2003 Shadowfax Pinot Noir – 13.5%
Ripe yet slightly sour cherries, sweet strawberries slightly candied and forest floor freshness that melts with the wineÂ’s structure. A serious attempt at Pinot Noir is being made here. Sweet and rounded, green stalkiness appears on the middle and back but the sweet fruit is still carried to a long finish by very fine, slightly stalky tannin and fresh acidity. A little vanilla, caramel oak appears on the back. The acid is quite noticeable throughout the whole length of the wine, and adds to the impression of thinness, but this acidity never sticks out without being coated by sweet fruit. Indeed, this wine does not have much depth at the moment, but the wineÂ’s freshness and structure, and this structureÂ’s integration, gives the impression that this Pinot Noir will gain depth and complexity with age. Only 16/20 now, this wine could start showing some greatness in 3 years. One for the Australian Pinot Noir believers, as some faith needs to be shown at $30 per bottle. I will be most interested to try this wine in a few years.
Adair