MARGRAIN Rivers Edge Pinot Noir 2020

Crackling bracken fern and toasted nori rise from the glass and nudge suggestively at the nasal receptors then make way for well-seasoned split acacia, roasted beetroot and freshly uprooted truffle. Warm poached plum, tay berries and dark chocolate gateaux with coffee buttercream icing form a warm welcome as do notes of rich beef consommŽ, sweet violets and a dash of spicey tomato. The palate stands like a beacon of hope in the garden of a stately manor. A classic razor strop and cigar box complexity is omnipresent as it glides back and forth amongst oven baked wild oats, dark sticky prunes and sun-dried beef jerky. The tannins, which sit somewhere between rhubarb crumble and central plateau pumice, lightly flagellate the tongue while a tiny streak of acidity adds freshness and focus, like the resounding rap of a gravel on the bench of a high court judge. There follows the suggestion of marmite on sourdough toast, soft roasted aubergine, rubbed oregano and warm caramel bržlŽe. A sense of calm, like still waters, runs deep in the finish.