Walnut Block, Nutcracker Pinot Noir, Marlborough, 2016

The Nutcracker vineyard is planted with top-quality Burgundy clones on high clay-content soils, the vines thinned to extremely low yields of one bunch per shoot to ensure even ripening. The handpicked fruit is chilled overnight at 2°C, destemmed and crushed into open-top fermenters to be fermented using only natural yeasts, going on to be aged for 12 months in French oak barriques and bottled unfiltered. Lifted, fragrant nose of baked forest fruits and woodsmoke. Light, juicy and perfumed on the palate but backed by an insistent layer of grainy, powdery tannin that begs for food. Good length and even, balanced fruit character across the piece, and good value too.