Montepulciano 2018 - Library Wine

James Suckling, Nov. 2022 (Internationally regarded as one of the world's most influential wine critics!)

January recorded some of the hottest temperatures Marlborough has experienced and the mighty Montepulciano was in its element. A long, dry summer with extremely high sunshine hours, perfect for the lead up to vintage. No cost and time are spared for this late ripening Italian grape variety, spur pruned, leaf plucked with rigorous bunch thinning to bring out the essence of this variety. We normally pick the Monte around Hans’ birthday on the 9th April. Yields are kept extremely low at tiny 500g per vine to achieve perfect physiological ripeness for natural concentration, complexity and an impressive flavour profile that expresses the soul of Hans’ winegrowing.

Perfectly healthy, destemmed grapes allowed for a long cold soak to extract the superb flavours and beneficial antioxidants of the skins. The must progressed through a long cool wild yeast fermentation and extended post maceration. After gentle pressing, I transferred the young wine into French Barriques (20% new) for it’s natural malolactic fermentation. The minimal oxygen exchange over a long 30 months of maturation on the fine lees softened and smoothed tannin and acidity without too much wood tannin extraction. The wine and wood married together to form a richer, more complex and textured wine, able to age for many years in the bottle. No fining. No filtration. Minimum effective SO2. Natural goodness.

Alluring, complex with multi-layered nose of dark-fruit. Aromas of dark cherries, blueberries and plums with hints of violets, chocolate and spices. Juicy and tantalizing acidity with rounded tannins. Real elegance, sumptuousness, immensity and emotion is transmitted by tasting this powerhouse. Enormously long finish, showing a wine great in its youth but with the necessary structure and balance for great longevity. Tasted July 2021.

All our wines are dry and never over extracted. Sommeliers love them for their ability to easily match with many different foods. Such a powerful wine loves of course hearty dishes but is as lovely to sip and relax at the end of the day - working wonders as a natural sleeping pill...