A first review of a wine I first tasted at the vineyard back in mid-2021 – www.winefolio.co.nz/?p=3657. A dense ruby-purple in the glass. Very bright and aromatic on the nose, with black cherry, clove, strawberry, cranberry, cinnamon, wood smoke and a lift of rose petal floral. A brisk, tense acidity through a palate that has weight and structure. A frame of cedary oak is noticeable, and the tannin has a grip but also suppleness. As you go, there is distinctive chalky minerality too, but there is a sense of place (I can picture the slope as I drink this), and of completeness to the overall wine in your glass. I suspect there is more to come from this, with a few years more development in bottle. 93pts
Bell Hill Pinot Noir 2016
