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Moncur Cellars Pinot Noir
Bistro Moncur, Sydney
Tasted August 26, 2014 by chatters with 741 views
Introduction
A massive (150+ wines) Pinot Noir tasting organised by Moncur Cellars. All Australian. I did my best but only got through about 60 by the end. Palate fatigue and people bending my ear as well as the old gold standards 'elbows at the tasting table' & 'over perfumed ladies (and gentlemen rather disturbingly)' were my biggest challenges which has, of course, impacted the quality of the notes so apologies in advance for that. It was great that the vast majority of producers brought an entry level and then a reserve version of their wines. A real treat to see so many of these wines in one place.
Flight 1 (64 notes)
Red
2010 Curly Flat Pinot Noir
Aromas of cherry and berry, slight toast, and spice, cream…quite polished. In the mouth there are flavours of juicy ripe cherry and slight alcohol heat, quite harmonious though very fruit forward Mmm. Eminently quaffable and very nice. Not sure about longevity though.
Red
2010 Curly Flat Pinot Noir The Curly
Aromas of spice, stalky herbaceousness over ripe cherry and also some slightly funky notes. In the mouth the wine has herbaceous flavours but with juicy ripe cherry and gum grip and mid palate fur, long with fruit carry. Needs time to integrate but nice.
Red
2012 Giaconda Pinot Noir Yarra Valley & Beechworth
Medium minus intensity aromas of slight red berry fruit, slight mustiness, cedar and other fragrant wood - sandalwood perhaps. In the mouth the wine is tangy with red berry notes, talc like tannic grip, medium plus length. Still quite young and a bit meh at the mo'.
Red
2006 Giaconda Pinot Noir
ON the nose there is red berries, bacon fat tending to struck match and slight spice…with agitation the struck match quality does not dissipate. On the palate there are flavours of juicy and savoury berry fruit, silky tannins, long finish. Well balanced but, for me, lacks complexity.
Red
2012 Derwent Estate Pinot Noir
Slight metallic notes, red currant over red berry with sweet spice on the nose. In the mouth the wine is juicy but with drying tannins, very slight residual sugar and the redcurrant flavours are very muted. It's all a bit out of whack.
Red
2013 Frogmore Creek Pinot Noir 42 Degrees South
Berry over cherry, chocolate and vanilla with the beginnings of slight earthy notes. In the mouth I initially perceived a tiny spritz then flavours of berry and cherry fruit, very slight phenolic grip, slight herbaceousness on the medium plus length finish. Nice
Red
2013 Yabby Lake Vineyard Pinot Noir Red Claw
Smoky bonfire, cedar, toast, spice, red tending to black fruit. Quite bolshy on the nose. In the mouth the wine is savoury with grippy tannin, tangy savoury fruit that turns a little sour on the back of the palate. Also some spice notes here. Interesting. Young. Mmm.
Red
2013 Yabby Lake Vineyard Pinot Noir Single Vineyard
Muted cherry, sweet spice, slight stalkiness and an earthy quality. In the mouth the wine is juicy and flavoursome with savoury red and black berries, stalks, fine textured tannins that are none the less a little chewy. Long. Nice.
Red
2011 Mount Mary Pinot Noir
Medium minus intensity aromas of earth, slight leather, slight red berry and cherry fruit with spice. In the mouth the wine is juicy with flavours of red berry, it's wet and the fruit carries long. Talc like tannic grip, stalky notes on the long finish introduces the spice from the nose. Hmm. I kind of like it. Nice.
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Red
2012 Yabby Lake Vineyard Pinot Noir Single Block Release Block 1
medium minus intensity aromas of ripe cherry with a perfumed floral top note, cedar, spice and a touch of autumn leaves & dampness as well as notes of fresh tilled earth. In the mouth the wine has dense flavours of red and slight black cherry, silky mid palate tannic grip which is courser on the gums. all carries long with spice notes. very good.
Red
2012 Bass Phillip Pinot Noir Estate
that' pinot smell but with a touch of premature oxidation and mustiness. I'm also picking a bit of yeast extract here. In the mouth the wine is tangy and juicy with medium minus intensity flavours of very slightly sour red berry fruit. Mid palate furry tannins, medium length. A bit forward. I don't this is how it's meant to be. But it's not flawed. yet.
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Red
2013 William Downie Pinot Noir Gippsland
Funky farmyards, wet stone, earth, cream are all discernible before muted cherry and spice notes on the nose. In the mouth the wine is juicy and fresh, though, with plentiful cherry and berry and spice. A Fair old tannic heft is fine textured but dries things out on the finish with introduces a touch of alcohol warmth. Hmm. Benefit of the doubt says needs time.
