2022 Nova Vita Quartz Block Pinot Noir, Adelaide Hills

Well, this is frisky and fresh. A wildly gluggable red of vibrancy and vitality, red cherry, cranberry and pomegranate juice galore with a lightness and liveliness in tow. Feels just a few rungs up from rosé, in the best sense, super crisp and easy drinking, thirst-quenching and fun. It's got enough pinosity to satisfy fanciers, but for those seeking easy access red wine, this is a no-brainer. It's fragrant, bright and has great clarity of all the red-fruit character described. A delight.

92 points Mike Bennie winecompanion.com.au

Nova Vita Quartz Block Pinot Noir from the Adelaide Hills is a refined, small-lot wine that highlights the cool-climate finesse and mineral edge that this elevated region can deliver. Sourced from a specific site within the winery’s Woodlands Ridge vineyard in the high-altitude subregion of Lenswood, the Quartz Block takes its name from the quartz-studded soils that give the wine its lifted aromatics and precise structure.

Winemaker Mark Kozned and his team focus on low-intervention techniques that let the site speak for itself. The fruit is handpicked, with a portion of whole bunch included in the ferment to build tension and spice. Wild yeast fermentation and gentle extraction preserve the delicate character of Pinot Noir, while maturation in French oak barriques (mostly seasoned) adds subtle texture and complexity without overshadowing the fruit.

The wine opens with fragrant notes of red cherry, wild strawberry, rosehip and forest floor, with underlying hints of clove, cinnamon and crushed quartz. On the palate, it’s silky and medium-bodied, showing pure red fruit, fine tannins and a mineral-driven finish that lingers with elegance and energy.

Ideal with duck breast and sour cherry sauce, mushroom and thyme risotto, or grilled quail with beetroot. It’s drinking beautifully now but will reward careful cellaring over the next 6 to 8 years.