The 2025 Dappled Lieu-dit Series Gladysdale Pinot Noir is a single-vineyard expression from one of the Upper Yarra Valley’s coolest and most highly regarded Pinot Noir sites. Crafted with a minimalist philosophy, it highlights the distinctive character of the Gladysdale vineyard through gentle extraction, wild fermentation, and restrained French oak maturation, producing a wine of purity, perfume, and precision.
The bouquet is beautifully aromatic, opening with vibrant wild strawberry, red cherry and cranberry, layered with rose petal, blood orange zest and subtle hints of whole-bunch spice. As the wine evolves in the glass, delicate notes of forest floor, dried herbs, black tea and fine savoury spice emerge, adding complexity without overshadowing the fruit. The oak remains discreet, contributing nuances of cedar and gentle spice rather than sweetness.
On the palate, the wine is finely structured and exceptionally elegant, with silky tannins framing bright red fruits of Morello cherry, raspberry and pomegranate. A vibrant line of natural acidity carries the wine effortlessly across the palate, while underlying mineral tension and subtle earthy complexity provide depth and persistence. The finish is long, graceful and savoury, lingering with notes of crushed red berries, spice and a delicate stony freshness.
