2024 Freycinet Louis Pinot Noir, Bicheno

Freycinet Louis Pinot Noir from Bicheno on Tasmania’s east coast is a beautifully perfumed and finely structured expression of cool-climate Pinot Noir. Named after Louis de Freycinet, the French navigator who explored the area in the early 1800s, this wine is a tribute to elegance and regional character. The Freycinet Vineyard is one of Tasmania’s pioneering estates, established in 1979 by Geoff and Susan Bull and now run by their daughter Lindy Bull and winemaker Claudio Radenti.

The Louis range is made with fruit from younger estate vines and selected parcels grown nearby, offering an approachable, earlier-drinking style while still carrying the DNA of the Freycinet house. Bicheno’s coastal climate brings cold nights and long sunny days that slowly ripen Pinot to perfection, retaining natural acidity and building fine aromatic complexity.

Winemaking is minimal and sensitive. The grapes are hand harvested and gently destemmed, with fermentation in small open fermenters using wild and cultured yeasts. Gentle plunging and a short maturation in French oak enhance texture while keeping the fruit front and centre.

In the glass, this Pinot shows lifted aromas of red cherry, raspberry, rose petal and gentle spice. The palate is silky and fresh with juicy red fruit, soft tannins and a savoury, earthy thread that lingers through a long and elegant finish.

Freycinet Louis Pinot Noir is a graceful and expressive wine that captures the essence of east coast Tasmania. It is perfect with duck breast, mushroom dishes or a quiet evening by the fire.