Australian
Pinot Noir
tasting 22 different wines
Pinot Noir is different. It’s a fussy grape – much more
selective than the likes of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon about where
it grows, for example -- but when it performs it has the capacity to
produce alluring red wines with almost a mystical, indefinable quality
to them. Pinot’s zenith is reached in red Burgundy from good
vintages and excellent sites, made without too much winemaking
trickery, where it creates some of the most compelling red wines in
the world, with complexity and elegance the hallmarks.
What of Pinot Noir outside Burgundy? To be frank, it has
struggled. Pinot doesn’t want it too hot; nor does it like climates
that are too cool. Early attempts in California, Australia, South
Africa and New Zealand were pretty unimpressive, but in the last
decade or two some success has been achieved in all four countries,
with New Zealand so far looking the most promising.
How should Pinot Noir taste? It isn’t about size. We are
not looking for extracted, dark wines, or concentrated, thick flavours.
When it comes to structure, we want this to come as much from the
acidity as from the tannin. It’s a difficult balance to strike.
Australia has had a bit of a rough time with Pinot Noir. A
common fault has been growing the grapes in unsuitable climates, with
jammy, extracted wines from those too hot (the most common fault: who
wants Pinot to taste like Shiraz?) and green, herbaceous efforts from
overly cool spots. As a Pinot fan, it was nice to get this opportunity
to try some 22 different examples from a range of growing areas, to
try to get a snapshot glimpse of how things are faring for Australian
Pinot.
My conclusions? Pretty favourable. While I still think New
Zealand generally does better with this grape, these wines were of a
high standard overall, with a few really impressive examples. It will
come as no surprise to many that the relatively cool Victorian regions
of the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Geelong performed
particularly strongly. Worth noting is the diversity of styles
represented here. Perhaps more than any other grape, Pinot Noir
expresses the characteristics of the terroir (soils and climate) and
the intentions of the winemaker most transparently. Worth noting is
that all these wines cost less than you’d pay for a half-decent
village-level red Burgundy.
Ninth Island Pinot Noir 2001, Tasmania
This is a tasty, fruity style of Pinot. The attractive, bright juicy
berry fruit on the nose leads to a fruity palate with interesting
herby notes, too. Not overly complex, but a successful attempt. Very
good+ (£8.49 Harvey Nichols, Noble Rot, Tesco, Waitrose)
Tyrrell’s Old Winery Pinot Noir 2001 (McLaren Vale, Hunter
Valley, Adelaide Hills)
Assertive berry fruit nose. Rich, chunky herby fruit on the palate,
which is very substantial with oaky undertones. It’s a nice, full-on
wine but atypical of the variety. Very good (£6.99 Majestic, Unwins)
Tyrrell’s Eclipse Pinot Noir 2001, Hunter Valley
The Hunter is usually considered to be too warm for Pinot, but
Tyrrell’s have done a good job here. What’s nice about this
complex, unusual wine is that it isn’t fruit driven. Slightly faded
rim. Attractive savoury, spicy, earthy nose. Lovely weight on the
palate, which works really well in an earthy, spicy, savoury style.
Very good+ (£9.99 Connolly’s)
Hollick Pinot Noir 2001, Coonawarra
Lovely savoury nose with fresh, full herb-tinged, leafy-edged cherry
fruit together with some medicinal notes. The palate is full and
savoury with a lovely herby, medicinal edge to the fruit. A
substantial wine, but it works very well in this style. Very
good/excellent (£8.99 Great Grog, Seckford)
De Bortoli Gulf Station Pinot Noir 2001 Yarra Valley
Fading colour. Undergrowthy, animal edge to the cherryish fruit on the
nose. Plenty of herby and earthy complexity on the mid-weight palate,
together with good acidity. Attractive stuff. Very good/excellent (£8.50
Wine Society, Everywine)
Seville Estate Pinot Noir 2001, Yarra Valley
Assertive meaty, spicy nose with a lovely savoury character and a
touch of ginger. Sweetly spiced herby palate is really interesting. An
unusual style, but it works well. Very good/excellent (£13.95 Liberty
Wines)
CV Pinot Noir 2000, Western Australia
This one tastes a bit cooked. Faded red/brown colour. Dusty, herby
