Plantagenet "Normand" Pinot Noir 2025 - Mt. Barker, Western Australia

94/100 Ray Jordan
93/100 Wine Pilot
91/100 Wine Pilot (2024 vintage)
Bronze - Mike Bennie, Wine Companion (2024 vintage)

5 Stars Winery - James Halliday

Bronze - Korea Wine Challenge (2024 vintage)

Ray Jordan "The fruit is sourced entirely from the Rocky Horror vineyard using only clone 777. The nose is still quite closed, although attractive cherry and raspberry notes are already emerging. Hand-picked and matured in 20% new French barriques. The colour is bright and lustrous, while perfumed aromatics lead into a palate that is more structured than the Angevin. It has body and structure, yet there is an appealing warmth and fleshiness."

Wine Pilot "This has been a consistent wine for Plantagenet over the years, and it always seems to deliver. In this case, the nose shows some subtle gumleaf, dark cherry aromas, while the light-bodied palate has a slightly firmish structure with the chalky tannins working neatly into the medium weight fruit. Combination of cherry and raspberry with some very subtle dusty truffly characters. It’s still surprisingly tight, and I suspect with further bottle age, it will evolve rather neatly."

James Suckling "Fresh, vibrant aromas of red cherries, wild raspberries, orange peel, dried herbs and subtle spices. The medium-bodied, supple palate has soft tannins and lively acidity, showing pomegranate and pencil shavings. Juicy and approachable."

Mike Bennie, Wine Companion "A neat and tidy, soft pinot noir with red cherry, raspberry, clove and cedar spice, tobacco notes and some bitter herb qualities. The wine feels quite firm and drying through the finish." (2024 vintage)

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.