2024 Petrichor Single Vineyard Pinot Noir, Coal River Valley

Petrichor Single Vineyard Pinot Noir from the Coal River Valley is a beautifully expressive and quietly intense Tasmanian Pinot that reflects the elegance, purity and subtle power this region is so admired for. The fruit comes from a single, meticulously farmed coastal vineyard where ancient sandstone, river gravels and wind sculpted clay loams help create Pinot with lifted aromatics, fine tannins and a distinctive mineral tension. Long, cool evenings and slow autumn ripening keep acidity crisp and flavours precise, while the valley’s low humidity allows fruit to hang cleanly on the vine well into late season.

The winemaking is thoughtful and restrained. Grapes are hand picked in small passes, sorted with care, and fermented using native yeasts. A considered proportion of whole bunches adds perfume, spice and a gentle structural frame. Maturation in French oak, mostly seasoned, allows the vineyard’s detail to sit front and centre. The style is elegant rather than overtly powerful, favouring refinement, nuance and texture.

A vivid aromatic profile emerges almost immediately: wild strawberry, red cherry and raspberry interwoven with rose petals, pomegranate, cranberry and a faint orange oil lift. Deeper scents of dried herbs, sandalwood, tea leaf and a cool, graphite like mineral note echo the vineyard’s sandstone soils. As the wine breathes, savoury layers build slowly, drawing you deeper into the glass.

The palate is beautifully composed, gliding in quiet waves. Juicy red fruits move across fine, chalk edged tannins, supported by lively acidity that keeps the wine bright and focused. Flavours of cherry, redcurrant, spiced plum and gentle earthiness unfold gradually, gaining structure and depth without sacrificing elegance. A saline, river stone like note carries through to the finish, which is long, refined and delicately savoury. It will develop wonderfully over six to eight years, gaining earthy, truffle toned complexity.

This style loves food. Roast duck with cherries, porcini risotto, herb roasted chicken, grilled salmon, beetroot salads, soft cheeses, charcuterie or truffle pasta will all shine beside it. A touch cooler than room temperature accentuates its perfume.