Smoky, meaty notes from the 30% new Mercurey barrels accent the nose of the 2018 Waitaki Vineyard Pinot Noir, but it's by no means one-dimensional. It also offers up hints of roses, cherries and clove. Medium-bodied, silky and elegant on the palate, it lingers teasingly on the finish, alternating between fruity and savory characters, both wrapped around a graphite-laced backbone.

This bottling is never particularly dark, and the 2017 Waitaki Vineyard Pinot Noir continues in that mold. But it also continues the tradition of boasting the most Burgundian sous-bois complexity of the four 2017 Valli Pinot Noirs. Hints of clean compost and humus meet suggestions of wintergreen, thyme and ripe cherries. Delicately silky in feel, this medium-bodied wine looks like it should be consumed over the next five or so years.

The 2016 Waitaki Vineyard Pinot Noir boasts classic Pinot scents of sous-bois and black cherries, while cola and dried spices add to its considerable appeal. It's medium-bodied, silky smooth and so, so easy to drink, with no rough edges but just the right amount of acidity to provide life and length on the finish.