I have to admit that many Pinot Noir wines I drink outside of Burgundy tend to be one-dimensional. They lack the aromatic profile and textural appeal of their French counterparts. However, this wine from Tupelo succeeds where many fail. The aromas are a subtle mix of dark cherries, subtle oak, earthy complexity and restrained fruit. The palate is quite full bodied with a pleasing tannic structure and savoury length. Small batch processing of high quality Adelaide Hills’ fruit along with some inclusion of whole bunches (stems) is the key to this wine’s appeal. An impressive effort with good potential to age. Drink now to 2017.
About the Winery:
Tupelo
Yes, that is a slow motion photo of Elvis falling through water (he survived a flood in Tupelo Mississippi in his youth). The unconventional labels and interesting wine styles are all part of the Wayne Anderson story. Wayne originally comes more from a retail/sales background, but eventually decided to get dirty and sticky. He is the brain behind the Killibinbin brand that made such a splash in the Australian wine industry over the last decade with its quirky packaging and seriously good wine. Wayne decided to scale down a couple of years ago and concentrate on making a small amount of really interesting wine…hence Tupelo. Wayne is genuinely passionate about Pinot Noir and both his rosé and red versions are excellent. Experimentation with pigeage, whole bunches, whole berries and natural fermentations all add to the complexity of the wine he has been able to produce. He also makes Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay under this label, which both buck convention and beg another look. Wayne knows what he wants and is at a stage of his career where he can achieve it without compromise.
The Region:
Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Rating
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