Montalto's 2018 Pennon Hill Pinot Noir has delicious aromas of red currants, blueberry, sour cherry, cranberry and dried strawberry combine with florals, dried herbs, spice, and earthy forest-floor qualities. On the palate, generous juicy red fruits meld with bramble and earth. The warmer 2018 season lent itself to increasing the amount of Montalto-style whole-bunch fermentation; this technique involves loading whole bunches into a 2T open-fermenter and allowing them to undergo 10 to 14 days of carbonic maceration before being destemmed into 2 tonne open fermenters where primary wild fermentation is completed. The result is a significant increase in aromatics and savoury complexity. In 2018, 21% of the blend was made using this technique. The remaining portion of fruit is sorted on the table, destemmed and then allowed to soak on skins until the onset of wild fermentation. Ferment temperatures peaked at 32 degrees Celsius. At the completion of primary fermentation, the grapes were pressed and the wine transferred to French oak barriques and Puncheons (19% new) for natural malo-lactic fermentation. Barrel maturation was for 9 months followed by bottling. Chief winemaker Simon Black and the award-winning winemaking team at Montalto, manage the production of the three ranges in the Montalto stable of wine. Their focus is to create wines of exemplary quality and character, utilising winemaking techniques that complement the unique qualities derived from their vineyards, in a style that reflects each vineyard site. Montaltos three wine labels Pennon Hill, Montalto Estate and the Single Vineyard range are drawn from five different vineyards across the Mornington Peninsula. Montalto winemaker Simon Black explains how the wines relate: To use an analogy, the Single Vineyard wines are like the principal soloists in an orchestra; each is unique in their offering. Years of innovative trial work in the winery has given us the knowledge required to capture the hallmark qualities and personality from these sites. The Estate wines are more like the orchestra, where all the musicians come together to create a multilayered symphony. These wines are crafted from our best parcels of fruit from our vineyards across the Peninsula. The Pennon Hill wines are all about drinkability. They showcase all the qualities that the Mornington Peninsula is best known for perfume, purity, varietal expression and brightness.

A beautifully perfumed example of the classic medium-bodied Yarra Valley style from an exciting new entrant to the local scene, made by the highly experienced Paul Bridgeman. Medium garnet. Open and expressive aromas of mulled strawberry, forest floor and clove. Plush and polished palate, delivering a riot of red berry perfume, and velvet umami throughout, enhanced by damp earth, mushroom and stalk and charry barrel harmony.

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.

Fulcrum is the fantastic new venture from Pinot Noir rockstar, William Downie and long time friend and colleague, Jason Searle. Wonderfully fresh and vibrant with varietal characters of plum and earthen spice, Fulcrum Pinot Noir continues to develop in the bottle and is simply a premium wine steal at this price.

Yabby Lake's 'no expense spared' approach to viticulture and winemaking, is amply demonstrated in this super Pinot; fresh and fruity with secondary nuances, will please all Pinot lovers on a budget.

Coldstream Hills was established in 1985 by James and Suzanne Halliday and has always produced a benchmark cool-climate Pinot Noir. This beautifully textured wine boasts rich flavours of dark cherries, pepper and foresty notes, with a long and toasty finish.

An excellent new discovery from the home of Pinot the Yarra Valley. In the glass: Medium garnet. On the nose: Blood plum, red cherry and clove with tilled earth and tea leaf notes. On the palate: Medium weight and savoury with a fine tannin backbone underpinning the refined core of red and black fruit. Finishes with earthy spice adding complexity to the persistent finish. An elegant wine that really unfolds in the glass.

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.