Settlement Single Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021

The personal project of Steve Planthaber, a man who is well versed in fine wines, being married into the Sutherland family of Dog Point fame and having worked for 12 years at Cloudy Bay. This is a single vineyard pinot noir, grown in the excellent Settlement vineyard in Marlborough's Southern Valleys, from which the winery also takes its name. A blend of a handful of different pinot noir clones, selected based on which have done particularly well in any given vintage and reflect this outstanding site, with about 30 to 40% of the blend being Clone 5 which gives a silky morello cherry character. The nose is immediately enchanting with a plush, focussed and fruit-driven aromatic profile. Morello cherry, bramble and wild raspberry lead the charge and a mellow earthy character compliments the fruit, bring breadth. The palate is pure, generous and delicious, with all the generosity of the nose and an additional note of violets. The grapes are hand picked and sorted into open top fermenters, with 30% whole bunch which brings a delicate note of spice and sense of freshness and definition to the wine. The wine then goes into French barriques for 18 months, around 30% of which were new. A fantastic capturing of a specific place and a truly excellent pinot noir.