Heirloom Vineyards is the Adelaide Hills-focused project of winemaker Elena Brooks and her husband Zar Brooks, working organically farmed, old-vine and cool-site parcels across South Australia. The Alcazar Castle Pinot Noir comes from the Adelaide Hills, a high, cool region where elevation and Mediterranean-influenced weather give a long, gentle ripening season well suited to Pinot Noir. Vineyards sit on the region's grey-brown loam and clay soils over ironstone and schist, and farming emphasises low intervention and sustainable practice, with the wine made in a vegan-friendly manner. The 2024 season in the Hills produced fragrant, lighter-framed reds, and this bottling reflects that perfumed, savoury profile.

Fruit was hand-tended and picked for freshness, then vinified to preserve perfume and a lighter, savoury frame. In keeping with Heirloom's approach, a portion of whole bunches was used to add the white-pepper, herbal and spice lift evident in the wine, with gentle handling and basket or soft pressing to keep tannins fine. Fermentation aimed at bright, red-fruited expression, and the wine was matured in French oak to build subtle structure without dominating the fruit. The result is fine-grained, perfumed and fresh, with blood-orange acidity framing red cherry, raspberry and cola notes.