The Auswine Forum

After many years devouring big shiraz and cabs and the like - thought it was about time to try some pinot noir. Started of with a Paringa Peninsula 05 - bland disappointing - after some suggestions to try around $25-30 price but any cheaper also willing to try- after true varietal expression of the grape if available at this pricepoint.

regards

Probably the Australian Pinots I've enjoyed most at that price are Ashton Hills (Adelaide Hills) and Dalrymple (Tasmania).
Cheers
Nick

At <$20 Coldstream Hills and Stonier are usually pretty good. I gather Hoddles Creek have also made a good one in 2005.

For a bit more ($20-35), try Kooyong, Port Phillip Estate, Stefano Lubiana Primavera, Lenswood Vineyards.

For a bit more still ($35+), try Bannockburn, Bindi, Epis, Main Ridge Estate, Bass Phillip, Tarrington, Diamond Valley, Pipers Brook, Freycinet, Giaconda, Mt Mary, Yarra Yering, By Farr.

Then there are plenty from Central Otago, Canterbury and Martinbourough....

05 De Bortoli Gulf Station $17
04 De Bortoli Yarra Valley Estate $27
05 Hoddles Creek $18
05 Coldstream
04 Yering Station
Diamond Valley blue always delivers.
Pushing the boat out a bit - William Downie 2005 for $35
Lots of Mornington Producers too - Kooyong especially.
GW

Thanks gents - will give the Hoddles, Coldstream and various DeBorts a go

regards

You could also try a couple from WA - Castle Rock and Piano Gully are OK for the price. Old Kent River too, although it has been a bit variable. Recently had a De Borts Windy Peak (04 I think) which was good value and varietally correct and a Turramurra 01 in the same vein.

Cheers

Dave

What about pinot with good cellar life. I'm after a few for 10+ years.

My Aussie pinot recommendations at any price range are ...

Curly Flat last couple of vintages
They do a pretty good Chard as well

graham wrote:What about pinot with good cellar life. I'm after a few for 10+ years.

Well if you had access to Mount Eden Vineyards estate PN I'd suggest that but you probably can't get it in OZ. A bottle of the 1991, tasted a few weeks ago, was still as fresh as a daisy; only the color gave away its possible age. The original tasting note said "Tasting superb now, it is structured for two to five years of bottle improvement." Bah, if the corks weren't crap it would probably last for another 20 years. I missed out on the 1975s that were opened earlier in the week and were apparently stunning!

Mike

Baby Chickpea wrote:My Aussie pinot recommendations at any price range are ...

Danny,

What about your recommendations other than Oz and Burgundy? Oregon/NZ?

Maximus wrote:

Baby Chickpea wrote:My Aussie pinot recommendations at any price range are ...

Danny,

What about your recommendations other than Oz and Burgundy? Oregon/NZ?

If Oregon PN's available, I suggest 2002 as a vintage to try.
2003 was VERY hot and 2004 was very difficult, only few winemakers in Oregon came on top, and that includes:
Ken Wright, Patricia Green and Bergstrom.
(from what is released now. Few winemakers, like Le Cadeau, still have their bottles in)

Baby Chickpea wrote:My Aussie pinot recommendations at any price range are ...

Tell that to the wine judges (including James Halliday I think) who rated Stoniers Reserve Pinot Noir 2003 above many Burgundies in a blind tasting some time ago.

I don't think you could get it anymore (it was about 40 bucks), but it was a ripper.

To be safe, stick to pinots from the Mornington Penninsula, because in my opinion, the region is streets ahead of any other Australian region for quality, consistency - considering thier volume of pinot output. The 03 and 04 vintages were stellar for pinot.

In saying that Hochkirck in Henty produce a good bargin pinot.

I think that Mount Macedon will be the star of Australian Pinot in future if you look at the quility that Bindi and Epis have shown already. 2005 Block 5 Pinot is said to be a cracker with JO already giving it 97 and 20 year drinking window.

