Ciao a tutti! This is @xiao.vino, a Chinese girl based in Verona, Italy.
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1. WHALEHAVEN, Pinot Noir 2016, Hemel-En-Aarde Ridge
Appearance: pale garnet
Nose: medium (+) intensity, primary – sour cherry and raspberry, secondary – vanilla, clove, smoke
Palate:
sweetness: dry
Acidity: medium
Tannin: medium, soft
Alcohol: medium (+)
Body: medium
Flavour intensity: medium
Flavours: primary aromas – cherry, raspberry; secondary aromas: clove, smoke
Finish: medium (+)
Conclusions:
Good quality, it’s an easy-to-drink Pinot Noir with good combination of primary and secondary aromas. The structure is balanced for the moment.
This wine is not suitable for bottle ageing. It’s still good to drink now with its smooth mouthfeel due to the ripe and soft tannins. Even though the fruit concentration is still here now, the structure will start to get imbalanced due to the strong alcohol feeling.
2. Joseph FAIVELEY Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru “Les Pruliers” 2017
Appearance: medium ruby
Nose: medium intensity, primary aromas – violet, rose paddles, cherry; primary aroma – clove; tertiary aroma – amarene syrup.
Palate:
sweetness: dry
Acidity: medium (+)
Tannin: medium, chalky
Alcohol: medium
Body: medium (+)
Flavour intensity: medium (+)
Flavours: primary aromas – cherry, plum and rose, secondary aromas – chocolate, coffee; tertiary aromas – prune,
Finish: medium finish
Conclusions:
This wine I would consider good. It has typical Pinot Noir aromas and flavours as Pinot Noir. Clear fruit notes, a delicate oak touch. It’s balanced on the palate.
I conclude that this wine is still too early to drink now, it would be more appreciatable if we wait for another 3-5 years for the aromas to be fully developed. It has a certain amount of ageing potential due to its relatively high acidity and fairly good fruit concentration. However, I would say the ageing potential would be only up to 10 years. I would expect more from a Premier Cru Pinot Noir.