Nobilo Icon Pinot Noir 2014

Gwen Barton rated this wine as 88/100 with the following review:

Deeply Ruby colour- beautiful in the glass. Inviting aromas of chocolate, dark cherry and forest floor. Cherry, blackberry and plum come through in the mouth. Paired well with black cod and miso sake glaze- but recommend almost anything with an umami base. Soft tannins balanced well with nice acidity. A lovely Pinot Noir!

Jon Steeves rated this wine as 88/100 with the following review:

The 2014 vintage is lovely, offering tart cherry, earthy minerality and a hint of citrus zest. Mouthwatering with persistence of bitter dark chocolate and medium tart cherry finish. Paired well with dark cod in miso and leek sake sauce. Tasted Nov 2016 - bespoketastings.ca

Pamela Chiles rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

Smooth and velvety, ripe red cherry and blackberry aromas and flavours with a hint of spice and dried mushroom, soft acidity and fine tannins. It is a bit "apart" at the moment, but in another year or so it should really come together, if the 2013 is an indication of how well the Nobilo Pinots age. Very enjoyable.

Monique Sosa rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

A lovely Pinot Noir with moderate cherry, spice and mineral (wet stone) notes. Flavour are ripe with dominant fruit notes including cherry, ripe raspberry, and spice. Based on what I have experience in the past with Nobilo's Icon range of wine, the Pinots flourish exquisitely with a little bit age (2018-2020). If drinking now, enjoy with pan-seared pork chops. Tasted Nov 2016. @sommsosa | bespoketastings.ca

Rachelle O'Connor rated this wine as 91/100 with the following review:

This vintage is has a deeper ruby color than the 2013 - there is substantial hints of cherry and raspberry in the glass - with juicy cherry and white pepper, oak and burnt chocolate on the palate - well rounded tannins. This would age well 3-5 years. I think sauteed wild mushrooms on crostini would be divine with this wine.

Mary Anne van Gaal rated this wine as 92/100 with the following review:

This vintage is more youthful and fruity than the 2013. Aromas of blackberry, ripe cherry, and pepper were followed by a smooth, silky mouthful of raspberry and spice. I would be very happy sipping this wine on its own or pairing it with roast turkey or lamb.

Sylvain Segard rated this wine as 92/100 with the following review:

Deep ruby in color, this vintage expresses more ripe dark cherries aromas than its predecessor. And, its tannins are already smoother and rounder too. Lots of ripe cherries and notes of white pepper in the mouth. Medium finish with juicy acidity, lasting pepper and a hint of wood char. Ready to drink now, but consider cellaring 3 or more years. Tasted in Nov. 2016.

Camelia Bucur rated this wine as 93/100 with the following review:

This Nobilo icon Pinot noir 2014 is still very youthful wine that has aging potential (5 more years before drinking it). The 2014 wine has more fruits coming forward than the 2013. Aromas of dark cherries, oak and mocha notes. Very jammy wine, juicy, nice balance acidity with well-integrated soft tannins. Excellent pairing with mushrooms dishes accompany by seafood or light meats.

Tania Thomas rated this wine as 93/100 with the following review:

Vinified with the fruit grown on the estate’s finest higher altitude sites in Marlborough, this elegant 100% Pinot Noir is Nobilo’s flagship label. Fruit forward with abundant aromas and flavours of ripe red cherries and raspberries, with a touch of spice. Well integrated, velvety tannins on the palate, followed by a long, lingering smoky finish. Perfectly matched with succulent grilled lamb. Tania Thomas – www.runawaygrape.com.

Cherie Cole rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

With 2014 being a great growing year for grapes in New Zealand, this wine has a similar age potential as the 2010. Ripe cherry and raspberry with a hint earthy mushroom notes, with balanced acidity and food friendliness, it would bee interesting to try this wine again in 2019 to experience it's evolution in the bottle.

