Ward Valley Epicentre Pinot Noir 2018

James Leary, an old friend since his days at Lloyds of London, has several blocks of Pinot Noir in the cool Ward Valley in southern Marlborough. This comes from two lower lying blocks close to the coast and some barrels which did not make the grade for his higher lying single vineyard wine the Mount Victoria Block. This wine is made by our favourite Kiwi winemaker Dave Clouston of Two Rivers of Marlborough so you know they are in good hands. Attractive cherry and cherry fruit with a creaminess and savoury spicy notes that bellies its price. The wine is named after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that shook the vineyards for two minutes in December 2016 whose epicentre was only 100k away. No vines were harmed!