Pinot Noir, Arbois, 2019

Of course more tense and delicate than anything you would expect to find in Burgundy, with its tight-wound, crunchy red cherry and red berry fruit, yet there is a darker stonier underbelly here, too, the fruit gripped by a reinforcing, spicy structure. Taut and finely poised on the crisp finish. Pelican produced a 100% Pinot Noir cuvée for the first time in 2018, having resisted until then, due to their concern that they would perhaps not so easily master vinification of Pinot Noir outside of Burgundy. In 2019, the cuvée was made exclusively from their Clos Saint-Laurent parcel, chosen for its altitude (340-380m), ideal for the fresh style they wanted to achieve. So, it became 'single vineyard'. The soil is made of fallen rocks ('éboulis calcaires') of Bajocian limestone over grey marls (Lias) and the vines are between 10 and 45 years old. In vintage 2019, élevage was entirely in Burgundian barrels, due to the low yield. We used no new oak. Bottling took place at the end of August 2020.