Yesterday was International Pinot Noir Day.

I hate the grape days. Marketing guff, woven around a grape variety. It’s the ultimate opener, though – a subject line waiting to happen. Hey <firstname> here’s an excuse to drink Pinot Noir!

Thankfully, I have the unwavering authenticity of this Eldridge Clone 2 Pinot Noir 2019 to remind me that great wines don’t need a made-up day.

It’s a lovely wine. Lovely, lean, svelte, complex, joyously autumnal, yet red-fruited Mornington style. Red meat. Red fruit. Tomato bush. The alcohol seems higher than 13.5, as you get this fullness. A lushness. But it all adds up to quite a wine. Top of the tree quality. Real presence and mulchy complexity. Manages the rare feat of being complex – not just about pure fruit – while retaining brightness and drinkability. Excellent.

Eldridge Clone 2 Pinot Noir 2019. Best drinking: go on, try not drinking one now. 18.7/20, 95/100. 13.5%, $85. Eldridge Estate website. Would I buy it? Not cheap, but worth it given the absolute quality.