Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir

Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir

2023 Pinot Noir

Yarra Valley, Victoria

$100.00
    Halliday Wine Companion - 2024 Pinot Noir of the Year
    "Pinot Noir of the Year. Named after the Applejack eucalypts that surround the vineyard, which was planted at Gladysdale in 1997 by Ray Guerin. Seven clones comprising 114, 115, MV6, D2V5, D5V15, Pommard and Abel. Whole bunches (40%) and 20–25% new French barriques. 2022 was a hard act to follow, but this superb wine gives it a shake. Exotic, aromatic and pure with its bouquet of wild strawberries, dark cherries, quince, spices and flowers. Densley packed, this saturates the palate, but, as always, it's light on its feet at the same time. Seamless tannins round out another benchmark for what's already a benchmark wine." - Philip Rich
    98 points, August 2024.

    Wine Details

    • Region Yarra Valley, Victoria
    • Vintage 2023
    • Type Red Wine
    • Variety Pinot Noir
    • Vegan Friendly
    • Volume 750ml
    • Alcohol Volume 13.2%
    • PH

      3.49

    • Standard Drinks 7.7
    • Acidity

      6.1g/L

    • Closure ScrewCap
    • Bottling Date

      30th January, 2024

    • Harvest Date

      March, 2023

    • Background

      Single Vineyard

    • Vintage Notes

      2023 was a small, high-quality vintage in the Yarra Valley. The season was defined by a cool Spring, a mild growing season, cool nights, and medium to high rainfall. 2023 was one of the coolest and latest harvests on record, with our first pick starting two and a half weeks later than the previous average. The grapes in 2023 had lovely fruit concentration with bright natural acidities.

    • Vineyard Notes

      Location: Gladysdale Planted: 1997 Elevation: 300 metres Soil type: Grey clay loam over black (basalt) volcanic base Aspect: East facing slopes Size: 12.5 Hectares Applejack Vineyard is a special site, located on a dramatic slope in the upper Yarra Valley. It was planted by respected viticulturist Ray Guerin in 1997. The basalt based underlying volcanic soil and rock produce a characteristically fine yet extended, spicy and firm palate. The higher altitude results in a cooler and extended growing season, ideally suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (3-4 weeks later than central Yarra Valley). This vineyard is a special location for Pinot Noir in the Yarra Valley – its eastern aspect means the sun rises to gently warm and dry out the vineyard in the morning, but the vines are sheltered from the afternoon heat by the temperate rainforest that surrounds it. We notice it produces the most earthen pinot noirs, that have the beautiful perfume and exotic red fruits that we love about Pinot, with complex notes of fresh turned earth, miso and mushroom. The flavours combined with wound tannins, intense flavour and texture on the palate shows us the quality of the site for world class Pinot Noir.

    • Winemaking

      Hand-picked, Fermented in a combination of small oak fermenters and stainless-steel open vats. The Pommard clone parcels were fermented as whole bunches, while the remaining clones were destemmed to whole berries and cold soaked for four days before fermentation started naturally. The final blend is 40% whole bunch fermented. All parcels were matured in French oak 20% new, 80% seasoned – for ten months in 225L barriques, predominately Taransaud and Dargaud & Jaeglé. The wine was not moved and kept in contact with its lees before blending in December. Bottled by gravity. No fining. No filtration.

    • Peak Drinking / Cellaring Potential

      Now - eight years

    Halliday Wine Companion - 2024 Pinot Noir of the Year
    "Pinot Noir of the Year. Named after the Applejack eucalypts that surround the vineyard, which was planted at Gladysdale in 1997 by Ray Guerin. Seven clones comprising 114, 115, MV6, D2V5, D5V15, Pommard and Abel. Whole bunches (40%) and 20–25% new French barriques. 2022 was a hard act to follow, but this superb wine gives it a shake. Exotic, aromatic and pure with its bouquet of wild strawberries, dark cherries, quince, spices and flowers. Densley packed, this saturates the palate, but, as always, it's light on its feet at the same time. Seamless tannins round out another benchmark for what's already a benchmark wine." - Philip Rich
    98 points, August 2024.

    Wine Details

    • Region Yarra Valley, Victoria
    • Vintage 2023
    • Type Red Wine
    • Variety Pinot Noir
    • Vegan Friendly
    • Volume 750ml
    • Alcohol Volume 13.2%
    • PH

      3.49

    • Standard Drinks 7.7
    • Acidity

      6.1g/L

    • Closure ScrewCap
    • Bottling Date

      30th January, 2024

    • Harvest Date

      March, 2023

    • Background

      Single Vineyard

    • Vintage Notes

      2023 was a small, high-quality vintage in the Yarra Valley. The season was defined by a cool Spring, a mild growing season, cool nights, and medium to high rainfall. 2023 was one of the coolest and latest harvests on record, with our first pick starting two and a half weeks later than the previous average. The grapes in 2023 had lovely fruit concentration with bright natural acidities.

    • Vineyard Notes

      Location: Gladysdale Planted: 1997 Elevation: 300 metres Soil type: Grey clay loam over black (basalt) volcanic base Aspect: East facing slopes Size: 12.5 Hectares Applejack Vineyard is a special site, located on a dramatic slope in the upper Yarra Valley. It was planted by respected viticulturist Ray Guerin in 1997. The basalt based underlying volcanic soil and rock produce a characteristically fine yet extended, spicy and firm palate. The higher altitude results in a cooler and extended growing season, ideally suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (3-4 weeks later than central Yarra Valley). This vineyard is a special location for Pinot Noir in the Yarra Valley – its eastern aspect means the sun rises to gently warm and dry out the vineyard in the morning, but the vines are sheltered from the afternoon heat by the temperate rainforest that surrounds it. We notice it produces the most earthen pinot noirs, that have the beautiful perfume and exotic red fruits that we love about Pinot, with complex notes of fresh turned earth, miso and mushroom. The flavours combined with wound tannins, intense flavour and texture on the palate shows us the quality of the site for world class Pinot Noir.

    • Winemaking

      Hand-picked, Fermented in a combination of small oak fermenters and stainless-steel open vats. The Pommard clone parcels were fermented as whole bunches, while the remaining clones were destemmed to whole berries and cold soaked for four days before fermentation started naturally. The final blend is 40% whole bunch fermented. All parcels were matured in French oak 20% new, 80% seasoned – for ten months in 225L barriques, predominately Taransaud and Dargaud & Jaeglé. The wine was not moved and kept in contact with its lees before blending in December. Bottled by gravity. No fining. No filtration.

    • Peak Drinking / Cellaring Potential

      Now - eight years

    Kind Words & Accolades