Technical Analysis
Bouchard Finlayson's Tête de Cuvée label presents a selection of their top Pinot Noir barrels from a particular vintage, showcasing their unique terroir.
Tasting note
Medium-deep garnet colour. Aromatically abundant black cherry, rose and strawberry with delicate cinnamon and essential oil adding more nuances. Beautifully integrated oak spice underscores a savoury and classically dense texture. Regal and elegant – builds to lasting complex finish
Vintage conditions
It’s been remarked before how the weather, during recent odd vintages, seems to behave to the benefit of local vintners. 2021 followed this pattern of 2019, 2017 and2015. Yields varied significantly between cultivars and apart from a big rain event on14 March, dry and cool conditions prevailed during picking. Phenolic ripeness outperformed sugar accumulation in the berries, resulting in juices with low potential alcohol and balanced natural acidities.
Vinification details
A Tête de Cuvée wine is not presented at every vintage. The emphasis is placed on attaching the best Pinot Noir ferments to best new wood, with the intention of sculpting a top quality, collectors wine. This bottling is regarded as the most promising wine from the cellar and carries the Bouchard Finlayson flag. The majority of grapes supplied for this cuvee are from the oldest vines on the property, with the average vine age exceeding 22 years. The winemaker selects individual barrels to compile the chosen components, in this instance only eight, of which four were new oak.
AWARDS
Tim Atkin MW: 95 pts
Platter: 94 pts
James Suckling: 95 pts
Wine Advocate: 92 pts
Technical Analysis
Bouchard Finlayson's Tête de Cuvée label presents a selection of their top Pinot Noir barrels from a particular vintage, showcasing their unique terroir.
Tasting note
Brimming with potential to make a lasting sensory impression. Powerful and opulent, with gorgeous black cherry and blueberry flavours, neatly wrapped with a line of fine powdered tannin. Game, violet and subtle cinnamon are focussed on a dry and velvety smooth finish.
Vintage conditions
Spring 2019 saw ideal weather conditions during flower and fruit set, heightening expectations for the upcoming vintage. However, hopes were soon challenged by the atypical and unstable weather presented early in the New Year. Fortunately, dry conditions set in as soon as harvest commenced, with the crop remaining healthy. Volumes recovered slightly from the light 2019 vintage and all-round, unexpectedly positive fruit-quality was delivered to the cellar.
Vinification details
A Tête de Cuvée wine is not presented at every vintage. The emphasis is placed on attaching the best Pinot Noir ferments to best new wood, with the intention of sculpting a top quality, collectors wine. This bottling is regarded as the most promising wine from the cellar and carries the Bouchard Finlayson flag. The majority of grapes supplied for this cuvee are from the oldest vines on the property, with the average vine age exceeding 22 years. The winemaker selects individual barrels to compile the chosen components, in this instance only six, of which four were new oak.
AWARDS
IWC: Gold & Trophy
Tim Atkin MW: 95 pts
Platter: 94 pts
James Suckling: 94 pts
Wine Spectator: 93 pts
Technical Analysis
Bouchard Finlayson's Tête de Cuvée label presents a selection of their top Pinot Noir barrels from a particular vintage, showcasing their unique terroir.
Tasting note
Brilliantly pure. Fresh cranberry and juicy plum aromas weave through savoury exotic spices. Powered by sleek and well-defined tannins, the wine glides elegantly across the length of the palate. A finely textured core of earthen salinity leads to a lasting finish.
Vintage conditions
Vintage 2019 will long be remembered for the raging wild fire that swept across the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley on 11th January – less than three weeks before the first grapes were picked. We were fortunate that we experienced little to no damage and brought in a healthy, yet slightly lighter crop. The reduced yield was the result of milder than normal winter temperatures. Weather conditions remained cool and relatively dry throughout February and March.
Vinification details
Tête de Cuvée is not made in every vintage. The emphasis is placed on attaching the best Pinot Noir ferments to best new wood with the intention of sculpting a top quality, collector’s wine. This bottling is regarded as the most promising wine from the cellar and carries the Bouchard Finlayson flag. The majority of grapes supplied for this cuvée is from the oldest vines on the property, with the average vine age exceeding 22 years. The winemaker selects individual barrels to compile the chosen components – in this instance only six, of which half were new oak.
AWARDS
Platter: 5*
DWWA: Gold
Tim Atkin MW: 96 pts
Tasting video
With Peter Finlayson.
Technical Analysis
Bouchard Finlayson's Tête de Cuvée label presents a selection of their top Pinot Noir barrels from a particular vintage, showcasing their unique terroir.
Tasting note
Silky layers of ripe blueberry and vivid plum show touches of spice and espresso. Restrained initially, but gains depth over the length of the palate and lingers effortlessly on a refined finish. Polished tannins integrate well, but the wine demands patience to reveal its full potential.
Vintage conditions
Similar to the 2016 vintage, a voluminous crop set following ideal flowering conditions. However, during veraison, strict discipline was required in removing late-developing bunches – leaving a balanced and prospectively superb crop. Apart from the rejuvenating 2 inches of rain that fell a week prior to the first picking date, cool and dry conditions prevailed throughout harvest, allowing for a healthy and leisurely ripening.
Vinification details
Tête de Cuvée is not made in every vintage. The emphasis is placed on attaching the best Pinot Noir ferments to best new wood with the intention of sculpting a top quality, collector’s wine. These particular grapes stem from the oldest vines on the property where the vineyard has been intentionally planted to a high density model. The winemaker selects individual barrels to compile the chosen components – in 2017 only four, of which half were new oak.
AWARDS
Tim Atkin MW: 94 pts
Platter: 4.5*
