2024 Sinapius Close Planted Pinot Noir, Northern Tasmania

Pinot noir from two northeast-facing, close-planted blocks, La Clairiére and The Enclave; there was a super low yield this year; 85% destemmed, 15% whole bunch and matured for 12 months in French oak, 20% new. Expressive, with dark and red cherry, wild strawberry and raspberry fruits over hints of exotic spice, leaf litter, poached rhubarb, crushed rocks, pomegranate, rose petals, dried meats, mountain herbs and graphite. There might not be much of it, but it's a beautiful expression of this site. Harmonious and composed, it travels a graceful arc across the palate, pushed along by fine, lacy acidity and framed by the loveliest of kinetic, powdered-rock tannins. Drink to 2038.

96 points Special Value Dave Brookes for Halliday Wine Companion, September 2026

The fruit for this wine comes from two close planted, dry grown and low yielding Pinot Noir blocks in the Sinapius vineyard, the Enclave and the La Clairière, each plannted to numerous clonal selections of the variety.

The warm and dry 2024 season saw the fruit harvested already in the first weeks of March. Most of the fruit was destemmed, with 15% included in the ferments as whole bunches, and the pressed wine was matured on fine lees for twelve months in French oak barriques and puncheons, of which 20% were of first use. The parcels were then blended in stainless steel and left to integrate for a further six months, during which the wine also clarified naturally.

About this producer

Vaughn Dell and Linda Morice were just 24 years old when they purchased the then tiny 2-hectare Golders Vineyard in Pipers Brook on Tasmania’s north coast in 2005 and re-named it Sinapius. Originally planted with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, they set out to add two new sections of vines with updated clones of both varieties, and adding Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Gamay. The two new sections are close planted at extreme density of 700 and 10,250 vines per hectare respectively, the aim being for naturally low bunch weights and yields per vine.

Vaughn unfortunately passed away at the end of the 2020 vintage. Linda is now solely responsible for the dry-grown vineyard and winery and continues to build on their important legacy. Under her stewardship Sinapius has cemented its place in the top tier of Tasmania’s wine producers.