2015 Seadragon Pinot Noir

The 2015 Pinot Noir CWG Seadragon has a lively bouquet with wild strawberry and cranberry fruit, well defined with satisfying complexity. A little smokiness emerges with air. The palate is well balanced and fleshy, with a keen thread of acidity and attractive brightness towards the finish alongside a very subtle savory element. This has character and might deserve further time in bottle, even though you could broach it now. Tasted blind at the 10-Year-On horizontal in London.

The 2015 Seadragon Pinot Noir (Cape Winemakers Guild) comes from a special picking within the Block 6 parcel, Gordon and Nadia inspecting the ripeness of all the bunches, with no sulphur before fermentation (not that they yearn to be natural winemakers!). Matured in 50% new oak, it exudes freshness and vivacity on the nose with lively Morello cherry, cranberry and orange rind aromas, the wood component barely noticeable. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannin, a fine line of acidity, great body and depth with almost lush strawberry and raspberry coulis on the sustained finish.

(vinified without sulfur additions): Bright palish red. Very pure perfume of black cherry, pomegranate and spices. Not yet especially complex in the mouth but intensely flavored, savory and broad, conveying a light touch to its sappy red fruit flavors. This energetic Pinot finishes with rising spicy length, showing the spine to support graceful development in bottle. Winemaker: Gordon Newton Johnson.