Patina Orange Pinot Noir 2018

Over recent years, we have seen the Orange region in NSW emerge from near
obscurity to be a recognised quality wine region. Expect its rise in prominence
to continue, especially as climate change takes more and more of a toll in
some of our traditional districts. This cool region produces focused,
elegant wines and Patina, situated on the volcanic slopes of Mt Canobolas,
is one of the key makers here. 

Winemaker/owner, Gerard Naef, relocated from California and uses his
considerable experience in making wines like this fine, succulent Pinot
Noir. Around a third of the grapes were used in the form of whole bunch (my
initial impression was that it might be an even higher percentage, so those
who enjoy that style should be all over this). They went through carbonic
maceration for nine days before they were crushed. Fermentation to dryness
followed, pressing and then the wine was transferred to older French oak
barrels for 14 months. It has then spent a considerable time in the cellar,
maturing and building complexity before release. A pale red in colour, this
is a lovely sappy, brambly style of Pinot and those whole bunch notes are
certainly to the fore at this stage. There is good complexity, with notes of
cherries, spices, warm earth and leather. Seamless and supple with silky
tannins and good balance, there is decent length here. This impressive Pinot exhibiting
good complexity has at least a good five years ahead of it, if not longer.

Ken Gargett

Contributor at Winepilot

Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.

Wine writer and critic