Tasting Note No.4
I attended a 'bistro style pinot noir' tasting this week and found one very attractive wine.
2000 HUNGERFORD HILL Tumbarumba Pinot Noir
Colour advanced brick red, shows older than it's age would suggest. Huge strawberry, raspberry aromas on the nose. The palate is medium weight with lovely and rich fruit flavors and fine tannins. The wine is very well balanced, it spent 7 months in new (62%) and 1 year old (38%) french oak. Made from selected fruit, the care shows, winemaker Greg Jarratt made a serious little pinot. (Perhaps to show it's strength, it is bottled in a Bordeaux type bottle?) The high altitude wineyard was established in 1982 with further plantings in 1989. A place to watch. This wine has good cool climate cherry fruit and excellent length with high quality oak and a crisp tannic finish. I really enjojed it. Well worth AU $23, better than many at this price. Drinking well now, will last an other 2 years in the cellar.
also tasted:
2001 STONELEIGH Marlborough Pinot Noir
A very honest and good little pinot from N.Z. Cheerful cherry flavours and attractive freshness. Perfect pizza wine. The time to drink it, is now. It only cost AU $14 so go for it at you next picnic. Can be lightly chilled.
2000 TIN COWS Pinot Noir
Same class as the Stoneleigh, it has an excellent and very feral nose. It's a light wine with a good tannin grip. At it's peak now, finishes a little short. Not so great value at AU $22.
2002 TYRRELLS Eclipse Pinot Noir
A Hunter wine with a lovely earthy nose and pleasant plummy fruit. Finishes short, at it's best now. Not a bargain at AU $21.
2001 SCOTCHMAN'S HILL Geelong Pinot Noir
I've tasted it earlier this year and found it disappointing at AU $28. Tasting it this time around, I've found the same strawberry jam, candy flavours without any serious length or character. Obviously 'toned down' for immediate enjoyment for restaurants, it will not and need not age. Pity about the winemaking, it could have been a good wine with a future.
Tasted:September, 2003