Tim Adam’s 21st Aberfeldy is the best wine this talented man has ever made. More than this, it is one of the finest red wines to bear the great name of the Clare Valley in the modern era. This is a stonking Aberfeldy that captures the depth and magnificence of an epic season, layered with […]
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Once in a very, very long while a wine bursts into the world and smashes the familiar paradigms of classic blends and traditional practices with the kind of distinction that sets it among the classics. Thousand Candles Yarra Valley 2013 leaves me grappling for a paradigm, and I land in uncharted territory. It’s at once […]
readA bargain in the Tasmanian pinot noir field – and that’s not something you hear often – this is an elegant and well balanced lunchtime style. It’s built around pure red cherry and rose hip fruit, supported by comfortably integrated, well structured tannins. The inaugural 2011 release was just 600 cases, and its successor is […]
readThis is my pick of the current Robert Oatley stable. Made by Larry Cherubino, it’s a well crafted and value-for-money Yarra pinot from an outstanding season, elegant in its wild strawberry and red berry fruits and gentle in its fine-grained tannin structure. Lovely rose bud and dried herb notes draw out a long finish amid […]
readA pretty pinot of silky mouth feel, vibrant acidity and elegant persistence at a bargain price. Sourced from Port Philip Estate’s 1.14ha Tuerong vineyard and matured for 12 months in new and used French oak, the focus here is on savoury and complex fruit, expressed in notes of rose hip, mixed spice, brambles, strawberries and […]
readIn contrast to Blend No 1, this is a 50/50 blend of the two vineyards in its name. The result is elegant, textural, confident, precise, and much more sophisticated than its third tier price might suggest. With lovely lift and vibrancy, it’s an elegant pinot noir of crunchy morello cherry and wild strawberry fruit, with […]
readAston Hill’s Piccadilly Valley Pinot Noir has long been a blend of fruit from the estate vineyard and that of Jim Grigg’s vineyard next to the cemetery near Uraidla in the Piccadilly Valley. Stephen George has long been looking for an opportunity to showcase Jim’s fruit solo, and the high quality and above average yields […]
readCoombe farm is a large and historic Yarra estate that has built its own wine range over the past decade. Its estate pinot is a fragrant and lively Yarra style of lifted rose petal fragrance and tangy morello cherry and strawberry hull fruit. Ten percent whole bunch is well constrained to add spice, pepper and […]
readNoirien is Scorpo’s earlier drinking pinot style, with just 5% new oak and bottled early to emphasise its juicy fruit character. The result is a beautifully fruit-focused pinot noir, succulent and approachable, yet in no way sweet, capturing dark berries, mixed spice and savoury beetroot notes with confidence and precision. Lovely accents of spice, dried […]
readSandro Moselle’s wizardry with pinot noir and chardonnay is evident in every wine he makes, even right here in his entry pinot. 2012 is a great vintage for this estate, with confident potential in the cellar. It leads out with a delightful bouquet of rose buds, red cherries and brambles, throwing to a tangy, savoury […]
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