2024 Apogee Alto Pinot Noir, Pipers River

Deep ruby in the glass with aromas of dark cherry, wild strawberry and plum fruits cut with hints of game, sous bois, spice, shoyu, mushroom terrine, purple flowers and crushed rock. There's an appealing earthiness that underlies the fruit on the palate, a fine-boned minerality that drives the wine forward. Finishes with a composed flourish of chalk, spice and pure cherry and raspberry tones.

94 points Dave Brookes winecompanion.com.au

High in Tasmania’s cool north east, the Pipers River region has become one of Australia’s most exciting homes for Pinot Noir, and Apogee Wines captures the purity and elegance that the area can deliver. Apogee is the project of winemaker Andrew Pirie, widely regarded as a pioneer of Tasmanian cool climate winemaking. After decades helping shape the island’s reputation through sparkling wine and still wine projects, Pirie created Apogee to focus on small batch wines that highlight Tasmania’s unique vineyard sites. The Alto Pinot Noir draws fruit from elevated vineyards in Pipers River where cool ocean breezes and a long ripening season allow Pinot Noir to develop complexity while maintaining freshness and precision.

The wine shows a bright ruby red colour with remarkable clarity. Aromas open with wild strawberry, red cherry and raspberry layered with rose petal, gentle spice and subtle forest floor notes. As it develops in the glass hints of dried herbs, tea leaf and earthy complexity begin to appear. The palate is vibrant and finely structured with silky tannins supporting flavours of red berries, cranberry and savoury spice. Bright acidity gives the wine energy and balance, leading to a long elegant finish that reflects the cool maritime influence of Pipers River.

It will continue to evolve gracefully over the next eight to twelve years and pairs beautifully with roast duck, grilled quail, mushroom dishes or delicate game.