Sailor Seeks Horse Pinot Noir 2021

Sailor Seeks Horse Pinot Noir 2021This tiny vineyard is one of Australias most southerly located in the Huon valley in southern Tasmania. So to the name, where does that come from? There was a handwritten sign on the wall at the Red Velvet Lounge in Cygnet, our local coffee and cake respite from the Tasmanian weather. It said, Sailor Seeks Horse and went on to explain that the author had sailed solo around the world and ridden across the US from coast to coast and back againon a mule.

This tiny vineyard is one of Australia’s most southerly located in the Huon valley in southern Tasmania. So to the name, where does that come from? There was a handwritten sign on the wall at the Red Velvet Lounge in Cygnet, our local coffee and cake respite from the Tasmanian weather. It said, “Sailor Seeks Horse” and went on to explain that the author had sailed solo around the world and ridden across the US from coast to coast and back again…on a mule. He’d then decided he wanted to travel around Tasmania by horse but didn’t have one. So, was there anyone who would lend him one? If they didn’t have a horse then a pony would do. It was an idea that resonated with us. Here we were, trying to do something a little bit crazy, without much money and requiring a little bit of help to get to where we wanted to be.

Paul and Gilli Lipscombe own the vineyard and make the wines and both have considerable vineyard and winemaking experience behind them including winning the Jimmy Watson trophy for Home Hill where they have been the winemakers in recent years. From working together in the Languedoc to New Zealand, Oregon and Margaret River they spent a lot of time researching and considering the best possible vineyard site with the aim  to produce Australia’s best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay finally settling on this ideal north facing vineyard which is sheltered from the prevailing south-westerly winds. Best described as a warm site within a cool climate, the soil is free-draining quartz inflected mudstone soil over clay. The vineyard is planted to a large variety of Dijon clones as well as numerous other clones planted by the previous owners and all vineyard work is done as organically as possible. In 2019 a new planting including some Trousseau has been made on the steep north-west facing slope beside the main vineyard block.

Low yields, gently plunged twice a day, touch of whole bunch, 12 months in oak – red and blue fruits, hint of earthiness, graphite-like tannin.

It’s a complex offering with sweet herbs notes floating over game, earth, mint, orange peel and sweet-sour cherry flavours. It smells a bit ripe and raspberried but then the palate takes all manner of complex turns. There’s a laciness to the tannin, and a mineral-like aspect, with bunchy-herb notes ever-present and the general impression that everything has been carefully placed. Those ripe/sweet top notes were my only hesitation; everything else here feels excellent, most especially the finish. - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front, 93 Points.

The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal -  Pinot Noir
Country - Australia
Region - Tasmania
Vintage - 2021
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 13.2%