Hurley Vineyard Pinot Noir 'Lodestone' 2021

At Hurley, Kevin & Tricia are immersed in the task of showcasing what their 3 differing single vineyard plots or climates can express from their estate in Balnarring, perched on a crest of volcanic red clay covered by a topsoil of stony red-brown clay loam. Burgundy clearly inspired them to this endeavour, not to mimic the wines from the Cote d’Or in terms of taste but the ethos of single site expressions, terroir driven wines. Planted in 1998 and 1999 the estate has 3.43 hectares of Pinot Noir across 3 clearly defined climates. Lodestone, Hommage and Garamond.

This Hurley Vineyard Pinot Noir comes entirely from Lodestone, their 1.4 hectare north sloping vineyard planted in 1999. It’s exposition due North means it gets the most sun exposure of the three climats. It contains the Burgundian clones 114, 115 and 777, as well as MV6.  The vineyard produces full-bodied Pinot Noir with concentrated dark fruits and aromas of earth and violets. Lodestone is magnetite, an iron mineral abundant in the vineyard soil hence the name.

The fruit was harvested by hand on 16 and 17 March 2021, fermented under the action of indigenous yeasts, basket pressed after twenty-one days in vat and bottled in November 2022 after twenty months in barrel (one quarter new). Mid-ruby. The nose is a complex mix of flowers, fruit and the forest floor. There are violets, raspberries and black cherries alongside crushed nuts and ferny undergrowth. This is a full-flavoured but medium-bodied wine that tastes of intense red and black cherries which end with length and persistence. It is tightly structured at this stage and ready to uncoil with a little time. Fine tannins and fresh acidity frame this very balanced wine. Drink To 2035.