2013 Tolpuddle Pinot Noir

So fresh. The 2013 Pinot Noir has a distinct (I smiled as I tasted this) Szechuan peppercorn character on the mid-palate. It is exotic and spicy, wrapped in a bundle of red, glossy fruit. The whole bunch lends a balancing hand to this wine, steadying the tiller and guiding the fruit across the palate. There's an attractive minerality to this vintage, with graphite and coal dust. I love this vintage, as I loved the Chardonnay from the same year.

Winemaker Adam Wadewitz’s first vintage – slightly warmer. Hill Smith: 'We believe in whole-bunch fermentation, especially because of the concentration of fruit flavours, so without whole bunch they can seem a bit confected or simple.' 15–20% whole bunch. Slightly cloudy ruby. Dusty, very slightly cheesy nose. Find fruit on palate entry with just a hint of simple red-fruit aromas. Not quite as fresh as some on the finish. (JR)

Particularly pale ruby. Lively leafy Pinot array of aromas with the merest hint of vegetation and on the palate seriously delightful lift. Violets, accessible gentle fruit with little obvious tannin influence but great balance and very sweet fruit. This is how you'd like every young Côte de Beaune to taste – if you had to pull the cork early. But it's a light, early-maturing version of Pinot – nothing like Chambertin! (JR)