Serré Pinot Noir 2024 MAGNUM

Serré, planted in 1984 and extended in 1986, is certified organic as of 2021. It is planted at 1.2m x 1.2m spacing (6,944 vines/hectare) with MV6 clone Pinot Noir on its own roots. This is likely the oldest high-density planting of Pinot Noir in Australia. With north-south row orientation and a complex soil profile of mixed clay over weathered basalt and limestone, it is naturally low-yielding. This vineyard is responsible for some of our finest, most powerful, and long-lived Pinot Noir wines.

The fruit was handpicked, completely destemmed, and fermented on skins for 10 days before pressing to French oak hogshead barrels, 40% of which were new. The wine was left undisturbed, went through malolactic fermentation in spring, and was blended and bottled in February.

Serré shows the characteristic dark fruit, spice, and herbal complexity on the nose. The palate is powerful, firm, and tightly framed, with serious tannin structure and depth. This vintage speaks to the warmer conditions, but still with focus and intensity. Built for age and shaped by the site’s density and vine age. A wine of presence and power.

96 points. Dark-fruited aromas with underlying notes of dried flowers and herbs, cured meats, wet earth and plum skins. The palate is mid-weighted, with finely tuned tannins and a plush, rounded mouthfeel, finishing with a mineral edge. A touch of reduction now, but will open with time in the bottle. Delicious. Drink or hold. Screw cap. Ryan Montgomery, jamessuckling.com.

95 points. The thing about this wine is the length of its finish. It’s quite stunning. It’s a super-savoury style with earth, sap, beet and decayed rose characters swimming through red cherry, poached strawberries and rhubarb. Oak is a minor player here though there’s a nuttiness to the aftertaste, and a (gently) velvety aspect to the mouthfeel. This wine is in desperate need of another 3-5 years in bottle but the length of the finish says it all in terms of its quality. Campbell Mattinson, winefront.com.au.