Tolpuddle Pinot Noir 2023

Tolpuddle’s wines are becoming more and more sought-after. What doesn’t help is a vintage like 2023, which produced the smallest crop in Tolpuddle’s 11 year history.

I was luck enough to attend a trade lunch at the new Saint Peter recently, launching the new Tolpuddle releases. Next to the 2023s we tasted the 2017s for comparison’s sake.

Partially due to the low-yielding vintage, the 2023s in both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are very concentrated. In the Pinot in particular, there is a lot of dense and compact fruit that ideally needs some time to settle and mellow. But with a core as intense as it is, it will develop into one of the best Tolpuddle Pinots we’ve seen. Cellar for 3 years + before drinking if possible (but have a sneaky bottle or two immediately, obviously). - Ches Cook, FWC. 

There’s something that feels essentially pinot about this wine. It’s the inlay of mineral and graphite amid the undergrowth and spice notes, all of which are part of the general wash of black cherry. It’s a silken release, of medium intensity, with fine-grained tannin and an impressive push of complex flavour through the finish. This wine’s earthen/undergrowth aspect is both well played, and a key feature. There’s no real x-factor to this release but everything does feel in excellent order. 94 points - Wine Front