Greywacke Marlborough Pinot Noir 2018

This vintage of the Greywacke Pinot Noir reminds me of a little town in Burgundy called Marsannay, just South of Dijon. It never makes the most powerful wines but there is a delicious delicacy, subtlety and brightness – it is Burgundy dialled back. And the 2018 Marlborough Vintage has done the same, just taken the concentration and ageability of its wines down a notch.

Translucent red ruby, this is a beautifully reserved and understated pinot – wild strawberry, spice with black cherry plus juicy cranberry also in the mix. It’s then quite acid driven; dried herb and undergrowth flavours coming through with a touch of balanced, stalky tannins providing supple grip. Complex and lingering, it’s an ethereal, light-weight style probably at its best over the next five years.