Domaine Histoire D’enfer, L’enfer Du Calcaire Pinot Noir 2019,
Six Pinot Noir wines have won Platinum medals at the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA). The competition is the world’s largest wine competition and is considered one of the most prestigious. More than 18,000 wines were entered into the recently concluded 2024 judging. Below are tasting notes for the six winners and some background on their producers. All six medalists received identical scores of 97/100 points.
Domaine Histoire D’enfer, L’enfer Du Calcaire Pinot Noir 2019, 13.9% ABV, 750 ml
Domaine Histoire D’enfer is a boutique winery in Salquenen, Valais, Switzerland. Established with a focus on high-quality, small-batch production, the winery’s name, “Histoire D’enfer,” translates to “History of Hell,” reflecting the challenging yet rewarding viticulture of its region. The winery is dedicated to expressing the unique terroir of Valais through its wines.
The vineyards are characterized by soils rich in limestone, contributing to the minerality and elegance of the wines.
This Pinot Noir reveals a stunning ruby color with a bouquet that features aromas of ripe red cherries, cranberries and subtle floral notes. The palate is nuanced and complex, with layers of red fruits, minerality and a touch of spice. The texture is silky, with fine, well-ripened tannins and balanced acidity that leads to a long, elegant finish. The limestone influence is evident, adding a distinct minerality and freshness to the wine.
The DWWA jury described the wine as exhibiting:
Enchanting raspberry, strawberry and freshly picked cherries charm and delight with a delicious infusion of sumptuous red licorice, clove and star anise rippling alongside. Broad and warm with a sizzling, gravelly tone of mineral tannin. Superb!
Audeant Wines, Luminous Hills Pinot Noir 2021, 12.9% ABV, 750 ml
Audeant Wines, located in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, is a small, family-owned winery dedicated to crafting premium Pinot Noir wines. The winery emphasizes sustainable farming practices and minimal intervention in the winemaking process to preserve the purity of the fruit and the distinct characteristics of the vineyard.
The vineyards are situated on a mixture of volcanic and sedimentary soils at an altitude of approximately 213 meters above sea level.
Luminous Hills Pinot Noir is a vibrant and expressive wine with a deep garnet hue. The nose is filled with aromas of black cherries, raspberries and a touch of earthiness. It offers a rich texture on the palate with flavors of dark fruits, cocoa and a touch of spice. The wine is well structured with fine tannins and bright acidity, culminating in a long and nuanced finish.
The DWWA judging panel described the wine as exhibiting:
Crushed ripe cherries and fragrant red flowers leap from the glass and cascade over the crisp, youthful palate; with an enveloping texture, smooth, silky tannins and clean, strident acidity. Impressively long and memorable.
Bay of Fires, Pinot Noir 2022, 13.6% ABV, 750 ml
Bay of Fires, Pinot Noir 2022, 13.6% ABV, 750 ml
Bay of Fires is a prominent winery in Tasmania, Australia, renowned for its cool climate wines. The winery’s location provides ideal conditions for growing high-quality Pinot Noir, characterized by intense flavors and balanced acidity. The vineyards feature sandy loam and volcanic soils, which help produce wines with great finesse and complexity.
This Bay of Fires Pinot Noir is elegant and refined, displaying a beautiful translucent ruby color. The nose reveals aromas of violets, blackberries and a touch of spice. The palate is silky and smooth, with flavors of dark cherries, plums and subtle oak tones. The wine has vibrant acidity and fine tannins that provide structure and length, leading to a graceful finish.
In describing the wine, the DWWA Judging Panel noted:
Before 2024, we’d never had a Tasmanian Pinot in our Best In Show selection. This year, we’ve got two. Was it because 2022 was such a sensational vintage? Not really — the east coast of the island suffered through a spectacularly cold and wet season; elsewhere on the island, however, conditions actually ranged from good to excellent.
The first wine in our pairing is a Pan-Tasmanian blend featuring fruit sourced from a variety of regions. It’s a deep, translucent red with warm, firm aromas of plum, cherry and raspberry, only teased towards sweetness with subtle oak. It’s warm, supple and full-bodied, built on the same core of subtly blended fruit with soft natural acidity and fine tannins, the combination giving the wine an almost silky charm. This measured, restrained winemaking lays the foundation for a Pinot that is extremely easy to drink, yet at the same time deeply satisfying and highly receptive – a Pinot to enjoy on its own, to chill with fish or to serve at cool room temperature with white meats and salads.
