With an impeccable sense of balance, the Akitu A1 Pinot Noir 2013, produced by Akitu winery in the illustrious Central Otago region of New Zealand, manifests the exceptional terroir of its home ground. This vintage is derived from handpicked, hand sorted, and de-stemmed grapes, set apart by its compelling complexity and expressive dark fruit notes. The wine’s ageing in French oak barrels for 16 months only accentuates its wraparound texture, harmonising ever so elegantly with the layers of ripe red and black cherry, entwined with hushed whispers of lavender and earthy undertones.

Esteemed winegrower Andrew Donaldson's philosophy shines through - letting the vineyard express itself. Akitu A1 Pinot Noir 2013 brings to the fore the qualities of its specific clone mix and the unique sub-alpine climate it thrives in, culminating in a wine that's ethereal yet deeply rooted. Templating fine wine, it truly captures the essence and precision of world-class Pinot Noir.

International Wine Challenge (96)

Delightful, harmonious, elegant Pinot with complex flavours of a savoury, dark fruit, leafy notes and hints of smoky oak. Delicious; still in its youth. Vibrant, youthful wine with all to play for.

Vinous (93)

The 2019 Pinot Noir A1 is a scented and layered style, offering dark chocolate and dark cherry character with underlying fennel, rose petal and festive spices. This is a mid-weight, reflecting the cooler vintages in its tension and poise. Elegant and supple in the mouth with a corset of tension holding it in focus, the wine's structure builds toward the lengthy and fragrant conclusion. The tannins are very well handled, providing satisfying grip, and, in combination with the fresh acidity, this wine has the structural framework as well as the fruit concentration to evolve from its youthful, current self over the coming decade – maybe more. Who knows? This is only the eighth vintage of this cuvée, so predictions are educated guesswork.

Vinous (94)

The 2021 Pinot Noir A1 is almost good enough to eat with its density of flavor and rich texture that will leave you chewing on it appreciatively. It has an abundance of tannin (in the context of Pinot Noir), which is cleverly integrated within the core of the wine, creating a mesh-like sensation. It's not a big wine but has plenty of substance within its medium-bodied frame. A concentration of flavor is layered with ripe cherry fruit and herbal characters. A balsamic tinge joins oak-derived cedar notes. Long, scented and textural, this is a wine you want to get your mouth around.

The Real Review (96)

Line-priced with the Home Block Pinot Noir, this is a slightly more robust style thanks, perhaps, to more clay-rich soils. It's an elegant pinot noir with cherry, spice, anise, floral, violet, cigar box and fine, stemmy tannins. A little closed at this stage but with the potential to develop well with bottle age.

Raymond Chan (100)

Full, even, black-hued ruby-red with youthful purple tints. The nose is very full with softly concentrated and layered aromas of rich, ripe, dark red berries and cherries along with nuances of dark red plums entwined with fragrant violet florals, fresh herb and spicy detail. The aromatics blossom to reveal notes of raspberry liqueur, earth and minerals. This exudes richness allied to elegance and finesse. Medium-full bodied, vibrantly succulent and lusciously sweet fruit flavours of dark red berry and cherry fruit are harmoniously melded with flavours of ripe dark plums and fragrant violet florals, dark herbs, spices and red licorice. The flavours are seamlessly mouthfilling and supported by refined, flowery tannin extraction, and enlivened by poised acidity. This has drive, energy and fine linearity, and the wine carries to a very long and sustained, rich finish of spiced cherries and raspberry liqueur. This is a beautifully rich and succulent, elegantly balanced and refined Pinot Noir with seamless-flowing, ripe flavours of dark berry and cherry fruit with complexing floral and herbal detail. Match with duck, pork, beef and lamb dishes over the next 7-10 years. Fruit from the oldest parcels, 40% Abel clone with the remainder clones 5, Dijon and 10/5, indigenous yeast fermented with 25% whole bunches to 14.0% alc., the wine spending 20-26 days on skins and aged 11 months in 35% new French oak barrels.

Wine Orbit (98)

Offering graceful power and immense complexity, the wine shows dark cherry, dark mushroom, floral, fragrant spice and toasted almond characters on the nose with nuances of charcuterie and floral. It’s elegant and sophisticated on the palate with exceptional depth and concentration, seamlessly structured by silky tannins, finishing impressively long and engaging.

The Real Review (98)

Elegant, seamless pinot noir with fragrant, floral, red rose, dark cherry, anise, spice and restrained savoury and fresh herb characters. It's a complex medley of appealing flavours supported by an ethereal texture and a lingering finish. A surprisingly accessible wine from an excellent vintage. Should develop well with bottle age.

The Real Review (98)

Concentrated, complex pinot noir with cassis, blackberry, dark cherry, violet, wood smoke and savoury/dried herb flavours. Accessible now but with a proven history of ageing gracefully. Elegant wine with impressive power.

