2023 Oakridge Hazeldene Vineyard Pinot Noir

From the north-facing slopes of Gladysdale, the Hazeldene Vineyard has become one of Oakridge’s most expressive Pinot sites. The red volcanic soils here deliver a natural generosity of fruit, while the cooler Upper Yarra air preserves the clarity and lift that defines Dave Bicknell’s style.

The 2023 release is delicious from the first pour – bright cherry-red in the glass, with a rush of red cherry, rose petals, and a wisp of chopped sage. There’s a nod to nostalgia in the raspberry shortcake biscuit notes, wrapped around a core of just-ripe strawberry and red liquorice.

On the palate, that brightness is channelled into a fine lattice of fruit and tannin – raspberry, cherry, and strawberry riding a line of precise acidity. It’s an elegant, complex Pinot, with a little more generosity than some Oakridge sites, but the same pinpoint detail that makes these single-vineyard wines so sought after.

Drink now for its perfume and charm, or it'll develop nicely over the medium term in the cellar.

97 points
"The fact that this was The James Halliday Wine of Show at last year's Yarra Valley Wine Show, beating the Hazeldene Chardonnay in the process, says it all. Perfumed and captivating aromas of red fruits, dark rose and a little whole-bunched-derived sous bois. Medium bodied, this silky-textured wine finishes with just the right amount of understated and persistent tannins. Irresistible now and, I'd imagine, over the next six to eight years plus." 
- Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion)

Best Wine of Show
2024 Yarra Valley Wine Show