Overview
The 2024 Dexter Pinot Noir is a single vineyard Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir from Tod and Debbie Dexter's Tuerong site. Bright, aromatic and finely structured, it captures the cool-climate lift of wild strawberry, cherry, spice and floral detail, with a small whole-bunch component adding extra perfume and complexity.
Vintage & Winemaking
The 2024 growing season began with mild spring temperatures, followed by heavy rainfall from December to February. While disease pressure was high across the region, Dexter's lower-elevation, northern Mornington Peninsula site retained clean, disease-free fruit. Cool late-summer temperatures allowed ideal ripening, with natural acidity and strong flavour concentration.
Each clone was hand picked separately at optimal ripeness. Fruit was destemmed without crushing and placed into small open fermenters, where the whole berry must cold soaked for two to three days before fermentation. A portion of the MV6 clone was whole-bunch fermented with ten days of carbonic maceration, making up around 5% of the final blend. Fermentation peaked at around 32°C, with cap plunging up to twice per day. The wine was gently pressed to French oak puncheons, with 25% new oak, 10% second use, 25% third use and 40% older oak, where malolactic fermentation occurred before winter. It was bottled in late December 2024, 11 months after harvest.
Product Highlights
- Single vineyard Pinot Noir from Dexter's Mornington Peninsula estate.
- 94 points from Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion.
- MV6, D5V12 and Pommard Pinot Noir clones.
- Whole berry fermentation with around 5% whole bunch.
- Drinking window from 2026 to 2034.
Critic Scores & Reviews
94 Points - Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion
"A lovely wine, pretty and aromatic, juicy and supple... It's lighter framed and elegant, with fine tannins." Published 16 June 2025.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Wild strawberry and raspberry pie, with five spice, nutmeg and lifted floral components.
Palate
Just-ripe cherry, plum sauce and Sichuan pepper lead the soft entry, with confected fruit and spice from the whole-bunch component. Lattice-like tannins provide structure and depth.
Finish
Savoury in detail, with fruit sweetness carrying the finish and expected to build with time.
Food Pairing
Pairs well with duck, roast chicken, mushroom dishes, charcuterie, salmon, pork and lightly spiced Asian dishes.
Cellaring Potential
Drink from 2026 to 2034.
About Dexter Wines
Dexter Wines is based at Tuerong on the Mornington Peninsula, where Tod and Debbie Dexter planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in 1987. Tod Dexter's experience includes seven years at Cakebread Cellars in Napa Valley and a decade as head winemaker at Stonier Wines. The Dexter vineyard is planted on a north-facing slope, shaped by natural drainage, cooling sea breezes and careful site management.
Specifications
- Producer: Dexter Wines
- Vintage: 2024
- Country: Australia
- Region: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
- Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
- Clones: MV6 37%, D5V12 26%, Pommard 21%
- Wine Style: Red Wine - Light and Perfumed
- Oak Maturation: French oak puncheons, 25% new
- Alcohol: 13.3%
- pH: 3.49
- Total Acidity: 5.75g/L
- Bottle Size: 750ml
