Plantagenet "Normand" Pinot Noir 2023 - Mt. Barker, Western Australia

94/100 Ray Jordan
92/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit
92/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review
92/100 James Suckling
90/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review
95/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2022 vintage)
92/100 James Suckling (2022 vintage)
Bronze - Mike Bennie, Halliday Wine Companion
98/100 WineState (2021 vintage)
94/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit (2021 vintage)
94/100 Ray Jordan (2021 vintage)
93/100 James Suckling (2021 vintage)
90/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (2021 vintage)
90/100 Stuart Knox, The Real Review (2021 vintage)
92/100 Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion (2020 vintage)
91/100 James Suckling (2020 vintage)
90/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2020 vintage)

5 Stars Winery - James Halliday

Ray Jordan "This is a mighty impressive young Pinot from this super Pinot season. Really captures the subtlety of the variety but there is structure and driving intensity here delivered on a light to medium body. High energy red berry aromas with a little limestone and damp earthy complexity. Has a fine defining acidity which carries through to the long finish. Will handle cellaring."

Sam Kim, Wine Orbit "This is immediately appealing on the nose, showing sweet cherry, strawberry, thyme and almond notes with a spicy overtone. The palate offers juicy fruit intensity together with beautifully rounded mouthfeel and polished tannins, making it soothing and delightfully appealing."

Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Dark fruits, deep and brooding, plush and generous. A pinot of richness and promise."

James Suckling "This fresh and bright pinot noir has notes of raspberries, bark, licorice and red plums on the nose. It’s medium-bodied, bright and supple, with soft tannins and a deliciously red-fruited finish."

Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Deep and bright purple-red colour, impressive, the aromas fresh and bright with stacks of primary fruit but not simplistic. There are dried-herb/forest-floor, fivespice and dried mushrooms giving plenty of umami, the palate intense and deep, with excellent tannin structure and fleshy extract. A big and very stylish pinot with real panache. It promises to age well too." (2022 vintage)

James Suckling "This is a bright and juicy pinot with aromas of strawberries, raspberries, red cherries and mushrooms. Red tea, too. It’s medium-bodied with fine, sleek tannins and a lively finish." (2022 vintage)

Mike Bennie, Halliday Wine Companion "It's a raucous, riper expression of pinot noir, all glossy textured, sweet and rich fruited in bright kirsch and soft, red plums, cranberry and pomegranate juice scents and flavours accompanied by smoky cinnamon and clove spice. Tannins are fine, lending a gentle grip. Flavours dissipate somewhat quickly with each sip, a bit overly smoky to finish, too, but what's here is pleasing and should appeal to those seeking overt, easygoing pinot noir." (2022 vintage)

WineState "A big wine with dark plum-like fruit fragrances with dusty oak. The long, well-structured palate is intense with delicious red fruit flavours, sweet spices and racy acid." (2021 vintage)

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "Coffee oak frames the 2021 Normand Pinot Noir, giving it density and gravitas up front. The fruit is bright red, with redcurrants, cherry and allspice littered throughout. While the oak is prominent, it certainly matches the fruit profile and plays out nicely through the fresh finish. One of the better Normands." (2021 vintage)

Ray Jordan "Chalky tannins and neatly introduced oak combine perfectly....Fragrant and highly perfumed pinot noir which stacks up rather well. Has a violet and red confectionary character on the nose with a palate that is light bodied but structured. " (2021 vintage)

James Suckling "Aromas of sliced strawberries, red cherries, chicory root and violets. Medium-bodied with silky tannins. Juicy and pleasantly driven. Oolong and moss come through. Layered and nicely structured." (2021 vintage)

Stuart Knox, The Real Review "Bright ruby red in the glass. Nose lifts with sweet black cherries, mountain herb and broken slate aromas. Forward fruit sits sweet and voluptuous as it glides across the palate, layers of anise and cinnamon fill in the gaps. A fuller style but it is controlled with grace by a fine tannin line that carries it long and dries the finish." (2021 vintage)

Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion "Raspberry, strawberry and a sprinkling of fresh coffee grounds. The tannins are very fine and leave a trace of metal/aniseed/licorice. The aftertaste fires back up with the cherry and strawberry. Pure and pretty, the colour is moving towards hot pink." (2020 vintage)

James Suckling "This is a light, bright and elegant pinot with fresh red cherries, raspberries and sappy notes. Plenty of fresh raspberry and blood-orange fruit on the palate. Finishes lithe and fresh." (2020 vintage)

Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Deepish red/purple, excellent colour, with a bouquet that is a little quiet at this stage but has very good underlying aromas, suggesting ripe cherry, autumn leaves and forest-floor. The wine is medium-bodied, with good intensity and quite firm tannins, leaving a cleansing finish. A touch of raspberry bonbons. An appetising wine that promises to unfold more after a little more time in the bottle. Very good—and serious value for money." (vintage 2020)

Western Australian winery, Plantagenent is acclaimed internationally for its consistently highly-awarded, quality wines produced from its five vineyards located in the cool climate region of the Great Southern. It is known for its highly aromatic riesling, tangy citrus-tinged chardonnay, exceptional Rhône-style shiraz and suberb cabernet sauvignon. The five estate vineyards are overseen by Chief Viticulturist Jordan Ellis whose philosophy is sustainability and remaining true to the terroir of the region.

The Real Review "Plantegent is a pioneer of the Great Southern region of Western Australia with vineyards first planted in 1986 and the first commercial winery established in the region. Celebrated for its rich heritage, the winery is owned the Lionel Samson family, the oldest family owned business in Western Australia established in Fremantle in 1829. Plantaganet has five vineyards in the Mount Barker sub region each with the unique characteristics, ancient soils and a cool maritime climate cretaing expressive wines of provenance, quality & prestige. "

James Halliday, Halliday Australian Wine Companion "Plantagenet has honed its flagship varieties into a distinct Great Southern wine style; a depth of lively flavour, seamless elegance and natural purity"

The Great Southern is emerging as a wine region of international significance and reputation. It is the largest wine growing region in Australia and is the second largest producer of grapes in Western Australia. It is a landscape of forested cliffs and resplendent mountain ranges, grazing pastures and towns steeped in history. The regional climate ranges from the coastal, maritime subregions of Albany and Denmark to the inland, continental subregions of Mount Barker, Porongurup and Frankland River. The predominant soils are similar to those of the Margaret River region - either lateritic gravelly sandy loams (marri country) or sandy loams deriving directly from granite and gneissic bedrocks. Near perfect conditions for grape growing has lured some of the most creative and talented winemakers to call this land their home and become part of its ancient story.

The region is known for commitment to be sustainable, and organic, and is attracting some of Australia’s best winemakers. In 2023 the region dominated the Halliday Wine Companion Awards with its Top Rated 2023 Rieslings winning 10 of the top 40 awards. Other varietals from the region also received exceptional ratings of 97, 96 & 95 points.

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.