Kooyong Ferrous Pinot Noir 2019

Another superb wine which provides compelling evidence that Kooyong has maintained its standards as one of the nation’s best pinot producers. The fruit is sourced from a gently sloping 0.79 hectare block which tends naturally to lower yields than many. The soil for this block contains a higher percentage of ironstone pebbles than any other part of the vineyard. The team led by winemaker Glen Hayley believe that this delivers a wine with greater concentration and more savoury tannins. The wine, with a portion of whole bunches, was fermented in a large-format concrete tank. Native yeasts were used and the process took 17 days. The wine was then pressed into French oak barriques (27% new), before malo. The total period of maturation was 17 months. Bottling took place without any fining or filtration. 

This wine has a deep red/magenta appearance. It is immediately obvious that it is quite complex, which will only increase in the coming years. There is a minerally backing behind the red fruit and root vegetable notes. Look for raspberries and cherries. It offers a juicy and briary character with hints of animal skins. There is a focus on very fine tannins here, with fresh acidity. This is a really well-balanced pinot in every respect and it surely has a decade plus ahead of it.