Petaluma White Label Pinot Noir 2013

Ugh. While the white mashup Petaluma label might polarise, at least the juice was ok.

But I think this is ordinary. It shows the difficulty of making balanced Pinot in the Adelaide Hills (in a warm vintage). with a combination of both overripe, hard fruit and minty edges (suggesting mixed ripeness), all topped off with hard acid and noticeably warm alcohol.

An ungainly wine that is genuinely tough going.

Details: 14%, Screwcap, $27
Tasted: February 2015, Sample
Best drinking: 2016-2018
Score: 14/20, 82/100
Would I buy it? No.
Buy online: Mcguires Wines Direct, Winemarket

Wine

About me – Andrew Graham

At 18 I started working in a small suburban bottleshop, largely to buy cheap beer. It was my first year of university, doing a degree that I didn't really like, and a liquor shop seemed like fun. Needless to say I discovered wine, my uni degree morphed into something completely different and wine/beer took over my life.

Almost twenty years later and I currently spend my days wearing many (wine) hats, mostly as a writer, presenter and marketer.

While wearing my writer cap I write features for the likes of National Liquor News, Gourmet Traveller WINE and the RAS plus I'm a Lifestyle FOOD channel wine expert. Read more about me here or get in touch to book your next wine event with me here.

Petaluma White Label Pinot Noir 2013