2021 Shadowfax Macedon Ranges Pinot Noir

Fruit for the 2021 Shadowfax Macedon Ranges Pinot Noir was grown on the Little Hampton, Midhill, Big Shed, Straws Lane and Chanters Ridge vineyards.
A cool spring in the Macedon Ranges set medium-sized crops. A very cool summer and mild autumn led to a very long growing season. The 740m-high Little Hampton site has extra cool nights, helping to retain natural acidity in grapes that ripened late in the season with full flavour and phenolic ripeness. The Pinot Noir was handpicked in small batches in late April.

The fruit was carefully sorted and destemmed, with 100% whole berries going into small, open-top fermenters. Natural fermentation occurred with daily pumpovers and limited plunging to extract fine tannins and flavour. After two weeks on skins the wine was pressed and then racked into new (30%) and used French hogsheads where it rested and grew. The wine was then blended and filtered prior to bottling in February 2022.

This elegant Macedon Ranges Pinot Noir has brooding spice aromas including cardamom, star anise, sandalwood and citrus blossom. Dark cherries and wild berries give lift in the glass, as do hints of crispy bacon. The wine has intrigue and flair in the glass, evolving over time. Dark cherry and spice spill onto the palate. This generous Pinot has breadth and expanse, yet shows poise from seams of ripe tannins. There is complexity galore with sandalwood and Campari spice interacting with dark plum fruits. The palate is long and persistent yet light on its feet, bringing you back for more. This is a powerful Pinot and a fine example of cool-climate, high-altitude Pinot Noir. – Al Timms, Shadowfax