At first a little reticent when poured, this wine gulps down lungful’s of air and like a new born calf, immediately stands up and tests its legs. Earthy pear skin and fragrant hanging honeysuckle vine blossoms into sweet bell pepper, mandarin peel and creamy milk chocolate. Tinned pineapple syrup, crunchy hokey pokey and a touch of fresh ginger are up against a river stone minerality, dried broken eggshells, lamb’s wool then freshly shucked peas and a hint of white pepper.

When tasting, some well executed swirling and a little time the see wine will creep out of its shell and build slowly across the palate. Light white nectarine evolves into cantaloupe melon then dried papaya. There are crunchy biscuity characters and a tangy Lea and Perrins complexity, perhaps the result of the 10% portion fermented in old wood, while the texture of creamed sweetcorn is as soothing and persistent as easterly rain in the springtime. There is a sting of lightly nettled phenolics, an interwoven chainmail structure and a squeaky quality reminiscent of a well-worn plastic eraser. As always, the wine has been fermented bone dry, yet the placid acidity will rock you gently. Like the bygone Gallic song Parting Glass, the wine whispers “Good night and joy be with you all”.

Is Pinot Gris an age worthy wine? Experience tells us YES! In fact, the style Margrain have been making for over 20 years cries out for some time in the bottle to show at its best. As with the previous vintage, due to a couple of small harvests we have been forced into releasing this wine as a baby, with just 13 months in the bottle. Please drink it slowly as not only does it respond to a little breathing in the glass but if you tuck a bottle or two away until then end of the decade, you will be rewarded.