1988 Coldstream Hills Four Vineyards Pinot Noir

I have a handful of bottles of this wine, still with no ullage thanks to the high quality 55x25mm (often called Chateau length) corks. It may – indeed was – different in its youth, albeit overshadowed by the all conquering 1988 Rising Shantell, which cemented the reputation forged by the 1987 Miller Vineyard Pinot Noir. Today, this Four Vineyards Pinot truly brings tears to my eyes, it’s so beautiful – aged beauty, to be sure, but that has its own value. The silk and spice flavour/texture combination sits in a still-sweet basket of red (cherry/berry) and purple (plum) fruits. The 30% whole bunch inclusion enlivens and complexes the long-lingering finish, joining the seamless Dargaud & Jaegle new barriques in which the wine finished its fermentation and subsequent maturation. The use of whole bunches wasn’t widely practised in Australia at that time, and even today causes some winemakers to blink.