2023 Hurley Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula

A light, bright, juicy style showing plenty of upfront fruit, all strawberries and raspberries, with snips of fresh basil, cherry cola in there too. It’s very refreshing, driven by lively acidity, tannins light and barely there. Not complex but a lovely pinot for today.

92 points Jane Faulkner winecompanion.com.au

Hurley Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir from the Mornington Peninsula is a beautifully expressive and finely structured wine that epitomises the region’s reputation for world-class Pinot Noir. Established by Kevin Bell and Tricia Byrnes in 1998, Hurley Vineyard has become a benchmark producer in the Peninsula, known for its small-scale, single vineyard wines that capture both the nuance of site and the elegance of cool climate viticulture.

The Estate Pinot Noir is a blend of fruit from Hurley’s three vineyard blocks — Garamond, Lodestone and Hommage — each planted to different Pinot clones and soil types. These variations combine to create a wine that is complex, balanced and complete. The grapes are hand harvested, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and matured in French oak barriques, about one third new, for roughly 18 months. The approach in the cellar is deliberately gentle, with minimal intervention to preserve the natural beauty of the fruit.

In the glass it shows a translucent ruby hue. The aroma is perfumed and layered, revealing red cherry, raspberry, rose petal and forest floor, with hints of spice, cedar and mineral. On the palate it is medium bodied and silky, showing vibrant red fruit, savoury herbs and fine-grained tannins carried by bright acidity. The finish is long, elegant and persistent, with earthy undertones that speak clearly of Mornington’s maritime soils and cool breezes.

Hurley Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir pairs beautifully with duck, roast chicken, mushroom risotto or charcuterie. It also complements dishes featuring truffle, beetroot or soft cheeses. While seductive in its youth for its perfume and poise, it will develop greater depth and savoury complexity over eight to twelve years in the cellar.