ARK, Pinot Noir, Mount Farm Vineyards, Suffolk, 2023

Country: England

Region: Stour Valley, Suffolk

Grape: Pinot Noir

In a sentence: More structured/complex/expressive than you would expect from a cold climate Pinot.

Wine Notes: Ark are one of the first English wineries I tried where I didn’t feel the need to compare the wines to a foreign region. They exist in their own right. This has wonderful bright fruit notes but it is underpinned by a complex leathery richness that you don’t find with most English Pinot Noir. That said it feels distinctly English, sophisticated and elegant at the same time. 

Farming/Winemaking Notes: 30 months in oak. Ark wines are unfined and unfiltered. They farm sustainably, prioritising soil health and using minimal intervention where possible.

Producer Notes: Ark is a truly family run winery with all family members playing their part right from planting vines to designing the labels on finished bottles. They are creative winemakers with impressive diversity across the range.