Hesketh Unfinished Business Pinot Noir 2023

Pinot lovers are a curious lot. They’d often be much happier paying $50 or $100 for a bottle, or in the case of Burgundy, ten times that, than they seem when they encounter an example under $20. Suspicion abounds, give this a try, it will change perceptions. The fruit is sourced from the Limestone Coast. A crimson/garnet, the nose exhibits notes of undergrowth and raspberries, with cherries and fresh strawberries. Offering medium length, seamless texture and sleek tannins, this is delicious. Enjoy it for the next three to four years. If I told you it cost $50, I reckon some Pinotphiles would buy it by the case. At this price, they turn up their nose. Curious, indeed. Points: 91/100

Wine Pilot ∙ 1st May 2025

The idea of a $16 Pinot Noir might cause quite a few hearts and minds to skip a beat, and so it should. This is a perfectly decent Pinot from South Australia’s south-east, where there’s quite a bit of excitement brewing about the variety, especially in the Mt Gambier region – the source of portions of this wine together with Coonawarra fruit. First impressions in the glass are of sour cherry with a dusting of minerally earth, then a burst of bright red plum and cranberry-like fruit with grape-skin spice and texture, white peppery in the finish. Fresh and lively, it’s totally on trend in its light to medium weight styling. Points: 91/100

Wine Pilot ∙ 12th Apr 2025