Important Update From the Founder
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Pinotpalooza
Carriageworks, Redfern
Tasted June 18, 2022 by chatters with 85 views
Introduction
it's been a three year layoff (thanks to the country being on fire and Covid) but here we are back again. An opportunity to take a snapshot of where the world of Pinot Noir is in Australia and (to a lesser extent) New Zealand.
Three years ago NZ was still ahead, Aus was catching up but still had issues with whole bunch...let's see what's changed...
Flight 1 (91 notes)
Red
2021 Heirloom Vineyards Pinot Noir Adelaide Hills
Aromas of polished oak, sweet and savoury spice, fruit tea with a slight jubey red berry underpin. In the mouth it's borderline sour, quite dilute and wet with fruit tea notes. Meh.
Red
2021 Heirloom Vineyards Pinot Noir Alcazar Castle Adelaide Hills
Again that polished oak note, red berry compote and this has more savoury than sweet spice on the nose. juicy, savoury fruit compote, textured grip, slight bitterness on the long finish which adds interest. Good.
Red
2021 Heirloom Vineyards Pinot Noir The Velvet Fog Adelaide Hills
Medium minus intensity aromas of wild ferment, wild red berries...slightly sour, wild strawberry, slightly grippy texture...meh.
Red
2021 Shaw and Smith Pinot Noir
Aromas of wild ferment, red over blackberries, meaty notes...medium plus intensity acidity, talc textured tannins, a sense of wetness, muted red over black fruits with a little alcohol warmth on the finish. Meh.
Red
2020 Tolpuddle Vineyard Pinot Noir
Wild ferment, jubey fruit; slight cherry, sweet and savoury spice, slight clay/earthy notes. In the mouth it's slightly sour, chalky textured tannins, muted red cherry fruit. Hmm.
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Red
2021 Cloudbreak Wines Pinot Noir
Slightly sour smelling red berry, oak spice, behind this some pretty jubey aromas. On the palate it's bold and savoury with red berries, oak spice, slight warmth, tight textured grip. young. Okay.
Red
2021 Tomich Wines Pinot Noir Woodside Vineyard
Slightly sour red berry, a little washing up liquid notes, sweet spice. Sour, drying tannins, hard, four square. Nah.
Red
2021 Vinteloper Wines Pinot Noir Neonoir
On the nose candied, slightly jammy red berry compote (carbo crush?). Tart red berry, textured burr, a little sharp. Meh
Red
2017 Vinteloper Wines Pinot Noir Odeon Lenswood
Polished oak, red over black berry fruit, sweet over savoury spice, some whole bunch ashiness. Medium plus intensity acidity, textured grip, muted fruit. Hmm.
Red
2021 Vinteloper Wines Pinot Noir
Jubey, slight whole bunch, savoury spices. Juicy, less tart (but still a little sharp), red fruit, chalky textured. Hmm.
Red
2021 Lansdowne Vineyard Pinot Mac
Jubey, wild berries, pretty, candied red berries, a little candy floss. Very carbonic maceration. And very carbonic maceration on the palate, a little textured burr, short, simple, nice.
Red
2021 Duxton Vineyards Pinot Noir Pete's Pure
Slightly jammy strawberry, fruit forward, more of the same on the palate, smidge of residual sugar? A bit of a tart...
Red
2019 Saint & Scholar Pinot Noir
Slightly volatile, muted red berries, sweet spice. Medium plus intensity acidity, savoury, a little hard, tight tannins, lacks generosity. Meh.
Red
2017 Saint & Scholar Pinot Noir The Scholar's Soapbox
Aromas show slight wood glue and volatility, meaty and savoury spice over red berry lozenges. On the palate it's all a bit sweet and sour. Meh.
Red
2019 De Salis Wines Pinot Noir Lofty - Blue Label
Polished oak, ripe red over black fruit. On the palate there is alcohol warmth, tight fine textured tannins over black fruits.
Red
2019 De Salis Wines Pinot Noir Lofty
Slight wood glue, meaty, raspberry. Juicy, slight alcohol, raspberry, fine grain tannins.
