Wine Advocate Issue #184 Sep 2009 91 points

A Pinot Noir Dry Red Table wine from Otago, New Zealand
The 2006 Pinot Noir has a beautifully defined, rather “cool”, reserved, Burgundian nose, capturing the lightness of Pinot Noir, its clarity and pellucid nature. Scents of wild strawberry, raspberry leaf and a touch of limestone. The palate is well balanced with judicious use of oak, a Pinot that knows that it does not have to try hard to make a good impression. Builds nicely from a taut, linear entry to surprising weight and sappiness on the finish. Excellent! Drink over 3-6 years.

I stumbled across Paritua at a public tasting in London and was mightily impressed by their wines (since re-tasted single blind from samples.) Established in 2001 by two Americans, Brianne and Gary Fisher who fell in love with Hawkes Bay, they farm 150 acres in the Ngatawara Triangle and though produced in small quantities, are well worth seeking out.

Neal Martin for Wine Advocate
91 points