TN: Oakridge Estate Willowlake Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016

[Waiters Friend]

G'day

I last sampled a bottle as part of the Grand Cru tasting group's pinot noir tasting less than a month ago. The group note on this wine at the time was:

Oakridge Estate Willowlake Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016 (Yarra Valley, Victoria): A modest nose initially, with sour cherry, pot pourri, strawberry and a touch of V.A. Acid is a little tart, and tannings are fine but quite drying. The acid persists through the finish, but the fruit does not and finishes mid-palate.

Something was obviously not right with the bottle that night, so I have opened another one. Both bottles are from a six-pack purchased in 2018 and stored side by side in an airconditioned cellar since their arrival. The wines are under screwcap.

The nose has similar notes to last month's wine, without either the modesty of nose nor the VA. This one shows the sour cherry and fresh strawberry in abundance, along with the pot pourri and a little mushroom. The palate is balanced, with acid providing freshness without being tart, and the fruit characters follow through to a medium length and satisfying finish.

This bottle is much better, and more as I expected. I hope my remaining bottles are like this one. Why are the wines so different, given identical cellaring? I don't know - any theories?

Cheers
Allan

[Bobthebuilder]

I hope this is how its meant to be as I have a magnum of it i was planning to open soon!