Red
2019 De Salis Wines Pinot Noir Lofty - Red Label
Cranberry, meaty, wild ferment, with time some jubey red and black fruit. Acid, textured tannins, red berried fruit, slight alcohol warmth, balanced. Good.
Red
2019 De Salis Wines Pinot Noir
Tomato leaf, meaty, jubey. Juicy acid tends to sour, talc textured are drying, muted fruit. Hmm.
Red
2021 Gilbert Family Wines Pinot Noir
Raspberry, wild glue. In the mouth it's juicy, tight textured, red berry but dilute. a bit meh for me.
Red
2021 Gilbert Family Wines Pinot Noir Nashdale
Whole bunch ashiness, red berries and cherries, sweet spice. Medium plus acid, wet, dilute, medium minus intensity chalky tannins. Meh.
Red
2019 M&J Becker Pinot Noir The State of Jefferson
Aromas of cola, red cherry, savoury, wild ferment. Juicy, slightly savoury, cherry cola, softly textured, alcohol warmth. Hmm.
Red
2019 M&J Becker Pinot Noir
Pretty, jubey, cherry, slight sweet spice, slight oak. Medium plus intensity acidity, talc textured tannins, savoury, cherry, slight alcohol but balanced and nice.
Red
2019 Quealy Pinot Noir Balnarring Campbell & Christine
Medium minus intensity aromas, very slight wood glue & volatility, red fruit - cherry and berry, savoury, slight whole bunch. Medium plus intensity acidity prove slightly sour, chalky tannins are tight. Time may help but the volatility is a concern.
Red
2020 Quealy Pinot Noir Musk Creek Balnarring
Red cherry & berry, earth and chalky, slightly jubey, slightly sour, jubey red fruit, slightly chalky textured tannins, closed. Okay.
Red
2019 Quealy Pinot Noir Seventeen Rows Balnarring
Very slight wood glue, wild red cherry, slight sweet spice, savoury, wild ferment. Concentrated with tight tannins, savoury red cherry fruit. Time required here.
Red
2021 Kooyong Pinot Noir Estate
slight wood glue, sweet spice red berry over cherry. Slight sour and bitter, not much else. Nah.
Red
2021 Port Phillip Estate Pinot Noir Red Hill
Very slight wild ferment, spicy, gamey, red berries prove a little jubey. In the mouth, though, it's rather sour and bitter with quite drying tannins. Nope.
Red
2021 Port Phillip Estate Pinot Noir Quartier
Pretty red berry, struck match, sweet spice. Very slight sour with red berry fruits, medium minus intensity chalky texture. Hmm.
Red
2018 Handpicked Pinot Noir
Concentrated dark fruits especially blackberry, savoury spice. Juicy, dense, concentrated black fruit compote, talc textured tannins, balanced, good.
Red
2019 Handpicked Pinot Noir Collection Mornington Peninsula
Slight struck match, cherry, slight savoury underpin, very slightly volatile as well. Juicy, fleshy, concentrated fruit, talc textured tannins, nice.
Red
2019 Handpicked Pinot Noir Collection Tasmania
medium minus intensity aromas show savoury with wood glue, muted, slightly anonymous fruit...palate reflects this; tart/hard. Nah.
Red
2019 Handpicked Pinot Noir Collection Yarra Valley
Savoury with wild ferment, muted fruit, a smidge of volatility starts to show with time in the glass. Juicy, slightly sour but with more fruit on the palate, savoury and fleshy. Okay.
Red
2019 Handpicked Pinot Noir 37 Regional Selections Yarra Valley
Savoury, earhty, wet clay, slight butter, cream, wild strawberry. A little textured burr and it's quite tight on the palate which rather dominates proceedings. Hmm.
Red
2019 Clyde Park Pinot Noir
Savoury, wild ferment, meaty, muted fruit. A little savoury on the palate as well with chalky texture, alcohol warmth, muted fruit. Hmm.
Red
2021 Clyde Park Pinot Noir Locale
Fruit forward, jubey berry, a little spice. Tart, savoury, muted fruit. Hmm
Red
2020 Clyde Park Pinot Noir Block D
medium minus intensity aromas of wood glue, savoury meaty notes, red berry fruit. Chewy without being too tannic, a little dilute with red berry fruit. Hmm.
