2019 The Wanderer Upper Yarra Valley Pinot Noir

Wanderer is the personal project of Gembrook Hill winemaker Andrew Marks. The Upper Yarra Valley Pinot is a Single vineyard wine from Yellingbo, at the Southern end of the Yarra Valley that incorporates 20% whole bunches and is matured in French oak (30% new) for a period of 11 months.
Semi translucent, slightly cloudy red colour with a light red hue. A perfumed bouquet of violets, red cherries and winter strawberries blossom from the glass trailed by some forest floor, light game, fragrant herb and spicy cedar notes. Light, supple and incredibly moreish, the palate is flooded with expansive red fruits that are delivered with exceptional power. Providing additional complexity are notions of dried herbs, forest floor, a subtle meatiness and spicy cedar. Beautifully polished tannins combine with remarkable freshness and lead into a very long red fruited conclusion that makes for irresistible drinking.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13%

Other Reviews….
This is a terrifically attractive Pinot Noir. In brand-new-release terms I’m not sure that I’ve ever seen such an inherently complex, and settled, release under this label. It’s expressive of undergrowth and strawberry, ripe red cherry, orange oil, sweet spice and more; not quite Unami but certainly savoury. It’s set with acid-riven tannin, which suggests that it will age beautifully over the medium term or longer, but it’s already on song for drinking. Drink 2022-2028+
95 points
Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front