Saint Clair Pinot Noir Marlborough Ure Valley 2011

The colour was vibrant and clear; red ruby with light violet highlights. After swirling gently, many evenly placed and slow dripping tears appeared.
The nose was of medium intensity but clearly gave red fruit aromas , especially cherries and raspberries. I was able to identify a few light notes of wood, vanilla and licorice.
On the palette the cherries were more evident and quite refreshing. The body was medium-light. It had a pleasantly crispy and refreshing acidity which was perfectly balanced with the fine, round tannins. There was definitely wood there and the balsamic aromas of the barrel but they did not over power the fruitiness of the wine. I paired it with a plain beef burger and sweet potato oven chips; it was delicious. Because it is not a very tannic wine, I would expect that I would go perfectly with any type of red pasta sauce, even pizza! I would also pair it with a fish cooked in red sauce with lots of herbs but not many spices.