2025 Holm Oak The Protégé $32
It's often said that the first duty of Pinot Noir is to be wonderfully fragrant and aromatic. Others say its first duty is to be elegant and refined.
No matter which of those statements you support, few Pinot Noir lovers will deny this entry-level wine from Holm Oak winemaker Bec Duffy deserves a medal for performance above and beyond the call of duty.
OK, it may not win all that much in the way of gold or silver at your average capital city wine show, but Pinot Noir doesn't have to be big and buxom to be enjoyable. And that's the kicker here. Holm Oak's current portfolio overflows with good Pinot Noirs. There are five of them in total, spanning price points $32 (this wine) and $130 (2022 Hot Shot).
Truth is you're bound to find something from this highly respected Tamar Valley producer that really tickles your fancy.
Vintage 2025 produced record crops across the State. It was also one of those rare seasons where quantity and quality appeared in equal measures.
I'm much more enamoured with 2025 Pinot Noirs in Tasmania than the deeper, riper and slightly more chunky 2024s. They invariably have fresh, lively, lifted aromas, with the best of them in cooler parts of the State showing rose petal/floral notes as well as red fruits.
The 2025 Protégé Pinot Noir is fairly light in colour but offers up a marvellous perfume of sweet red cherries/strawberries/raspberries. There's a little bit of kitchen spice too, something which must be varietal or clonal as the wine itself did not spend any time at all in barrel.
The emphasis here is on vibrancy and ready drinkabaility. Ripe juicy fruits here are cleverly framed by bright juicy Tasmanian acidity. It's not exactly what they make from Gamay in Beaujolais, but the wine is heading in that direction, even if it does come from a Land Downunder.
Alcohol stated on the bottle is 13.5 percent. The confirms the fruit's ripeness but comes with an unspoken warning to take care out of doors during this year's much anticipated warm and sunny spring. A few too many glasses shared with friends may lead to time-out in the naughty corner.
Yes, it's one of THOSE wines…
Source: Cellar door purchase
www.holmoakvineyards.com.au
Last page update: 10 October 2026