2017 Basket Range Winery Pinot Noir

Region: Basket Range < Adelaide Hills < Australia

Grapes: Pinot Noir

Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Biodynamic farming; dry farmed; half of the ferment was whole bunch and settled on skins for a week before pressing gently; bottled unfined/unfiltered with no added So2; 11.8% ABV

Winemaker: Sholto Broderick

Phillip Broderick has made a more classic style of wine from his biodynamic estate in the Basket Range area of the Adelaide Hills for the last few decades, and now sons Shalto and Louis have started making their own juice alongside pop. The son's stuff is a bit looser in style, more in line with the frisky 'vin-de-soif' style of wine coming from the growing natural wine community here, made with no additions.  Sholto works alongside his old man, picking this Pinot a touch earlier ‘for juicy fruit and bright acidity’. with no added sulphur. Translucent light red color, bright, juicy peppery cranberry juice with a teensy jalapeno garnish – a spice note I’m coming to associate with the Aussie soil – this wine is heart breakingly pretty.  Sip slowly, make the bottle last, because, like that one lucky date with the hot guy/girl you know is out of your league, you know it’s not going to happen again.  We got the last 2 cases of this in California, and who knows if/when we’ll see it again