Review: Polperro’s compelling 12.8% 2020 Mornington Pinot

Gee the 2020 vintage in Victoria and South Australia throws a few curveballs.

Yeah, vintage generalisations are junk and all that, but no doubting that ’20 in certain regions is irregular. In the Yarra and Mornington, for example, low yields, poor flowering, disease pressure and rain events during the growing season has translated into lots of variabilities.

For some vignerons, it has just delivered lighter, lower alcohol wines (and delicacy). For others, that means thin wines, mixed ripeness and junk. Different sides of the same coin (aka who’d want to be a grapegrower?).

I wager Sam Coverdale at Polperro had more of the previous, judging by this super Polperro Pinot Noir 2020.

I didn’t think I’d see such lovely ripe fruit for under 13%. What a delight. Lucid, red raspberry pastille fruit, the barest hint of sapling, the perfectly ripe and generous palate not anything to do with the alcohol, hints of mushroom Pinotosity, maybe a bit of vanilla on the back palate. Plenty of acidity, gentle fruit. Such an unforced wine. I don’t think everyone is going to love it, but for loveliness alone, it gets my vote.

Best drinking: now and for the next five at least. 18.5/20, 94/100. 12.8%, $55. Polperro website. Would I buy it? Yes.