Matt Steeves rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

Cherry, herbs, smoke and subtle cola notes on the nose and palate. This tangy, youthful, and very consumer friendly premium Pinot hails from Nobilo’s three fines estate vineyards in Marlborough. A terrific candidate for seared tuna, lamb, or spicy dishes - versatile and delicious, one of many reasons why New Zealand Pinot Noir is so loved around the world. Tasted August 2015. 89 points. Matt Steeves - www.quercusvino.ca

Douglas McMillan rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

Raspberry and cherry aromas are prominent in this Pinot, with some strawberry, pepper, and a touch of earthiness as well. Good high acidity, and raspberry and cherry on the palate. The a medium bright cherry finish with just a touch of tannins as well. Based on a previous vintage a few years old, this shows some promise for ageing as well.

David Skinner rated this wine as 90/100 with the following review:

Medium ruby red. Graced by red berries and cherries on the nose combined with some herbal notes and smoky oak nuances. Delicate tastes of currant and cherry accompanied by soft tannins and a nice acidity. Well rounded and perfectly suited for a variety of dishes like rack of lamb or wasabi salmon fingers in phyllo with kiwi dipping sauce (just to keep to the NZ theme).

Jennifer Havers rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

Young and fruit forward, this new Pinot is bursting with aromas of cherry and strawberry, with a hint of caramel and smoke. Fuit forward notes continue on the palate, cherry is bright and balanced with some acidity. Having tasted some older vintages from this producer, this is a wine you can enjoy now and for the next two to four years. Goes well with Lamb and other rich grilled meats.
(August 2015)
Update: Tasted again in November 2016 - still a lot of vibrant fruit on this wine, I would maintain the score and the pairing recommendations.

rated this wine as 90/100 with the following review:

This new Pinot Noir is oak forward with aromas of dark cherries, toasty caramel, forest floor and a hint of chocolate. It is less acidic than the 2013 vintage but the dark cherry and oak flavours fall smoothly on the palate. The wine is meat-friendly: try it with lamb, pork, dark poultry, game or beef.

Jane Staples rated this wine as 92/100 with the following review:

A delicious Marlborough Pinot Noir with a nose showing more chocolate and ripe red cherry than the 2013. The palate also shows more ripe cherry flavours, along with forest floor, slight oak and lots of yummy mocha. Satiny mouthfeel and a long mocha cherry finish. Enjoy on its own or with a variety of foods; excellent with roast lamb or with Black Cod in Miso Sake Broth.
Tasted Nov. 2016

Mymi Thesingingsommelier rated this wine as 88/100 with the following review:

In 1936, Nikola and Zuva Nobilo moved to New Zealand from Croatia to escape the impending war. They left everything behind except a few important things, one of them was a 300 year old winemaking tradition.
They faced many hurdles trying to put these years of experience to work, mainly because there was no wine culture in New Zealand at the time, add to that was the lack of equipment needed to set up a vineyard. Undeterred, Nikola persevered, built his own tools and in 1943, the couple planted some of the first commercial vines in Huapai, west of Auckland on New Zealand’s North Island.
By the 1970s, Nikola had established himself as a successful winemaker who also helped transform New Zealand’s wine industry by shifting from hybrid grapes to Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.
To this day, Nobilo continues to craft delicious wines of distinct regional character from their many vineyards in Marlborough, Hawkes Bay and Gisborne.
The fruit for this flagship Icon wine was sourced from Nobilo’s 3 finest estate vineyards in Marlborough.
In the glass, it is a pale bluish ruby red color.
On the nose, it displays aromas of fresh ripe black cherries, toasted oak and cloves.
Fresh and dry on the palate with succulent juicy black cherries, dark caramel and spice. Generous tannins and acidity but a very well balanced and structured wine.
Grilled lamb dishes would be the obvious choice to accompany this wine… But! Why not try old-fashioned mustard and pistachio crusted pork roast with creamy horseradish mashed potato smothered in gravy instead?!!!