2019 marks the first vintage of this certified organic Pinot Noir, sourced from Quealy’s Balnarring vineyard. Specifically, the grapes have come off the 1996 plantings—affectionately known as the ‘Carpark Block’—adjoining Seventeen Rows’ old vines. The name is a throwback to an earlier T’Gallant wine which Kevin calls “a nice piece of nonsense history”. 

Tom McCarthy’s aim here is to craft a delicious, earth-to-glass Pinot for early enjoyment. Hence, there’s a strong carbonic element, there was less time on skins, very little in the way of sulphur additions and the only oak the wine saw was puncheons upwards of five years old. 

Having said that, this is no lightweight Pinot. More immediately accessible than Seventeen Rows, this is a ripe and unctuous wine with black fruits and some attractive earthy, sous-bois notes. It’s vibrant, lifted and silky, meaning it’s good to go now and yet, there is enough in the way of fine tannins to suggest this will only improve over the next five years or so. Classy stuff.