2023 Westella Pinot Noir $46

When you see this Westella wine in the flesh, it's hard not to take an instant liking to it, regardless of its wine quality. The combination of Lynda Warner's graphic design skills and the featured artwork of renowned local painter Sue Lovegrove certainly makes the vineyard's wine label an eye-catching celebration of Tasmania's alpine landscape. 

Rest assured this neatly crafted Tamar Valley Pinot Noir is every bit as good as its packaging. 

Westella is the passion project of Rowella couple, Will and Jacquie Adkins. A Pinot passion project. Pinot Noir is all they grow on their 4ha site in the West Tamar. The valley's cool maritime climate is well suited to the fusspot red grape, something that shines through the wines here even in tricky vintages like 2023.

This really is a lovely expressive Pinot Noir. The wine's rich ripe fruit is immediately apparent on opening. Its colour is bright, vibrant and youthful-looking. Engaging. Red cherry/cherry liqueur notes drive the aromatics, along with some roasted cashew/French oak nuances. The wine itself has great flavour and texture. Juicy, mid-weight red berry and cherry fruits sit comfortably alongside a much more savoury range of secondary characters that suggest damp forest undergrowth and mushroom compost. The palate overall is elegant and shapely, and finishes with well-judged natural acidity. Indeed, it's delicious.

Past experience shows that Tamar Valley Pinot Noir really comes out of its shell with short-to-medium term cellaring. Be patient. This wine should unfurl beautifully over the next 3-5 years.

Source: Vineyard cellar door