2023 Elanto Pinot Noir
Region: Balnarring, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia
Grape: 100% Pinot Noir
Viticulture: Organic principles and Sustainable
Culinary Suggestions: Game birds, mushroom dishes, soft cheeses
Alcohol: 14%
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Introducing the 2023 Elanto Vineyard Pinot Noir, a remarkable debut blend crafted from five unique vineyard sites: Vertex, Ironstone, Chicory, Kilnside, and Basalt. This wine enchants with its intense fruit concentration, perfumed aromatics, and a harmonious balance of natural acidity and fine tannins. Born from high-density plantings on volcanic soils, it embodies both elegance and depth, offering a profound expression of its distinctive terroir.
Overview
Elanto Vineyard is the realisation of a visionary partnership between esteemed winemaker Sandro Mosele and wine enthusiast Tony Todaro. Their journey began in 2017 at a French wine tasting in Melbourne, where a shared passion for viticulture ignited the idea of creating a vineyard that represents the future of Australian wine. They envisioned a site with an easterly aspect and free-draining volcanic soils conducive to deep-rooted vines, laying the foundation for true site expression.
In 2018, their search led them to Balnarring on the Mornington Peninsula, a region celebrated for its cool maritime climate and ideal conditions for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Fortuitously, they met French soil scientist and terroir expert Claude Bourguignon, whose assessment confirmed the site's exceptional potential. His insights reinforced their belief that deep-rooted vines are key to capturing the essence of the terroir.
By 2019, the vineyard was meticulously designed and planted in alignment with Bourguignon's findings. Embracing high-density planting at 11,111 vines per hectare, which is over four times the conventional Australian standard, they aimed to foster intense competition among vines, resulting in lower yields per vine and greater concentration of flavours. The vineyard comprises eight distinct sites (lieux-dits), each with unique attributes influenced by variations in aspect, slope, and soil composition.
Elanto's farming philosophy is deeply rooted in holistic and organic principles. The team promotes soil health and biodiversity through the use of mulch, compost, and cover crops, avoiding herbicides in favour of timely cultivation. Precise pruning and canopy management are conducted by hand, ensuring an optimal balance of sunlight, shade, airflow, and humidity, all of which are crucial factors for vine health and fruit quality.
The historic rammed earth kiln at the vineyard's entrance, built around 1910, symbolises Elanto's deep connection to the land and its rich agricultural heritage. Once used to dry chicory roots, a coffee substitute popular in the early 20th century, the kiln stands as a testament to the region's storied past.
Cork Tasting Notes
The 2023 Elanto Vineyard Pinot Noir is an impressive inaugural release that showcases the remarkable potential of high-density viticulture on the Mornington Peninsula. This blend from five distinct vineyards offers a complex and layered profile. Aromas of dark cherries, wild berries, and floral notes are complemented by subtle hints of spice, earth, and herbal nuances.
On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied with vibrant energy and a seamless integration of flavours. There is a fine balance between the concentrated fruit intensity and the refreshing natural acidity. Fine-grained tannins provide structure without overwhelming, leading to a long and satisfying finish. The volcanic basalt soils impart a distinctive mineral character, adding depth and complexity to the wine.
Crafted with meticulous care, from hand-picking into small crates to gentle fermentation in concrete vats, this Pinot Noir reflects Elanto's commitment to expressing the true character of its terroir. It not only captures the essence of its unique site but also signals a promising future for Elanto Vineyard as a producer of exceptional, site-expressive wines.
Critic Reviews
95 Points
Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
There’s a lot going on with this Pinot Noir but it manages to feel effortless. Seamless is the word; finished is another. Campari-like herbs, roasted nuts, earth, undergrowth and sweet black cherries, the latter deep-set in Pinot Noir terms. There’s an excellent framework of tannin, firm and velvety at once, dry strings splayed out across a mesh made of hazelnuts. This wine became more expansive as it rested in the glass. This is the first Pinot Noir grown and made from this vineyard. It’s an exciting debut, with an even more exciting future.
~ Drink : 2024 - 2030+
Published: 06 August 2024