Animale Pinot Noir
Animale is a collaboration between Arfion and Imbibo wines. Arfion simply means “Our Wine” in Scottish Gaelic. Originally from New Zealand, Winemaker Dave Mackintosh established Arfion with his father Brian and brother Jimmy in 2011. The time was right to build a small independent wine business, where they could be hands on, free to take some risks, and make wines that they truly love. Dave has been obsessed with making wine since ’98 and respects numerous styles. This has driven Arfion to mix things up to create classic, single site, single variety expressions as well as multi-vineyard blends and lo-fi offerings. Sourcing grapes from highly skilled, sustainable growers from across the Yarra, we take care in making sure the site and variety are in harmony throughout the season. Low impact winemaking adds layers of flavour and texture. The Pinot noir is a blend of vineyards from the Upper and Lower Yarra Valley, as well as a blend of juicy carbonic fruit and more restrained destemmed ferments. It is a pure Yarra, Pinot expression showing cherry and red berry flavours followed by a detailed savoury finish.
Barwon Ridge Pinot Noir
A bright, fresh and delicate cool climate Pinot Noir. Whole bunches and a wild yeast ferment were used to produce lingering savoury flavours in the wine.
Munda Wurundjeri Country Pinot Noir (Yarra Valley)
AROMA Red cherry and berry fruits combine with earthy spice- cardamom and white pepper with hints of rose and leafiness- presenting an appealing and varietal aromatic wine. TASTE Bright red and dark cherry fruit flavours combine with leafy and earthy forest flavours. A fresh and vibrant medium weight palate with good acidity and fine and long, elegant tannins. CELLARING 7-10 years in the right cellaring conditions.
Hirsch Hill Estate Yarra Valley Pinot Noir
Enjoy a savoury-style Yarra Valley Pinot from the Hirsch family estate, with scores of 91, 92 & 93pts. Sam Kim, Wine Orbit finds it: "“Beautifully fruited and inviting, the bouquet shows ripe cherry, thyme, game, and nutmeg aromas, followed by a juicy palate offering fine texture backed by polished tannins, finishing long and pleasingly dry. 93pts” Ken Gargett, WinePilot enjoys its: "Attractive fragrances, but it is obvious we have taken the savoury road here. Dry herbs, mushrooms, forest floor notes, cherries, animal skins and beef stock hints are all present. There is juicy acidity, sleek tannins and medium length with the intensity maintained throughout. Those who appreciate the savouriness of Pinot will love this." Hirsch Hill estate is part of the Hirsch Wine Group, established in 1998, by the Hirsch family who recognised the incredible potential of their cool-climate estate, and sought to transform it into a benchmark for premium, estate-grown wines that balance character, craftsmanship, and value.
Lethbridge Pinot Noir
Lethbridge are on the cutting edge of fresh and vibrant winemaking with Ray Nadeson at the helm. Winning praise and accolades across the country, Ray produces a Pinot Noir here that displays an intense bouquet of cherry and spice, which leads into a dark cherry, sweet earthy palate with its fine tannins.
Toolangi Vineyard Pinot Noir
Established in 1995, Toolangi Vineyard is in the Yarra Valley adjoining the Toolangi State Forest. This single-site vineyard on fine clay loam produces wines with distinctive personalities, each wine showing a strong sense of place. The vines were cropped low, and the fruit was hand-harvested from 20-year-old vines of MV6 Pinot Noir clone. The fruit was destemmed as whole berries, with 5% left as whole bunches. There was a short cold soak prior to fermentation and the wine was then left on skins for 14 days. It was then pressed to French oak (5% new) for malolactic conversion and left on lees in oak for 10 months. “Light but satisfying. Delicious spice notes, sweet and roasted, with the tang of red cherry and cranberry flavours. It has both quality and complexity written all over it but, responsibly, it’s also the kind of pinot you just want to guzzle. It has that out-and-out drinkability. Firm-ish tannin keeps things controlled and it finishes long enough to satisfy.” 92 Points, Campbell Mattinson
Quealy Musk Creek Pinot Noir
Musk Creek Pinot Noir is evolving slowly to open up to its full potential. Some spearmint, raspberry and spice aroma; palate is moderate weight, silky and fine natural acid.
Riorret Lusatia Park Pinot Noir
In the glass: Vibrant mid-red. On the nose: Sweet cherry and raspberry fruit with notes of stalk and spice - so beautifully perfumed. On the palate: Vibrant and fresh, supple and juicy with ripe cherry and plum varietals, subtle stalky complexity, warm earthy notes, nicely integrted vanillin oak and savoury persistence. A complete wine - powerful yet refined, complex and layered with full Pinot Noir charm on show.
Serrat Close Planted Pinot Noir
Silky and focused, Serrat Close Planted Pinot Noir is a savoury and complex style, possessing impressively concealed intensity. Serrat is the family label of renowned winemaker Tom Carson and his wife Nadège. The fruit comes of the estates small holding in Yarra Glen and is hand picked and destemmed into small open fermenters with a percentage of whole fruit included. The wine is gently pressed to predominantly older 500 L French puncheons for maturation.
Bellarine Estate Phil's Pinot Noir
Beautifully perfumed, earthy with cinnamon spice. Complemented by rose petals and lavender. Medium bodied, tightly wound and finely structured. Powerful yet subtle. Think dark cherries, currants and toasty oak. With an underlying earthy, forest floor and smoky tobacco. Decanted this wine opens up like a peacocks tail.