Pinot Noir
75cl * 13.5% ABV * Essex, England
Michael and Heather Bunker first planted the vines for Danbury Ridge in 2014. Since then, they have been making excellent quality English still wines with their daughters, Janine and Sophie.
Winemaker's notes on the Pinot Noir: Grapes were carefully selected from across the estate. Glaciofluvial deposits of sandy gravel dominate the easterly Polo Field while loamy, carbonate rich clay of the estate's Sleipnir Block dominates to the west. Select parcels were sourced from the Blackwater estuary and the river Crouch, which have significant influence over the favourable climate for winegrowing enjoyed in the region.'
The pinot noir is handpicked before undergoing whole-berry fermentation, after which the wine is transferred into French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation, battonage and 12 months of aging. The result is a wine of ripe red fruit aromas with a hint of orange blossom and woody spice.
'The 2022 Pinot Noir has more concentration than the previous vintage. It shows a mixture of red and black fruit and veins of blue fruit that I have not noticed in previous vintages. It's riper but still very well-defined. The palate is medium-bodied with juicy, ripe black fruit, perhaps a little more New World influenced than Burgundy. Grainy tannins are well integrated with impressive grip towards the finish, with a touch of white pepper on the aftertaste.' - 91pts, Neil Martin