James Suckling (97)

Lively and vibrant red fruits of wild strawberries and red cherries followed by rose hips, ground spices and a touch of citrus zest. Medium-bodied, finely grained velvety tannins with a delightful acid backbone. Zesty and layered wine with beautiful balance and complexity. It’s already enjoyable but will age gracefully.

Vinous (89)

This is Sauvignon Blanc made in a host of ways, hence the name Raranga, which means “woven” in Māori. There were parcels fermented in tank and in barrels, while a small proportion was fermented on skins, and a splash was whole-bunch fermented. After a couple of years, this is starting to shed its primary fruit and taking on characters of lanolin and oatmeal alongside citrus, pear and lemon tart. It has good depth and concentration and offers some interest texturally. The finish is clean and zesty although a little brief.

Wine Advocate (93+)

Medium to deep ruby colored, the 2011 Bell Hill Pinot Noir offers a black fruit nose with notes of black cherries, mulberries and blackberries plus nuances of cloves, cinnamon and anise. Medium bodied, the palate is densely packed with black berry and baking spice flavors and highly structured with a refreshing acid backbone and firm, grainy tannins, finishing long with a pleasant herbal lift.

Exemplifying artistry in winemaking, Bell Hill Pinot Noir 2017 is a scintillating masterpiece of the vine. Having its roots in the limestone-rich soils of North Canterbury, New Zealand, this remarkable vintage embodies the diligent care and precision Bell Hill Vineyard imperatively demands. The grapes are rigorously selected from two unique blocks, meticulously hand-harvested and crafted using a burgundian approach. Resulting in a wine that defines depth, complexity and longevity.

The 2017 vintage presents an expressive bouquet of ripe berries and delicate floral undertones ennobled by a subtle earthiness and whispers of oriental spices. Its velvet tannins and structured body unfurl in the palate to reveal layers of dark cherry, cocoa and truffle, underpinned by its refreshing, lingering finish. Truly, Bell Hill Pinot Noir 2017 affirms itself as an indulgent indulgence capturing the essence of its origin, drawn by purity, elegance and an unwavering testimony to the grandeur of Bell Hill Vineyard.

The Real Wine Review (96)

Relatively light in colour but with impressive purity and power with floral, violet, red rose, red cherry and a chalk-mineral character. Graceful wine with an ethereal texture and very lengthy finish. A seriously good pinot noir with a promising future.

James Suckling (98)

Cloaked in freshly ground black pepper, plenty of meaty charcuterie complexity and loads of spice. Orange rind and graphite. Some musky lift. Blackberries and plums. Concentrated dark-plum and black-cherry flavours, with blackberry, dark chocolate and mocha. Best from 2019.

Jancis Robinson (18)

If the Holdaway Sauvignon was all about the fruit, with a little bit of winemaking, this is more about the winemaking but could not be built like this without that same fruit quality and intensity – as it opens there’s blackcurrant leaf and an almost hidden note of tropical fruit and richness. Marked struck-match, smoky, cordite first impression, but not excessive unless you don’t like this style. This is bold, fresh, with the start of some cedary development of bottle age. On the palate, the texture is rounded and deep, filling the mouth but still incredibly fresh. Long, mouth-watering, salty finish, and a promise of more bottle-aged complexity to come. Delicious now but no rush. Classy, complex, distinctive. For lovers of Sauvignon in the style of Dogpoint Section 94.

Vinous (96)

White Bordeaux fans, get your coat; you've scored. The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Abstract is a gorgeous, rich, full-bodied mouthful of intensely concentrated barrel-fermented Sauvignon. This is curvy, suave and sophisticated. Its ripe blackcurrant and fennel aromas meet lees-derived savory notes and nutty oak characters (aged in puncheons, 15% new). The 2021 has substance as well as fine acidity that provides mouthwatering refreshment. Its long finish is laced with layers of fragrance and texture. This has the componentry to age well, but it's delicious now, so why would you wait?

Vinous (96)

The 2019 Sauvignon Blanc Abstract Three Rows is a pure and sophisticated wine from, true to its name, three rows of a dry farmed parcel. It is bright and tangy yet savory. The fruit is pure and delicate, like a cloud. It is transparent and yet expansive in the mouth, having no heaviness. Light honey, nectarine, musky boxwood and oatmeal flavors abound with a light creamy character. Sensitive Sauvignon.

Vinous (94)

Northern Rhône lovers will be impressed by the 2019 Syrah Element Vineyard. Suave and silky smooth, its aromatics beguile with plenty of cool-climate Syrah nuance. White pepper and potpourri aromas add something exotic to blackberry fruit and smoked woody characters. The fragrant finish is tranquil and refined with a coating of fine, powdery tannins.