Wignalls Pinot Noir 1988 Wholesale Price $169.95, inc. tax. Those who have flown from Adelaide to Perth on a clear day may have glanced down at the town of Albany at the extreme south of Western Australia far below; a settlement which from twenty thousand feet appears to exist without reason. In the absolute middle of nowhere, buildings and streets cluster against the coastline, in stark contrast to the emptiness of land and sea on either side. Hurtling past , you wonder what the inhabitants of Albany actually do to pass their time. Bill Wignall has the answer. He grows grapes. Wignall’s King River Vineyard, 6 kms to the town’s north-east, is planted to chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and pinot noir, totalling five and a half acres. Although his vines are still very young, Wignall’s wines, made by illustrious former Wynns Coonawarra man John Wade, have all impressed. The particular star, however, is unquestionably the pinot noir, whose depth and flavour must leave many other winemakers turning green with envy. The 1987 Pinot Noir showed the sort of potential that the 1988 is beginning to realise. Its confident, deep red colour leaves a favourable first impression which the nose and palate only serve to confirm. It’s not particularly Burgundian, but it’s very pinot noir. Cherries, violets and plums and fresh oak combine with the genuine gamey flavours often found in good pinot, finishing long and firm. The wine is soft, luxuriant and rich; supple enough to drink right now. It doesn’t disappoint, but goes on and on. Its balance, depth of berry fruit flavour and structure will help it improve significantly in the bottle for at least three years. Only time and experience will tell if it lasts longer. When you take time to think about it, there is no reason why Albany should not produce some of the best fruit for winemaking in Australia. Its southerly latitude and proximity to the sea protect it from extreme heat, while the sea itself provides a temperature-buffering effect, which ensures the vineyard and its environment experiences moderate changes in temperature, so the days and nights are hardly ever too hot or too cold. Budburst is exceptionally early, yet vintage finishes extremely late, amongst the latest in Western Australia. The long, even ripening period helps to achieve fruit of rare flavour and character, which become John Wade’s task to retain at the Plantaganet winery in (relatively) nearby Mount Barker. The Wignalls vineyard is 5 kms from the sea on a warm northerly site overlooking a valley. It has a gravelley soil overlaying rock and then free-draining clay, creating favourable conditions for healthy vine growth. A retired vetinary surgeon, Bill Wignall works the vineyard and cellar door with his wife Pat and son Robert. They control the insects and snails naturally, using free-roaming guinea fowl to handle the insects and ducks to manage the local snail population to bearable levels. Personally I suspect both avarian species have an alternative purpose. I would find it difficult not to pluck, roast and serve them with the local pinot noir on Sundays. Who says you have to go to Vosne-Romanee to experience that sort of thing? Western Australia has another serious pinot noir to add to the Moss Wood and Leeuwin Estate. The Wignalls Pinot Noir should only become more impressive with time, as the vineyard matures and the winemaker and growers learn more about its fruit. Who knows where it might end? Feel confident in recommending this wine with stronger foods. It’s no sissy. For distribution enquiries, call the vineyard on (098) 41 2848.