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Red
2012 Kooyong Pinot Noir Massale
Slight metallic notes, red berry - strawberries specifically - and sweet spice and an almost candied note - perhaps some carbonic maceration? In the mouth the wine had candied red fruit that is quite confected and gives way to medium minus intensity chalky textured tannin. Simple. A bit meh for me.
Red
2011 Kooyong Pinot Noir Estate
on the nose very slightly metallic notes, earth, red berries and cherry. Quite fresh though with additional aromas of cedar and slight sandalwood. Berry and cherry in the mouth that proves a little savoury and is rapidly pushed to one side by chewy and drying tannin. Mmm. needs time.
Red
2013 Mac Forbes Pinot Noir
Smoky, slightly burnt ripe and confected berry and spice. In the mouth the wine is tangy with sweet and confected red berry, furry tannin, green notes and confected at the same time all over the place. Ugh.
Red
2013 Mac Forbes Pinot Noir Coldstream
aromas of blossoms and red berries, cedar, muted spice and stalks. On the palate there is sweet and sour red berries - from almost bitter currant to ripe strawberry then grippy, mouth coating tannins. What is going on? Feels very disjointed.
Red
2013 Ashton Hills Pinot Noir No. 1 Piccadilly Valley
Strawberries, sweet spice, perfumed top notes. On the palate tangy an juicy ripe strawberry flavours, fine silky mid palate tannic grip, touch of bitterness on the finish but otherwise a very pleasant quaffer.
Red
2013 Ashton Hills Pinot Noir Estate
Medium plus intensity concentrated aromas of strawberry and cherry, toasty notes, cedar and sweet spices. In the mouth the concentrated fruit is quickly pushed aside by savour, spiced tannic grip but re-emerges on the long finish. Needs time to develop.
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Red
2013 Ashton Hills Pinot Noir Reserve
Earthy and muddy, savoury, slight bonfire, autumn laves all over muted ripened berry fruit. On the palate there are medium plus intensity flavours of concentrated but not over ripe red fruit, spice and, especially on the front of the mouth, dense, chewy but fine textured tannic grip. The fruit carries with the spice but this, for me, needs some cellaring. Nice
Red
2013 Bannockburn Pinot Noir 1314 a.d.
Medium plus intensity aromas of stalky bonfires, ripened berries, herbs (especially basil), wet cedar. In the mouth the wine has flavours of burnt red berries and basil. Most odd.
Red
2010 Bannockburn Pinot Noir
Very perfumed…like aftershave in fact! Sandalwood, cinnamon…touches of clove. No discernible fruit on the nose. In the mouth the wine is very stalky and burnt. Nothing redeeming here for me.
Red
2012 Stonier Pinot Noir
cherry blossoms and red cherry, cream ,slight spice and cedar…more of the same on the palate and slight bitterness on the finish. Simple and okay.
Red
2011 Stonier Pinot Noir Windmill
Muted red cherry fruit, floral perfumed notes, leather, sweet spice. In the mouth the wine is juicy and spicy with muted red fruit, talc like tannin. Nice balance but lacks fruit and finishes a little warm.
Red
2012 Farr Rising Pinot Noir Geelong
aromas of contrarily slightly candied, and dusty, ripe red cherry fruit and slight green notes and sweet spice. In the mouth there are flavours of ripe red fruit that is quite tangy then talc like tannic grip that dries the palate leaving little finish. Hmm
Red
2012 By Farr Pinot Noir Sangreal
Very stalky over spiced red cherry. The fruit is initially sweet then turns sour. Drying tannins and a slightly burnt stalky note. Nah
Red
2011 By Farr Pinot Noir Tout Près
aromas of green stalks, herbs over red cherry, spice and a slight perfumed floral note. In the mouth there is smoky red fruit, slightly sour, then chalky tannin. Meh.
Red
2011 Port Phillip Estate Pinot Noir
Perfumed red cherry over berry, sweet spice, perfumed notes, cedar actually. Rather nice nose and puts me in mind of some Burgundies…in the mouth the wine is juicy and tang with red berry and cherry flavours then spiced tannic grip with slight ripe stalks and a cedary note on the medium plus length finish. Nice.
Red
2011 Port Phillip Estate Pinot Noir Morillon Single Vineyard
Aromas of red currant over red berry, slight cedar, cream and vanilla. In the mouth the wine has flavours o red currant and cherry, warm spice, mid palate and gum grip that is intense but fine textured. Fruit carries and is joined by alcohol warmth underneath. Nice.
