Absolutely stunning. A knockout wine from head to toe. Aromatically enticing right out of the gate. The nose is freshly sweet, Turkish delight and winter strawberry with a confected, coulis style smashed berry mix. Creamy too - maybe a bit of Eaton Mess, all told. When this wine was first reviewed by Halliday there was mention of it being quite tightly wound, but that ball of energy has unfurled now and what remains is an inviting, generous, plush palate of red-fruited bliss. Peppy acidity gives zip and zeal to the juicy fruit - a brilliantly compiled wine that's looking just the part.

All the components of a Burgundian winner, and that's no easy crowd to stand out in. What I love about this wine particularly is the celebration of fruit - so often Burgundy can get bogged down in the 'other' of the terroir: wet earth, barnyard, mushroom. This has got those layers of complexity, but sitting neatly on top of that is bright, exuberant red, blue and even black fruits (by way of dark cherry). Top notch. Full marks. Brilliant booze.

You could be forgiven for thinking Marlborough is all about savvy b, but chat to the locals and they can’t stop carrying on about pinot noir (and chardy for that matter, but that’s a tipple for another day). The Te Pa Signature pinot has all the classic elegance and poise coupled with intensity and focus, but its the fruit that’s knocking our socks off. Brimming with pulpy dark red cherry and winter strawberry, the fruit persists from start to finish. A little bit of oak nuance and some fine grain tannin gives the wine shape and structure. There’s plushness and generosity set against a tart, sappy backdrop. This is a wine in perfect balance showing its full potential.