Whisson Lake Black Label Pinot Noir / 2023 / 750mL

The Whisson Lake Black Label Pinot Noir 2023 is a savoury, cool-climate Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir with more spice and structure than sweet fruit. Medium-bodied and finely drawn, it leans towards the darker, more earthy end of the variety rather than bright red berries.

Dark cherry and plum skin come first, followed by crushed dried herbs, black tea and a faint whiff of turned earth. In the mouth the fruit is compact and a little brooding, with sour cherry and blood orange acidity keeping things lively, and a peppery, almost gamey edge running underneath. Tannins are fine but present, with a slight grip that gives the wine shape through the middle and carries a long, dry, mineral finish. There is real tension here — the acid line and tannin work together rather than sitting apart — and the wine finishes clean and savoury instead of soft.

Serve at around 16°C in a decent-sized glass; half an hour open does it good. It suits duck, roast quail, mushroom risotto, or a plate of charcuterie and hard cheese. The 2023 Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir is drinking nicely now and should hold and gain complexity through to about 2030, with the mid-palate likely to fill out over the next few years.