I really don't know what to say about this wine. It smells like Pinot Noir, more or less... and I'm at a loss for descriptors past that point. There seems to be some kind of weird spritziness on the tongue, and I find myself wondering if there's been a small refermentation in bottle as well; there's an odd, yeasty note that's unattractive and it mostly tastes of pizza dough that someone dropped in a wax cup of strawberry Kool-Aid at the end of a children's birthday party.
Fifteen minutes after pouring, there's kind of a foamy, frothy ring around the wine as it sits in my glass. It's not very attractive. Here's a snapshot:
With additional time and air, this wine is about as far from good pinot noir as it gets. It's medium bodied, atypically so for Pinot. The wine is heavy, dull, flabby, and overripe. There is no finish. There is no excuse for shipping this wine overseas; it should have been consumed as sangria, preferably in Nelson.
Thankfully, our street's recyclables are being picked up by the city overnight. I don't want to have to look at this bottle in the morning and be reminded of my mistake.
Villa Maria
Price: US $17.99
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: April 2008
Fifteen minutes after pouring, there's kind of a foamy, frothy ring around the wine as it sits in my glass. It's not very attractive. Here's a snapshot:
With additional time and air, this wine is about as far from good pinot noir as it gets. It's medium bodied, atypically so for Pinot. The wine is heavy, dull, flabby, and overripe. There is no finish. There is no excuse for shipping this wine overseas; it should have been consumed as sangria, preferably in Nelson.
Thankfully, our street's recyclables are being picked up by the city overnight. I don't want to have to look at this bottle in the morning and be reminded of my mistake.
Villa Maria
Price: US $17.99
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: April 2008
What a shame! That definitely sounds like a faulty bottle. Personally, I've a bit of a soft spot for Marlborough Pinot. We'll see what we can rustle up in NZ, shall we? :)
Julian - I couldn't agree more. We need to remedy the situation as soon as possible after landing in NZ - I shall be quite cross if I'm not drinking NZ pinot before sunset that Sunday!