When it comes to pinot noir, the Yarra Valley is at its best when its producing generous, sophisticated, juicy, reds. Lucky for all involved, Warramunda are very much in the business of producing generous, sophisticated, juicy pinots... This single-vineyard site sits on the north-facing slopes of Coldstream, Yarra Valley, with 80% whole berries and 20% whole bunches, there's something exhilarating about this wine... A gorgeous bright ruby and crushed raspberry colour in the glass. Little flecks of blue and purple weave throughout. There is a crushed fruit aroma of raspberries and strawberries which feels very lively and close to the source. Energy and zeal in the glass. Plush and vibrant with well-integrated oak and a structure that will allow for aging, should the cellar beckon. This is brilliant small batch production from a certified Yarra icon - Warramunda.

Victoria's first vineyard is a landmark in the Yarra Valley and an icon of the Australian wine industry. Loads of lovely Pinot character on the nose with ripe cherry gamey notes and hints of "forest floor". Silky in texture the lingering flavour is enhanced by a touch of oak.

Sandro Mosele one of the great artisans with Pinot Noir is responsible for this fine example. Complex, gamey black cherry characters are interwoven with toasty oak in a wine of superb texture.

All fruit is hand-picked early in the morning and immediately de-stemmed but not crushed. Some batches are left to cold soak for 4-5 days, while others are fermented immediately. Both natural and cultured yeasts are used. Both pumping over and punching down are used for cap management. Some ferments undergo post-ferment maceration depending on tannin structure and style. Wine lovers have a lot to thank (Hoddles Creek winemaker) Franco dAnna for... He crafts his affordable range with the same care and attention as his premium wines, meaning that even when watching ones pennies one can still drink top class wine. Toni Paterson MW of The Real Review After fermentation the wine is gently pressed to oak barrels, 30% new, 30% one year old, the rest two and three years old. After 11 months of barrel maturation, the wine is assembled and bottled without filtration or fining. Hoddles Creek Pinot Noir typically shows aromas and flavours of red berries and dark cherry. Ripe, firm mid-palate tannins give structure and lead into a long, attractive finish with pleasing acidity.

This 20ha vineyard was planted on red clay loam soil at Woori Yallock in 2001 by Lou Primavera, with whom Giant Steps has a long-standing grape-supply relationship. Pinot Noir (114, MV6 and G8V3 clones) grown here on the north and north east facing slopes at 230m is noted for its complex structure and pronounced perfume. The 114 and MV6 are fermented as whole bunches in open vats, while the G8V3 is destemmed, given a long cold-soak and fermented separately to enhance its aromatic contribution. All ferments use indigenous yeasts and the whole-bunch components are periodically foot-stomped to release additional juice. The wines are pressed to 228 litre, French barriques (about 8% new) for 11 months before blending and bottling without fining or filtration.

The wine is tightly packed full of black fruit, spice, cloves, and liquorice. The grape tannins are soft and are beautifully integrated into the wine, giving the wine structure and adding power, balance and a savoury richness. Adam Marks established Bress in 2001 with a desire to produce wines with fruit sourced from notable regions and minimal intervention.“We believe certain grape-growing regions are better suited to particular grape varieties than others,” says winemaker Adam Marks. “The French have understood this for several centuries and some Australian wine producers are now embracing this belief.” Bress, located in Harcourt near Bendigo, Victoria, is one such producer. Adam doesn’t restrict himself to sourcing grapes from one specific region; he’d rather make the most of the diversity of climates and soils central Victoria has to offer and looks to the Yarra Valley, Macedon Ranges, Bendigo and Heathcote for the best quality fruit.

Bright crimson in colour with a garnet hue, Lifted fruit aromatics of crushed strawberry , raspberry and pomegranate, with a floral perfume note and hints of green

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