Red
2019 Gladstone Vineyard Pinot Noir
Savoury spice, muted fruit, slightly jubey, sweet spice. Juicy, black fruits, talc textured tannins, sweet spice, slight alcohol warmth. Okay
Red
2018 Gladstone Vineyard Pinot Noir Blairpatrick
Slight volatility and wood glue masks the nose. volatile on the palate as well with tight tannins and a little red plum. Wild ferment gone wrong over time?
Red
2019 Gladstone Vineyard Pinot Noir Dakins Road
Concentrated black cherry over berries, sweet spice and polished oak. Equally concentrated on the palate, savoury with similar black fruits as per the nose as well as a little plum. Nice
Red
2019 Gladstone Vineyard Pinot Noir The Flying Winemaker
Medium minus intensity show as slight red berry, very slight volatility. Tightly textured, muted fruit, meh.
Red
2020 Escarpment Pinot Noir Pahi
Wild ferment, earth, blackberry, very slightly jubey and very savoury. Blackbery fruit 'pops' on the palate, beneath this talc textured tannins offer a little drying quality. Nice.
Red
2020 Escarpment Noir
Savoury, meaty notes hides fruit, cream and sweet spice notes. Juicy, savoury, black fruits and fruit tea, wetly dilute, a little earthy note. Okay
Red
2018 Escarpment Pinot Noir
Berry, meaty, wild ferment and wood glue. Medium plus intensity acidity, talc textured tannins, muted fruit. Meh.
Red
2016 Escarpment Pinot Noir Te Rehua
Savoury, meaty, blackberry, earth, sweet and savoury spices in support. Juicy, slight wood glue, forward with muted fruit, slightly reductive notes, talc textured tannins are drying. Alcohol warmth. Hmm.
Red
2019 Craggy Range Pinot Noir Aroha
Polished oak, wood glue, slight volatility, red cherry. Sour. Very unpleasant on the palate. How disappointing.
Red
2019 Craggy Range Pinot Noir Martinborough
Earthy, slightly jubey, dark hued, savoury, slight whole bunch ashiness. Juicy, wet, very slightly sour, wild blackcurrant, talc textured. Hmm
Red
2018 Craggy Range Pinot Noir Single Vineyard Te Muna Road Vineyard
Savoury, sweet oak spice, red and black cherry...in the mouth it's a little wet and slightly dilute, chalky tannins, muted fruit. Meh.
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Red
2021 Charteris Le Fauve Rouge
Pretty, jubey, savoury red berries. Sourly juicy, tightly textured, muted fruit, Nah.
Red
2014 Charteris Pinot Noir Central Otago
Wild ferment, gamey, savoury spice, red over black fruit. Chewy tannins are talc textured, alcohol warmth. Hmm
Red
2013 Charteris Pinot Noir The Winter Vineyard
Wild ferment, red berry fruit smells slightly sour - but it could be the smidge of volatility. Juicy, sweet and sour flavours, talc textured tannins. Nah.
Red
2015 Amisfield Pinot Noir
Gamey rich, black berry and cherry, sweet oaky spice, slight wild ferment. Juicy very slight sour, tightly textured tannins, wild black fruits. Nice.
Red
2020 Amisfield Pinot Noir
Slight gamey, red cherry over black hued fruits, sweet spice. Borderline sour, lots of tannic grip that proves chalky and drying but also some red cherry and blackberry. Time should help.
Red
2019 Amisfield Pinot Noir Breakneck Reserve
Initially jubey on the nose with black cherry, sweet spice, slight bonfire and struck match. Juicy, savoury, fruit and tannins work together and very slight alcohol warmth. Balanced. Good.
Red
2020 Giant Steps Pinot Noir Fatal Shore
Medium minus intensity aromas show slightly gamey, red berries, sweet spice. Chalky textured tannic grip with a grainy underpin, red berries again. Okay.
Red
2021 Giant Steps Pinot Noir
Gamey, slightly meaty, wild ferment, slightly pretty jubey fruit lozenge underpin. On the palate it's tart with tight tannins and not much else. not showing well today.
