The 2023 Fetherston Fungi Pinot Noir is a wine that speaks in hushed tones but carries a great deal of information. It does not begin with fruit. It begins with earth. Grown in cooler pockets of the Upper Yarra, this wine captures that interplay between site and season, with a vintage that delivered clarity and tension. The result is Pinot Noir with a savoury core and a distinct sense of the forest floor — not rustic, but refined, like nature studied closely and translated through silk.
In the glass, it is a pale garnet, limpid and pure, with a glint of rose gold at the rim. The aromatics are fine and savoury, led not by berry but by forest character. Dried shiitake, fresh-turned earth, bay leaf and damp sandstone form the foundation. With air, red fruit begins to emerge — sour cherry, cranberry and redcurrant — along with delicate florals, dried rose and violet, and a flicker of orange peel. There is spice here, but it is subtle and dry. More Szechuan pepper and sandalwood than clove or toast. The oak sits back, used not to flavour but to sculpt.
The palate is restrained and mineral, with acidity doing the architectural work. The wine enters with precision, red fruit stretched taut over a spine of stone and tannin. Cherry skin and pomegranate dominate early, followed by savoury notes of dried herbs, black tea and a hint of mushroom broth. There is a slight herbal bitterness on the back palate, not jarring, but palate-cleansing and refined. Tannins are ultra-fine but structured, giving the wine length and tension rather than plushness. The texture is delicate but persistent, the kind of Pinot that draws your focus inward.
The finish is clean and long, trailing off in a line of red fruit skin, mineral dust and forest spice. It is not a wine that fades into sweetness. It ends dry, savoury and precise, encouraging food and thought in equal measure. The 2023 vintage gives it cool structure and aromatic lift, favouring elegance and detail over weight.
Pair it with dishes that echo its umami core. Grilled duck with miso glaze, porcini risotto with thyme, or even roasted cauliflower with sesame and soy would highlight its depth. It would also shine with a soft-ripened cheese that brings both funk and cream, like washed-rind cow’s milk styles from the Yarra. Serve it just below room temperature, in a large glass, and let it breathe gently. It does not need a decanter. It needs time and attention.
The 2023 Fungi Pinot Noir from Fetherston is not about primary fruit or surface appeal. It is a wine of depth, savour and structure. A wine that feels grown rather than made. It rewards curiosity, patience and thoughtful pairing, and it stands as one of the more distinctive voices in a region often chasing polish. This is Pinot for those who crave tension, subtlety and a sense of the forest floor underfoot. A bottle with character — and spine.
94
