2020 Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir

$36.00

Really good Pinot Noir comes from low yielding, cool climate vineyards, grown on older vines. These characteristics will create balance, intensity and concentration.

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Tasting Notes

97 Points, James Halliday

Colour: Mid red colour.

Bouquet: The aromas from this wine show true Pinot Noir character. Strawberry and cherry fruits are backed by a complex and creamy gaminess. There are also hints of spice, stalks, and some charry barrel ferment characters all combining to give the wonderful complex aromas you would expect from good Pinot Noir.

Palate: The front palate shows the cherry and strawberry fruit characters. There is a silky texture and wonderful balance running through the mid palate, with the quality French oak adding subtle charry characters. The tannins are fine and balanced, combining with a tight acid structure to give a long, lingering and powerful finish. The light gaminess adds complexity, which will continue to develop with age.

Food Accompaniment: Perfect with duck but also try with lamb, chicken and mild Asian dishes.

Cellaring Potential: Will continue to improve and develop complexity with age; cellar for 10+ years.

Winemaking: Hand and machine harvested. The 2020 Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir saw a combination of winemaking treatments including seven days cold soak; natural fermentation; 100% whole bunch ferment; and barrel fermentation. The blend was matured in French barriques (27% new oak) without racking for 10 months.

97 Points “Five clones, vines 20-35yo, multiple batch fermentations, 7-day cold soak, whole bunch, barrel ferment of final 3 baume for new French oak (28%), matured 15 months. Perfect colour; a great pinot at the dawn of its life; plum and cherry riddled with spice, char, violets and forest floor. Sophisticated and confident.” James Halliday, The Australian, Aug 2021

“Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir 2020 is mid red colour with aromas of strawberry and cherry fruits backed by a complex and creamy gaminess. There are also hints of spice, stalks, and some charry barrel ferment characters all combining to give complex aromas. The palate shows the cherry and strawberry fruit characters with a silky texture and subtle charry characters from French oak. The tannins combine with a fine tight acid structure to give a long, lingering finish with a hint of gaminess adds complexity.” Frank Smith, Have a go News

2019 VINTAGE

Gold Medal, 95 Points, Wine Show of WA 2020
Gold Medal, Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2020

93 Points “A lovely gentle red colour. That 100% whole bunch fermentation is immediately apparent. I know this character divides pinot fans. For me, too obvious and it throws the wine right out of balance, making it too sappy. A little can really add to the complexity and class of a good pinot and that is the case here. Spices, herbs, florals, and underneath all that, some cherries. This is pretty much as good as WA Pinot gets, but it also suggests that the future in the West might be more exciting for this variety than most anticipate. Seamless, balanced, good acidity and underlying minerality. This has a good future. Definitely a wine which all Pinotphiles should check out.” Ken Gargett, Winepilot

93 Points “Very Pinot. Very delicious. A great wine from a tough, dry vintage.This was a joy to drink, the fruit was grown in Porongurup which is situated in Western Australia’s Great Southern region. Made with 100% whole bunches, it saw French oak for 10 months (28% new).Embrace compost and earthy aromas from the get-go. Gamey, dark plums and blackcurrants muse offering a dense and layered delivery. Oak is well handled with some black pepper sliding in on close. A most enjoyable Pinot, ideal for a chilly night. Drink to five years+” Qwine, June 2021

“Excellent depth of purple/bright red colour, vivacious bouquet of strawberries, cherries & a hint of dustiness, zippy palate with lashings of red berry flavours & a tight lingering finish.
EXCELLENT!!” Dan Traucki, Wine Assist, June 2021

Vine Age: 20-35 Years
Yields: 1.8 T/Acre
Harvest Date: 22 February 2020
Bottling Date: 11 February 2021
Alc: 13.5%
pH: 3.45
T.A.: 6.2
Residual sugar: 0 g/L
Vegan friendly
Minimal sulphites used

Here’s a few older vintage tasting notes for those that have some of our wines in their cellars. These notes were written upon release of each of these wines.

2020 Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir
97 Points, James Halliday, The Australian

2019 Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir
95 Points, Wine Companion

2018 Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir
95 Points, Wine Companion

2017 Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir
96 Points, Wine Companion

2016 Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir
95 Points, Wine Companion

2014 Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir
96 Points, Wine Companion