Spy Valley, Marlborough (New Zealand) Pinot Noir 2008

Pure and delicate, this is a wine for those who want something light and feminine to work with foods like duck, pork, chicken or fish that would be overwhelmed by the sort of Pinot that looks like Syrah and weights in with alcohol more appropriate for Zinfandel.  The fruit shows a very appealing red fruit character with an undertone of black cherry, and a little whiff of smoke lends an appealing sidelight.  The subtly spicy finish shows good acidity and light tannins that are very well attuned to the delicacy of the fruit.