2020 Coates The Nebbiolo, Adelaide Hills

his is a delicious, mid-weighted nebbiolo, the archetype of pinot noir with a flurry of spindly tannin and a burst of freshness. The sort of wine I could drink every day, so persuasive is its shape, freshness and poise. As always, dangerously easy to drink. Sour red cherry amaro, rhubarb, porcini and bergamot. Bright and frisky across a long, delineated finish. Drink to 2029.

93 points Ned Goodwin for Halliday Wine Companion, May 2023

This is a delicious, medium-bodied nebbiolo with a flurry of spindly tannin and a beam of freshness. The sort of wine I could drink every day, so persuasive is its shape, freshness and poise. As always, this is dangerously easy to drink. Sour red cherry amaro, rhubarb, porcini and bergamot. Bright and frisky across the long, delineated finish. Drink or hold.

93 points James Suckling, June 2023

The 2020 The Nebbiolo has attractive fruit ripeness and tannic shape in the mouth, and it drinks like a juicy Langhe Neb. Drink it soon to soak up the chinotto, Campari, rose petals and star anise. Drink to 2029.

91 points Erin Larkin for The Wine Advocate, July 2022

Duane Coates likes to say that he applies a heart-over-head approach to winemaking, but his deep technical expertise is undeniable. His emotional instinct is backed by exacting standards and a highly deliberate approach: the use of indigenous yeasts and the avoidance of fining agents and filtering are all choices that require care and attention to detail in the cellar.

The range of wines on offer under his negociant label has grown slowly over the years, through relationships with South Australian growers cultivating vineyards that for Duane express the purity of flavour and clearly articulated regional characters he is looking for.

The Nebbiolo is sourced from the southern Kuitpo area of the Adelaide Hills. The 2020 vintage was a disaster in parts of the region due to bushfires burning some vineyards to the ground, while others lost their crops due to heavy smoke taint. Kuitpo growers experienced a miracle, with little to no impact on the quality of the grapes.

The fruit was hand-picked, and 20% whole bunch fermented with the balance destemmed and crushed. A two-week fermentation with further three weeks of maceration on skins before the wine was basket pressed into seasoned French oak puncheons and hogsheads for a 16-month maturation with a single racking. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with a small amount of sulphur dioxide.

A hint of appealing tangerine in the appearance invites you to lean in, the wine opening with aromas of ripe black cherries, red fruit and lifted potpourri florals. The palate is medium-bodied, with the savoury fruit mingling with warm spice, mushrooms and piquant Negroni-like notes. Long and persistent, with noticeable but velvety tannins.

Saturday night date in the kitchen, explore the world with charred poblano peppers stuffed with goat’s Curd and walnut rajas or smoked tofu with garlic chives and black beans.