Best Value Red

Susie and Peter are Masters of Wine based in the UK — and married to each other — with a huge media profile that continues to grow internationally. Renowned for their enthusiastic, thoughtful and articulate style, they’re often described as “legends” and “the best in the business,” with Peter even dubbed “the David Attenborough of wine.”

In 2020, they launched the Wine Blast Podcast, which has since picked up numerous awards and a loyal global following.

End of last year, they turned their attention to New Zealand wines, tasting more than 200 bottles before narrowing the field to those scoring 93 points and above. We were thrilled to see Hunter’s Pinot Noir 2024 shine — awarded an impressive 95 points and named Best Value Red. This is what they had to say:

As Marlborough’s oldest independent winery in continuous family ownership, Hunter’s has set the benchmark on many fronts. They haven’t been afraid to innovate over the years – with sparkling, for example, or more recently introducing the excellent Offshoot range. Within all of this, the wines tend to deliver solid value for money, and this Pinot Noir is an excellent case in point. It’s sourced from the Southern Valleys for structure and intensity, then aged for 12 months in French oak barrels. Sure, it’s not the cheapest bottle out there (New Zealand wine rarely is) but pound for pound, it’s definitely over-delivers. There’s no lack of aromatic complexity, with beguiling notes of woodsmoke, pot pourri and dark berry fruit. The palate profile is serious, with tension and fresh acid at its core, but also a classic Southern Valleys presence and structure, with fine insistent tannin. A bold but balanced style with earthy, peaty complexity that should also mature well in the short to medium-term. 

Check out their website and podcast https://susieandpeter.com/