Two Paddocks 2017 The First Paddock Proprietor's Reserve Pinot Noir (Central Otago)

From one of the original vineyards on the property (planted 1993), as the name suggests, this bottling needs some swirling in the glass or time in a decanter. But like a locked box, once the lid is open, treasures await. And they're all highly reflective of place. Rhubarb and cherry notes swirl with baking spice, dried flowers and an earthy, mushroom note, morphing over time into a fruitier, more vanilla toned beauty. Silky texture, crystalline acidity and juicy fruit are wrapped in a swaddle of spicy, structured tannins. There's oak influence, too, but it should melt seamlessly into the wine with a few more years in bottle. Drink now–2030. Christina Pickard