Freycinet Vineyard is located on the east coast of Tasmania, is a highly regarded producer of pinot noir and the region’s oldest winery. This wine review is of Freycinet’s 2018 release pinot noir, which at the time of writing is their current release. 2018 vintage conditions in east coast Tasmania appeared somewhat mixed, battling rain at intervals. More information can be found in James Hallidays’ Wine Companion here.

In the glass, the 2018 vintage is very youthful in impression. Its aroma reminds of herbs, rhubarb and red fruits. The palate is medium to full bodied, the acidity high and the oak (a portion new) well intregrated. The high acidity complements the fruit well and the impression is that this is a wine built to last. The alcohol is somewhat high at 14.0. In terms of winemaking, the grapes were de-stemmed and the ferment a little warmer than usual, peaking at 32c.

In terms of style, this wine presents as a hypothetical cross between Yarra Valley and Central Otago pinot noir. It bears some resemblance to Yarra Valley pinot noir with its herbal and floral characters, while its rhubarb character resembles the higher latitude characters of Central Otago. While enjoyable now, this wine is built to age. Cellaring of 3 to 5 years is appropriate and, bottled under screwcap, longer may be needed. The wine should have a further drinking window of 5 to 7 years, due to its high acidity. This is an excellent, balanced pinot noir that is worth investing the time in. Rating: Good (now) and anticipated to be Very Good post cellaring. Website: Producer; Vivino; Wine Searcher. Reviewed: October 2021.