Rockburn Twelve Barrels Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022 $99
Wow. This is one of those wines that cause you to stop, stare into the distance and contemplate the beauty in nature, the mastery of man and the meaning of life. It also makes you wonder if winemaker Malcolm Rees-Francis isn’t some sort of warlock of wine with the way he’s managed to pick out the 12 best barrels from fruit grown in their Gibbston Back Road site, and crafted a pinot noir that is astoundingly lush and layered and lovely to drink. Scented with exotic spices, roast rhubarb, dark cherry and black guava goodness and softly smoky, savoury, gamey notes merge with black tea tannins and plush, soothing textures to finish. It’s glorious now, but in ten years? I think majestic.
