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. Fruit for the 2022 Pinot Noir was hand-picked on the 11th of March, The fruit was destemmed as whole berries, with 10% left as whole bunches. There was a short cold soak prior to fermentation and the wine was then left on skins for 21 days. It was then pressed to French barriques and puncheons (less than 10% new) for malolactic conversion and left on lees in oak for 10 months.

A beautiful Pinot with a bouquet of juicy plum fruits, berries and spice with very gentle notes of dried thyme.

A finer-boned example of Warramate Pinot Noir, which faithfully reflects the seasonal conditions & site from which it was drawn. Subtle notes of strawberry, black cherry & fennel spice weave amongst a perfumed stalky lift & supporting bacony oak.

The Yarra Valley is renowned for its excellence in Pinot Noir and this expression is no exception. In the glass: Medium garnet red. On the nose: Ripe dark berry fruit. On the palate: Bold, quite powerul red plum and raspberry fruit with some background stalky, herbal elements. Firm and dry yet flavoursome and varietal.

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.

A bright and complex aromatic profile displaying notes of pomegranate, dried strawberry, star anise and cranberry intermingle with hints of blue fruit, crushed violet, fresh tobacco and truffle. A finely structured palate offers both textural generosity and clarity of fruit expression. Red currant, dark cherry and cinnamon raspberry characters integrate well with supportive oak spice. Refreshing natural acidity gives the wine drive and line leading into a long and persistent finish.

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.

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.