Red
2019 Oakridge Pinot Noir
Struck match, sweet spice, red over black berry fruit, wild ferment. Slightly savoury, talc textured tannins more red than black fruit on the palate. Okay.
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Red
2020 Oakridge Pinot Noir Hazeldene Vineyard Yarra Valley
Slightly jubey, a touch of candy floss over red berry. Juicy, jubey, simple, slightly talc textured tannins. Okay
Red
2020 Oakridge Pinot Noir Vineyard Series Willowlake Vineyard
Polished, jubey red fruit, though it smells quite lightweight. Wetly dilute on the palate with talc textured burr. Meh.
Red
2020 Oakridge Pinot Noir Vineyard Series Henk's Vineyard
Wild ferment, smells tight, very slight struck match, muted red fruit. Juicy tends to sour acidity, muted red fruit. slight, lightweight, silky tannins are not dominant. Hmm.
Red
2021 Pacha Mama Pinot Noir Yarra Valley
Pretty, blackberry and plum, sweet spice, slightly jubey. Juicy acidity tends to medium plus intensity, talc textured tannic burr, fruit slightly muted. It's little bit elbows on the palate but time should help.
Red
2020 Rob Dolan Pinot Noir Black Label
Smells quite MV6 initially, plums, sweet spice, very slight wild ferment with a smidge of wood glue. Medium plus intensity acidity, slightly chalky tannins, slightly plummy fruit, medium plus length. Okay
Red
2020 Rob Dolan Pinot Noir True Colours
Slightly wet, dilute and gamey, fruit tea. Juicy, medium plus intensity acidity, red berry, talc textured tannins prove drying. the components are there but...it's not quite there
Red
2020 Rob Dolan Pinot Noir White Label
Wild ferment, savoury, slightly gamey, red over black fruits. On the palate the fruits are reversed with the black hued berries and plums taking precedent. Palate feel is juicy and fleshy, a touch of fruit lozenge on the long finish. Nice.
Red
2020 Save Our Souls Pinot Noir
Medium minus intensity aromas of biscuit/toast, muted red berries, slight earthy/clay notes. In the mouth it's sharply sour, red hued fruit, chalky tannins. Feels quite unripe. Nah.
Red
2020 Save Our Souls Pinot Noir Syme on Yarra
Wood glue and wild ferment, jubey, whole bunch, meaty red fruit. Muted fruit on the palate, drying talc textured tannins. Hmm.
Red
2021 Yering Station Pinot Noir Little Yering
Pretty jubey red berry over cherry, alcohol prickle, fruit forward on the nose. In the mouth it is juicy and equally fruit forward, slightly textured grip, simple, clean, good.
Red
2020 Yering Station Pinot Noir Village
Medium minus intensity aromas of savoury spice, black over red berry. Juicy, savoury, concentrated, more black over red and plum, talc textured tannins. Okay.
Red
2021 Yering Station Pinot Noir
Savoury and sweet spice, fruit tea, sour blackberry, slightly jubey and meaty. Juicy, fleshy, concentrated blackberry, long. Nice.
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Red
2019 Yering Station Pinot Noir Laura Barnes Pinot Noir
Cherry, clay, earth, sweet spice, muted black fruit in support. Sourly juicy, red over black fruit, not for me.
Red
2018 Moondarra Pinot Noir Conception
Slight caramel oak, sweet spice, slightly dusty notes, red over black plum fruit. Juicy, slightly sour, again that caramel oak over red fruit with some chalky tannins in support. Meh.
Red
2017 Moondarra Pinot Noir Samba Side
Oak dominant; toast, caramel, sweet spice, muted red fruit. Again it's sourly juicy, woody tannins, caramel and alcohol, muted fruit. Meh
Red
2021 Moondarra Pinot Noir Studebaker
Whole bunch - ashy notes especially, over jubey red berry fruit. Sourly juicy, jubey red fruit, slightly chalky tannins, time required but this is quite nice.
Red
2020 Fowles Wine / Plunkett Fowles Pinot Noir Are you Game?
Slightly smoky with red berry and cherry, sweet and savoury spice. Slight sour, tight tannic burr which is persistent. Red fruit. Hmm.
