2022 Thousand Candles Single Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley

This is a bit murky and I like that in a Pinot Noir. It’s a wine built on red cherry and undergrowth flavours but orange rind, Campari-like herbs and sweet spice notes are also key aspects of this wine’s personality. It smells great, basically; fresh, fruity, complex and energetic, with cedarwood characters adding that bit extra. All this could be enough to recommend this wine, possibly, but the way the fruit builds, and more especially the way tannin rolls and fans out through the back half, is where and how the quality elevates. This wine is excellent, and complete with a savoury/nutty/twiggy edge to the aftertaste.

94 Points, Wine Front Campbell Mattinson

The best Pinot Noir block is isolated early in the growing season and managed accordingly with the aim of producing our most premium pinot noir. Fruit is hand-picked in the cool of the morning. The fruit is then separated for two individual ferments, whole bunch and whole berry (de-stemmed). Fermentation is carried out by wild yeasts with only the occasional pump over. The whole berry ferment accounts for 60% of the final blend and the whole bunch 40% of the blend. The whole berry component provides a purity of fruit whilst the whole bunch component adds complexity and lovely tight tannin structure to the final wine. After fermentation, the wines are pressed and then aged in 4-7 year old French barriques.

The nose displays aromas of raspberry and herbs with an attractive earthiness. The palate shows red berries, pomegranate and some lovely forest floor characters. A fine tannin profile and bright natural acid lift provide great depth and structure to the plate. The beautiful acidity suggests this.