Our 2018 Patina Pinot Noir is a wine that we are really proud of. It is drinking really well at the moment, and will continue to develop and evolve on the bottle over the next few years. Here’s a few thoughts on the wine from some of Australia most respected wine critics…
94 Points, “Bright mid cherry red in colour there is good varietal character to be found in an elegantly styled wine; red raspberry and woody spices with a generous oak overlay. The palate then shows attractive fruit sweetness with fruit pastille flavours which are well supported by crisp, balanced acidity providing quite a long finish. Tannins are soft and supple too so its a wine to enjoy while young and vibrant with a quail and pea risotto.”
Winepilot, Angus Hughson, Dec 2021
93 Points “Cool, bright and gently savoury Pinot Noir with tart, pickled cherry characters, salted plums, lifted minty elements and blood orange acidity finishing things off. Has an amaro scent to the wine, some leafy notes and a bit of brick dust feel to tannins. Worthy expression from Orange.”
Mike Bennie, WBM Magazine, Aug 2022
90 Points “Spicy! A Pinot that comes across more like a Shiraz like. If you like ’em with a little more heft, this could be your calling. Pretty scents of strawberries and raspberries lure you in. With a medium body layered with dark and red plums, that spice lassos around the palate and pulls the noose tight. Fine tannins and a respectable length tick the boxes on close. It goes ok. Drink to five years.”
Q Wine, Nov 2021
94 Points “A lift of violets to the sweet red cherry nose. Excellent pinot flavours on the soft, fleshy and well-balanced palate.”
Winestate Magazine, Dec 2021
93 Points “Over recent years, we have seen the Orange region in NSW emerge from near obscurity to be a recognised quality wine region. Expect its rise in prominence to continue, especially as climate change takes more and more of a toll in some of our traditional districts. This cool region produces focused, elegant wines and Patina, situated on the volcanic slopes of Mt Canobolas, is one of the key makers here. Winemaker/owner, Gerard Naef, relocated from California and uses his considerable experience in making wines like this fine, succulent Pinot Noir… A pale red in colour, this is a lovely sappy, brambly style of Pinot and those whole bunch notes are certainly to the fore at this stage. There is good complexity, with notes of cherries, spices, warm earth and leather. Seamless and supple with silky tannins and good balance, there is decent length here. This impressive Pinot exhibiting good complexity has at least a good five years ahead of it, if not longer.”
Winepilot, Ken Gargett
92 Points “A dogged and finessed hand makes a pinot this delicious in Orange. What we once thought, is no longer true. It is too warm for consistency with this grape. Bloodwood, its brethren. Sweet strawberry, sassafras, thyme, clove and blood orange. The tannins, sinewy and smothered with sweet fruit. Sinewy and vibrant enough to be not too sweet.”
2023 Halliday Wine Companion, Ned Goodwin MW
92 Points “It’s light on entry – yet with a soft, sensuous and pillowy approach through the middle of the wine. A line of cool climate acidity threads its way across, forming the wine’s spine. There’s a lasting finish, tugging further, creating a lingering memory. It feels deceitful, in a good way: youthful, yet with a suggestion of maturity that is its destiny and what awaits further.”
The Vinsomniac, Stuart Robinson, Nov 2021
90 Points “Real cool climate wines these Patina releases. You can almost feel the cold Orange winter in every bottle. This Patina Pinot Noir 2018 is dead serious too. Very firm and a bit stewy, the mode lean and extractive with red fruit and a drying finish. Needs more flesh to be delicious, but will please old school Burgundy lovers with its tannic bite. Long too. Not without charm, but I wouldn’t mind a bit more flesh … Best drinking: now, but I’m holding out an each way bet for a few years of ageing to revisit. It has the legs.”
Ozwine Review, Feb 2022
“…ruby hues and rose petal scents. The front palate displays ripe cherry flavour, the middle blueberry, pomegranate, cloves and cashew oak and a minty tannin finish.”
Newcastle Herald, John Lewis, July 2022
“This Patina 2018 Pinot Noir, with already almost 4 years of development, introduces itself both on nose and palate with a blast of primary vibrancy, glycerol warmth [13.6 Alc], mid-palate fine-grained tannins and acid grip. It enthusiastically over-delivers in varietal attributes and offers line, length, volume and muscularity. An abundance of sweet’n’sour cherry fragrance and juciness is supported and balanced by a skein of fine tannins and palate smoothness. This is a Pinot Noir of power and promise which will benefit from some more cellaring, whilst offering generous drinking enjoyment now.”
The Grape Hunter, Gilbert Labour
“… bright brick red in colour with aromas of fragrant Pinot Noir displaying raspberry, blackberry and savoury characters. The palate displays ripe red cherry up front leading to a savoury, slightly sour cherry finish with mouth-watering acidity and fine tannins. This wine is a great accompaniment to chicken, lamb, pork and pasta. It is drinking well now and should continue to show development for at least 10 years. Expect to see some spice and savoury characters after several years’ of bottle ageing.”
Frank Smith, Have a go News, Feb 2022
“Fresh, juicy and uncomplicated, this is a wonderfully easy-drinking summer wine, great with risotto, Italian pork sausages, grilled chicken or antipasto. Serving it lightly chilled makes all the difference.”
PS News, Christine Salins