I love Pinot Noir from New Zealand. The 2015 Giesen has a bit of age to it, and that shows in the way it drinks right now. The tannins are well resolved, giving it a silky texture. This leans to the savory, spicy side of the fruit spectrum that I expect from Marlborough Pinot Noir. It is in a great drinking window, and is a very good deal to drink now, and over the next couple of years.

On the nose, beautiful plum, crushed wild strawberries, cola berry with just a hint of savory underbrush from bottle age. The texture is silky and rich, but the fruit remains light on its feet and youthful with great acidity, and a long, pure finish. With the perfect bottle age, pedigree and price, this is the best bottle of Pinot you can get for the money right now.

When this wine was first shown to me, I thought that there had to be something wrong with it. $40 Pinot Noir from one of Marlborough's best producers at a fraction of the price? I was sure it was too good to be true, but I was dead wrong. This is serious, top-level New Zealand Pinot Noir that is at the top of its game. Giesen's "The Brothers" wines are their reserve-tier wines, hand harvested from choice sites in Marlborough's Southern Valleys and made in small lots. My favorite thing about this wine is that at 5 years, it is absolutely perfect at this moment. Full of aromatic complexity with bing cherry, anise, dried herbs, savory character, all interwoven creating a profile of depth and complexity. The pallet follow up with tart strawberry, cranberry, and bursts with lively acidity on the pallet. The tannins are almost completely resolved at this point, leading to a seamless finish. This is a phenomenal. One of the best I've seen this entire year.