Thirty Bench Small Lot Pinot Noir 2021

Pure, pale red-garnet in colour, Thirty Bench’s 2021 is a riot of red fruit, still very fresh and lively, with lovely, juicy acids, crunchy and zesty. I like the gently saline aspect on the palate that drives desire for additional sips, and overall balance is impeccable. I have to say, it’s a grand success for this generally challenging vintage, also high yielding, but there’s no notable dilution here, indeed, the finish lingers admirably. I’d be tempted to enjoy this over the near term to capture that crunchy-fresh red fruit, though those into more earthy and savoury pinots can wait comfortably for another 2-4 years. Tasted August 2024. Score – 92. (John Szabo, MS, winealign.com)