The 2016 Pinot Noir Basalt Block aged 12 months in 27% new French oak. Medium ruby-purple, it is scented of warm red currant, cranberries, macerated blackberries and Morello cherries with accents of grapefruit peel, rose petals, fragrant earth and amaro. The medium-bodied palate explodes with ripe, nuanced fruits, firmly framed and fresh with a long, perfumed finish. 990 cases produced.

Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Pinot Noir Basalt Block is youthfully coiled and shy, giving up notions of crushed red and black cherry, licorice, cardamom, forest floor and hints of rose petal and violet—this has plenty of lurking layers. The palate is medium-bodied and concentrated with firm, very finely grained tannins and great freshness to lift the density of flavor on the long mineral finish. Give this time in bottle—it’s going to be great.

Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2014 Pinot Noir Basalt Block opens with a powerful note of granite giving way to aromas of freshly sliced blueberries and crushed black cherries with accents of dried leaves, fresh pipe tobacco and hints of dried flowers and peppercorn—this is still very youthfully coiled. Medium-bodied, it gives concentrated blue and black fruits in the mouth with pretty notions of flowers, spice and a strong mineral line. It’s held together with fine, grainy tannins and wonderful refreshing acidity to carry the long flavorful finish. Give it time in bottle.

The 2013 Pinot Noir Basalt Block was picked at just 1.5-ton per acre from 26-27 September and on 3 October, matured for 12 months in 25% new French oak. It offers blackberry and bilberry on the nose, touches of crushed violet and later blackcurrant pastilles emerging. The palate has a sharp seam of acidity, very minerally and stony in style, masculine for a Pinot Noir with an almost saturnine finish that lingers long in the mouth. Saline and surly (in an attractive way), cellar this enigmatic Pinot Noir for a couple of years.

The 2012 Pinot Noir Basalt Block was picked October 11-13 and sees 13 months in French oak (27% new). It has a tightly knit bouquet with autumn leaves littered over the brambly black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with dusty black fruit on the entry, fine and slightly brittle tannin, hints of black truffle and wild mushroom infusing the black fruit with quite an austere finish. This constitutes and very natural, refined Pinot Noir.