Dave Bowley, the Vinteloper, came round to dinner. And he bought this: one of the best Australian Pinot Noirs that I have tasted. It’s from a single Vineyard in Lenswood, Adelaide Hills that was planted in 1986. The slope faces east; the clone is  D5V12; the elevation is 550m.

Winemaking: pigeage by hand & foot, wild yeast, 50% whole bunch, one third new French oak. The lovely label art is by @fauxnonfaux. It’s so exciting to find wines like these. Yes, it’s made in small quantities, and it’s quite expensive (A$95). But it shows what is possible. This sort of wine is the future of Australian fine wine. Australia has some amazing terroirs, and lots of different climates and regions. It’s a bit of a shame hat high-ticket multi-region old-style blends hog the limelight a bit.

Vinteloper Odeon Pinot Noir 2012 Adelaide Hills, Australia
Sappy, pure and very stylish. Silky with hints of leather. Very fine and expressive with sweet, pure, seamless cherry fruit. I just love the fact that this combines prettiness an finesse with some structure. It’s a beautiful wine with potential for development. 95/100

UK agent: Red Squirrel Wines

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