Tolpuddle Pinot Noir 2024

A wonderfully perfumed and composed wine that comes across as a little finer in aromatic detail than the excellent '23 release. It's an amalgam of clones – 777, 667, Abel, Pommard, MV6 and some that winemaker Adam Wadewitz snaffled from Best's Great Western – all playing their part in the final blend. Vibrant dark cherry, red berry and raspberry fruit tones mesh with hints of exotic spice, a whiff of negroni, juniper, wild strawberry, almond paste, integrated vanillin oak, meadow flowers and crushed stone. Everything plays at concert pitch, with complex whole bunch (50%) notes, the gentle tension of ground-riverstone tannins and a fine, mineral line as the wine slowly trails away. A cracking release that smells and tastes of a special place.

Medium colour. Intense pure dark cherry, chinotto, hint ginger touch bush garrigue aromas. Generously concentrated, sinuous and textured palate with dark cherry, strawberry pastille, chinotto flavours, fine slinky, hint grippy/ leafy tannins, and underlying ginger, roasted almond notes. Finishes minerally and long. Lovely purity, layered richness and vinosity.

Deep and translucent purple colour, impressive for a young pinot, the bouquet fresh and bright and primal with a touch of smoky barrel/reduction overlying sweet plum and black cherry aromas. It's concentrated and rich, with superbly ripe pinot fruit and seamlessly handled oak, fine powdery tannins running the length of the palate and cleansing the finish beautifully. A less stemmy/whole-bunch influenced Tolpuddle pinot noir. It will take some age profitably.