2025 Freycinet Pinot Noir, East Coast Tasmania

Freycinet Vineyard was the first commercial vineyard and winery on the East Coast of Tasmania. Former Sydneysiders Geoff and Susan Bull planted their first vines in 1979 near Bicheno, with the first wines produced in 1983. Their daughter Lindy is today continuing the work with her partner Claudio Radenti, with the third generation already learning the ropes. The family currently cultivates four vineyards, all within kilometres of the original site. All wines are made on-site from estate grown fruit.

This Pinot Noir is from over 40-year-old vines planted in the original vineyard, a north facing, protected and gently sloping four-hectare amphitheatre with shallow, stony and free draining soils with clay-loam texture.

The 2025 vintage was warm and dry across Tasmania, and all regions were spared from extreme heat days. After good fruit set during the warm spring, nature provided growers with generous crops, with concentrated flavours and excellent natural acidity across all varieties. Fruit was handpicked and berries kept intact for fermentation. The wine was matured for 12 months in French oak barriques of which a quarter were new.

Expressive aromas of black cherries, tangy red berries and pomegranate, with complex side notes of dried flowers, mushrooms and soy sauce. The sweetly fruited and concentrated palate is bright and framed by fine, dusty tannins. A lovely swell of spicy red berries on the long finish.

This is a headline bottle for a cozy date night, rewarding slow sips from generous glasses. Sear a Baharat-spiced lamb fillet and serve with a smoked eggplant purée or go extra festive with a Cantonese roast duck with all the trimmings.