When horses fly

Pegasus Bay 2000 Pinot Noir (Waipara) – The densest, most brooding, and darkest performance yet from this wine, which is in danger of developing a permanent scowl. The fruit has turned from purplish-blue to black-’n’-blue, while the structure remains intact; a light layer of tannin and a once-refreshing burst of acidity that now threatens to be the lightning strike amidst the storm. And, it must be noted, this is one of those pinots that seems to have had a illicit late-night rendezvous with syrah; even amongst the sometimes full-shouldered pinots of the region, this is a bit of a brute. Opinion at our table is divided into three camps: two like it as-is, one (a New World-style drinker) doesn’t care for it, and I think it’s simply too young, though I’m quite sure it will always present itself in roughly this fashion. Unfortunately, it’s also my last bottle. (5/08)