Local Pinots Rated Highly

Matthew Jukes is one of the UK’s best-known wine critics, and has recently published his third Classification of New Zealand Pinot Noir, based on the five most recent vintages.  Martinborough rates very highly, with five local wineries scoring 4 and 5 stars and another two awarded 3 stars. 

Ata Rangi is one of only three wineries awarded five stars, with Felton Road and Mt Difficulty from Central Otago. 

In the four star category are Craggy Range, Dry River, Escarpment and Martinborough Vineyard.  Palliser Estate and Schubert were awarded three stars, within the Top 23 wines.  

Matthew Jukes and Australian wine journalist Tyson Stelzer base the awards on an average rating of the five most recent vintages. Entire ranges are tasted, but it is the producers' estate wines which set the standard, not the most expensive reserves or single-vineyard wines. 

Jukes believes that there are a dozen different regions in which “the geographical and micro-climatic differences are beginning to make themselves felt”, with Martinborough one of two regions really cementing their reputation for great Pinot. At a Decanter panel tasting in September 2008 they took five of the seven top awards.
 
In his pre-Pinot Noir website column, Jukes talked about the importance of vine age for high quality pinot noir, and named the 2007 Ata Rangi, 2007 Dry River and 2006 Escarpment Kupe pinots in his Top 12 list.