2020 Marlborough Pinot Noir

Pleasure and suavity seem to be the name of the game for Novum, which specializes in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The 2020 Pinot Noir corroborates my suspicions: this is round, mouthfilling and satisfying. It offers plenty of concentration and delightful tannins that seem to coat the palate in a waterfall-like movement. It's part of the wine's substance and texture, which the French might call gourmandise but us Anglophones lack a translation for that.

I recently baked a clafoutis, and when I picked up the 2020 Pinot Noir (Marlborough), I was reminded of the moment I opened the oven door: all cherries, raspberries and warm, vanilla-infused cake. (To be fair, it tastes better than my clafoutis – my 7-year-old son is my baking partner and results can be variable.) The Novum has a sensuous texture, filling the mouth with a cloud of unadulterated Pinot Noir and yet retaining a sense of freshness and clarity. There's tension and poise thanks to a combination of fine acidity and delicate, stone-licking tannin. It tastes like there's been little interference and gentle handling. I just want a bit more length to enjoy it longer.