The icon is in fine form once again, showing all the haunting complexity and swirling grace that sets this wine apart as New Zealand's preeminent pinot noir. The perfumed, light, sweet rose petals are here – really sweet and alluring – along with plenty of ripe red-cherry fruits and all manner of fine-dusted spices scattered throughout. The palate sweeps out a web of finely meshed tannin that has incredible depth, yet carries an immense sense of delicacy and elegance. Bright cherry flavors run the gamut, there's some toasty French oak built into the mix, and the whole lot lifts effortlessly through the finish, leaving a tangy, balanced impression. Superb, once again. Drink now. - Nick Stock

A lighter coloured vintage for Ata Rangi - red fruit (cherry) plum a musk and rose perfume and plenty of spice with the promise of some mulchy earthy forest-floor like flavours to come. It's full in the mouth although not heavy with an almost creamy texture but juicy spicy fresh and lightly sappy too. Fans out on the finish and delivers satisfaction from front to back. Superb.

A heady perfumed mix of floral cherry plum and spice flavours in an elegant rather than blockbuster style. This is a wine of surprising power that lingers tantalisingly long after it has been swallowed. A wonderful medley of fruit and savory characters that's truly seductive.

Naturally fermented with 10% being whole bunch the 2009 Pinot Noir spent 12 months in French oak 25% new. Medium ruby-purple colored it offers expressive notes of kirsch black raspberries wild blueberries and violets over hints of black pepper cedar forest floor humus and black truffles. Medium-full bodied with a good amount of muscular fruit it has a medium level of grainy tannins medium-high acid and a long earthy finish. Approachable now it should drink best 2012 to 2017+.--Lisa Perotti-Brown