$48.00
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Region: Adelaide Hills
Grapes: Pinot Noir
First Glance: Sour Cherry, Ethereal Perfume, Autumnal, Savoury
The Wine:
The Black Label Pinot Noir grapes grow in the lower half of the property, a spot that's sunny and warm during the grape growing season, but cold in winter— the cold air lingers at the bottom of the steep slopes where the younger vines are planted. Some older vine fruit from higher parcels goes in the blend, which helps mitigate the effect of heat spikes during the growing season (clones 114, 115, 777, MV6, D2V6, D5V12, and G8V3 were planted in the 1990s).
10% whole bunch adds a stalky appeal and tannin structure. After 10 days of cold soaking under argon the fruit, voluptuous and extremely well balanced, was pressed to tight grained French oak, 15% new. The wine was aged for 22 months on lees prior to racking with no filtration or fining. Fruit is wholly drawn from the bottom block with pressings.
The product of a remarkable season in the Adelaide Hills, this ‘Black Label’ represents the very best of a young wine from Whisson Lake. Its pale colour belies its intense fruitiness, with heady perfumes of strawberry, roses, and sour Davidson’s plum. Dig deeper to uncover restrained aromas of wax crayon, aniseed, and fresh earth, with tart fruits on the palate and very pretty tannins. This is another Pinot from Whisson Lake that punches well above its weight.
The Review:
Kasia Sobiesiak, The Wine Front - 95pts
"The summer of 2023 in Adelaide Hills was cold and it can be felt in this wine as haunting tart red fruit perfume and wet forest. As a result, the wine is ethereal. The aromas are high-toned, scents of pure strawberry and mineral tension, red rose petals and gunflint notes. Tannins are very fine, not quite silky, more velvety or silty. The texture long carries the flavours that you long for in a Pinot–wild berries and sous bois, moss and alpine herbs. It’s an impressive Pinot Noir and very much Burgundian in its suit."
