Wine Blogging Wednesday 16 - Judge A Bottle By Its Cover.  Add/Read Comments

What should I select? One of those 'funky' labels with bright colours and cartoonish graphics or something more sedate, classy and refined. The gold on yesterday's bottle label didn't translate to anything decent liquid-wise so taking a different angle a more understated label, something simple but refined, caught the eye. For this months Wine Blogging Wednesday Derrick has selected wine labels as the theme under the title Judge A Book By Its Cover.

Wine Tasting Note: Matahiwi Pinot Noir, 2004, Wairarapa, New Zealand.
From Oddbins for £8.99
Light in colour, nose full of black cherry yoghurt aromas with just a suspicion of earthy richness - young. With more swirling more primary fruit and less of that earthiness. Not hugely complex but attractive. Rich, young, up-front fruit, a delicious richness. Plenty of acidity. A touch of smoke on the finish. Alcohol 13.5%. This would be delicious with a lamb dish; the acidity cutting through the fat. A cream dish would also work - the cream and Parmesan smothered baked onions and a few little sausages went superbly.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100

As detailed on the producers website this is the first vintage from this specific vineyard. The Matahiwi Estate spans 74-hectares in the Opaki region of Waiarapa where it is one of the largest family owned wineries.

There is a flickr group for this round of Wine Blogging Wednesday.