Unknown by name, but certainly not by nature. This is a remarkable Pinot Noir with an even more remarkable backstory.
Made by a student who was just 13 when it was produced, this was his sixth vintage. He’s now 16 and has been making wine under a watchful eye since the age of eight, producing a single barrel each year with the emphasis firmly on learning in the vineyard and getting his hands dirty. There’s something pretty special about being given that opportunity at such a young age. His path is set, should he choose to take it.
The wine itself is bigger and denser than its Steels Gate Estate Pinot Noir sibling, immediately reminding me of some Central Otago Pinot. Perhaps there’s a chunk of the Abel clone hiding in here?
Dark chocolate and spiced plums provide the fruit core, with woodsy nuances, dried leaves and twigs adding handsome umami appeal. It turns spicy on the close, with the flavour clinging to a long, sustained finish. And the name? “Unknown”, chosen because the Pinot clonal material came from an unidentified row.
Well played, young man. Keep it up.
91/100
Region: Yarra Valley