February 2022 Releases: Bay of Fires 2020 Pinot Noir $62 & Dalrymple Pinot Noir 2020 $38

This month we feature two iconic wines from the Pipers River region of northeastern Tasmania. The Pipers River/Pipers Brook region has an wonderful collection of high quality producers all very close together, and it is not far from the world class Barnbougle golf courses, which offer a great place to base yourselves while in the region.

Bay Of Fires winemaker Penny Jones and team, have produced an incredible run of consistently outstanding Pinot Noirs in recent years, culminating with the 2020 vintage winning the Max Schubert AM Trophy at the 2021 Royal Adelaide Wine Show for the most outstanding red wine in show.

Dalrymple Pinot Noir has long been one of our favourite Tasmanian Pinot Noirs, and is expertly crafted by winemaker Peter Caldwell. Both of these wines are from the cool 2020 vintage and include fruit from multiple regions around Tasmania. We consider both wines perfect for summer drinking.
Cheers Patrick

Bay of Fires 2020 Pinot Noir $62
Bay of Fires Wines are crafted to enhance the most pristine features of our distinctive Tasmanian terroir.

Every grape is assessed for its quality and character, hand-picked with care and thoughtfully considered for its winemaking potential. Each fruit parcel is kept separate so it can be evaluated to capture the core of its flavour components at precisely the right moment. Each batch of wine is allowed to mature in the finest oak, becoming a wine that can be enjoyed now with family and friends.

The 2020 Bay of Fires Pinot Noir exemplifies this development showing richness and elegance that is so desirable from cool climate Tasmania. For this vintage we saw the majority of fruit coming from the Coal River Valley, Derwent Valley and East Coast across 3 regional vineyards. This wine will yield amazing results from the cellar.
Winner of the Max Schubert Trophy for the most outstanding red wine in show at the 2021 Royal Adelaide Wine Show.

Rich and vibrant purple in appearance, the perfume of this wine is very complex. Sweet ripe strawberry fruit feature with Chinese spice from MV6 clone vineyards and whole bunch influence - star anise, cinnamon plum blossom. Although elegant and supple, the wine shows remarkable power, intensity and length on the palate. Framed by ripe, moderate tannin the graceful sweet strawberry fruit is complemented but not dominated by spice.
This is another vintage with that same rich Bay of Fires pedigree, coupled with some of the most vivid Pinot rich colour seen in years. Characters of dark plum and cherry blossom, complemented by use of regionality and French Oak use. Drinking with vibrance and rich fruit aromatics now, but will easily cellar until 2030.

Dalrymple Pinot Noir 2020 $38

Dalrymple Pinot Noir is a blend of parcels from our vineyards at Pipers River and Coal River Valley, and our growers at Swansea and Ouse. Each of these sites is unique with distinctive individual terroirs, building complexity into the final wine blend.
Treatment :Fermentation started after two or three days and continued for four to five days, with up to five per cent whole bunches. The cap was plunged twice a day to extract colour and tannin from the skin. The wine was then pressed and settled before being placed into French oak barriques (22% new) for 11 months, where malolactic fermentation took place.
Tasting notes: Aromas of spiced rhubarb, sweet red cherries, Asian five spice and vanilla mingle with earthy notes and the distinct fruity spice notes of sassafras forest. The palate is seductive with fleshy red and black cherries. It develops with spices from the whole bunch inclusion and French oak barrels.

Best Enjoyed With: Smoked roast beetroot with silky skordalia or roasted duck with a black cherry and Madeira sauce served with creamy mashed potato.