Pinot Noir, Mount Mary 2022

The 2022 Pinot Noir leads with a bouquet drenched in cherry and flowers, milk chocolate, bramble, moss and forest floor. The fruit character is pure, but there is so much more going on here than just the usual cavalcade of red berries. In the mouth, the wine is silky, lush and textural, with cocoa powder, a hint of Ovaltine (one assumes an oak character), soft licorice, strawberries and scratched blood orange. The package is creamy and svelte. This is perhaps less weighty in the fruit department than last year, which means that, at this stage, the components that shape the wine have greater dominance over the experience than usual. Having said this, it remains a sophisticated, classy-as-hell expression of Australian Pinot Noir and one that comes thoroughly and heartily recommended. 13.3% alcohol, sealed under natural cork. Drink: 2024-2042

Fruit-driven aromas of wild raspberries, dried strawberries, hibiscus, dark cherries, sandalwood and dried herbs. The palate is medium-bodied with seamlessly integrated tannins, bright acidity and a creamy texture, giving notes of blackberry bush, Damson plums, rose petals and graphite. Very refined and pure with an underlying savory edge. It will improve for years to come. Drink or hold.