The 2018 was recorded as one of the warmest on record, very much like the 1998, which is now praised as a highquality vintage. We experienced a humid January and early February, with warm nights. With this in mind we decided to commence picking early, with the Pinot Noir all picked within 6 days. The early harvest prevented loss of acidity and too overt and dark character; in other words, we were able to maintain fresh and pretty characters. Like all our other 2018 wines, the vintage brought warmth, generosity and stamina. There is a light charred oak note present, easily confused with toasted almonds. Flowery scents like cherry blossom, violets and Christmas lilies are combined with plums, boysenberry and liquorice. Immediately the nose reveals this to be a serious wine: very coherent with rapidly expanding boundaries bringing aromatic volume. The palate, too, has an escalating horizon and an inflating edge; it’s simply delicious, with well-rounded tannins. Initially there is a juicy, plush elegance, with the tannins claiming a more authoritative and luxurious presence, showing off its class and flamboyance. The mid-palate brings the wine back to earth with a grounding acidity that reigns the wine in again without overpowering the fruit weight. It is just enough to bring life again to the floral and lighter fruit aromatics, to highlight the central core and to show the length and smooth finish on the back palate. This is a thought-provoking wine that occupies all spaces and has aroused our excitement tremendously. We expect this wine to gain further interest over the next ten years.
– Notes from Negociants
