Sextant Maranges Pinot Noir 2022

Sextant farms this Maranges at the southern end of the Côte de Beaune, in Burgundy, on the limestone and marl soils that define the region and give Pinot Noir its delicacy and freshness. The grapes are grown without herbicides or chemical treatments and picked into small crates to keep the fruit intact. The wine is natural, organic and vegan. In the cellar, around 80 percent of the bunches are kept whole and macerate for fifteen days with only two or three gentle cap punch-downs. Whole-cluster fermentation works with the intact stems and the carbon dioxide inside the berries to start a partial intracellular fermentation, which lifts aromatics, softens tannin and adds a floral, savoury edge, while the light hand on extraction keeps the wine fine. At a modest 11.5 percent alcohol it stays cool and transparent. It is then raised in barrel, where slow oxygen exchange rounds the texture. The colour is pale, bright ruby. The nose shows red cherry, redcurrant and rose over an earthy, mushroom note. The palate is light and fresh, with silky tannins, bright acidity and a stony finish. Serve at 15 degrees. It suits roast duck and chicken.