Winemaker Notes
Density and roundness with a spicy, complex palate, Clos Henri Pinotserves as a testament to the complexity their Broadbridge and wither clay soils can lend to Pinot Noir. Supple tannins give a lengthy and rewarding finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of cherries, raspberries, smoke and baking spices. Medium-bodied with bright acidity and sleek tannins. Juicy and vibrant with crunchy character. Impressive tension and minerality here.
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Wine Enthusiast
From one of Marlborough's leading biodynamic estates, the 2018 is in a quiet, somewhat austere phase at the moment. After time in the glass, it reveals aromas of brambly berries, dried florals, earthy spice and a mushroom note. Tannins are fine, sappy and quite drying, and while the fruit feels fresh, it's shy. Find space in the cellar and revisit this in a few years. Drink 2023–2030.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
An icon and leading region of New Zealand's distinctive style of Sauvignon blanc, Marlborough has a unique terroir, making it ideal for high quality grape production (of many varieties). Despite some common generalizations, which could be fairly justified given that Marlborough is responsible for 90% of New Zealand's Sauvignon blanc production, the wines from this region are actually anything but homogenous. At the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island, the vineyards of Marlborough benefit from well-draining, stony soils, a dry, sunny climate and wide temperature fluctuations between day and night, a phenomenon that supports a perfect balance between berry ripeness and acidity.
The region’s king variety, Sauvignon blanc, is beloved for its pungent, aromatic character with notes of exotic tropical fruit, freshly cut grass and green bell pepper along with a refreshing streak of stony minerality. These wines are made in a wide range of styles, and winemakers take advantage of various clones, vineyard sites, fermentation styles, lees-stirring and aging regimens to differentiate their bottlings, one from one another.
Also produced successfully here are fruit-forward Pinot noirs (especially where soils are clay-rich), elegant Riesling, Pinot gris and Gewürztraminer.