We pause this update on coronavirus for one moment to talk about Pinot Noir.
It’s easy to get gloomy at the moment. Actually, gloom is the default setting when all the news is bad. So, instead, let’s talk about something right in the world – the 2018 Tolpuddle Pinot Noir.
This is the best Tolpuddle Pinot Noir to date. Hat tip to the Shaw + Smith team, yet again. There’s so much blackberry fruit, the ripeness nailed (which has been a challenge in some vintages) with oak a passing flavour but nothing else. There’s a temptation with top-end Tassie Pinot to go long on extract and wood to make a statement. But this combines understated tannins with flesh, the palate backing in an almost Syrah-like black fruit character. It’s maybe a fraction inelegant, though the tradeoff is volume of flavour.
Soothing. enjoyable wine – just what we could all use. Best drinking: now to maybe eight years. 18.5/20, 94/100. 13.5%, $85. Would I buy it? Worth sharing a bottle.
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