Lowestoft Tasmania Pinot Noir 2019

I purchased this wine for a blind tasting of Tasmanian pinot noirs and did not end up serving it. Tasmania pinot noir in my view remains a little before its time. Australia’s world class pinot noir is being produced at the moment in the Mornington Peninsula, Macedon Ranges and the higher altitude parts of the Yarra Valley in Victoria. Certainly though there’s potential in Tasmania and putting to one side mercurial exceptions, the best remind of cool climate New Zealand Canterbury styles.  This wine from Lowestoft is from an ambitious producer with ambitious price ($130). It has aromas of red berries, sharp redcurrants and redcurrants. It is overly piquant. On the palate, the 35% new oak for 10 months proves too much. The palate has considerable dusty and cedar oak characters and firm oak tannins on the finish. It has high acid and red fruit beneath. The wine improves with air and the oak becomes less obvious. This wine may need a few years to integrate, but I don’t think the marriage between its red fruited, piquant character and oak will result in considerable improvement. Rating: Good (★★★, 85 points). Website: Fogarty Wine. Tasted: August 2023.