Catching up: Pinot Noir

Catching up: Pinot Noir

A Pinot Noir bunch Tight and sexy looking bunch isn’t it?

In typical festive season style I’ve been doing plenty of drinking and comparatively little note taking of late, a situation which I’m totally ok with but one that’s generally not conducive to good blogging (or such).

So, perhaps vainly, I’m going to attempt to redress that balance right now with a round-up of a few of the Pinots that I enjoyed recently. Sadly the notes for these are just a little on the short side though hopefully you get the gist…

Oh and if you haven’t started stocking up on these 2010 Yarra/Macedon/Southern Victorian Pinots then start now. You’ve been warned…

Hoddles Creek Pinot Noir 2010 (Yarra Valley, Vic)
This is the best value Pinot Noir in Australia, which is probably why this wine is either already sold out or not far off. It looks firmer, denser and more powerful this year, the nose still reticent and the palate rippling with tannins, the wine quite masculine for the Yarra (and Hoddles) but with the flesh to match. Yes. Buy some. 18.3/93+

Punt Rd Pinot Noir 2010 (Yarra Valley, Vic)
Immediately prettier, softer and less serious than the Hoddles but with a juiciness that’s worth highlighting, the lightly sappy red fruit sure to have commercial appeal. Very pleasant, affable, yet not contrived wine with enough pinosity to convince. 17.2/90

Bress Silver Chook Pinot Noir 2010 (Yarra Valley & Macedon, Vic)
Pepper! Pepper and green olive stemminess with charry oak overtones and a dose of ‘charcuterie plate’ in there for good measure (salami maybe). Really very serious wine considering it’s $22 price point, this looked just a fraction young but also a wine of some density. Good. 17.3/90+

Oakridge Pinot Noir 2010 (Yarra Valley, Vic)
So very Yarra this with that red fruit brightness of warmer year Yarra Pinot (attractive character it is too). Palate has sappy, glace red fruit, some slightly sweet caramel oak and a proper dry savoury finish. Pretty, yet structured too. Easy recommendation this and immediately drinkable. 18/93

Dalrymple Pinot Noir 2010 (Tamar Valley, Tas)
Tight. Ultimately too young Pinot with a pippy, peppery cherry nose that gives away little of the goodies to come. Palate is both glossy and sweet with musky fruit at the edges but closed through the middle and pulls up a little short. I’m calling this as a slow burne,r for there is richness in there underneath it just needs time. Retaste needed. 16.8/89+

Holm Oak Pinot Noir 2009 (Tamar Valley, Tas)
Riper and almost slightly roasted style this vintage with a level of extraction and power I haven’t seen before, the fruit almost heading into gamy, Martinborough levels of ripeness. Black pepper, spice, tannins, heart and power. Maybe a little too big but certainly a mouthful of a wine. Will be interested to see how this develops in bottle. 17.4/90+

Bindi Composition Pinot Noir 2010 (Macedon, Vic)
I actually had this last night so it’s something of an addendum to this lot (but entirely worth including). Like a few of the wines above it’s a masculine wine in the context of Bindi Composition Pinot but in the best possible fashion (with no delicacy really sacrificed as a result). There’s a subliminal (actually it’s probably more latent than that) minted red fruit power to this wine that screams quality (or it did to me at least) with a thick and dense mid palate and tightly woven tannins, the wine still carrying a sheen of oak to sweeten everything up. A wine for the future (don’t drink it now) I can’t help but want (more) of this in my cellar. Ballsy without losing elegance. Yes. 18.4/93+

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