Mewstone Pinot Noir 2023
$76.00
Exclusively from two parcels planted in 2011 and 2018 respectively totalling approximately 1.8 hectares from their estate vineyard from the D’Entrecasteaux channel. 10 different clones planted across the two parcels The soils are predominantly duplex soils formed on Jurassic dolerite.
Wild fermented, 25% whole-bunch component (this varied across the ferments, from zero to 55%). Pressed to barrel and matured in French barrique (35% new) for ten months.
When I asked Jonny Hughes (winemaker + owner) how to describe the style of Pinot Noir from the D’Entrecasteaux channel subregion he highlighted tannin structure (small grape/skin to juice ratio) created from a combination of low yields, high UV from the reflection off the water & a cooler site thus a long growing season (the hot days mitigated by the breeze off the ocean).
“I think if we’re talking specifically about Mewstone it’s the tannin structures that you can get on a site like this. Partly due to low yields & partly due to that high UV from the reflection off the water & that long, long, long ripening season means structurally we can get a lot of tannin and our berries are very small, so we get a really high skin to juice ratio off this site which I think is a big part of what the Pinot looks like. In addition I think that flavour ripeness that we get at very low alcohol, around of 12 bomay. I think that very long ripening season that we have which is typically probably a week or two longer than most parts of Tasmania, even three weeks, four weeks longer than some parts” – Jonny Hughes
“Beautiful composure to this wine. It feels cool but it also feels ripe, its forest berry flavours laced with sweet herbs, its tannin firm but velvety. It has this “I’ve got this” sense to it. It’s aromatic and refreshing, light-ish, squeaky clean to smell and taste but a bit murky to look at, the latter of which is a good way for a wine to be. Sweet beetroot, red cherry, undergrowth and twig notes blossom as the wine breathes. It is, in short, very good” – 94 Points – Campbell Mattinson – Winefront
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