Red
2020 Fowles Wine Pinot Noir Farm to Table
Again slightly smoky and some leather, earthy, muted fruit. In the mouth though it's quite sweet and sour. Meh.
Red
2021 Fowles Wine / Plunkett Fowles Pinot Noir Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch
Very slightly gamey, sweet spice, anonymous red fruit. Juicy, wet, fruit tea, slightly cherry, gamey. Meh.
Red
2015 Spring Vale Pinot Noir Cellar Release
Claym, red berry, slight struck match/bacon fat, very slightly jubey. Juicy, soft, red cherry, whole bunch but controlled. Balanced. Good
Red
2019 Spring Vale Pinot Noir
Clay, red berry slight struck match, bacon fat, very slightly jubey with wild ferment. Jubey, fruit forward, slight burr, simple, needs time to come together.
Red
2018 Spring Vale Pinot Noir Family Selection
Polished oak, red over black fruit, wild ferment and slight whole bunch and some jubey notes. Equally polished on the palate, medium plus length, flavours as per nose. Nice.
Red
2019 Pipers Brook Vineyard Pinot Noir New Certan
Gamey, wild ferment, pretty, jubey but with a slight cardboard note, red berry, sweet spice, sourly juicy, red fruit. Meh for me.
Red
2020 Pipers Brook Vineyard Pinot Noir Estate
Wild ferment, red berry, funky, sourly juicy, red berry, chalky tannins. Nah.
Red
2021 Pipers Brook Vineyard Pinot Noir Pipers
Struck match, red berry, gamey and an odd crushed insect note. Carbonic maceration, pretty but the palate is a bit chalky and unpleasant. Meh.
Red
2018 Pipers Brook Vineyard Pinot Noir Estate
From Magnum. Slight wood glue, wild ferment, red berry, meaty. Sourly juicy, tight chalky tannins, red berries. <shrugs>
Red
2020 Tamar Ridge Pinot Noir
Medium minus intensity aromas of red berry and cherry, sweet spice, simple nose. medium pus intensity acidity, grainy tannins tend to chalky and dominate the palate. Meh
Red
2020 Tamar Ridge Pinot Noir Research Series Kayena Vineyard
Slightly jubey red cherry, medium minus intensity sweet spice aromas, slight whole bunch. Juicy, fleshy wetly dilute with fruit tea note. It's kind of interesting.
Red
2021 Meadowbank Estate Pinot Noir
Struck match, red cherry over black, sweet spice. Juicy, savoury red over black cherry, tight chalky tannins, okay. Time.
Red
2021 Hughes & Hughes Pinot Noir
Clean but with wild ferment, gamey, red cherry. Juicy, very slightly sour, clean, red berry, slightly chalky tannins. Hmm.
Red
2020 Mewstone Pinot Noir D'Entrecasteaux Channel
Reductive, struck match, red berry and cherry, sweet spice. Very slightly sour, juicy, red berry talc textured tannins. Okay in a light way.
Red
2021 Hughes & Hughes Pinot Noir Pied de Cuvée Derwent Valley
Ashy, whole bunch present but controlled. Red berry, jubey, savoury. Ashy, juicy, sour red berry, chalky tannins, dry. Hmm. Time.
Red
2016 Domaine A Pinot Noir
Wood glue dominates. Awful nose says "don't put me in your mouth". I obey.
Red
2016 Moorilla Pinot Noir Muse
Medium plus intensity aromas show gamey, red over black plum, sweet spice. Juicy, concentrated, tight tannins, plummy fruit. Dense. Okay in a big way.
Red
2019 Moorilla Pinot Noir Praxis
Black plums, sweet spice, smells dense. On the palate it has sour black fruits, chalky tannins dominate. Meh.
Closing
What a lot of fun! I managed to get through 95% of the Pinots on taste so gave myself a pat on the back (and four cleansing ales).
The news for me was that Australia is still lagging slightly to NZ but has resolved its whole bunch issues - lots of people are using whole bunch but to a lesser extent and with more control. Very impressive. The same cannot be said for wild ferment unfortunately - quite a few wines here were showing either volatility or wood glue notes which, based on historic tasting, means that these wines will fall apart over a few years.
Let's see what happens next year.