Errázuriz Estate Pinot Noir 2011, Aconcagua, Chile (£9.99 Majestic)
Good fresh strawberry and cherry flavours veering towards but never hitting the jammy, but let down by an excess of chocolate wafer-like oak – why? B(-)

Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Noir 2011, Marlborough, New Zealand (£11 Coop, Budgens, nzhouseofwine.co.uk, Matthew Clark)
Smells good with soft supple plummy berry fruit, and oak in the background, but when you come to taste it, there’s an overripe, stewed edge that takes away much of the pleasure. B-

(a wine that combined the freshness and extraction of the Errázuriz with the oak handling of the Private Bin would be welcome…)

Forrest Pinot Noir 2010, Marlborough, New Zealand (£12.99 Adnams)
Deep and interesting aromas, there’s a savoury wildness here, along with earthy plum, cherry and red berry fruit, plus a hint of vanilla from sensitive use of oak, and a fresh but juicy finish. S

Villa Maria Reserve Pinot Noir 2009, Marlborough, New Zealand (£18.99 Tesco, nzhouseofwine.co.uk, Matthew Clark)
I like the seductive, lush loganberry, plum and cherry aromas and silky, truffley allure, but (as with the Private Bin above) it’s slightly let down by some of that overworked/stewed fruit character – shame, as the raw material seemed very promising. S-