🍷Balfour Hush Heath Estate: The Suitcase Pinot Noir, 2018
📍Where to buy: Majestic & Hush Heath website
💷 £34.99 (or £29.99 part of mixed 6)
🍇 Pinot Noir
I have been enjoying this bottle over the weekend, an impressive one to finish off my week of English Wine tastings. Following last weeks tentative timeline release of coming out of lockdown and how and when we might be allowed to travel- it’s been hard to resist a little hopeful holiday research- anyone with me?!
So it seemed fitting to open the only Suitcase I can at the moment and pore over some travel guides.
‘The Suitcase’ has been made using a Burgundy clone- a homage to the Burgundy vine cuttings that were smuggled to the U.S in 60’s, which then went on to be named the ’suitcase clones.’ One of three exclusive wines produced as part of The Winemakers Collection in collaboration with Majestic.
This was another one of the wines which came in the Wine Garden of England case as part of the tasting with The Pig. We heard from @fergelias about the inspiration behind the wine and the winemaking process- the grapes were handpicked and aged in American & French Oak.
A surprising light intensity in colour, with an enticing and complex nose. The first thing that drifted out to me was aromas of a struck match, smoke and flint and then onto red cherry and strawberry with a touch of dried herb notes. On the palate it’s light and bright, soft, smooth and luscious but packs in an enormous array of flavours – lots more red cherry, plum and sweet ripe raspberries, chestnut with a hint truffle and earthy undertones.
On advice of Fergus, I decanted it for 30 minutes but I think it may possibly have been even better when I went back for more the next day, a perfect pairing for duck.
If you are curious about finding out how good English Red Wine can be – I would say this is a great place to start.
wineawaytheday.com 