Pinot Noir 2024 - Clearance Deal #59500

The Yarra Valley's cool climate and elevation create ideal conditions for elegant Pinot Noir, with this wine sourcing fruit from pristine east-facing hills in Gruyere. The 20-year-old vines are rooted in classic duplex clay loam soil, which provides excellent drainage while retaining moisture - crucial for developing the complex flavour compounds that make Yarra Valley Pinots so distinctive. This terroir produces wines with natural acidity and refined tannins that age beautifully.

Whole bunch fermentation is a traditional Burgundian technique where grape clusters are fermented with stems intact, adding structural complexity and spice notes to Pinot Noir. The stems contribute natural tannins and create a more textured mouthfeel while preserving the wine's elegant character. This method works particularly well with quality fruit like this, as it enhances the wine's ability to express its terroir without overwhelming the delicate red fruit flavours.

Serve this wine slightly chilled at 14-16°C to highlight its bright red fruit character and elegant structure. The grassy, raspberry and sour cherry notes make it perfect with duck, salmon, mushroom risotto, or aged cheeses like gruyere or camembert. Its light body and natural acidity also complement charcuterie boards and herb-crusted lamb beautifully.

Old barriques are previously used French oak barrels that have already imparted their strong oak flavours to other wines, leaving behind neutral vessels that allow gentle micro-oxygenation without adding woody notes. This technique lets the pure fruit expression and terroir characteristics shine through while still providing the subtle textural benefits of barrel ageing. The result is a wine that showcases its Yarra Valley origins rather than oak influence.

This 2024 Pinot Noir is drinking beautifully now, showing vibrant red fruit and elegant structure that makes it immediately enjoyable. However, quality Yarra Valley Pinot Noir typically develops additional complexity over 5-8 years, with the tannins softening and secondary flavours of earth and spice emerging. Given the wine's confident structure and quality fruit source, it will reward both immediate consumption and medium-term cellaring.