Jilly Wine Co. 'Black Mountain' Pinot Noir MT 2018

'While most of the oeuvre of Jilly Wines, let’s say the avant garde of younger generation wine producers of Australia, are busily prepping up fun-loving, good times pet nat naturally-sparkling-in-bottle-wines, here’s a methode tradtionelle of pinot noir from ‘the highest vineyard in the country’ (1306 metres above sea level) located in New England, NSW. No price on bottle, so making a guess on the fly for RRP$.

It shows with a light blush, a kiss of salmon pink, and opens with rose water, sour cherry, alpine herb scents. Pretty as. The palate has a curious but very good savoury, game meat element, some good oxidative, nutty-saline character, a kiss of cherry-berry fruitiness, but barely there, and a zing of very perky acidity coupled to vigorous and very tight, little bubbles. It’s flavoursome, complex enough and highly drinkable. It’s a cracking wine and drinks absolutely a treat.'

- 92 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front