Ghost Rock Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Climat 2024

Variety: 100 % Pinot Noir
Country, Region: Australia, Tasmania

Planted in 2014 and converted to Organics in 2019. The only such vineyard on the estate. Its sheltered, northern slope and well-drained loam over sand soils provide the ideal conditions for outstanding Pinot Noir viticulture. The clonal mix for the 2024 vintage was D5V12 (4 %), 777 (62 %), MV6 (24 %) and D4V2 (10 %).

Clones were individually picked on ripeness and fermented in two separate lots. They were wild fermented with no additions bar sulphur. Hand plunged twice daily, pressed when dry. Wild malolactic fermentation completed in the spring, creating a deeper coloured and layered wine. Aged in high quality French oak barriques, 33% of which were new. This wine is a selection of the 9 best barrels. Sulfur was the only addition, added after ferment and just before bottling.
14.8 % Alc/Vol; 6.4 g/L TA; 3.6 pH.

’Medium ruby. A beautifully lifted and ethereal bouquet, showcasing light red fruits fresh strawberry and dried cranberry—framed by an alluring wildness. Notes of mountain pepperberry add a faint spice, while gravelly, crushed brick and chalky mineral tones evoke a sense of place and subtle tension. There’s a stony precision to the aromatics that hints at refinement and quiet complexity. Bright and red-fruited on entry, the palate is driven by a clean, linear acid profile that provides clarity and lift. Medium to medium light in weight, it glides across the tongue with finesse, before a tingling, mineral-laced aftertaste leaves a lingering impression. Tantalizing and tactile, this is a Pinot Noir for those drawn to purity, elegance, and the quiet thrill of cool-climate structure.’
Justin Arnold, Winemaker.

'2024 will be remembered as a vintage of distinction, with fabulous growing conditions that yielded fruit of superb quality. The climate during the spring and summer was notably warmer and dryer than previous years. This pattern we had not seen since 2019, which was also a year that made exceptional wines that are still holing up today. The wines from 2024 will be celebrated for having considerable character, intensity, and a great deal of potential.' Justin Arnold, Winemaker.

'In ‘01, Cate and Colin Arnold purchased the former Patrick Creek Vineyard planted exclusively to pinot noir in 1989. The vineyards, situated among the patchwork fields of Sassafras to the south and the white sands of the Port Sorell Peninsula to the north, now total 30ha: pinot noir (14 clones) remains the bedrock of the plantings, with other varieties including chardonnay, pinot gris, riesling and sauvignon blanc. Ownership has passed to son Justin and his wife Alicia (who runs the cooking school and cellar door). Justin’s experience in the Yarra Valley (Coldstream Hills), Margaret River (Devil’s Lair) and Napa Valley (Etude) has paid dividends – the business is going from strength to strength, and the capacity of the 100t winery has been tripled. Exports to Japan.' James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion.

Established in 1999, Ghost Rock came to life when Colin and Cate Arnold purchased the Patrick's Creek vineyard (planted in 1989) at Northdown, just outside Devonport in Northern Tasmania. Here, just a few minutes from where the Spirit of Tasmania ferry docks and but an hour's drive from Cradle Mountain, the vineyards enjoy a maritime climate overlooking Bass Strait, producing immaculately ripened fruit of particular freshness and complexity.

Over the ensuing 20-odd years the Arnold family would continue planting out additional vineyards, substantially with Pinot Noir (and a good dozen different clones at that!), but also with Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris and a little Sauvignon Blanc. And before they knew it, they had almost single-handedly created the wine region now dubbed Tasmania's Cradle Coast.

In 2017 Colin and Cate's son Justin and his wife Alicia Peardon took over the business and have continued to turn out new and exciting wines, earning 5-star recognition from the Halliday Wine Companion, amongst many other accolades. Justin takes care of the winemaking, having honed his skills at Coldstream Hills, Devil's Lair and at Etude in California's Carneros Creek, whilst Alicia manages the Cellar Door and Eatery.

Today the wines fall into three ranges: the Estate and Single Vineyard wines are self-explanatory, whilst the Supernatural wines make up Ghost Rock's 'Lo-Fi' range. Or as Justin has put it,

'Creativity and deliciousness rule the roost within this portfolio, bound to one rule only; high quality, estate-grown fruit as the source component. The rest is in the imagination and the craft. The range follows a ‘LoFi’ mantra of being wild ferment driven and exclusively unfined/unfiltered/low SO2.'