Some of my fav's from other regions include Bass Phillip {obvious but expensive}, Main Ridge half Acre is really hitting its straps from now on, 10x Tractor {the top 2 of the range}, Bannockburn/By Farr, Hillcrest, Some Mount Marys. I must try a Tarrington too to see what the fuss is about.

I think you can drink relatively well at that pricepoint..

For me the Tamar Ridge is as good as any sub $25. From there it is only a short step up to the Bass Phillip Village, Elsewhere from Tasmania, or if you skip across to Martinborough the Te Kairanga Runholder can be had for about $30. I think the Palliser Estate is certainly worth the extra few dollars above your suggested limit, but even their entry level Pencarrow at about $20-$25 shows good varietal character for the price.

Cheers,

LL

I had a Somersbury Estate Jones Road Pinot - 2004 from the mornington pen the other night - very nice pinot in the more cherry fruit and mouth feel and less funky end of the pinots.

Thanks to all who replied - just finished the Coldstream 05 pinot and very impressed will now try somemore @ different price points

regards

04 Hillcrest Pinot Noir - Premium beautiful beautiful wine just make sure you leave enough time to decanter it 2hrs +

'03 or '04 Kooyong estate or Meres Pinot, you won't be disappointed. $44 or $65 respectively

I sell a bit of the Ninth Island Pinot and will try some Tassie ones next month. But in my attempt to find good Aussie pinot I have wasted some hard earned dollars.

I agree that Aussie pinot is fraught with some danger however the brands that have shone for me include:

- Kooyong (although not so hot on the Massale) - stick to the estate range but not sure of the value of the single vineyard wines

- Epis (although even these have been a tad variable for me)

- Coldstream Hills - consistent

- Port Phillip Estate

- Ashton Hills (definitely)

Good luck. I think Aussie pinot is considerably advanced from ten years ago but there's still some way to go.

I only buy Pinot from North of Verzenay
Smithy

Try Yarra Burn 03 it's around the $20 mark

I quite liked it, earthy, animal, sweaty aromas.

Hi Seddo,

christ, you have picked a doozie.

Adelaide Hills-Ashton Hills for sure. Try Golding's stuff, hard to get but worth a look. Geoff Weaver's another, producing in an old world style. Nepenthe released the Good Doctor last year, pretty smart. See if you can get your hands on some Chain of Ponds, Neville still pumping it out.

Western Australia-Salitage's wine is very savoury and complex.

Victoria-where to start? Yarra Burn, Coldstream Hill's, DeBortolli ( gulf station is pretty hard to beat for the buck ), Farr, Bannockburn's entry level gear is fantastic. Huge, abundant, prolific and great value for money from all over the state.

Tasmania-Moorilla, Tamar Ridge, Stefano Lubiano, Ninth Island. I could go on but apparently I prattle on in the wee hours of the morning.

Cheers, Wine Bloke.

At the risk of being generalistic (a made up word for sure), I'd look to NZ for good pinot or Burgundy for great Pinot (at a hefty price). For a Southern Hemispehere buyer, I reckon Martinborough is a 1st port of call.

Ian, I completely agree re. Martinborough.

My two favourite Pinot's are Escarpment (approx $45AUD) and Strugglers Flat ($25AUD ish) which is a bargain, although I haven't had the 2005 Strugglers Flat yet, does anyone know if this is similiar to the very drinkable 2004?

Cheers

Thanks WB - will try some of those you have recommended

a few:

ata rangi. love it.
also de bortoli yarra valley estate 05.
domaine A from tassie.
definately hochkirk.
scorpo.
wild rock cupid's arrow.

cheers.

graham wrote:What about pinot with good cellar life. I'm after a few for 10+ years.

Prince Albert Pinot Noir if you can find it. Good and organic too. A bit shirazy for some. But fantastic. Paringa Estate Pinot Noir from Mornington Penninsula is definitely a fav too.

Phi Wines - a partnership between Shelmerdine and De Bortoli on the Mornington Peninsula. Should be $50ish.