2019 in Pemberton was cool and very good – certainly in the context of Picardy it was excellent.
On the nose this has classic black cherry, strawberry and green olive tapenade.
The herbs run to the bay leaf, sage end of the spectrum, while the acidity provides a burst of life and energy on the palate.
As always, with the Picardy house style, this is structural and shapely, defined by chalky tannins.
The trick to matching pinot and duck is twofold – the richness, and compatibility to sweetness, that is inherent in duck, syncs with the cherry spice and fine boned tannins in the pinot.
In this case, the salty spice of the hoisin in this dish basically insists on the silky, red fruits and exotic spice of the pinot. They’re the perfect match.