This is our second bottling from the bizarre 2020 vintage, which went from ridiculous to sublime. We had very small crops, early tannin ripeness and picked at low baumé. We avoided disease pressure in a very difficult year for that, and ended up with more transparency and freshness in the fruit than 2019.
The Pinot really could have gone either way this year. Ultimately though all factors (inclement spring, mild summer, plentiful rain, elongated ripening) lead us down the quality road - i.e. small crops, humidity and robust vine health, minimal disease, ripe tannins.
We used plenty of whole bunches (60%) and, as always, no oak. The grapes were picked a fraction underripe for fruit brightness and pop. Minimal SO2, added late. Held on lees until a week before bottling at the very end of June. No fining, and only a coarse filtration.
2020's Pinot Noir is a more savoury proposition than the '19. It has more in common with the 2017 Airlie Bank Pinot, though with riper tannins. - Tim Shand, Punt Road
Tim came to the Yarra Valley with vintages under his belt at Domaine Dujac in Burgundy and Château Margaux in Bordeaux, as well as stints in Chianti, Oregon and Chile. Since then he had a hand in some of the region’s headline-grabbing wines of recent times during his tenure at Giant Steps before taking the helm at Punt Road in 2014. Tim and the team are making most of the freedom to push boundaries while making the most of the excellent fruit the Yarra Valley gives rise to.