Lil Rippa and Central Schist Pinot Noir 2011

Two very different wines from the same region, and same vintage. The Lil Rippa, with its Pams font and simplistic label, at first glance offers great value at $20, but once tasted it’s easy to see why. The nose offers little in the way of Pinot characteristics. The palate is astringent, with far too much acid, either added or poor fruit ripeness.

What Lil Rippa does offer is reasonable cooking wine. This wine can be found at most supermarkets.

75 Points
3 Stars
RRP $20

Central Schist Pinot Noir 2011 offers the consumer more. Aside from the obvious name, far too easy, the wine is vibrant in the glass. The nose  offers ripe blackberry, blueberry, and a hint of cinnamon and flint. The palate, albeit medium bodied, offers good ripe fruit, slightly synthetic, with good balance and length.

80 Points
5 Stars
RRP $20

Both wines are available under $20 and are really entry level Pinot Noir g=from this region. Pay a little more and get a lot more wine for your money. The saying “drink less but better quality” is very much the case with these two wines.

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Written by Jayson Bryant

Jayson’s roots in wine began when his father literally dragged him round France and injected his passion into him. From the age of 8 his family took month long holidays in France travelling through all regions and sampling their wine.
UnScrewed has reinvented the concept of wine tasting in New Zealand and along the way found a new and willing audience. In addition to encouraging straightforward wine tasting, Jayson educates viewers about the effects of regional factors (soil, sun, wind) on wine flavours, and how to buy wine.

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