2021 Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir

I recently tasted a 2006 Pinot Noir from magnum (although whether a magnum format is relevant under screw cap is to be discussed) at the estate in September 2023, and the wine was superb. It was aging slowly and still exhibited loads of fresh fruit, but it had that ethereal delicacy that older Pinot can achieve. Here, the 2021 Pinot Noir is soft and floral, red fruited, supple and succulent. It is delicious. It's totally pleasurable as a young wine, and given the trajectory of the 17-year-old wine I so vividly remember, this has a long future in front of it. Lovely! 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

The 2021 Pinot Noir Marlborough is an attractive, immediately pleasurable style. It fills the mouth with a sense of calm, providing a cloud of dark berry fruit alongside subtle French oak-derived notes of cedar and spice as well as a savory bacon touch. It is silken and finely textured, reflecting the increasing refinement and handling of Pinot Noir both at Cloudy Bay and in Marlborough as a region. The tannins coat the mouth like melted chocolate on the long, scented finish. This is a wine that's difficult not to like.

Mostly Southern Valleys. Key vineyards: Barracks, Mustang and Delta. Low crop. Flowering not great. Varied berry size. They focused on the bigger berries. The optical sorter got rid of raisined berries, leaving pristine fruit. Mostly destemmed (5% whole bunch). 5–7 days’ cold soak. Fermented up to 32/33 °C. Many plunges, up to four in 24 hours. One-third new oak. Not yet released. Picked at about 24 °Brix. To be released late 2023. Very dark crimson indeed. Sweet and a bit simple. With tannin on the end. (JR)