William Downie 'Cathedral' Pinot Noir 2024
The Wine
A blend of around 70% Mornington Peninsula and 30% King Valley Pinot Noir. The season was mild, and the resulting wines have great aromatics, balance and finesse.
The wine shows bright raspberry, pomegranate and red currant fruits as well as cherry pit and rose petals. The palate is fine and chewy with more red fruits as well as cinnamon, mace and clove characters. It is precise and well defined.
While the wine is not intended for long-term cellaring it will benefit from 3 to 5 years rest. Bill Downie
The Details
Variety - Pinot Noir
Country - Australia
Region - Victoria
Extra - Screwcap
Year - 2024
Volume - 750ml
About the Wine Maker 
William Downie stands as a benchmark for minimal intervention, site-specific Pinot Noir in Australia. His focus has always been on the grape, evidenced by his time spent in Burgundy at Domaines Fourrier and Hubert Lignier, followed by roles at Bass Phillip in Gippsland and De Bortoli. In 2003, he launched his own label, producing Pinot from the Yarra Valley, Gippsland, and the Mornington Peninsula.
Currently, his attention is on the lesser-known Gippsland region, where he and his wife Rachel manage a farm and oversee additional vineyards in the area. His winemaking philosophy is one of low intervention. Unlike some Aussie winemakers, William is not dogmatic; he diligently monitors hygiene, temperature, and pH levels to ensure his wines are pristine, using sulphur as necessary. His goal is to represent his terroir faithfully. William believes, "The intrigue of Australian Pinot Noir lies in its ancient soils.
"The vines have a significant, age-old tale to convey—a story that's vast, subtle, and nuanced. Extracting this story requires a gentle and delicate touch."
