Escarpment Pinot Noir 2018

Category:
 
Red Wines
Sub-Category:  
 
Red Wines
Producer:
 
Escarpment
Label Name:
 
Pinot Noir
Vintage:
 
2018
Country:
 
New Zealand
Region:
 
Martinborough (Wairarapa)
Volume:
 
750ml
ABV:
 
13.5%
Grape(s):
 
Pinot Noir
Acidity:
 
4
Tannins:
 
3
Sweetness:
 
1
Body:
 
3
Length:
 
3
Aroma Intensity:
 
4
Best Temperature:
 
14-16°C

Awards/Ratings
Decanter 91 (Chris Wilson, 2020); The Wine Advocate 91 (Joe Czerwinski, Nov 2020); Bob Campbell (The Real Review) 93 (2020)

Tasting Note
Perfumed red fruits—cherry, raspberry—with savoury notes of dried herb, black pepper and subtle mocha. Silky texture, soft ripe tannins and a medium-long, spicy finish.

Food Pairing
Western: roast duck, mushroom risotto, herb-crusted lamb, grilled salmon. Asian: miso-glazed salmon, pork belly (char siu), teriyaki chicken, earthy shiitake and soba dishes.

Production Method
Hand-harvested fruit; gentle, low-intervention vinification in small open-top fermenters with hand plunging; ~18-day maceration; matured ~11 months in French oak barriques (≈25% new); bottled under screwcap; minimal fining/filtration.

Vineyard Info
Escarpment (est. 1998 by Larry McKenna) is a Martinborough estate on Te Muna Road (≈24 ha) focusing on terroir-driven Pinot Noir, producing single-vineyard and estate cuvées under winemaker Tim Bourne.