Bellbrae Estate Bird Rock Pinot Noir 2024

Woody spice, earthy tones and subdued fruit lead — paperbark, white tobacco, white cherry, crushed stalk, nutmeg, pine needle and a glimmer of dried violet — before a plume of dark cherry and just-ripe plum builds to fill things out. With a good swirl, it all clicks into place, though the woody spice remains prominent. The palate is buoyant and lifted, gliding through with sappy dark cherry and plum over nutmeg, white tobacco, stemminess and a flicker of clove. Firm-but-fine-grained chalky tannins and fresh acidity bring it home to good length, with bitter cacao nib tones on the finish. There’s some real class here, and it will fill out nicely with time. Decant now for maximum enjoyment.