Ghost Rock 'Supernatural' Pinot Noir 2020

We’re always on the hunt for great value Pinot Noir, wines that deliver quality and flavour for under $30, but this has been hard to come by in Australia after a run of very difficult, low yielding vintages. We didn’t expect to find it in Tasmania, which is having a surge in attention and quality with new ventures and plantings taking place and a young generation of skilled winemakers making the move south. However, on a recent trip to Hobart, we saw and tasted the Ghost Rock Supernatural Pinot Noir at several top restaurants and couldn’t believe the quality and delicious drinkability.

Land for Ghost Rock vineyards was purchased and subsequently in 1999 by Cate and Colin Arnold, in the cool northern reaches of the island, wedged on the coast between Devonport and Port Sorrell. The climate is cold, wet, wild and windy here, more challenging than the dry vineyard areas in the south east. The Arnold family planted 27 hectares of close planted vines on loam, clay and volcanic soils. Everything they produce for Ghost Rock is from these vineyards and produced on site with minimal intervention (nothing added here). Their son Justin (winemaker) and his wife Alicia now own and manage the winery, installing a state of the art winery, cellar door and cooking school. 

The Supernatural release is the first Pinot Noir from Ghost Rock, made up from three vineyards on the property. It is the third release of this wine and each has been a cracker. The brief for ‘Supernatural’ is being bound by high quality, estate grown fruit, with some imagination and craft, whilst adding nothing in and taking nothing away. The wines are wild fermented and unfined and unfiltered.

The wine has power, intensity and depth that is rare for Pinot Noir under $30. The fruit flavours are rich and dark, black berries, plums and blue fruits. The texture is supple, with savoury spice, pine and fresh herb flavours. The wine has intensity, mid palate strength but is as clean as a whistle as it moves through the palate, leaving you ready for another gulp.

This is a no brainer for Pinot lovers and a great small family estate from off the beaten track that is worth keeping an eye on. We hope you enjoy the wines. Snap them up now, as while cheap, they are also in short supply, and always run out.

Cheers,

Tom and Dan