The 2008 Pinots are very well made but perhaps the heat spikes in 2008 robbed them of that extra finesse. Giving a pale ruby color, the 2008 Pinot Noir has pretty wild cherry and raspberry aromas with a suggestion of moss and dried mint. There’s a good amount of pure, straightforward berry fruit on the palate countered by crisp acidity and a low to medium level of fine tannins. The finish is long yet a little simple. Drink it now to 2015. The 2008 Pinot Noir and 2008 Indigo Vineyard Pinot Noir are available in the US. Brokenwood recently branched out from the Hunter Valley to Beechworth, planting the Indigo vineyard in 1999 and is just starting to produce some very interesting wines from this region.Importer: Old Bridge Cellars, Napa, CA; www.oldbridgecellars.com

Starts off with cherry, cedar and slightly mushroomy aromas, delivering more of the same on the palate. This nicely concentrated wine is medium-bodied and shows some tannin and crisp acids on the finish. That said, opt for drinking it over the near term.——J.C.(11/1/2009)—— 86