I am dreaming of it because this time last year we were getting ready to head off on a trip to New Zealand. It feels like a lifetime ago that we were jumping on planes to new destinations. Central Otago absolutely blew me away, especially their Pinot Noirs. So when I was at my parents and they cracked open the Two Paddocks 2018 Picnic Pinot Noir I was so excited to try it!
The Two Paddocks 2018 Picnic Pinot Noir is certified organic wine from Central Otago. Fun fact: Did you know actor Sam Neill owns this vineyard? You might know him from Jurassic Park. If you’re interested, you have to check out his Instagram as he takes us on tours of the vineyard to meet all the animals – I love it! There is so much character to his vineyard and the wines really do shine because of it. We weren’t able to visit when we were there, but I hope one day we can!
This wine is full of dark fruit (think cherries) along with a hint of violet and red currant. I loved the texture of this wine – it has a great fruit front along with nice fine tannins and a medium body. It is a textural Pinot as the Central Otago is known for and it honestly transported me back to sipping on Pinot in such a beautiful landscape! It was all too easy to enjoy, and the bottle didn’t last long over dinner! Food pairing wise, I would suggest something like a pork dish. But you could pair this wine with a lot of different dishes and still have the flavours shine through. It’s a great approachable Pinot, and that’s what I love about it!
This wine retails at around $35 a bottle and is available at major retailers.