36 bottles. That was Douglas Brett and Jane Young’s total production of their first vintage in 1999 of Hawke’s Bay wine in their garage. Douglas has always been a lover of wine, well-respected for his palate being a wine options champion as well as very regular attendee at all the best wine tastings in Wellington (at Regional Wines, of course) for two decades. Combined with Jane originally coming from Central Otago, the ‘36 Bottles’ label has become a commercial reality with the release of this 2008 Central Otago Pinot Noir. Douglas and Jane call themselves ‘Winesmiths’, and are in effect negotiants, sourcing fine parcels of fruit, in this case from the Bendigo sub-region, and contracting the talented Sarah-Kate and Dan Dineen of Maude Wines in Wanaka to vinify the wine. Pinot Noir clones 5 and 6, of which 15% of the latter was whole bunch were fermented to 14.0% alc and the wine aged for 9 months in 40% new French barriques. The 2008 vintage was a good one with healthy crops and the 36 Bottles Pinot Noir reflects this with its elegant, bright black cherry and plum flavours and subtle savoury and floral notes. The tannins are supple and the structural proportion will allow attractive drinking over the next 3-5 years. Being wine ‘consumers’, Douglas and Jane have priced their wine realistically and in fact to over-deliver. Bravo, we are very pleased to stock and sell your wine!  RC July 09