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Freycinet Pinot Noir

Freycinet is one of Tasmania’s finest pinot noir sites and 2012 was one of its great seasons. For Claudio Radenti, the aspiration is not “fancy Burgundy techniques” but expression of fruit flavour, site and season. His recipe is elegantly simple, no wild yeast, just 5% whole bunches for stalk tannin and one-third new French oak barrels. “We just want to keep it simple.” His 33 year old vines do the rest, and in 2012 they did it with particular prowess, a vintage of magnificent persistence and poise, crafted, exact and refined. Great depth of black cherry and black plum fruit is layered with black pepper, exotic spice and violet perfume. It’s supple and generous, true to its warm site, and at the same time poised, tangy, finely structured and immensely textural. $58 direct and at Dan’s and Trio Wine.