2017 Holm Oak Vineyard Pinot Noir Tasmania Australia 750 ml

Tasmania is not what you think of when you think of sunny, roasting Australia: Located closer to Antarctica than all of the mainland, the island is cool, green, and lush—and absolutely perfect for Pinot Noir. 

And when we say “perfect,” you’ll taste it in the 2017 Holm Oak Pinot, which is one of the most balanced wines we’ve offered all year. Strawberry, cherry, and dried cranberry harmonize on the palate, swirling around with beautifully layered spice notes and vibrant acidity, which all lead to a finish redolent of great Burgundy, with hints of dried fruits, violets and mushroom. 

The cool and wet Tasmanian climate is what lets Pinot Noir thrive here, and the evidence is in the bottle at Holm Oak, which Wine Enthusiast called “classy and food-friendly,” declaring “[t]his is a pretty sexy wine.” We snagged this out from under some West Coast sommeliers, and are thrilled to share it.

Bec and Tim Duffy, the owners at Holm Oak (he runs point in the vineyards and she rules the cellar), have one of the oldest vineyard operations on Tassie (pronounced with a “z” sound, lest you want the Aussies to mock you). Situated on the sloping western bank of the Tamar River a few miles before it meets the sea, the estate takes its name from its previous claim to fame, wood from holm oaks that was used to make tennis rackets (the Aussie who won Wimbledon in 1933 used a racket made from this very property). Alas, it turns out titanium is better for tennis, so Bec’s parents replaced the trees with vines in 1983.

The rocky soils and cool, gentle climate here are just what Pinot needs to thrive, and the result is a delightful nod to  Burgundy, with a New World sensibility. The strawberry-cherry fruit is ripe and silky like an American Pinot, but the mushroom notes and tea-like tannins point to France. We think of it as Santenay meets the Willamette Valley.  

At Holm Oak, Riesling and the Burgundian varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, are the stars. If that sounds like New Zealand, you’re not wrong—that country’s South Island is actually on a similar latitude, and in a lot of ways Tasmania has more in common with the Kiwi nation than with its own. Both New Zealand and Tasmania feature some of the world’s most mercurial weather, and locals in Tassie even joke that you can experience four seasons in a day. 

The earliest Pinot vines planted in Tasmania were for the production of base material for sparkling wines, but the Duffys are making gorgeous still Pinot for the table. Tim and Bec mostly hand-harvest their 12 hectares and rely on spontaneous fermentation in small open-top containers. Daily manual punchdowns are the rule during fermentation, before pressing into French barriques for malolactic and then nine months of élevage. That time in barrels (chosen for their fine grain, 20-25% new, low and medium toast) adds just the right amount of weight and spice. 

Savory, floral, spicy, and fresh, this is a remarkably versatile wine. While the Duffys recommend quail as a pairing, Holm Oak Pinot Noir will suit a Mediterranean mezze plate or a grilled pork tenderloin just as beautifully. The Duffys’ motto at Holm Oak is “Nunc est bibendum,” a quote from the Roman poet Horace, meaning “Now is the time for drinking!” There’s just over a thousand cases made each year, so take their advice and get pouring.