Pike & Joyce Adelaide Hills "W.J.J." Reserve Pinot Noir 2022 - Adelaide Hills, Australia

94/100 Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion 

92/100 Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion (2021 vintage)
91/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2021 vintage)
95/100 James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion (2020 vintage)

5 Star - Halliday Wine Companion

Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion "A mid-weighted weld of clonal rivets, bolstered with some whole-bunch briar and refined oak cladding to the tune of delicious pinot. This is very good and a varietal beacon among the very few remaining in the Adelaide Hills. White pepper and bunchy dill, yet not obtuse. Darker cherry and carnal delights are layered below. Savoury, dense and of considerable torque this drives long and it will, no doubt, age very well across the mid-term. Latent, explosive and plenty in store".

Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Medium depth red with faint purple and brick-red tints; the bouquet is reserved and sweet-cherry lifted, with sweet basil-like herbal hints. The wine is light-medium bodied and lean, but nicely balanced and very quaffable. Attractive flavour and freshness, backed by a little firmness from tannins, wholly appropriate." (2021 vintage)

Australian & New Zealand Boutique Wine Show "Lovely red fruits, great acid and tannin profile." (2021 vintage)

Australian & New Zealand Boutique Wine Show "Light-bodied. Good poise and flavour." (2021 vintage)

James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion "Clear, welcoming hue; a warm bouquet of dark cherries, spice and a background of forest floor, the palate building on the bouquet with a seductive, juicy mix of ripe fruit, discreet tannins and French oak. All in balance, all in harmony." (2020 vintage)

This is a partnership between the Pike family (of Clare Valley fame) and the Joyce family, related to Andrew Pike’s wife, Cathy.

The winery is situated in Lenswood, which is a subregion of the Adelaide Hills. The Adelaide Hills region is well-known for its cool climate, high-altitude vineyards, and diverse range of premium cool-climate wines.

The Joyce family have been orchardists at Lenswood for over 100 years and also have extensive operations in the Riverland. Together with Andrew they have established this vineyard site, which was previously apple and pear orchards, is characterized by steep North and East facing slopes and possesses fantastic gravelly clay and loam soils which are ideally suited to the classic cool climate varieties that have been planted – Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. to sauvignon blanc (5.9ha), pinot noir (5.73ha), pinot gris (3.22ha), chardonnay (3.18ha) and semillon (0.47ha). The wines are made at the Pikes’ Clare Valley winery and exported around the world.

The vineyard is all hand pruned and handpicked with the fruit being chilled overnight in the Joyce cool rooms. Traditional old world techniques as well as modern Australian winemaking are incorporated to produce a style which reflects the variety and region."

Pike & Joyce owns and operates vineyards covering around 32 hectares in the Lenswood area of Adelaide Hills. The vineyards are planted at varying altitudes, providing an excellent opportunity to grow a variety of grape varieties that thrive in the cool climate.

Pinot Noir is the dominant red wine grape of Burgundy, now produced in wine regions all over the world, including western Germany, northern Italy, Chile, South Africa, Australia and, perhaps most notably, California, Oregon and New Zealand.

The essence of Pinot Noir wine is its aroma of strawberry and cherry (fresh red cherries in lighter wines and stewed black cherries in weightier examples), underpinned in the most complex examples by hints of forest floor. Well-built Pinot Noirs, particularly from warmer harvests, also exhibit notes of leather and violets, sometimes approaching the flavor spectrum of Syrah.