Stoney Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010 I can vouch for it’s drinkability with Peking duck

Domaine A Stoney Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010 (Tasmania)
13.5%, Cork, $35
Source: Sample
www.domaine-a.com.au

Effectively the second label Pinot for Domaine A, what’s most intriguing about this release is what it’s not – which is herbal. For, historically speaking at least, when you opened a Stoney Vineyard red – Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon – you just expected some herbal, unripe fruit characters in the mix, particularly as the Stoney Vineyard label is/was often reserved for the less ripe Domaine A wines.

Yet this isn’t unripe at all. Rather, it’s actually quite juicy, carrying a brightness and energy that is entirely upfront and appealing, yet without ever looking sweet. In fact, the only thing working against this Pinot is it’s youthfulness, the wine still bound up through the mid palate, the gap between mid palate and tannins rather palpable.

Flavourwise it’s very much a red fruit Pinot style this, with an almost Central Otago-esque prettiness on the nose and a delicacy on the palate that I really quite like. It’s still a bit too upfront and bouncy/youthful to really love just yet, but no question marks about the delicacy and class. 17.7/92