The Auswine Forum

Hi
the guys are up for what we call a SMB (Secret Mens Business ) Tasting.

The theme this time is Pinots under $35.
I'm currently considering
Port Phillip 05
Coldstream 06
Picardy 05
Hoddles creek 06

Can any one endorse one or more of the above or are there other suggestions

regards
mike

Hi Mike,
The only one I've had from your list is the Coldstream 06, which I thought was nice, but tastes a bit different to most pinot. Might be an interesting one to put in a tasting line-up, as a counter-point to most pinot.

Apparently the 06 Hoddles Creek is very good. I was under the impression that it hadn't been released yet though, but could be mistaken.

My best suggestion for an under $35 pinot is the 05 Bended knee, for about $30. The 05 Bream Creek reserve is pinot pretty good as well.

Andrew

after a recent trip to tassie I'd suggest:

2005 Bay of Fires
2004 or 2005 Dalrymple Vineyards

both under $35

also

06 Balgownie Yarra
05 De Bortoli
05/06 Kooyong Massale
etc
there are many.

Strongly endorse the ones above.

GW

The Hoddles Creek is due out on 1st September along with the Chardonnay but I managed to get a sneak peek a week or two ago.
Unfortunately I opened it with my wife and parents and only got the one glass. It is great stuff and a ripper buy @ under $20. I think it is the best yet.

Cheers
Popov

doesnt New Zealand exist in your part of the world?

Craig(NZ) wrote:doesnt New Zealand exist in your part of the world?

We have perfectly good Shiraz here that tastes much the same as NZ pinot
GW

I love NZ Pinots, and have for years. The Ata Rangi, Mt Difficulty and Villa Maria to name a few have been favourites for 5-7 years.

But, we don't get them in Perth for $35.

I haven't be able to get the Delta which got the gong at the NZ wine show, but if you can nominate soemthing else....

regards

mike

We have perfectly good Shiraz here that tastes much the same as NZ pinot
GW

or aussie merlot??

there are shitloads more 'pinot' pinots produced in nz than a handful of years ago. otago has helped that cause no end. pinot is always difficult, no matter the country of origin. id suggest there are just as many crap pinots in any country

trying to think what would be available

villa maria cellar selection?
stoneleigh ruapara series?

If you're looking for a NZ pinot to add to the mix, you should be able to find the Dog Point for around $35. It's a lush, fruit-driven pinot that, I imagine, would have broad appeal.

deleted

Tomboy Hill Rokewood might sneak under $35 on a good day....

Two Paddocks "picnic' range Pinot from NZ springs to mind. But I attended a tasting at the National Wine Centre of the Mt Bera Range which is from the Adelaide Hills. From memory they used to just supply fruit to Penfolds to go into their Cellar Reserve Pinot. But it was a while ago so don't quote me on that.

Ridgeback Pinot from Panton Hills just outside Melb. Needs decanting to open up. Strong wine, denser than usual colour. At under $20 its great value

A 'local' pinot that I really enjoyed just the other night was the 2004 vintage from Somerset Hill in Denmark. It's $30 at CD and available by mail order. Google them on the web.

Haven't seen it in many bottle shops - although there is a shop in Leederville that may have it.

Cheers,

Dave.

Thanks for the the help on wine selection. All these wines were tasted blind.

Wine of the lunch went to the 05 Battista It had been decanted for about 6-8 hours. It had dark colour, very funky nose and good structure. Fruit driven and reminded me of a Martinborough. Very attractive at $25 (It's from Manjimup in WA)

Second was the 06 Yarra Burn farm yardy nose, quite attractive, cedary palate not as full on the palate.

The other wines were a bit of a disappointment Bay of Fires 06 and the De bortoli Yarra Valley 05. The Yarra Burn was very straight forward and a touch of young vine toffee on the palate. The De Bort was flat, and straight forward (it was in a stevlin cap) Maybe it needed more time to breath.

thanks again

mike

One I really like from New Zealand, a new release, is Blind Trail Central Otago Pinot Noir 2006. There's a savoury earthiness to the wine to balance the spiced cherry and tart red fruits with a smoky, wild thyme-infused backbone. It delivers a quality you don't usually find at a recommended NZ$23 price tag.

Whether you can get it in Perth or not, no idea.

Cheers,
Sue

I don't know if it's freely available over there, but the 2005 Leabrook Estate Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir would be worth a shot if you can get it.

Cheers,
Ian

Mike_A wrote:Wine of the lunch went to the 05 Battista It had been decanted for about 6-8 hours. It had dark colour, very funky nose and good structure. Fruit driven and reminded me of a Martinborough. Very attractive at $25 (It's from Manjimup in WA)

The Yarra Burn was very straight forward and a touch of young vine toffee on the palate.

6-8 Hours?!? Are you serious? If it was as good as you indicate after (presumably) 9-10 hours, I can only imagine how good it would have been six hours earlier. Why the decanting overkill?

I'm genuinely interested in the young-vine toffee phenomenon too. First time I've heard of it.

Cheers,

Mike_A wrote:Thanks for the the help on wine selection. All these wines were tasted blind.

Wine of the lunch went to the 05 Battista It had been decanted for about 6-8 hours. It had dark colour, very funky nose and good structure. Fruit driven and reminded me of a Martinborough. Very attractive at $25 (It's from Manjimup in WA)

Second was the 06 Yarra Burn farm yardy nose, quite attractive, cedary palate not as full on the palate.

The other wines were a bit of a disappointment Bay of Fires 06 and the De bortoli Yarra Valley 05. The Yarra Burn was very straight forward and a touch of young vine toffee on the palate. The De Bort was flat, and straight forward (it was in a stevlin cap) Maybe it needed more time to breath.

thanks again

mike

Were all these Pinots decanted for 6-8 hours?

Mike

I'm genuinely interested in the young-vine toffee phenomenon too. First time I've heard of it.

Yep that's my understanding/observation. I have asked winemakers about this character and generally when it's been detected they confirm that as the source.

I'm no expert, so happy to take advice.

regards

mike

Were all these Pinots decanted for 6-8 hours?

Mike

No they weren't. Just the Batista. All the others were just opened and poured directly into a decanter

regards

mike

Mike_A wrote:Yep that's my understanding/observation. I have asked winemakers about this character and generally when it's been detected they confirm that as the source.

I'm no expert, so happy to take advice.

regards

mike

Hi Mike,

Any winemakers in particular? If they're from the science community, I'd be interested to know whether they draw on purely experience or have data to support the idea.

It was my understanding that toffee was an oak derived character from a chemical called hydroxymethyl furfural. Young vine fruit may somehow elucidate a stronger reponse to this chemical in oak, but there is no literature (based on my database searches) that would indicate this, nor lead to indirect connections.

Interestingly, general web searches attract a lot more hits for old vine correlation with toffee than young vine.

The young vine / toffee relationship sounds purely anecdotal to me (and misleading), though I stand to be corrected. Perhaps firm research links have simply not been made yet.

Cheers,

Take a look at the Bress Yarra Pinot, retails around the $20 mark - great wine for the money.

I find these are good value for Money [ $25ish nzd ]

Rabbit Ranch
Stugglers Flat
Saddleback, Peregrine lower Label.

Strugglers Flat

Agree with this one from Martinborough. Mind you I have seen the price creeping up to around $30AUD from $25 or so a year ago