2016 Marie-Thérèse Chappaz Grain Pinot malindzo

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 91 points

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  11/15/2021 - forceberry wrote: 91 Points

  100% biodynamically farmed Pinot Noir from the Malindzo parcel in the limestone-rich Charrat vineyard. 13% alcohol.
  
  Very dark and dense, almost fully opaque black cherry color with a youthful purplish hue. Wonderfully fragrant and bright nose with pure aromas of ripe forest fruits, some juicy bilberry tones, a little bit of fresh black cherry, light crunchy notes of chokeberries, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of sappy red fruit. The wine is lively, crunchy and relatively weightless yet still chewy on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of tart cranberries, some ripe raspberries, a little bit of earthy Pinosity, light brambly notes of black raspberries and blackberries, a hint of black cherry and a touch of savory wood spice. The overall feel is firm and surprisingly tightly-knit, thanks to the high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The rather long finish is ripe, slightly sweet-toned and moderately grippy with quite intense flavors of boysenberries and juicy black raspberries, some inky tones, a little bit of brambly black raspberry, light tart notes of cranberries, a hint of fresh cherry and a touch of vanilla oak.
  
  A lovely, pure and fragrant Pinot Noir with wonderful sense of freshness and unadulterated Pinosity. This wine shows more freshness and sense of structure than most of the other Chappaz Pinot Noirs we tasted, at the same time showing very minimal oak influence - something that doesn't seem to be that common in Chappaz Pinot Noirs. Overall the wine feels wonderfully harmonious and precise, but perhaps still a bit too youthful and nervous - unlike most Chappaz Pinot Noirs, which seem to be ready from the get-go, this wine feels even at the age of 5 years like it could do with some additional aging. I'd say this wine starts to drink well only after another 3-5 years and will improve for a lot longer. Expect the score to go up with age. Recommended.

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