It’s always gratifying when you meet a producer, fall for their wine, place an order and, as the wine is trundling its way across Europe, you discover that they have just been named ‘Winery of the Year’ by a leading wine magazine. It won’t make the wine taste any better when it arrives, but it makes us feel really smart, and that’s all that really matters.

Metzger’s Pinot Noir 'Mühlheim 2022 is a beauty, swirling with sweet and sour cherry notes, wild strawberry, woody spices, kola, sandalwood and grated tangerine peel as a delectable grace note. The palate is full of bright, energetic fruit, with all of Pinot Noir’s charm on display. My hand-written tasting-note at the time helpfully says “so drinkable!”, which is nothing more than the minimum requirement for a wine, but I kind of see what I meant, it’s just so succulent and ripe and juicy. 13.5% alc. 50% new oak. Drink now-2034.

Press review:

Falstaff: “Dense and fragrant nose, smoke, light and dark wild berries, dark wild cherries, earthy notes, leaves, nougat chocolate. Powerful yet elegant on the palate, pithy, ripe tannins, fresh fruit, well-integrated juicy acidity, fine savouriness, stimulating to drink.” 91 points