Fromm Pinot Noir Cuvee H 2020

Fromm Winery sits in Marlborough, the largest wine region in New Zealand, on the cooler northern reach of the South Island. Georg Fromm founded the estate in 1992 with the aim of marrying New Zealand fruit to a European sense of structure, and the Cuvee H bottling is the clearest statement of that. The vines are farmed organically, without synthetic chemical inputs, so the soil biology and the marked diurnal swing of the region carry through into the glass. Cool nights preserve acidity and aromatic detail in the thin-skinned Pinot Noir, while warm days build ripeness without heaviness. Time in barrel allows slow oxygen exchange that softens tannin and settles the fruit, and a portion of older oak keeps the wood in a supporting role rather than a dominant one. The colour is a medium ruby. The nose leads with red cherry and raspberry, then earthy forest floor, clove and a rose-petal floral note. The palate is medium bodied and savoury, with fine-grained tannin and bright acidity carrying a long, slightly stony finish. Serve at 16 degrees in a wide bowl. It suits roast duck, herb-stuffed chicken and mushroom dishes.