2024 Tolpuddle Vineyard Pinot Noir

"A wonderfully perfumed and composed wine that comes across as a little finer in aromatic detail than the excellent '23 release. It's an amalgam of clones – 777, 667, Abel, Pommard, MV6 and some that winemaker Adam Wadewitz snaffled from Best's Great Western – all playing their part in the final blend. Vibrant dark cherry, red berry and raspberry fruit tones mesh with hints of exotic spice, a whiff of negroni, juniper, wild strawberry, almond paste, integrated vanillin oak, meadow flowers and crushed stone. Everything plays at concert pitch, with complex whole bunch (50%) notes, the gentle tension of ground-riverstone tannins and a fine, mineral line as the wine slowly trails away. A cracking release that smells and tastes of a special place." Drink 2025 - 2043

"Deep and translucent purple colour, impressive for a young pinot, the bouquet fresh and bright and primal with a touch of smoky barrel/reduction overlying sweet plum and black cherry aromas. It's concentrated and rich, with superbly ripe pinot fruit and seamlessly handled oak, fine powdery tannins running the length of the palate and cleansing the finish beautifully. A less stemmy/whole-bunch influenced Tolpuddle pinot noir. It will take some age profitably. 06 Aug 2025." Drink 2025 - 2039

"This wine was recently shown by a respected Clare Valley winemaker at an options game, and it looked superb. It's so clearly like Tasmanian Pinot Noir fruit but powerful, balanced and sapid in its execution of flavor delivery. It's saturated, in fact. When it was revealed as being the Tolpuddle 2023 Pinot Noir, there were cries around the room of "of course!" and "wow!" To me on that evening, I was particularly impressed by the integration of the whole-bunch component, as I occasionally feel that the use of bunches in this wine can border on overt. In this 2023 iteration, it is clearly evident, but it sits within the confines of the pomegranate/cherry/raspberry fruit with aplomb. Providing further depth of character, a backdrop of star anise, blood orange, coffee grounds, lilac and red apples drive across the palate. This is an enduring wine of sophistication and long-term aesthetic value."