Red
2012 Paringa Estate Pinot Noir Peninsula
Meaty red berry, cedar and spice with slight leather notes on the nose. In the mouth the wine has tangy and spicy red berry fruit - quite mulled wine if you will, then fine tannic grip. Lots going on. Quite forward, perhaps. Very good.
Red
2010 Paringa Estate Pinot Noir Estate
Medium plus intensity aromas of cherry, berry cream cedar spice and tilled earth. All very clean and pure though. In the mouth there is slightly sweet fruit then tangy spicy leather tannic grip. Quite feisty. Mmm.
Red
2010 Paringa Estate Pinot Noir The Paringa Single Vineyard
Medium minus intensity aromas of red berry fruit, touches of spice, cedar notes…all quite subdued. In the mouth the wine has flavours of generic red berry fruit, light tanginess, fine silky tannin…the whole thing is very muted…balanced, but muted. Like someone has turned the volume down. Hmm.
Red
2012 Paradigm Hill Pinot Noir L'ami Sage
medium minus intensity aromas of red berry fruit, slight earth…on the palate tart red berry fruit…meh.
Red
2012 Paradigm Hill Pinot Noir Les Cinq
red berry and leather, stalky notes, cedar and savoury spice. More of the same on the plate but the fruit is quite sour and the tannins a little drying.
Red
2012 Punch Lance's Vineyard Pinot Noir
leather, earth, bit of funk over muted raspberry fruit and sweet spice on the nose. In the mouth the fruit proves quite ripe with spice notes backed by chewy tannin. Hmm
Red
2012 Punch Lance's Vineyard Pinot Noir Close Planted
Medium minus intensity aromas of toast, red berry, spice, green/stalky notes. In the mouth the wine has slightly confected red berry, slight smoke…is quite tangy then chewy, slightly drying tannins over the sweet fruit that diminishes slowly.
Red
2012 Clyde Park Pinot Noir Locale
flawed
Farmyard funk, premature oxidation, yeast extract, leather. There is fruit that wasn't on the nose in the mouth but the whole thing is a bit sharp, volatile and short - FLAW.
Red
2010 Clyde Park Pinot Noir
Sweet red berry fruit, cream, vanilla…obvious but slight perfumed. Cedar top notes. In the moth the wine is tangy and juicy with savoury red berries and cream, then tannic grip that is quite fine. Nice if not a little simple at this juncture and, perhaps, not going anywhere?
Red
2013 Giant Steps Pinot Noir Sexton Vineyard
confected red fruit, cedar and spice on the nose…In the mouth there is spiced fruit that is juicy with stalky savouriness…meh.
Red
2012 Wantirna Estate Pinot Noir Lily
lightweight red berries and spice…more of the same on the palate. A bit short. Nah
Red
2013 Prancing Horse Estate Pinot Noir Pony
aromas of sour cherry and cherry lozenges with slightly drying tannins. Nope.
Red
2011 Glaetzer Dixon Family Winemakers Pinot Noir Reveur
Medium minus intensity aromas of earth, red berry, slight spice…in the mouth the wine is wet, juicy, with red berry and fine talc like tannin. The fruit carries on quite long finish which introduces a slightly bitter notes. Hmm.
Red
2013 Dalrymple Vineyards Pinot Noir
Spice, red berry fruit…on the palate sweet red berry fruit and, err, spice. Meh
Red
2011 Dalrymple Vineyards Pinot Noir Block CV90
flawed
Dusty and reductive over slight sweet red berries…something is very wrong here. It is flat and stale and closed. Flaw
Red
2012 Tarrawarra Pinot Noir
Aromas of sweet spice, red cherry and more spice! In the mouth there is slightly sour red cherry fruit accompanied by fine chalky tannin. Hmm.
Red
2012 Tarrawarra Pinot Noir Reserve
Red berry, biscuit, slight spice, slightly wet…in the mouth the wine is tangy with slight sour red fruit, talc like tannin and a touch of tangible alcohol warmth intrudes on the finish. Meh
Red
2012 Oakridge Pinot Noir Vineyard Series Willowlake Vineyard
Perfumed and slightly stalky red berry fruit is accompanied by sweet spice and cedar - the wine is a little herbaceous on the nose. In the mouth there are flavours of juicy berry but this drops quite quickly into fine talc like tannic grip. The nose is interesting but it's all over very quickly on the palate.
Red
2012 Oakridge Pinot Noir 864 Guerin Vineyard Block 4
Farmyard sulphurous initially with ripe red cherry and sweet spice. In the mouth the wine has flavours of ripe, spiced juicy red cherry fruit with carries on the medium length and is joined by talc like tannic grip. Nice but too short for the price.
