With just 5% whole bunch ferment and one-third in French new oak, the delightful 2008 Te Muna Pinot Noir has well-defined nose with raspberry, strawberry and a touch of crushed stones and demonstrates far more clarity than Craggy’s other Pinot Noir ‘08s. The palate is medium-bodied with firm but brittle tannins, slightly lower acidity than expected but with crisp cranberry and raspberry leaf towards the finish. This Pinot has delightful purity and sense of panache. Drink now-2018. The wines from Craggy Range were tasted both in Hawkes Bay in January 2010 and then in London six months later. Steve Smith, Rod Easthope and the team continue to furnish consumers with a wide portfolio of terroir-based wines that satisfy both the value and prestige end of the market. Having tasted many of their wines, there is no doubt that they have ‘toned down’ their style, the initial releases being rather hubristic and a tad top-heavy with oak. This sense of refinement has lent the wines greater poise and breeding. Their reds are still their strongest suit, in particular their flagship labels such as ‘Le Sol’ and ‘Sophia’, but do not overlook their Chardonnays that exude great purity and Burgundian poise. Meanwhile their ‘Wild Rock’ entry-level range, which is treated as a completely separate entity to Craggy Range, contains some delightful varietals that form a neat introduction to the delights of Hawkes Bay’s wines.Importer: Kobrand Corp., New York, NY; tel. (212) 490-9300.

Always dark in color and flavor profile, Craggy Range stays true to those traits with an excellent 2008 from its own Te Muna Road Vineyard. Hints of cocoa, dried herb and leather accent vibrant black cherry and plum flavors, while the tannins are silky and refined. Drink now–2015. ——J.C.(4/1/2011)—— 90