Review: Oakridge Vineyard Series Henk Pinot Noir 2018

There are relatively few Australian wineries that can boast consistent high level quality like Oakridge. More to the point, these are wines I want to drink. On a normal day there are half a dozen or more wines open at Graham HQ, but it’s Oakridge that makes it that crucial 3 metres from tasting bench to dinner table.

This Oakridge Vineyard Series Henk Pinot Noir 2018 is another lovely wine, from what seems like a magic Upper Yarra vineyard site (I need to visit). There’s the flush of glacé red fruit here that I see in so many ’18 Yarra Pinots, the warmer year giving an extra flourish of riper fruit, but complemented by a certain tannic depth, no doubt helped by 3 weeks on skins (with extended skin contact giving superior tannins IMO when the fruit is up to it).

What I like here is the moreishness. It feels bright and generous, but there’s a counterpoint through the middle that feels muscular and savoury, the tannins a reinforcement. It’s only a medium bodied red, like it should be, but there’s a loveliness without being frivolous. And it works.

Best drinking: my preference is more up to five years for this style. 18.5/20, 94/100. 13.1%, $44. Would I buy it? Let’s go with an old comparison – $44 buys basic Bourgogne. This is premier cru Burgundy quality ($100-$250 range). You do the maths…