“To say these are some of the finest Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays made in Australia is an understatement… they are really some of the best examples of those grapes anywhere in the world. These wines teem with the energy of Gilli and Paul and of the healthy, pristine vineyard they have created. The labour of love here is as profound as the results.” - Jonathan Ross MW and Jane Lopes MS

Sailor Seeks Horse. It's a great name for a winery, don't you think, but how did it come about? Apparently, there was a handwritten sign on the wall at the winery's local coffee shop, which said “Sailor Seeks Horse...” and went on to explain that the author had sailed solo around the world and ridden across the US from coast to coast and back again... on a mule. He’d then decided he wanted to travel around Tasmania by horse but didn’t have one. So, he asked if someone would lend him one and if they didn’t have a horse, then a pony would do. It was an idea that resonated with the winemakers, Paul and Gilli Lipscombe, because they felt like they were about to embark on something a little bit crazy, without much money, and requiring a little bit of help to get to where they wanted to be, so they settled on the name and we think it's great!

It's not quite as pale as their 'Small Wonder' Pinot Noir (available from all good wine merchants), but it's still translucent and beautifully-perfumed, with wild forest berries, soft petals, blood orange, summer pudding, woody spice and dried orange peel, leading to a delicately succulent palate that speaks of cool-climate elegance. Only 5% of the wine saw whole bunch fermentation, but it really gives it an aromatic lift, as does the 10% new oak. Our allocation was minuscule, so there's not a lot to go around, but we think we might be in the presence of something very special here. Drink now-2030.

Press review:

The Wine Companion: “Huon Valley Pinot Noir, wild ferment, 5% whole bunch, 12 months' maturation in a mix of barriques, hogsheads and puncheons, 10% new. Mid-ruby with aromas of wild strawberry, red and dark cherry with hints of raspberry coulis, Chinese barbecue joint, sous bois, nori, souk spices, crushed stone and low-volume wood spice. Spacious and silken, with just a scattering of amaro herbs, a touch of brine to the acidity and sapidity and ease of drinking galore.” 96 points

EXTREMELY LIMITED. MAXIMUM 2 BOTTLES PER CUSTOMER. NOT AVAILABLE ON ITS OWN, MUST BE PART OF AN ORDER THAT MEETS OUR MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OF 6 BOTTLES. UK MAINLAND ONLY.