Astrolabe Wrekin Pinot Noir 2020

Astrolabe Wrekin Pinot Noir is a deep, structured single-vineyard Pinot Noir from Marlborough's Southern Valleys. Dark plum, black cherry and brambly berry fruit are layered with dried rose, liquorice, anise, smoky oak and a savoury touch of leather. The palate is full and smooth, with generous fruit, firm ripe tannins and a long, lingering finish. Grown on The Wrekin's close-planted, low-cropping organic vineyard, it has the depth to enjoy alongside roast venison or wild mushroom ragù and the structure to continue developing beautifully in bottle.

What the winery says:

The Pinot Noir was grown at Wrekin Vineyard in Marlborough's Southern Valleys and hand-picked between 20 March and 7 April 2020. The fruit was destemmed, cold soaked for six days and fermented with wild yeast. It matured for 10 months in French oak barrels, including 33% new oak, where it underwent natural malolactic fermentation. Selected barrels were then blended and aged for a further four months before bottling. The winery describes spicy dark plum compote, dried rose petal, smoky oak, anise and leather, followed by a full, brooding palate with brambly fruit, mouth-filling tannins and a lingering finish. It contains 13.8% alcohol and less than 1 gram per litre of residual sugar.

What the experts say:

Cameron Douglas MS, 95/100 & Outstanding (2020 Vintage)
“Fantastic on the palate with a firm youthful texture, ripe tannins and youthful acid line.”

Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, 95/100 & 5 Stars (2020 Vintage)
“It’s a dense, flavoursome pinot noir with black-fleshed plum, dark cherry, liquorice, wood smoke and spicy oak flavours.”

Michael Cooper, 5 Stars (2020 Vintage)
“Deeply coloured, it is powerful, highly concentrated and finely structured, with dense cherry, plum and spice flavours.”

David Walker Bell, WineFolio, 94/100 (2020 Vintage)
“Damson plum, rosehip, elderberry, cherry, incense and liquorice sit amongst lavender, lilac and violet floral notes in the inviting bouquet.”