Lyme Bay Pinot Noir 2016

Top-notch English red wines are few and far between, so it comes with great excitement that the very first red wine from Lyme Bay is already one of my very best English wine discoveries of the last year.

The first signs of beauty are the colour; deep ruby red, suggesting superb ripeness with none of the thinness often associated with English Pinot Noir.

And then the nose; quite Burgundian initially, with ripe cherry, coffee and earthy notes and polished, vanilla oak. Oh yes!

The palate is where this wine really delivers though. Beautiful, effortless, fleshy red fruit flavours of wild strawberry and red cherry combine with floral hues. The mid-taste is deeper, with flavours of black fruit before a warming hug of smoked, spiced oak and supple tannin grabs hold and just doesn’t want to let go.

A simply fantastic Pinot Noir that would be delicious when served with a delicately cooked young lamb dish on Easter Sunday. A must-try!