Castle Rock is one of those rare producers where you truly need to taste across the entire Pinot Noir range to grasp just how deft Rob Diletti is at capturing site expression. Each cuvée reveals a new facet—a subtle shift in tone, texture, or structure—offering a layered insight into place and precision. With every bottling, he manages to strike a quiet chord of balance and harmony, letting the vineyard speak while maintaining a clear, guiding hand.
2024 Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir $46
The 2024 vintage has an intense focus of black fruits, blood plums, mulberries and juniper. Fresh bay leaf and hawthorn linger like a halo, adding a stemmy note to the ripe berries. Oak shows in cedar and sandalwood, a touch more vivid this vintage. But there is some real grip to the tannins, which once again demonstrates why I think this wine is always a stand out, its upright with its frame but filled in with shade of spice and nicely plump berries. All the features of a fine wine have been considered and so this bodes well for pinot drinkers but would also satisfy the palate of a grenache or gamay drinker as well. Drink alone or with some charred bbq octopus. Drink now or will cellar for another 2-3 years. 94 Points
2024 Castle Rock A & W Pinot Noir $60
A stunning display of Satsuma plums, bayberries and rhubarb. Tilled brown earth, porcini mushroom and paprika spice. Acidity is coiled and springy allowing for a flavour lift in the middle pate followed by sandy tannins. There is real grace here and perhaps the standout of the range this vintage. It’s almost milky in its creamy, swirls of boysenberry ripple and light touches of vanilla oak. It finishes with a dusting of nutmeg and autumn leaves. A very fine wine indeed and would compliment spatchcock or quail like a dream. Drink now or will cellar for another 3- 6 years. 96 Points
2024 Castle Rock Diletti Pinot Noir $55
Perhaps the most sophisticated diletti vintage I have tried, or maybe in a year my taste and palate has evolved somewhat. This vintage is a striking balance between cordial red fruits, gala apple, raspberry juice and pomegranate with the jazz hands of the whole bunch framing the sidelines. There is sumac and pink peppercorn spice. Galangal and burdock root earthiness too. A Roman fountain of acidity, arching high and mighty with chewy toffee tannins, it’s addictive, it’s disarming and it’s bloody delectable. This does not lack oomph, drink it with wagyu bresola, semi dried tomatoes on the vine and gooey burrata. Drink now or will cellar for another 3- 5 years. 95 Points
