Margaret River icons, Leeuwin Estate, have produced a wine of true class here. A great finish to the vintage shows up here with aromas of cassis, redcurrant and chocolate. Sweet ripe fruit on the palate is well matched with toasty French oak and fine tannin.

HIRSCH VINEYARDS West Ridge Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

HIRSCH VINEYARDS Reserve Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast The Hirsch Reserve Pinot Noir is a selection of their best barrels from the oldest and finest vineyard blocks at Hirsch. It is the highest expression of this complex and deeply expressive site, and a true reserve of very limited production. The Reserve may be the finest wine of their portfolio, with classic Hirsch tannins providing backbone and gravitas. A true reserve of very limited production.

The fruit for the 2016 Vat 9 Shiraz was sourced from Tyrrells super premium vineyards on the Ashmans property with an average vine age of 50 years. Predominately from the Weinkeller and Short Flat vineyards. Winemaking The blocks were all hand picked and sorted in the vineyard before arriving at the winery. All the fruit was then destemmed but not crushed, followed by fermentation in traditional open top concrete vats. After fermentation the wiens were matured in newer 2700L French oak casks for ten months.

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.

HIRSCH VINEYARDS San Andreas Fault Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast The San Andreas Fault is Hirsch Vineyards signature Pinot Noir and is crafted to represent the entirety of this multifaceted vineyard. The 2019 San Andreas Fault has fruit from 36 distinct farming blocks. It is the flagship wine from Hirsch, and the wine that represents the summation of the complex vineyard. The vineyard has a fearsome diversity of soils, aspects, elevations and microclimates. This complexity defines Hirschs farming and winemaking practices: each block was individually developed and is now farmed, harvested and vinified separately.