2015 Blanc de Noirs

81% Pinot Noir, 19% Chardonnay. 45% Sonoma, 33% Mendocino, 20% Napa, 2% Marin. Harvested 1 August to 21 September. 34% barrel fermented.TA& 9.5 g/l, pH 3.14, RS 10.4 g/l. Released 1 April 2019. Gold with a tinge of pink. Biscuity nose with frangipani florals. Clementine mid palate but a strong, tightly laced lemon finish. Carves quite a sharp, weighty presence. This needs to be served fridge cold, where the structure and flavours hold together well. Allowed to warm, it becomes a little clumsy on the finish with some not-quite-comfortable bitter texture, as if unravelling to show the barrel influence backstage. (TC)