The cool climate and rich loamy soils of the Mornington Peninsula provide the perfect foundation for the cultivation of Pinot Noir grapes. Estate grown and hand picked from a single vineyard, the fruit is transformed through a combination of traditional and modern techniques, delivering a finely textured and delicately balnaced wine. The bouquet is driving by forest fruits and black cherries, with oak provifding tantalizing Christmas spice flavours on the palette. Food match: Roast duck with blackberry sauce, traditional roast chicken with accompaniments.

Ample and dark fruited, with a smoky, savoury feel. Plenty of spice amid the berry fruits, with lovely earthy and graphite notes running through. Predominantly from Garagiste's Balnarring, Tuerong and Merricks vineyards, with a small proportion of Red Hill fruit. The grapes were sorted then destemmed--a small percentage of the Merricks portion was fermented with a 100% whole bunches--and fermented in small open fermenters using indigenous yeast, minimal hand plunging and spending 25 days on skins. The wine was aged for ten months in 10% new hogsheads with the balance being raised in older hogsheads. Unfined and unfiltered. Barnaby Flanders created the Garagiste label following his amicable split with Allies co-founder David Chapman (who continues with the Allies label). Barney now focuses on a snug range of small-batch wines from fruit sourced from the highly prized Merricks Grove vineyard, the Silverwood vineyard (Balnarring), and the Hugh Robinson vineyard in Moorooduc. Garagiste, the main label, is ably supported by delicious entry-level wines under the Le Stagiaire banner. Barnaby and Cam (Marshall) manage all aspects of the viticulture and winemaking themselves and a range of succulent, finely tuned and elegantly crafted cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is what results.

Fruit for this wine was hand sorted twice & produced in two ways; one fermenter of whole berries & another of 100% whole bunches. Blended together. Matured in 300-litre hogsheads (roughly 20% new, François Frères). Ten months on lees before bottling, unfiltered. A graceful & savoury expression of Mornington Pinot Noir. Red plum, spice & dark cherry characters. Fine, supporting tannins. A lingering, perfumed finish of amaro spice.

Garagiste's only 100% whole bunch Pinot and the wine also sees a little more new oak than the rest. Expect a lifted yet restrained & complex nose with red fruits, smoke, bacon & thyme notes leading to an intense, deep palate with a core of silky Pinot fruit framed by fine, powdery tannins. A serious Pinot that is delicious now but that will equally benefit from a few years in the cellar.

Cornelius Ribbe is a part time wine importer and part time winemaker at Paradigm Hill (Mornington Peninsula), while also making this very tasty wine. Classic Mornington Pinot, with some sappy red fruit, medium weight and savoury notes. Its ultra silky on the palate but maintains some nice structure making it perfect for glazed salmon.

The 2021 White Label Red Hill Pinot Noir has depth, structure and a powerful core of fruit. The heady spices wrap around a plush core of vibrant black current, dark cherry fruits. Its brambly, and layered, and had great detail and length.

Very bright colour; monolithic in proportion with more of everything, handled with great control; dark plum, bright cherry, allspice, game and charry oak intermingle for a heady mix of aromas; the palate relays this conviction with real depth and power on entry, and lightness returns as the flavours cascade from start to finish; needs much time, but will richly reward patience.

Don’t miss this rare chance to secure a magnificent wine from a top producer that’s in seriously short supply. Made by an acclaimed winemaker at the top of their game, this is a slice of wine history you don’t want to miss. Add it to your collection while you can.

The maritime climate of the Mornington Peninsula creates the perfect conditions to enhance the sappy plum and berry flavours in this wine. Secondary characters of truffles and cigarbox will develop with careful ageing.