2021 Mount Mary, Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir hos Mount Mary tager udgangspunkt i den oprindelige mark plantet i 1971 med stiklinger fra det vestlige Victoria – alle med original ”pre-phylloxera” rod. Dengang var kloner ikke noget man tale om, så der indgår et mere end 30 kloner i marken. Selektioner fra marken blev brugt til senere plantede blokke og de nyeste parceller plantet i 2008 er med klonerne MV6 og 777 med amerikansk stok. Efter høsten, afstilkes og druerne sorteres så kun perfekte druer bruges i vinifikationen. Der gæres i 8-10 dage efterfulgt af 16 måneders fadlaring i små fade (25% ny). Den lyse, gennemsigtige 2021er er klassisk Mount Mary, men ligesom i 2020 er produktionen ekstremt lille. Dyb og krydret viser den sine signatur-noter af søde vilde jordbær sammen med appelsinskal, orientalske krydderier, youghurt, middelhavsurter og våde sten. I smagen viser denne brillante Pinot Noir forførende jordbærfrugtighed, silkepoleret smidig tekstur, delikat balance og en vidunderlig fuldmoden syre, som sammen med salmiak-krydret højglans poleret tannin får vinen til at fremstå perfekt balanceret. Den er lidt tættere end den sensuelle 2020er men stadig er det på usædvanlig højt niveau: Så smuk, så rørende ren og så lovende, er dette Mount Mary's fantastiske Pinot Noir, som både har ”track record” for ekstraordinær udvikling i flasken, men også smager helt blændende fra dag 1. (-2035+) *****

97 points James Halliday: "100% destemmed and fermented with as many whole berries as possible. Left to soak for four days, pre-fermentation with one pump over per day, then plunged three times per day. 15 months in French barriques (25% new). A bright crimson red. Perfumed and seductive even at this early stage. Aromas of wild red berries, gentle spice, dark rose and bracken. Concentrated and structured with very fine, sinewy and savoury tannins. A brilliant, non-mainstream Yarra Valley pinot that's been built to go the distance."

96 points Robert Parker Wine Advocate: "The 2021 Pinot Noir is aromatic and silky (two obvious qualities I accept). It offers notes of redcurrant, pomegranate, cherry, tobacco, graphite/lead pencil, a hint of poached strawberry and even inflections of sumac. Quince paste is suggested, and quince paste it is. (The power of suggestion is strong, but sometimes it's apt—you've got to be big enough to own up to descriptors that aren't your own.) There are also juicy, ripe, summer strawberries. This is spiced and rich and sits firmly on the mid-palate, but it is supple and succulent also. Cool-feeling tannins shape the fruit in the mouth and draw the wine out over the long finish. It has a super svelte, streamlined shape. The tannins are gently chewy and persist through the finish. This is a lovely wine. It is placid but sure, sapid. No whole bunches contribute to the texture here. It has super fine tannins. Four to six days pumped over, the wine was plunged rigorously during ferment. Generally, it sits on the skins for a couple of days post-ferment (14-16 days in total) and then is pressed. It matured in 25% new oak for 14-16 months. 13.3% alcohol, sealed under natural cork."