2024 Kooyong Estate Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula

Bright medium depth red-purple colour; slightly bunchy aromas, fresh, clean and straightforward, cherry in the background. The palate is deep in bold cherry fruit flavours, fresh and upright with firmness and stacks of potential. Medium-long finish. This is a baby with plenty of time ahead of it. 14 Jun 2025 Drink 2025–2034

92 points Huon Hooke therealreview.com

Kooyong Estate Pinot Noir from the Mornington Peninsula is a benchmark for cool-climate Australian Pinot, crafted with elegance, detail and a deep connection to place. Located in the heart of the Mornington Peninsula near Tuerong, Kooyong was one of the region’s early champions of single-vineyard wines and minimal-intervention winemaking. The Estate Pinot Noir brings together fruit from across Kooyong’s key vineyard blocks, offering a complete and expressive picture of the Kooyong style.

Winemaker Glen Hayley approaches Pinot Noir with restraint and precision. Grapes are handpicked and fermented using indigenous yeasts, often with a portion of whole bunches included to add structure and aromatic complexity. The wine is matured in French oak barriques for around 12 months, with a modest percentage of new oak to enhance texture without overpowering the fruit.

The result is a wine that walks the line between perfume and savoury depth. In the glass, it opens with lifted notes of red cherry, wild strawberry, rose petal and dried herbs, supported by hints of spice, earth and subtle smoky oak. The palate is medium-bodied and finely structured, with silky tannins, bright acidity and a long, mineral-edged finish. It’s layered, balanced and quietly powerful — a true cool-climate Pinot of poise and finesse.

Ideal with duck breast and cherry glaze, grilled quail, or porcini mushroom risotto. While drinking beautifully now, it will evolve over the next 6 to 10 years, gaining complexity and silky suppleness.