Bassus Pinot Noir 2023

Hispano-Suizas sits at Requena in the Utiel-Requena appellation of inland Valencia, positioning itself between commercial production and independent winemaking. Bassus is pure Pinot Noir, a French grape that needs cool conditions to keep its delicacy, and here it is grown on chalky clay soils at altitude where cool nights and a wide diurnal range slow ripening and preserve the bright acidity and aromatics the variety depends on. The grapes are picked by hand in the early hours of the day, when temperatures are lowest, and carried to the winery in small 15 kilo boxes to keep the fruit intact. The wine is aged for ten months in French oak from Allier, a fine grained wood that adds a light spice and vanilla frame while letting the fruit lead and softening the gentle tannins. Expect a bright cherry colour with violet reflections, a nose of red cherry, raspberry, rose and a hint of earth, and a light bodied palate that is supple and fresh with fine tannin and a clean, savoury finish. Serve at 15 to 16 degrees. It suits roast duck and poultry.