2015 Aroha

Clean compost, vanilla and plum all appear on the nose of the top-of-the-line 2015 Pinot Noir Aroha. It's medium to full-bodied, with big fruit—black cherries, plums, cola—and copious silky tannins. Not made in a huge, blockbuster style, it still makes an impression for its combination of approachability and complexity. It should make for exciting drinking over the next decade.

Mid cherry and notably darker than the Kusuda Pinot Noir 2014 just tasted. A hint of toffee sweetness on the nose and definite cherry fruit. Sweet and juicy. Riper fruited and more obvious oak spice than other wines in this flight of New Zealand Pinots. Firm but fine tannins. A little bit of heat on the finish. (JH)