# Palatial Pinot Noir (2025)

- **Producer:** Elephant In The Room
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Pinot Noir
- **Region:** South Australia, Australia
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €11
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 14–16 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, blackberry, raspberry, herbaceous, smoke, vanilla, cloves, forest floor

## About this wine

Elephant in the Room was created by Fourth Wave Wine, founded by Nicholas and Frances Crampton, to challenge the traditional wine establishment. Under the direction of acclaimed winemaker Corey Ryan, the brand rebels against ultra-light, austere Pinot Noirs, championing a bolder, more mouth-filling style with the slogan 'Fashion 0. Flavour 10.' Sourced from the cool-climate region of Mount Gambier in South Australia, this wine offers an accessible, plush, and highly expressive profile that bridges the gap between cool-climate elegance and generous fruit weight.

## Interesting facts

- Created to rebel against the 'wine style police' with the bold brand slogan: 'Fashion 0. Flavour 10.'
- Features a dual fermentation process, including 10% whole-bunch fruit in open fermenters.
- One of Australia's fastest-selling Pinot Noirs, offering a bolder style than traditional cool-climate examples.

## Food pairing

This Pinot Noir's bright acidity and moderate tannins make it incredibly versatile. It pairs beautifully with rich, gamey meats like duck, where the wine's acidity cuts through the fat, and earthy dishes like mushroom risotto, which complement its subtle forest floor notes.

## Wine making process

The grapes are sourced from low-yielding, cool-climate vineyards near Mount Gambier. Following a partial hand-harvest, the fruit is de-stemmed. Ten percent of the fruit undergoes whole-bunch fermentation in small two-tonne open fermenters with twice-daily hand plunging to extract soft tannins and color. The remaining portion is fermented in larger closed fermenters with regular pump overs. After blending, 75% of the wine is matured in stainless steel vats to preserve fresh primary fruit characteristics, while 25% is aged in French oak barrels for four months to add subtle complexity.