There’s a reason wine lovers in the know light up when they hear the name Dappled.
Shaun Crinion, the man behind the label, has quietly carved out a reputation as one of the Yarra Valley’s most exciting small-scale producers. Since being named Young Gun of Wine in 2018 and Halliday’s Best New Winery in the same year, Shaun’s Chardonnay has received particular love from critics and collectors alike. But for those who venture into his Pinot Noir, there’s a whole other layer of fascination waiting in the glass.
The 2024 Dappled Appellation Pinot Noir isn’t just a wine—it’s a masterclass in site selection, cool-climate winemaking, and textural precision.
High elevation: the Yarra Valley’s natural air conditioner
The fruit for the Appellation Pinot comes from high-elevation vineyards across the Yarra.
Why does that matter? Elevation acts as a cooling influence, stretching out the ripening season. Grapes enjoy longer hang time, developing complex flavours without racing toward sugar ripeness. The slower the ripening, the better the balance between fruit intensity and natural acidity—a hallmark of cool-climate Pinot Noir.
This extended ripening is exactly why the 2024 vintage delivers such brightness and freshness. There’s ripeness without heaviness, fruit purity without any hint of over-extraction.
Whole bunch fermentation: lift, vibrancy, and a touch of the wild
Shaun’s approach to fermentation is all about detail and restraint. For this wine, whole bunches are included in the ferment—stems and all.
Whole bunch fermentation can be a double-edged sword. Unripe stems can leave you with harsh, green, unpleasant flavours. But when stems are ripe, they bring a beautiful herbal lift—what sommeliers like to call herbaceous complexity—and add an extra layer of structure.
Add one more to the collection?🍷
Here, it’s textbook: ripe stems that weave in a subtle herbal thread, amplifying the wine’s vibrancy and helping to frame the fruit without overwhelming it.
Skin contact: extracting colour, flavour, and structure
Pinot Noir is naturally thin-skinned compared to varieties like Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon, so winemakers have to think carefully about extraction. Shaun allows the ferment to sit on skins for 15–20 days, which is relatively generous for Pinot.
This extended maceration draws out more colour and flavour, but also fine tannins that give the wine shape. The result? A Pinot that’s fruit-driven yet has the backbone to develop gracefully in bottle.
Oak: a whisper, not a shout
Ageing takes place in a mix of old and new French oak, with only about 10% new barrels in the blend. That 10% is key—it adds a gentle layer of flavour and tannin from the oak itself, but more importantly, oak acts as a vessel for slow oxygen interaction.
This micro-oxygenation is what helps soften the wine, integrate its components, and add subtle complexity. It’s oak as seasoning, not the main ingredient.
In the glass: Gamay-like fruit, herbal lift, and bright acidity
Tasting the 2024 Appellation Pinot Noir is a bit like walking into a spring garden after rain—fresh, bright, and full of life.
There’s an immediate hit of red fruit—think cherries, raspberries, and a touch of wild strawberry—that feels almost Gamay-like in its purity. The whole bunch component brings that fresh herbal note, adding nuance and keeping the wine lively.
The acidity—thanks to that high-elevation ripening—is spot on, giving a crisp, mouth-watering finish. Right now, it’s all about fruit and freshness, but give it a few years and you can expect more earthy and gamey notes to emerge.
Why this wine overdelivers
Small-production Yarra Valley Pinot Noir from a winemaker with this kind of track record usually commands a higher price tag. But the Dappled Appellation Pinot Noir remains remarkably accessible. That’s part of the label’s charm—Shaun makes wines for drinking, not just for collecting dust in a cellar.
Still, if you can resist the urge to open it now, a few years in the cellar will reward you with a deeper, more complex wine that leans into its savoury side.
Add one more to the collection?🍷
The winemaker’s fingerprint
Shaun Crinion’s winemaking is about thoughtful choices. From site selection to picking decisions, from the proportion of whole bunch to the balance of new and old oak, nothing is done by default.
What you taste in the glass is the sum of those decisions:
- Vineyard sourcing gives freshness and acid structure
- Whole bunch inclusion gives lift and complexity
- Extended skin contact brings depth without heaviness
- Low new oak lets fruit and terroir take the lead
It’s no wonder his reputation continues to grow—these are wines that speak clearly of place and vintage, while still bearing the unmistakable signature of the hand that made them.
Food pairings
This is a versatile Pinot that’s as comfortable alongside charcuterie and mushroom dishes as it is with roast duck or salmon. In its youth, the vibrant fruit works beautifully with lighter fare. With a bit of age and those gamey notes emerging, think richer dishes like venison or earthy lentil stews.
Final sip
The 2024 Dappled Appellation Pinot Noir is one of those wines that reminds you why Pinot is worth the pursuit. It’s not about power—it’s about finesse, vibrancy, and the subtle ways texture, fruit, and savoury elements can weave together.
Drink it now for its freshness and lift, or let it rest for 2–5 years to explore its more savoury, earthy depths. Either way, it’s a standout example of cool-climate Yarra Valley Pinot Noir—and a testament to Shaun Crinion’s growing status as one of Australia’s most exciting winemakers.
