Ata Rangi Reserve Pinot Noir 1990

This wine (now 35 years old) was named “Best New World Pinot Noir” at the 1994 International Wine Challenge, which would have been quite the accolade for NZ back in the day. An opaque, brick red-burgundy colour in the glass. The perfume is quite savoury (I initially guessed it to be a French Pinot), with smoked meat, mushroom and pot pourri on the nose. Also a flutter of thyme and cinnamon, with dark plum and raspberry fruits. Plenty of ripe juice into the palate, with fine, grainy tannin providing the spine. A broad and appealing mid-palate heads into a finish that is now a touch dry, but has harmony and solid length. 93pts