nose is a bit dull. Warm, spicy palate. It’s not a terrible wine,
but it tastes faded. Good (£7.99 Wright Wines, Lloyd Taylor Wines)
Plantagenet Pinot Noir 2000 Pemberton (Great Southern)
Pale orange/red colour. Lively herby nose with meaty, spicy
undertones. Palate shows good acidity and is midweight with a savoury,
spicy character. Unusual wine in a non-fruit-driven style. Very good+
(£11.95 Liberty Wines)
Yering Station Pinot Noir 2000, Yarra Valley
Very appealing savoury/spicy nose with tight herby cherry and berry
fruit and a warm spiciness. The palate is midweight and savoury with
nice balance and some elegance. Nice weight here, and although the oak
is a little apparent it doesn’t get in the way. Very good/excellent
(£9.99 Tanners, SH Jones, Seckford)
Scotchman’s Hill Pinot Noir 2000, Geelong
Faded, bricking rim. Focused herbal fruit with spicy undertones on the
nose. Good density on the substantial savoury palate with firm tannins
and elegant berry fruit. Good acidity rounds up what is a very
appealing package. Very good/excellent (£10.99 Wine Society, Laytons,
Martinez)
Shadowfax Pinot Noir 2000, Geelong/Yarra Valley
The nose displays a lovely spicy edge to the raspberry and cherry
fruit. On the palate there’s some sweetness to the nicely textured
spice-laden fruit. Good concentration and balance here. Very good+ (£11.99
Morris & Verdin, Wicked Wines, Harvey Nichols)
Dromana Pinot Noir 2000, Mornington Peninsula
Tight spicy red fruits on the nose, which is nicely savoury. The
palate is midweight with lovely herbal complexity and a slight
medicinal tinge. Good acidity. Very good/excellent (£9.99 House of
Townend, Le Fleming, Wm Mason)
Stonier Pinot Noir 2000, Mornington Peninsula
Quite a light colour (often a good thing with Pinot). Lovely sweet
herbal complexity on the nose, which shows strawberry and raspberry
fruit. The palate is quite open, with sweet herby fruit and some gamey
elements. An open, herby style. Very good+ (£10.99 Wimbledon Wine
Cellars)
Stonier Pinot Noir Reserve 2000, Mornington Peninsula
A serious effort. Wonderful savoury herbal complexity on the nose,
with medicinal and undergrowth notes – very classy. The palate shows
good concentration of elegant cherry and berry fruit with spicy oak
and a herby, earthy richness. Excellent (£15.99 Majestic, Wimbledon
Wine Cellars, Peckham & Rye)
Pipers Brook Vineyard Pinot Noir 2000, Tasmania
Striking savoury, medicinal nose with a herbaceous streak, leading to
a palate with some spicy richness to the chunky fruit. Quite a big
wine, aiming for elegance but not quite getting there. Very good+ (£12.99
Harvey Nichols, Noble Rot)
Chain of Ponds Jerusalem Section Pinot Noir 2000 Adelaide
Hills
Bricking rim. Quite a baked nose with sweet berry fruit. The palate is
ripe and rich with a touch of caramelly sweetness. Atypical. Good (£9.99
Bibendum)
Nepenthe Pinot Noir 2000, Adelaide Hills
Sweet herbal nose with a touch of rhubarb (honestly!). The palate is
chunky, with more rhubarb fruit. Good (£12.99 Oddbins, Stratford’s
Wine Agencies)
Hillstowe Udy’s Mill Pinot Noir 2000, Adelaide Hills
Ripe, sweet-edged caramelly nose. Sweet jammy berry fruit on the
palate with a savoury, spicy finish. Good/very good (£13.99, only
stocked by the on-trade so far)
Knappstein Lenswood Pinot Noir 2000, Lenswood
Striking sweet herbal nose is ripe and rich. The palate is ripe and
structured with a savoury streak underlying the sweet berry fruit.
Very good (£17.49 Uncorked)
Coldstream Hills Pinot Noir 1999, Yarra Valley
Nice balance here, although it’s at the fuller end of the Pinot Noir
spectrum. Sweetly spiced cherry fruit nose with some herbiness. The
palate is quite rich and ripe with a spicy finish: some oak evident.
Very good+ (£10.99 Oddbins)
Rouge Homme Pinot Noir 1998, Coonawarra
Quite concentrated and spicy, this is a rich style with firm tannins
– tastes more like Shiraz! Very good (£6.99 Siegel, Clipper Wine
Company)
Mountadam Pinot Noir 1998, Eden Valley
Rich, focused spicy berry fruit on the nose. The substantial, savoury
palate with firm tannins and some spicy oak notes. It still has some
elegance despite the size. Very good+ (£14.99 Philglass & Swiggot,
Corney & Barrow)
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article published
October 2002; wines tasted August 2002
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