2018 Vintage
THE GOOD GUYS MUSE
Light ruby to blood red. Youthful intensity and aromas of cranberry, pomegranate, moist fruit cake and wet spices. Classy in its youth, the wine is attractive and sophisticated already with lots of material on the mid palate to complex further and gentle fruit flavours slowly revealing themselves: strawberry on toast, dried cranberry, Pride of India cherry, dried peach. Definitely a steal at this price for its level of complexity.
WINE MAKING
Handpicked grapes were first bunch sorted on a conveyor before the stems were removed and the de-stemmed berries sorted to remove jacks and substandard berries. After a 3-day maceration in open-topped fermenters, the uncrushed grapes began a spontaneous fermentation. A gentle delastage program was charted and the grapes remained on skins for 10-12 days. The free-run wine was racked to a combination of 50% used French oak barrels and 50% breathable plastic eggs with the remaining pomace basket-pressed. Malolactic then proceeded followed by a light sulphuring after which the wine was racked off Malolactic lees and returned to cleaned barrels for an 11-month maturation. No fining was necessary and the wine was simply racked and lightly filtered prior to bottling.
TASTING NOTES
The palate is penetrating with richness, the texture offset by a fabulous fine acidic tension and finely built tannic structure. This would reward decanting in its youth but has the components to last for another 5-8 years.
Richard’s personal suggestions for dishes include charcuterie, its salt and fat being complemented by the delicate spicy notes and fruit; Pork loin with honey, pepper, and lemon-zest glaze; Carpaccio; duck cassoulet; oven-roasted monkfish with garlic mashed potatoes; seared tuna; wild mushroom risotto; a simple beet salad with some hazelnuts and ricotta cheese; a slice of Brie or Gorgonzola dolce.
BLEND
100% Pinot Noir made from French clones PN777, PN667 and PN115