Margrain Home Block Pinot Noir 2021

2021

The 2021 vintage will long be etched in our memories as a year when we could not help but make good wine. The season was long, warm and dry with the dubious bonus of a low crop, the result of several cold Southerly outbreaks during the flowering period in November. Though this was flagged as the start of a 3 year La Nina cycle, we would not come to know the punishing reality of that until the following season.

In a segue to what will follow, the penetratingly deep dark garnet colour glows with pride like the ring on the middle finger of your first serious girlfriend. Aromas of rich dark-fleshed plum, sticky dried prune and plump blackcurrant bolt from the glass and envelope the senses like an excited puppy tugging on its leash. Husky, musky notes of impenetrable brambles growing in a deep ravine are followed by boiled gumdrops, 72% cocoa chocolate, black tea leaf, shaved cedar and steaming sweet brioche. Finally, black pepper, hot polished leather and the slightly unnerving waft of frankincense drifting through a darkened nave, leave the imagination swirling with visions of the mythical purple rain.

The palate is no pushover either. Loud, proud and just a little precocious, it is a curious mix of rich, jammy blackberry and plum flavours balanced by an almost herculean structure of thick, tarry yet flinty and carborundum-smooth tannins. Black salty liquorice, creamy rhubarb tart and the savoury scrapings from the roasting dish form a solid and powerful wave which washes across the tongue. The acidity is soft yet searching as it combines with the tin-tack and ball bearing texture to perk up the back palate and fill the senses up to the gunwales. There is a kind of euphoria in the finish, like swimming in a sea of quicksand, as the wine locks up the tastebuds and throws away the key.

Technical Information

Harvest date:               8 – 25 Mar 2021                     Residual Sugar:           Nil

Brix at Harvest:           23.3 – 24.7                              Bottling Date:             21 Feb 2023

Final Alcohol:             14.0%                                      Release Date:              1 Aug 2023

pH:                              3.54                                        Cellaring:                     2 to 9 years

Total Acidity:             6.1 g/l

In the meantime

Bob Campbell, the Real Review says "Vibrant, bright pinot noir with cherry, plum, raspberry, fresh herb and spicy oak flavours supported by fine, drying tannins and tangy acidity. Silken-textured wine with cellaring potential" 91/100

Sam Kim, Wine Orbit says "Sweetly ripe with spicy/savoury nuances, the wine shows dark plum, smoked game, hazelnut and dried mushroom aromas, leading to a concentrated palate offering terrific richness backed by beautifully pitched tannins, making it sturdy and plush at the same time. Wonderfully composed and expressed with a sustained, satisfying finish." 95/100