Daosa Piccadilly Valley Natural Reserve 7th Release NV

Traditional method. 57% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, 8% Pinot Meunier. This is mostly from the 2022 vintage, with reserve material from 2020 and 2021. 21 months on lees. This is fine and delicate aromatically to start, with a pretty lift of strawberry, green apple and fennel seed making way for richer notes of nectarine and salted pastry dough. The palate has lovely boney structure with a fine bead and vivid depth of flavour. Green apple, nectarine, fennel, lavosh cracker,  and salted lemon are coiled within a tight, citrussy acid line and fine chalky grip curtailing the wine’s richness to a fresh and linear close. There’s a tantalising sea salt tang lingering through the length of the wine, too. This balances freshness and savoury complexity brilliantly.