2018 Angel Flower Pinot Noir
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Tasting notes
Characteristically light in color and even a bit hazy, the 2018 Angel Flower Pinot Noir strikes a distinctive pose in the glass. On the nose, it offers up intriguing notes of damp earth, sous-bois, cherries and bitter herbs, plus a slightly feral, cider-like aroma. Medium to full-bodied, the tannins are plush and silky, while the acids are a bit edgy and angular. It hits the marks for complexity and individuality, but is it really that fun and enjoyable to drink? I suspect opinions will diverge considerably on that question. For the moment, I prefer the offerings from the more mainstream appellation series, and I'm not convinced additional cellaring will lead to improvement.
Critic scores
Average Score
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
If you like your wines star bright, then move along, please; with no fining and no filtration, the goal here is not clarity but keeping all the good stuff in. This is an aromatic expression with a real tang of chalky tannin. There's a melting pot of aromas here: florals, sweet damson, white stone fruit as well as spice and a subtle gamy note. It's a gently textured, medium-bodied style, purveying a sense of calm as it eases seamlessly along the palate. Medium in body, with a gentle rush of acidity on the scented finish, tannins coating the mouth like cocoa powder. A distinctive wine that's supple and ready to be enjoyed upon release but will evolve gracefully over the coming 5-8 years, although it's rather nice now.
Less topsoil and more clay in the subsoil than in Earth Smoke vineyard. Mike Weersing used to ferment this fruit in small cylindrical steel tanks with no temperature control. Steve Smith has bought 1,400-litre oak tanks from Taransaud (as he did at Craggy Range). There’s no whole-bunch component because ‘that would make the pH go through the roof’. To be released April 2020. Light to mid cherry red. Pretty and scented red fruit. Savoury and salty on the palate, almost too much. Needs time to unfurl. Quite severe on the palate at the moment. Fine grained but hard on the finish. Smith thinks it will become more aromatic on the palate. (JH)