PAROSÉ

With the passionate intensity of a choreographer intent on the intricacies of the unfolding ballet, Pinot Noir contributes to a dialectical arabesque between dense mouthfeel and an arching thrust of crisp acidity, with a soaring, vibrant Chardonnay as its co-star. Appearing a shimmering pink-gold, this rosé was partially fermented in oak barrels then rested a minimum of 36 months sur lie, which softened its fruit, fashioning redcurrant, pomegranate, and mandarin orange into sinuous festoons lifted by herbal notes of pungent mallow, lime, and eucalyptus veined with subtle hints of fresh-picked hazelnut. The palate is the quintessence of pleasure, enlivened by a vivacious, red pepper spiciness, with a fragrant, acidity-driven progression that builds to a refined, longlingering finish shot through with delicate notes of citrus.

The mousse of Parosé springs upon you, enormous, exploding into the glass, then upwards, proud, high, the quintessence of self-confidence, the bead dense, creamy, and white, its contours energy-laden and noisily protean. The nose is a vast expanse with no alien traces, relentlessly the same wine, but only after three long years’ wait. And now the colour, conjuring up the longing expectations of a springtime sunrise, subtly edged in amber, or rather in veined alabaster. The nose excites, vast, dense, inviting the minutest of examinations. Fragrances crowd in: baked fruit pastry, then pungent fresh vegetable, followed by holidaytime home-baked cakes, liqueur-infused and sensually plump. The gala continues on the palate, with unexpected winter chestnuts emerging on the sides and a driving progression. Quintessential maturity and elation, enfolded in a close-woven silken cocoon, a farewell embrace that is tight, clean, precise. Near-endless and riveting.

Stefano Caffarri