Mount Trio Great Southern Pinot Noir 2024

Tasting Notes

The Mount Trio Great Southern Pinot Noir 2024 greets you with a light to medium scarlet red hue, showcasing its freshness. The nose is enticing, with vibrant berry fruit aromas of raspberry and cherry, along with a gentle hint of cloves. A subtle dusty earthiness, the result of several months in oak, adds an intriguing layer of complexity.

On the palate, this light-bodied Pinot Noir presents an exceptional texture and mouthfeel. It’s bursting with bright fruit flavours, particularly pomegranate, raspberry, and a hint of smoky cherry. The lively fruit characters are complemented by gently drying tannins and a light acidity, which contributes to the wine’s impressive length and finishes with a satisfying, fresh finish.

Its smooth, vibrant profile makes this Pinot Noir a versatile choice for a range of dishes, but it also has the potential to develop further complexity with a couple of years of bottle age.

Vintage:

In Mount Barker (Great Southern, WA), the 2024 vintage is already being characterised as unusually early and compressed. The growing season got off to a rapid start, with warm spring conditions advancing budburst, flowering, and subsequent phenological stages ahead of schedule. As a result, many varieties, including Pinot Noir were harvested about a month earlier than is typical in Mount Barker. 

Viticultural challenges were not absent. During late October, isolated frost incidents occurred in Mount Barker, causing some crop loss in vulnerable blocks. Later in the season, heat spikes exceeding 40 °C in January and February put pressure on canopies, with potential for sunburn and desiccation in exposed bunches. It appears that careful canopy management and irrigation strategy (where available) were critical to preserving fruit condition and avoiding excessive stress. 

Taken together, the signals from Mount Barker’s 2024 Pinot Noir suggest:

• Concentration and depth: The compressed season and warmer conditions seem to have pushed phenolic and flavour accumulation, giving wines with more density than in cooler years.

• Structure moderated by acidity: While the fruit is richer, good retention of natural acidity in many blocks helps maintain freshness and lift in the wine.

• Soft tannin framework: The early examples show gentle, well integrated tannins rather than aggressive grip, which may favour earlier drinking or moderate cellaring.

• Complex aromatics: Alongside primary red fruit (cherry, red berries) there’s a tendency toward herbal, forest floor and spice notes—suggesting that these wines may evolve interesting tertiary characters with time.

• Vintage consistency is site-dependent: As always in Pinot Noir, microclimate, slope, soil depth, canopy shading, and exposure will make significant differences. Some parcels may struggle under heat stress, while better sheltered or cooler sites may shine.

Food Pairing Suggestions:

• Grilled Meats: Ideal with light meats such as grilled chicken, turkey, or pork.
• Pasta: Pairs beautifully with pasta dishes like spaghetti with mushroom sauce or a creamy risotto.
• Cheese: Great with soft cheeses like Brie, Camembert, or a creamy goat cheese.
• Vegetarian Dishes: Complements roasted vegetables, grilled mushrooms, or a hearty vegetable stew.

Best Serving Temp:

Serve the Mount Trio Great Southern Pinot Noir lightly chilled at 12°C to 14°C to enhance its vibrant fruit and refreshing finish.

• If storing at room temperature (22°C): Chill the bottle for 60-75 minutes before serving.
• If storing in the fridge (5°C): Remove the bottle about 15-20 minutes before serving to allow it to warm slightly.

Additional Information:

• Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
• Region: Great Southern, Mount Barker, Western Australia
• Alcohol: 13% by Vol | 7.8 Standard Drinks
• Closure: Screwcap
• Vintage: 2024
• Volume: 750ml

Technical Terms Explained:

• Oak Influence: The subtle earthy and smoky notes imparted by aging the wine in oak barrels. Oak can add structure, flavour complexity, and a hint of vanilla or spice to the wine.
• Tannins: Natural compounds found in grape skins, seeds, and stems that give wine structure and a slightly drying sensation on the palate.
• Acidity: The sharpness or crispness in wine, which balances the sweetness of the fruit and enhances the overall freshness of the wine.
• Cellaring Potential: The wine’s ability to improve with age, developing more complex aromas and flavours over time. This wine can benefit from short-term cellaring (1-2 years).