2024 Grosset Pinot Noir, Adelaide Hills

A very curious release. Very loose-knit, sour-fruit leaning, doused with strong red capsicum and mezcal elements with a large dusting of white pepper. It feels sloshy and watery with a kind of confected edge to red berry fruits despite some of those more sour cherry notes and shows a smidge of white balsamic lift. As a fresh, frisky, youthful red destined for a fridge or ice bucket, there's pleasing drinkability and vitality here. A nouveau or joven style emerges, but as a stalwart pinot noir of stately origin, this release feels a little outside the box.

91 points Mike Bennie winecompanion.com.au

The Grosset Pinot Noir from the Adelaide Hills is a rare and compelling release from Jeffrey Grosset, better known for redefining Australian Riesling in Clare Valley. While his name is synonymous with purity and precision in white wine, his foray into Pinot Noir reveals the same dedication to site expression, balance and restraint.

Sourced from a cool, elevated site in the Piccadilly Valley, one of the highest and most marginally suited regions for Pinot Noir in Australia, this wine is made in minute quantities and is increasingly sought after by those in the know. The vineyard sits on ancient podsolic soils and benefits from long, slow ripening, preserving vibrant acidity and nuanced aromatics.

The wine opens with lifted aromas of wild strawberries, red cherry, rose petals and fine herbs. There’s a whisper of oak spice, handled with the lightest touch. The palate is finely etched and elegant, with a flowing core of red berries, silky tannins, and an earthy, savoury undercurrent. The structure is classical, with a mineral backbone and a long, tapering finish. This is Pinot Noir made with serious intent, as much about texture and energy as it is about fruit expression.

Cellaring potential is excellent, with the wine expected to evolve gracefully over 8 to 12 years, gaining complexity and subtle forest floor notes with age. It’s a beautiful partner to duck breast, mushroom risotto or roast quail.