Lake Chalice, Marlborough (New Zealand) Pinot Noir 2009

Oct 14, 2011

By Michael Franz

 Delicious and very attractively priced, this is made from 14% Central Otago fruit.  It spent 12 months in French oak, and that sure seems right, as there’s just the right edge of spice and smoke to frame the fruit and provide added aromatic interest without overwhelming the fruit or drying the finish.  Black cherry is the lead fruit note, but there are also suggestions of red cherry and wild strawberry, with an overall profile that shows admirable freshness and delicacy.

Country / Region

New Zealand

Appellation

Marlborough

Grape Variety

Pinot Noir

Color

Red

Vintage

2009

Score

91

Price

US $ 25.00

Producer

Lake Chalice