2025 Harewood Denmark Pinot Noir, Great Southern

Denmark may be more famous for Riesling and Shiraz, but this sub-region in the Great Southern district of Western Australia has been offering intriguing Pinot Noir for some time. Maturation was in French oak. A pale yet gleaming crimson hue, the nose is redolent of red fruits, wild raspberries, a gentle touch of oak, florals, spices, truffles and cherries. There is good focus and concentration here, with very good length. Extremely well balanced and with a lingering finish, the wine concludes with fine satiny tannins. Enjoy this anytime over the next six to eight years. A good example of how Pinot from Western Australia is becoming ever more exciting. Drink 2026 to 2034.

93 points Ken Gargett for Wine Pilot, May 2026

A Great Southern Pinot Noir with a strong sense of place. Note the Aussie bush and bay leaf characters intertwined among the dried herbs, cherry, red fruits and the overall sense of cool climate elegance that is so much at home in the Great Southern Pinot style. This is one fruit-filled Pinot, sweet and ripe, anchored in forest herbs, dark rose petal florals and anise spice, all the while running lively and super fresh over a relatively light texture. Tannins are bright, compact and even, and acidity runs equally bright through the finish. Drink 2026 to 2030.

92 points Jeni Port for Wine Pilot, May 2026

Winemaker James Kellie's years as a contract winemaker for growers across the Great Southern region gave him unique insights into its diversity and potential. His love for the region led him to purchase a former client, Harewood Estate, in 2003 with his wife Careena. This commitment came with building a winery from scratch and a clear ambition: to make wines that reflect the full breadth of the Great Southern rather than a single corner of it.

The Denmark subregion sits next to the Southern Ocean and the maritime influence here is constant and defining. The Harewood Denmark Pinot Noir draws on two vineyards: Harewood planted in 1988 and Apricus Hill planted in 1995.

The winemaking approach here is gentle and restrained. Fruit is handpicked and cold-soaked, then fermented with a mix of whole berries and a small portion of whole bunch for aromatic lift and subtle structure. The wine matures in French oak barriques, mostly older, to add finesse without masking the purity of fruit. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

This is a lighter style, as Denmark Pinot tends to be, made as a soft and fruit forward expression of the variety. Pale crimson in the glass, with a lifted nose of strawberry, red cherry and a gentle earthiness underneath. The palate is fresh and fine-boned, with red fruits, soft acidity, silky tannins with just enough texture to give it shape.

Good company for a salmon fillet with a herb butter, a mushroom and lentil ragù, or a simple charcuterie board on a weeknight.