Akarua

Akarua Rua Pinot Noir 2018

Award
Winner Blue Gold Pinot Noir Wines
Grape Varieties
Pinot Noir (100%) Central Otago, New Zealand
Country of Origin
New Zealand
Alcohol Content
14% Alcohol by Volume
Wine Type and Oak Treatment
Still Red with Oak Treatment
Recommended Retail Price
RRP AU $24.99
  • Akarua
    210 Cairnmuir Road
    Bannockburn
    Central Otago, Central Otago
    New Zealand 9384
  • Rae Joyce, Marketing Assistant
  • Phone (64) 03 4450897

Lifted and pure. Strawberry notes. Riper notes come through on the palate. Some savoury tannins. The tannins seem to still be somewhat clunky with the dish.

Lifted aromas of strawberry and spice. Fresh, vibrant and lively showing excellent intensity of juicy strawberry supported by supple fine-grained tannins. The wine appears drier and less generous with food.

Attractive aromas of sour cherry, cranberry and lemon. Wonderful flavour intensity and depth. The wine looks excellent with the food - it is a lovely match.

Red florals and sappy spice notes on the nose. Medium bodied palate with juicy red currant and raspberry fruit and slightly green stalky medium tannin edge clipping the fruit sweetness. Savory forest and spice driven cool climate style. The sappy green notes are diminished with the food and the juicy acidity lifts the berry fruit to the fore providing a nice clean fresh finish.

Enticing nose of spice and Montmorency cherries with balanced oak use that gives a hint of vanilla spice on the lingering finish. A wine to enjoy now or hold for 2-3 years.

Quite a shy nose, some dark cherry, lavender and spice, palate is a little sweet-fruited and simple, lacking focus. This was accentuated somewhat by the food match.

Lovely crimson colour. Sweet aromatic nose of wild cherry’s and cloves with hints of musk. Well integrated oak with lovely soft ripe fruit tannins on the palate. Finishes with lovely plush strawberry notes. Wine becomes sweeter with this dish.

Mid ruby colour. Clean strawberry fruit, fresh oak. Gentle palate, soft tannins, fine acidity. Good palate length, soft finish.

Mid red, bright hue, red cherry and spice with nuance of wood smoke, firm palate with sweet fruit, wine overwhelms the coq au vin

Light to medium red, cherry, redcurrant, medium bodied, grainy tannins, slightly sappy.

Floral spice lift with slight perfume, toast. Cherry spice, donut, hard and drying tannins. Food: No change, except for added moreishness.

A more savoury style, less generosity on the palate, a more savoury finish, drying tannins.

The Pinot Noir Wines were judged with

Coq Au Vin

Presented by chef Michael Manners

Ingredients

  • No. 15-18 Chicken
  • 550mL Pinot Noir
  • 150g Speck
  • 250g Button Mushrooms
  • 8-10 eschallots
  • 30mL brandy
  • 1 Carrot
  • 1 Onion
  • 3 cloves of Garlic
  • 5 Black peppercorns
  • 2 Bay Leaves, Thyme, Tarragon, Parsley stalks, 1 Tbsp butter & 1 Tbsp plain flour – mixed

Method

  1. Cut the chicken into eight pieces.
  2. Make up a stock with chicken backbone, onion, carrot, bay leaves, 5 black peppercorns, and thyme. Strain.In a large saucepan, place the Pinot, 2 bay leaves, thyme, parsley and crushed clove of garlic.
  3. Add stock. Reduce by half.
  4. Dice the speck and cook with some butter and a little oil. Allow the fat to run out of the speck and then add the peeled eschallots. Allow to colour.
  5. Add seasoned chicken pieces (salt and pepper) -try skin side down until coloured and turn, add brandy and flame. Pour in the wine stock, mix ??? a fresh bouquet garni and garlic.
  6. Cover and cook until tender. Meanwhile cook the mushrooms in butter with salt and pepper and one crushed garlic cover.
  7. When the chicken is cooked, strain off the sauce and thicken with the butter/flour mix. Add the chicken, eschallots, mushrooms and serve.