The OLD BRIDGE

2009 ESCARPMENT PINOT NOIR. Martinborough, New Zealand

Alcohol Percentage: 14.5%
Area: Martinborough is at the southern tip of New Zealand's North Island. A cool area, ideal for Pinot, first made famous by Larry McKenna when at Martinborough Vineyards, and Clive Paton at Ata Rangi. The other key to the area is the high gravel content in the soil
Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir, aged in French oak (30% new) for 11 months
Producer: Escarpment is owned and run by Larry McKenna, dubbed 'The Prince of Pinot'. All his wines are made with intelligence and sensitivity. The grapes are treated with rare tenderness - hand-picked, moved at every stage without the use of pumps, hand-plunged for extraction. It's a labour-intensive business making great Pinot Noir but Larry wouldn't dream of doing it any other way
Cellar Potential: Now - 2016
Food Match: Pinot-lovers will have no trouble finding something (anything) to drink with this
Old Bridge Rating: At around £20 Burgundy really cannot compete. Yes there is more ripeness and fruit than in the Burgundian equivalent, but surely that can only be a good thing - especially when the ripeness is so under-stated and the fruit so fine

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