2025 Wickhams Road Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley

You gotta love just how different the three Wickhams Road pinots are. And while my pick of the '25s (at this early stage) is the new Tasmanian, the other two still deliver superb value for money. This is the darkest in colour and the ripest of the three. Rich, plummy and full of flavour, with enough tannin to suggest it will soften and improve over the next 12–24 months.

92+ points Special Value Philip Rich winecompanion.com.au

Wickhams Road Pinot Noir is a beautifully judged introduction to cool climate Yarra Valley Pinot Noir, combining regional character with approachability and polish. The fruit is sourced from selected vineyards across the Yarra Valley, including cooler upper valley sites where elevation, gentle slopes and well drained soils help Pinot Noir retain freshness and aromatic clarity. The Yarra’s temperate climate and long growing season favour a style built on red fruit purity, spice and fine structure rather than weight, making Wickhams Road a reliable snapshot of the region’s strengths.

Wickhams Road is the second label of Hoddles Creek Estate, one of the Yarra Valley’s most respected producers, and it benefits directly from the same vineyard knowledge and winemaking discipline that underpin the estate wines. The focus here is on capturing varietal and regional expression with minimal fuss. Fruit is harvested for balance, handled gently in the winery and matured with carefully judged oak to add subtle structure without masking the fruit. The result is a Pinot Noir that feels honest, precise and unmistakably Yarra Valley.

In the glass the wine shows a bright ruby colour with excellent clarity. Aromas are fresh and inviting, offering red cherry, strawberry and raspberry layered with hints of spice, dried herbs and a light earthy note. The palate is medium bodied and finely textured, delivering vibrant red fruit, soft tannins and a clean, savoury finish driven by natural acidity. It is highly food friendly, pairing beautifully with roast chicken, duck, mushroom dishes and grilled salmon. Designed for early enjoyment, it also has the balance to develop over five to seven years, gaining extra savoury and forest floor complexity with time.

Wickhams Road Pinot Noir is a confident and well crafted Yarra Valley Pinot Noir, offering clarity, freshness and regional character at excellent value.