealand 2013 Master
Angela Estate Abbott Claim Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton AVA – Oregon USA 2012 Gold
Tolosa Aethereal Edna Valley USA 2014 Gold
Marisco Vineyards The Craft Series: The Journey of Pinot Noir Marlborough New Zealand 2013 Silver
Bouchard Finlayson Tête de Cuvée Pinot Noir Hemel-en-Aarde South Africa 2012 Silver
Weinhaus Werner Näkel GmbH Dernauer Pfarrwingert Ahr Germany 2013 Silver
Angela Estate ‘Abbott Claim’ Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton AVA – Oregon USA 2013 Bronze

2 responses to “Pinot Noir Masters 2016: the results”

  1. It is unfair to judge California/Oregon Pinot Noir on this very small sample – several of which are large production pedestrian Pinot Noirs. This will never be a “Masters” tasting until you include many top shelf, small production Pinot Noirs from California and Oregon.

  2. Renos Ross says:

    Is the wine industry becoming dominated by MW and their opinions. I’ve on many occasions have tastings with MWs and found their palate no better than mine. In fact their perception of wine is clouded by their boorish knowledge. There is an old saying that applies here “Too many cooks spoil the broth” and I would say it applies here. There is no other business in the world where we only seem to heed the advice of MWs. You need a mixture of palates because of nuances that wine offers. As much as people like Robert Parker et al think, there is no such thing as a 100 point wine.As there there is no such thing as a perfect palate, as MWs think.

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