(2024) Matured for a year in French oak barrels, the nose has an intriguing combination of charry, roasted chestnut depth and lifted, floral kirsch and rose fragrance. It's a lovely combination, giving layers of complexity to the aroma. On the palate, spice and meaty flavours again combine with such sweet and plush red berry fruits. Ripeness is excellent, but twin forces of silky tannin and the keen, honed edge of acidity keep the picture taut and juicy. It's a marvellous Pinot this, among the best I've tasted from the ever-improving Pinot scene in the Marlborough region: long, pure-fruited and beautifully balanced into the finish.
(2022) From a single vineyard that boasts some of Marlborough's earliest Pinot Noir plantings, this is a lovely Pinot from a strong vintage. Only 12.5% alcohol and pale to medium in colour, it's intensely perfumed, rose-hip and softly spiced, quite exotic red fruit wafts from the glass, with a subtle underlay of sweet oak. In the mouth that lower alcohol and crisp acidity gives this real agility, the fruit sweet but light and in texture and character, still focused on red fruits with a nicely grippy bite of tannin just to firm up the picture. Another lovely wine.
(2022) What a lovely expression of Pinot from a cracking vintage in Marlborough, matured in French oak barrels. It has a delightful pale colour and perfume to spare with loads of bright cherry, lots of autumnal twigs and leaves, and a hint of roasting chestnuts. The palate bursts with juicy fruit. There's a raspberry and orange vivaciousness to this, a crackling energy bright with glossy cherry, but the slightly smoky - again roasting chestnuts spring to mind - adds depth, the tannins very fine and the oak smoothing the finish.
(2022) This certified organic Pinot is made from nine different clones, the majority Dijon clones, in vineyards 20 kilometres from the coast. Thirty percent whole bunches were fermented with indigenous yeasts and the wine spent 10 months in French oak barrels, 30% new. Medium colour density with a touch of warmth to the colour. Sweetly perfumed and immediately harmonious. Little rose and herb touches to woodland notes. The palate has pepper and spice to spare, but lovely natural fruit density. That endive stripe of bitterness refreshes the finish, giving lovely savoury bite.
(2022) What a seductively moreish Pinot this is. Pale to medium colour, there's lots of custardy, creamy oak, but matched by a depth of ripe red berries and undertow of truffle and autumnal forest floor. Spices too. In the mouth it is medium-bodied and quite creamy and rich, but retains plenty of sappy, briary character, good cherry-ripe acidity, and a very fine, firm tannin structure. A really lovely wine this from a great year, and the best Cloudy Bay Marlborough Pinot to date in my opinion. Watch the video for more information.
(2020) From a small, biodynamically-run family vineyard in Marlborough, this is a blend of fruit from two vineyards that was destemmed and sorted, then fermented in small, open tanks. The wine was in barrel for 11 months, all French oak and 30% new. Beautiful colour, pale-ish garnet with a hint of violet. Fragrant, bright nose, though there is some chocolate and coffee, it's mostly floral and red-fruited a little bracken note too. There's a keen, decisive edge of acidity on the palate, a lemony grip that slices through the raspberries and cream. Quite crisp in the finish, lingering on fruit and accurate acidity. Made from Able and Clone 5 clones. Importer: Les Caves de Pyrene.
(2020) A desire to make Bordeaux-style wines is one thing that fuelled Hans Herzog's move from Switzerland, and thankfully this is a beautiful blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Very juicy, intense, a nice level of green pepper and herbs from the Franc, meaty, nutty and a plummy too. Balsamic, plummy and very grippy, as always, strong acidity and very grippy tannins and concentration, but ripe and fine.
(2020) Quite pale, fragrant, cherry and clove, tobbaco spices, the dry cherry fruit wrapped in some thyme and dried herbs. Firm tannins, but long and sweet-fruited, deliciously long and spicy/fruity finish. No UK retail stockists at time of review.
(2020) Deep but soft colour, lovely spicy nose with some rhubarb and beetroot character, clove and a touch of something floral, red fruits too. In the mouth silky textured and creamy, with plenty of keen, bright fruit, raspberry and some cherry moving into plum, a little spice and chocolate and the oak adding more silky depth. Lovely acidity, cherry fresh and clean in the finish.
(2020) Softer in colour and in aromatics than the Byrne vineyard, but does have a little of the tomato leaf character, but soft mushroom and truffle notes too, leafy and nicely herbal and vegetal. Some soft brown sugar notes too. The fruit is sweeter and more developed on the palate, but has that sourness on the finish, that tang of blood orange. No UK retail stockist at time of review.
