Sailor Seeks Horse Dijon Clone Pinot Noir 2023

Wild ferment, clones 114, 777, 115, destemmed, 12 months in barrel (11% new). Finely honed redcurrant and raspberry aromas here with a wash of cranberry for high tones. It smells delicate and filigreed with hints of Medina spice, sous bois, fennel gratin, cherry clafoutis, drying meadow flowers, poached rhubarb and earth. More of the same on the palate, savoury and spacious with fine detail to its form and a lovely briny cadence that pushes the wine forward. Jeez, it’s pretty darn good. 96 Points – Halliday Wine Companion

The two Dijon clones of 114 and 777, so favoured by Gilli and Paul. Clones are mumbo jumbo to me, but there’s no mistaking the unique nature of this wine. Savoury comes to mind, and a certain discretion; it certainly doesn’t jump out of the glass the way the estate wine does. Brooding and gentle and the wine grows in breadth and stature with time in the glass, but never loses its gentle strokes. Seaweed notes, compost, savoury spice, truffle, dark cherry, sous bois, serrano and blood orange. Still very elemental, we’ll have to see this in another 10 years at least for anything like its best. Utterly different from the estate, though vinified in the same manner, minus a tiny proportion of whole bunches. The tannins are different to, like fine shaved wood; long, firm and textured. Norris at Waters Wine

114 and 777 clones – rose perfume combined with more subtle savoury notes, intensity, length, filigree and high-toned. Sailor Seeks Horse

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