Carlei Green Vineyards Cuvée Stephen Thomson Pinot Noir 2019

With Yarra Valley pinot noir, we expect ripe, plush fruit. With the Carlei 2019 pinot, we get it. Greets the drinker with well-developed red and black fruits – black cherry, plum – with a touch of rose-violet-anise and earthy, meaty-savoury notes. The latter tend to dominate the palate the longer the wine remains open. It would suit a match with some meaty protein. Tannins are loose-knit, giving the wine an easy flow across the tongue. It’s generous and approachable right now and probably at the top of its game.