Winemaker Notes
Semi-translucent bright red to dark red with a crimson red hue. Ascending from the glass are perfumed violet top notes with ripe red cherry and strawberry scents in hot pursuit. Aromatic fresh herb, forest floor and spicy cedar notes then flow on. The palate is vibrant, supple then chewy, harmonious and drives with a flourish. Subtle forest floor, fresh herb infusions and light spicy cedar nuances sit beneath. Superb intensity and purity of fruit yet very elegant and polished with beautifully integrated tannins combining with bright fresh acidity on the finish.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Nestled into the tip of its southeastern coastline, Victoria is Australia’s smallest mainland state, second most populous and third largest wine producer. Victoria includes the cool regions of Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Geelong, made famous mainly by impressive Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
The more inland Heathcote and Bendigo lead the way for complex and textured, full-bodied reds. Rutherglen’s fortified wines compete among the best on the planet.