Taka K 'Bedford Estate' Pinot Noir / 2022 / 750mL

The Taka 'Bedford Estate' Pinot Noir 2022 is a savoury, medium-bodied Pinot Noir from North Canterbury on New Zealand's South Island. It leans towards red fruit, spice and dried herb rather than plush sweetness, with the firm acidity that marks the region.

Dark cherry and cranberry lead the aromatics, backed by rhubarb, crushed thyme and a faint whiff of woodsmoke. Give it ten minutes in the glass and a floral, almost rose-petal note lifts through the fruit.

The palate is bright and linear, with sappy red berry fruit running over fine, gently gripping tannins. There is a stony, mineral edge through the middle, and the finish is dry and persistent, closing on tart cherry skin and pepper rather than fading into sweetness. Weight is restrained, which makes it easy to drink across a long meal.

Roast duck, mushroom risotto, char-grilled quail or a plate of charcuterie all work well. It also handles smoked salmon and slightly earthy vegetable dishes better than most reds, and a light chill of twenty minutes in the fridge does it no harm in warm weather.

Drinking nicely now and through to roughly 2029, with the acid line and tannin structure to reward a few years in the cellar for those who prefer a little more savoury complexity.