Elanto Pinot Noir 2024

One evening in 2017, Sandro Mosele and Tony Todaro met at a French wine tasting in a Melbourne restaurant. They immediately connected, and over time began to discuss Australian wine and what the future might hold.

They knew from the start that a high-density vineyard planted on a special site was what they wanted. A site with an easterly aspect and a free draining soil conducive to deep rooted vines.

In 2018 they found an interesting property that they thought could tick all the boxes. It was in Balnarring, with a cool south easterly aspect and volcanic soil. It was about the same time they met French soil scientist/microbiologist and terroir expert Claude Bourguignon, who by chance, happened to be in Australia. Claude reinforced their belief that true site expression comes from deep rooted vines. They asked him to survey the property, and his report confirmed the site had great potential.

This wine is a blend of the 5 Pinot Noir vineyards (lieux-dits); Vertex, Ironstone, Chicory, Kilnside and Basalt.

Each vineyard was picked and vinified separately. The fruit was first chilled and then sorted and destemmed, with a smattering of perfectly ripe whole bunches making it into the ferment, which is took place in concrete tanks. A cold soak preceded natural fermentation, which was completed in vat, before pressing, after extended time on skins.

The high-density plantings have blessed the grapes with an abundance of skin tannin which allowed for more restraint in the winery, with less time on skins required than in 2023. A consequence of this reduced extraction is an aromatic cavalcade of perfumed red fruits, and a supremely balanced wine that is framed by fine-boned, chalky tannin.

This gorgeous 2024 Pinot is another step towards Elanto's greater goal - an Australian evocation of the structured, savoury expressions of classic Pinot Noir.