Toolangi Vineyard E Block Pinot Noir 2021

E Block Pinot Noir is sourced from just 10 rows of 20-year-old MV6 clone vines identified as growing the property’s most impressive and expressive Pinot. These rows are a direct continuation of the Paul’s Lane parcel to the east, so Kaspar Hermann is convinced something unique is happening beneath the surface. Highlighting the difference, pruning and canopy management are more stringent, and the rows see more cultivation to promote health and moisture retention in the soils. The block yields a paltry 1.5 to 2 tonnes of fruit—and that’s in a good year.

This wine is only produced in exceptional years. The cool, long, classic conditions in 2021 produced fragrant, bright-flavoured fruit with plenty of natural acidity. To build aromatic complexity and layers of tannin, Hermann included 50% bunches in the ferment. The wine matured in French oak (25% new) for nine months before bottling. Spice and fresh acidity are hallmarks of the Dixon’s Creek site, and 2021 E Block Pinot Noir has these traits in spades.  This is a vibrant, top-class Pinot with layers of spice and earth and a full, silky palate balanced by chalky tannin and a snappy, mineral-flecked finish. Don’t be afraid to decant and serve this in a big Burgundy glass—it’s an impressive wine that will evolve with air and time.