Red
2013 Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir
Aromas of candy floss, confected red berry fruit, slight sweet cake spice, vanilla hints. In the mouth flavours of candied red berry fruit; strawberries, cream and vanilla joined by medium minus intensity fine tannic grip. The wine carries quite long on the palate and is fairly simple. Carbonic maceration perhaps? Nice and well made for what it is.
Red
2012 Marchand and Burch Pinot Noir Mount Barrow
unripe red strawberry under cream and spice with a touch of smokiness. In the mouth there are flavours of unripe red berries, especially strawberries, cream and vanilla with silky tannic grip that is still quite firm and chewy with the fruit carrying underneath. This is joined by spice and non-intrusive alcohol on the long finish. Quite nice.
Red
2013 Moorilla Pinot Noir Praxis
Aromas of raspberry, earth, muted spice and a very slight leathery quality. In the mouth the wine is juicy and spiced but lacks fruit on the palate - medium minus intensity flavours of raspberry then a tongue coating furriness but this light fruitiness persists surprisingly long. Not for me.
Red
2011 Moorilla Pinot Noir Muse
savoury, meaty spiced, red berries, especially raspberries. In the mouth stalks, red berry, tangy fruit, moderately juicy, well balanced. Fine tannins persists. fruit carries beneath. Very well balanced in fact. Long and complex. Impressive.
Red
2007 Mayfield Vineyard Pinot Noir
Leather, slight funk reductive over red berry fruit. In the mouth the wine is tangy, tart and savoury…cream and vanilla with very slight candied fruit notes. Rush to the spit bucket. ugh.
Red
2009 Mayfield Vineyard Pinot Noir Single Vineyard
Red berry, savoury, leather, slight wet stone, earthy notes. Red berries, juicy (tartaric) but alcohol heat. It’s a bit meh.
Red
2013 Montalto Vineyards Pinot Noir Pennon Hill
red berry, sweet spice, slight leather, cream and cedar. In the mouth the wine has sweet red berry fruit which dominates slight spice notes and is joined by chewy, unappetising tannins. Meh.
Red
2013 Mayer Pinot Noir Granite
On the nose leather, concentrated berry, an almost medicinal balm note, spice and cream. In the mouth there is ripe, concentrated red berry fruit which still retains a juicy edge but that dissipates very quickly under a fine tannic grip
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Comments (5)
Red
2013 Montalto Vineyards Pinot Noir Estate
Stalky, savoury, smoky, funky, some sulphur notes, leathery red berries - raspberries dominate. In the mouth tangy red berry, chalky tannin, sweet spice but tannin dominates the palate.
Red
2012 Lerida Estate Pinot Noir Lake George
Medium minus intensity aromas that are quite herbaceous, muted, very red currant with slight cream notes. In the mouth the wine has juicy but muted red currant flavours then quite chewy, almost stalky, tannins but the whole is quite short.
Red
2013 Lerida Estate Pinot Noir Cullerin Lake George
Red berry and cherry, spice…fairly straightforward. In the mouth sweet and juicy red fruit. Surprisingly simple considering the price
Red
2010 Lerida Estate Pinot Noir Josephine Lake George
aromas of leather, funky farmyards, red tending to black fruit and quite spiced…on the palate though the whole thing is just a mess. Ugh.
Red
2012 Ocean Eight Pinot Noir
Toast, funky, stalky, biscuit over red berry, tart on the palate, chalk, like tannin
Red
2010 Ocean Eight Pinot Noir Aylward
riper fruit over funky stalky notes. Tangy red fruit, spice, that stalky thing in the mouth . Meh
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Comments (2)
Red
2013 Chalkers Crossing Pinot Noir Tumbarumba
ripe red tending to black berry fruit on the nose is accompanied by spice, perfumed notes, cedar, and a slight herbaceousness. On the palate though the herbaceous note comes to the fore and accompanies a slight burnt/smoky taste Quite tannic as well. Bit meh
Red
2012 Spring Vale Pinot Noir
Slight leather, red spiced berry, very very slight stalkiness. In the mouth there are flavours of spiced red berry, slight cedar, talc like tannin, and slight fruit carry on the medium plus finish. nice
Closing
Hard to choose a wine of the night out of this lot…I did like the paringa entry level as my value for money wine closely followed by the 42 degrees south. I was impressed by Yabby Lake and Port Phillip on this showing and I did really like that Moorilla Muse but I'd suggest that the vast majority of these wines aren't ready to drink. I am probably completely wrong but when stalks are introduced to the equation the primary and secondary flavours are tipped out of balance and will need patience to bed down. I'd love to do all of these wines in, say, two years just to see how they are coming along. I suspect it will be just two months though, at Pinot Palooza...