Babich Marlborough Pinot Noir `09 $18.99 (not TJ's) ***

Liked it.  Liked it the first time I sipped it.  Liked it so much that I went old school blogging and took a picture with my Blackberry and thought, "I need to write about this wine!"

Medium weight, dry cherry with a savory hint of mushroom.  (I know, how in the world can a wine taste like mushrooms??? Well, I tells you, this one does!)  What a great combination of fruity, savory, and not too heavy even when grounded with a taste of earthiness (that elusive mushroom flavor).  I did have a chuckle when I read the label "made from Pinot Noir Clone", I'll admit it, when I read "clone", my mind went Star Wars but the truth is, New Zealand is fertile ground for developing new strains of grapes that produce good wine. I say grow those clones and produce more bottles like this one.  New Zealand is becoming a "New World" order for wines from around the globe.  It isn't just for hobbits anymore... or sheep, or beautiful mountains, or the gateway to Antarctica, or some great sailing, or some extreme sports (the list goes on...). New Zealand is a hidden gem, and producing wine like this just adds one more facet to the diamond.

The Vinturi did not affect this wine - don't bother aerating, just unscrew the cap and enjoy!  We had it with grilled steak and mushrooms in a cream sauce with  pasta. Now to try some of The Babich family's other wines by winemaker Adam Hazeldine!

Friday for lunch, there was one glass left in the bottle.  It was still multifaceted and very easy to drink, maybe it had broken down a little and seemed a bit more alcoholic but you should never save just one glass in a bottle.  We split yummie Meatball Parmesan and Eggplant Parmesan sandwiches from Razzanos  (2009 review here), I just savored the glass and was happy.