Craggy Range - Aroha (Martinborough)

Anthocyanes

96 / 100

byYohan Castaingthe9/9/2022

Fumé, un peu réduit, des notes de goudron et un boisé assez imposant. Le bouquet évolue vers des notes de fruits noirs très murs, de fleurs et d'épices. Assez puissant. Bouche fruitée et ferme, les tanins devront se fondre, la structure est juteuse et fraiche avec une belle profondeur et une amertume élégante accompagnée d'une une tension remarquable. 70% grappes entières.

Decanter.com

95 / 100

byGeorgina Hindlethe8/24/2022

This is a very stylish, plump and fleshy pinot that has a sweetly spicy, floral and fragrant nose with ripe red and dark cherries, as well as sappy, forest leaves and gentle, earthy tones. Complex, young and fresh. The palate has such supple and sappy cherries and blueberries with a fresh, tangy line of acidity and a long, polished finish. Impressive. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Jane Anson

95 / 100

byJane Ansonthe7/19/2022

Smells so good, these are aromatics that you want to dive into. Beautifully sculpted, with waves of redcurrant, blueberry, peach blossom, lemongrass and gunsoke that roll around the palate, the definition of retro-olfaction. So gulpable, and full of generous but delicate Pinot Noir chracter. The name, by the way, means love in the Maori language. Harvest March 20, after a great vintage in New Zealand, up there with the excellent 2019. 70% whole bunch. 34% new oak.

Vinous

95 / 100

byRebecca Gibbthe1/1/2022

The 2020 Pinot Noir Aroha Te Muna Road Vineyard is a serene, mouthcoating style that soothes your palate and could be served to the sound of pan pipes. It conveys a sense of rich, unadulterated fruit and broadens in the mouth before the combination of acidity and drawn-out gravelly tannins pulls the wine together, lending purpose and freshness. Expect strawberry fruit alongside lifted herbal and violet tones (courtesy of a whopping 70% whole bunch – this was a ripe vintage, and winemaker Grounds felt it needed this for moreishness). Wild-fermented in French oak barrels and matured over 14 months before bottling, the oak is well integrated, supporting discreetly rather than standing out. Note that this is the first time Aroha has been made without any Abel clone fruit, because there was rain when it was ripening and Grounds felt it lacked the “excitement” to go in the blend.

Jamessuckling.com

97 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe12/5/2021

This is a very stylish, plump and fleshy pinot that has a sweetly spicy, floral and fragrant nose with ripe red and dark cherries, as well as sappy, forest leaves and gentle, earthy tones. Complex, young and fresh. The palate has such supple and sappy cherries and blueberries with a fresh, tangy line of acidity and a long, polished finish. Impressive. Drink or hold. Screw cap.