Hello again wine-o's!
So last night I was perusing my underwater wine cellar (...location secret!) in search of something to go with a couple of manatees who had no idea they were about to get chomped in half. I had forgotten all about my stash of '02 Thornbury Pinot from Marlborough, which I had picked up years ago during one of my frequent trips to the waters off New Zealand. I remembered this being pretty bold in its youth, so I thought it would be fun to see how it was coming along.
I poured it into my decanter and gave it about an hour to open up. This gave my wife ample time to drag down those cocky manatees and get them on the table where they belong! Who's so cute and adorable now, huh!?? The wine poured out a deep, but slightly rusty purple with aromas of cinnamon, stewed cherries and some nice balsamic notes. On the palate is where it got really interesting- right up front was a powerful mesquite flavor backed by more cherries and some pretty firm tannins. The acidity was assertive but well balanced. Quite an interesting Pinot with plenty of life left ahead of it. I'd say this should continue to improve for another 5-7 years.
All in all, pretty impressive for such a modestly priced wine. You should be able to find current vintages of this Pinot in the lower teens. If you can still find some '02, pick it up! This is a Pinot Noir that can stand up to bolder cuisine than most; it was great with the manatees and would be a fine match with most large mammals.
That's all for now, friends. Until next time.
Salud!
-Robert Sharker.
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