Spirit of Marlborough 2016 Magnum

While Marlborough basked under blue skies throughout summer, the fruit on the vines was developing into something magical. Week after week of warm, dry weather followed on from a cooler than average start to the season. The long warm ripening season ended in a beautiful Indian summer perfect for these Bordeaux varieties. We hand-picked perfect physiologically ripe grapes at a low yield of 700g/vine.

'Perfectly healthy, destemmed grapes allowed for a long cold soak to extract the superb flavours and beneficial antioxidants of the skins. I then let the must naturally progress through a long wild yeast fermentation and extended post maceration. After gentle pressing, the young wine was transferred into partly new French Barriques where it underwent the second natural malolactic fermentation. The minimal oxygen exchange over a long 30 months of maturation in the same barrels made all the difference. The wine and wood had time to marry together to form a richer, more complex and textured wine, able to age for many years in the bottle. We like you to enjoy this stately flagship wine at its full potential, very much like a “Grand Cru” Pomerol with many years of bottle ageing. And so we did, under perfect condition in our barrel hall for a further 3 years but without the hefty price tag! No fining. No filtration. Natural goodness.'

The 2016 vintage shows finesse and detail, precision and complexity, full of harmony, power and grace. Darkest crimson with black core. So intense, the fruit seems to engulf you. Ripe but not overblown on the nose, all damson blackberry. The palate is powerful but beautifully balanced, with juicy acidity and fine tannins tempering the glossy black fruit. Dark, pure and overwhelming in its purity. Remarkably balanced - juicy acidity with fine-grained tannin are persistent and abundant making for a mouth watering length and freshness. Expansive, heady and rich, an elegant blockbuster that warrants bottle age. Tasted October 2021.

Perfect for meat lovers, pair with steak, lamb and strong hard cheeses, such as Gruyere.

James Suckling - 96 Points

'A powerful and layered red with blackcurrant, black olive and stone. Some iron, too. Full-bodied with polished yet chewy tannins and a long finish. The oyster-shell and lead-pencil character is beautiful. Equal blend of merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.'

The Real Review – 95 points

“A blend of merlot (33%), cabernet franc (33%) and cabernet sauvignon (33%). Dense, flavoursome wine with cassis, fruitcake, liquorice, chocolate-mocha, spicy oak and dark berry flavours. Richly-textured with a backbone of ripe tannins. A very impressive wine from a very serious producer.” Bob Campbell

Sara D'Amato (Wine Align) – 94 points

'A traditional Bordeaux-style blend featuring equal parts of merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon. Vinified with an extended maceration over a long, cool wild fermentation, and then matured partly in new French barrels for 30 months. No fining or filtration was used and low SO2 addition allows for maximum flavour expression. Cleanly made and notably elegant. Showcasing firm structural elements and fully expressing both varietal character and a sense of place. Malborough's relatively cool, maritime climate has the ability to generate refined, slowly ripened styles very much aligned with a classic Bordelaise example. A highly memorable find. Certified organic. Tasted May 2022.' Sara D’Amato