2024 Pike & Joyce W.J.J. Reserve Pinot Noir, Adelaide Hills

The excellent 2024 vintage has provided a number of thoroughly impressive bottles of Pinot Noir from Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills, and elsewhere from the Hills of course, and now we can add this cracker to the list. Fermentation was with wild yeasts and maturation was for eight months in French oak. Maroon/purple hue, this is an impressively fragrant Pinot. We have notes of plums, leaf litter, kirsch, charcuterie and cassis. Supple and sleek, this is finely focused with good energy through to silky tannins. Love it. This should drink beautifully over the next decade. A superb Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir.

96 points Ken Gargett winepilot.com

High in the cool elevations of Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills, Pike and Joyce have quietly built a reputation for crafting refined, site expressive wines that balance purity with modern polish. Founded by cousins Andrew Pike and Neil Joyce, the estate sits on some of the region’s highest vineyard land, where long growing seasons and crisp mountain air allow Pinot Noir to develop vibrant aromatics and fine structural detail. The W.J.J. Reserve is a special selection that honours family heritage and showcases the very best parcels from the estate, delivering a wine that feels both generous and elegantly composed.

A brilliant ruby crimson hue introduces a fragrant bouquet of red cherry, wild raspberry and cranberry layered with hints of rose petal, baking spice and a subtle forest floor complexity. There is a freshness and lift that speaks clearly of the Adelaide Hills, combining bright fruit expression with a quietly savoury edge that adds depth and intrigue.

Silky and finely structured, the palate unfolds with juicy red berry fruit, pomegranate and gentle spice framed by supple tannins and lively acidity. The texture is seamless, flowing into a long, graceful finish where whispers of earth and mineral linger. With balance and poise, this Pinot Noir will reward careful cellaring over the next six to ten years as tertiary notes of dried herbs, truffle and autumn leaves begin to develop.

A natural partner for food and atmosphere alike, it shines with duck breast and cherry glaze, grilled quail, herb crusted pork or mushroom risotto. Perfect for cool evenings, shared plates and unhurried conversation, Pike and Joyce W.J.J. Reserve Pinot Noir captures the charm of Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir while offering collectors and enthusiasts a wine of finesse, character and quietly confident appeal.