Yarra Yering, Pinot Noir 2022, 13% ABV, 750 ml
Yarra Yering is one of the most iconic wineries in the Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1969, it has a long history of producing exceptional wines that reflect the terroir of the region.
The vineyards are planted in a mixture of clay loam and volcanic soils, which enhances the aromatic complexity and structure of the wines.
The Yarra Yering Pinot Noir is a wine of great elegance and complexity. It is a light ruby colour with fragrant aromas of red fruits, roses and a hint of forest floor on the nose. The wine is finely textured on the palate with flavours of strawberries, cherries and delicate spices. The tannins are smooth and silky, complemented by a refreshing acidity that enhances the wine’s length and balance.
The DWWA judging panel described the wine as being:
Alive with bright red cherry, raspberry and strawberry with just a subtle hint of five-spice oak. Solid and smooth with velvety tannins and a melting spine of acidity. Long and lingering with a vanilla and plum finish.
Lowestoft, Single Vineyard Jacoben Pinot Noir 2022, 13.5% ABV, 750 ml
Lowestoft, Single Vineyard Jacoben Pinot Noir 2022, 13.5% ABV, 750 ml
Lowestoft is a premium wine producer in the Derwent Valley, Tasmania, Australia. The winery focuses on single vineyard expressions that highlight the distinct characteristics of their unique terroirs. The vineyards are characterised by sandy loam over clay, which helps produce wines with depth and complexity.
This Single Vineyard Jacoben Pinot Noir is a testament to the exceptional quality of Tasmanian Pinot Noir. It displays a brilliant ruby colour with a bouquet of red cherries, wild strawberries and subtle floral notes on the nose. The palate is rich and layered, offering flavours of dark fruit, earthy tones and a touch of spice. The wine is well structured with refined, well-integrated tannins and vibrant acidity, leading to a long, elegant finish.
In describing the wine, the DWWA Judging Panel noted:
The second of this year’s excellent 2022 Tasmanian Pinot Noirs comes from the Derwent Valley, north of Hobart and in the rain shadow of Mount Wellington. The region can be susceptible to drought in hot summers, but in the wettest season of 2022 its location stood it in good stead.
This is a darker wine than its Pan-Tasmanian counterpart, but beautifully crafted: singing red fruit with no hint of oak, and with the intrinsic grace and charm of the Derwent Valley fruit well to the fore. On the palate, it’s pure, bright and full-bodied, bursting with juicy raspberry; the tannins and acids are smooth and supportive. They nourish and ease the gorgeous core of fruit through the palate to a gently descending finish. There’s just a hint of tarry complexity behind those fruits. Virtuoso work from a Pinot region of extraordinary promise.
McArthur Ridge, Southern Tor Pinot Noir 2022, 13.5% ABV, 750 ml
McArthur Ridge is located in the Alexandra Basin, Central Otago, New Zealand. The winery is known for its high-altitude vineyards, which produce Pinot Noir with distinct character and depth. The vineyards feature shale, gravel and sandy loam soils, which contribute to the concentration and minerality of the wines.
Southern Tor Pinot Noir is a beautifully crafted wine with a deep ruby color. The nose is expressive, with aromas of blackberries, dark cherries, and a touch of spice. The palate is rich and focused, with layers of ripe fruit, earthy notes, and well-integrated oak. The tannins are firm yet velvety, and the wine’s bright acidity provides balance and length, resulting in a complex and satisfying finish.
When commenting on the wine, the DWWA Judging Panel noted:
We may not have found any Burgundian Pinot Noirs to feature in this year’s Best In Show selection, but three Southern Hemisphere Pinots make up for it. This example from the Alexandra Basin sub-region shows why there’s so much excitement about Central Otago.
It is a translucent dark red in color, with articulate aromas of warm red fruits, red cherries, and root spices. It is softly articulated on the palate and sweet-fruity, with great grace and balance. The wine’s structure comes more prominently from its acidity than from its relatively muted tannin profile. In just two years, it has already begun to soften and open up; look for stoniness and an herbal complexity, as well as root spices, on the finish.
These six wines were recognized for their exceptional quality, reflecting the unique terroirs and winemaking expertise of their respective producers. They are undoubtedly among the finest Pinot Noir wines in the world.
