Wine of the Week. Misha’s Vineyard The High Note Pinot Noir 2008. Firstly at The Grove in the city with vineyard owners Misha and Andy Wilkinson and winemaker Ollie Masters – last year we tasted ‘The Audition Pinot Noir 2007’ – the audition was passed and now we have the ‘High Note’.
Misha’s The High Note Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008 from Bendigo on the eastern side of Lake Dunstan is a deep, savoury smelling wine – savoury with a ‘high note’ of red fruit penetrating the scent and a hint of anise. The savoury theme continues in the mouth – it’s earthy, funky, dense and textural with dark fruits and a more Martinborough-like tannin structure than most Central Otago wines – winemaker input perhaps – although Ollie says that Bendigo is typically like this. And while still a little grainy at this stage, to me this is a good sign for this young Pinot Noir. It has the benefit of wild yeast ferment and oak is restrained compared to last year’s Audition while the finish is bright with a hint of cherry and those aromatic spices lingering beautifully. The wine has 14.3% alcohol and is sealed with a screwcap. The price is around $45.
(Sue Courtney, Wine of the Week, 29 Nov, 2009) http://www.wineoftheweek.com/archives/wine091129.html
