Howard, thx again for this thread and for turning me onto Escarpment, I grabbed some of the 2013s (ironically, from PC pre-demise). I’ve found them to be some of the most profound examples new world Pinot Noir I’ve ever tasted. Here’s a TN on the 2013 Kiwa from last June:
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2013 Escarpment Pinot Noir Kiwa - New Zealand, North Island, Wairarapa, Martinborough (6/17/2016)
Popped and poured, dark purple/ruby. Complex nose of black cherry, fresh plums, sous bois/vegetal funk, toasted spices, umami/soy sauce and clay, all of which is tinged by a subtle note of smoked vanilla bean from oak…fantastic. Medium to medium-plus body, moderate-plus acidity. Expansive, continually shifting flavors of ripe cherry fruits, stone fruits and an herbaceous underpinning of minerals along with perfectly integrated oak. Silky smooth yet shows structure enough to portend a very optimistic aging window. Endless close.
Perhaps the most amazing part of this wine is how it remains so completely fruity yet bone dry, which stays far more true to Burgundy than most other examples of larger-scaled, new world Pinot Noir.
It was one of the best wines I’ve had this year, 1er if not Grand Cru quality. Although I’m far from a Burg expert it really reminded of a beautiful Gevrey-Chambertin.