Review: Curly Flat Western Pinot Noir 2022. The moody one

Somehow, this got separated from the other two 2022 Curly Flat Pinot releases, and now, six months later, I discovered it in the wine cupboard. Given how much I love everything Curly, it felt like finding $50 in your jacket pocket. Anyway, this ‘Western’ Pinot Noir comes from the western blocks on the property, which tend to get more shade (as they actually have an easterly aspect), and I often see this wine as the boniest of the lineup (or at least that was the vibe for 2021). Tangentally, it will be interesting to see if the style of this wine, or indeed the rest of the Curly range, changes now that Matt Harrop is not in the winery. Watch this space. Anyway, this 2022 release is firmer than the rest of the range, too, even six months later. Coppery light ruby red, there’s a sappy, classical red fruit Pinosity here, which is pretty great. You know you’re dipping into a quality Australian Pinot. A fraction forward, there’s deep red fruit and even a little bacony density at the edges, and then fine tannins. Interestingly I see the whole bunch element and the oak more than some of the other ‘block’ wines, even if there is just 18% of the former and no new oak. Regardless, this is another high-quality Curly Flat Pinot, even if it’s a bit more moody and less sexy than the other two 2022 wines.

THE VERDICT

• Best drinking: now and for a good five to ten years (but I'd drink it younger)
• Score (out of 20): 18.5
• Score (out of 100): 94
• Alcohol %: 13
• RRP (in $AUD): 67
• Winery website: https://curlyflat.com/
• Would I buy it?: worth a bottle