Clos Ostler Caroline's Pinot Noir 2018

96 points, Cameron Douglas

“Elegant, complex, very sophisticated, varietal and loaded with pinosity. Aromas and flavours of cherry and chalk, roses and wood spices, strawberry and sweet plum, fine lees and toasty barrel spice. Wonderful texture from chalky tannins and medium+ acidity, contrasting core of fruit and long complex finish. A completely delicious wine, perfect on its own and ideal with food. Best drinking upon purchase and through 2026+.” 18.5+/20 Points, Raymond Chan “Deep, medium ruby-red with a dark-garnet hue, even throughout. This wine has an elegant and penetrating bouquet, with good-depth and savoury aromas of cherries, red berries, entwined with complexing nuances of dark herbs, mushrooms, spices and gamey underlay. Medium-full bodied, with an elegant structure frame, red cherries, red berries are succulent, interweave savoury mushroom and dark herbs. Complexing earthy undergrowth and gamey nuances are developing, subtly penetrating in the background. The mouthfeel is lively with lacy acidity, follows a fine, velvety tannin extraction which is in its youth, will mellow over time. This is a sophisticated and complex Pinot Noir at youth, with nuances of savoury fruit, complexing flavours of herbs, mushrooms and earthiness on a velvety fine-grained tannin extraction. Match with venison loin and lamb over the next 5-8 years. Serve decanted. Unfined and unfiltered.”

18.5+/20 Points, Raymond Chan

“Deep, medium ruby-red with a dark-garnet hue, even throughout. This wine has an elegant and penetrating bouquet, with good-depth and savoury aromas of cherries, red berries, entwined with complexing nuances of dark herbs, mushrooms, spices and gamey underlay. Medium-full bodied, with an elegant structure frame, red cherries, red berries are succulent, interweave savoury mushroom and dark herbs. Complexing earthy undergrowth and gamey nuances are developing, subtly penetrating in the background. The mouthfeel is lively with lacy acidity, follows a fine, velvety tannin extraction which is in its youth, will mellow over time. This is a sophisticated and complex Pinot Noir at youth, with nuances of savoury fruit, complexing flavours of herbs, mushrooms and earthiness on a velvety fine-grained tannin extraction. Match with venison loin and lamb over the next 5-8 years. Serve decanted. Unfined and unfiltered.”

At bottling the wine is a lovely bright ruby, garnet colour with striking purple hues at the rim. Aromatically the wine shows all the hallmarks of a classic Caroline’s Pinot Noir. An amalgam of red & dark fruits, exotic oriental spice – clove, nutmeg, anise and an alluring earthy note akin to moss flowing over river stones. In the mouth it shows vibrant primary fruit notes of cherry, raspberry and a satisfying cranberry like acid crunch. The tannins are fresh, supple & supporting providing structure to the long, lingering finish. This is a finer boned version of Caroline’s in the vein of our ‘13 & ’15 rather than the more muscular ‘09, ‘10 or ’16 wines. As usual we suggest decanting as the wine was neither fined nor filtered.