Lawson's Dry Hills Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021

Lawson's Dry Hills Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021"A complete wine with a complex bouquet of baking spices and red berry fruits, including boysenberry and plum, followed by dark cherry and barrel spices. Still youthfully firm, with tension and poise, it relaxes quickly to release the flow of red berry flavours and spice. Dusty fine tannins with a clove and cacao texture, while acidity carries the core fruit flavours and layers of mineral and earthy notes. Balanced, well made, still developing, yet

"A complete wine with a complex bouquet of baking spices and red berry fruits, including boysenberry and plum, followed by dark cherry and barrel spices. Still youthfully firm, with tension and poise, it relaxes quickly to release the flow of red berry flavours and spice. Dusty fine tannins with a clove and cacao texture, while acidity carries the core fruit flavours and layers of mineral and earthy notes. Balanced, well made, still developing, yet drinking well now and through to 2030" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier

This wine highlights all that is great about Pinot Noir - lovely bright fruit with an elegant, supple mouthfeel and beautifully balanced. The nose has tempting raspberry and cherry aromas with a touch of spicy, sweet French oak. The palate echoes these characters, wrapping them up in a lovely soft, yet juicy texture.

From four fantastic vineyards in Marlborough’s Southern Valleys, the clay soils help develop this wine’s flavour and texture. The vines are carefully tended to ensure low crops and ripe, flavoursome grapes in top condition. 2021 was an excellent year for Pinot Noir with low yields and small-sized berries giving us really concentrated flavours.

The grapes were gently crushed and the juice run into small, open-top fermenters and held cold for five days’ maceration. The vats were then inoculated with a specially selected, cultured yeast to trigger fermentation. During fermentation the wine was either hand-plunged or pumped over to gently extract colour, tannin and flavour. The resulting wines were left on skins for around seven days post-ferment before pressing to predominantly old French oak barriques (just 5% new). The wine was blended after ten months maturation in barrel.

Food Pairing: Hot ham, pork, chicken, light red meat dishes, grilled dishes, seared tuna, stews and casseroles, pizza and pasta. Also enjoyable just as a lovely glass of Pinot Noir on its own!