Pinot Noir is the prima donna of red varieties
She must be treated with a great deal of care, latitude and understanding. She chooses to perform where and when she wants to, but even the best tickets don’t guarantee full enjoyment. Once in a while though, she wows the audience to rapturous applause. ‘More, more, give us more,’ they cry …
Even in its native Burgundy, Pinot Noir is known for its fickle nature. Good Burgundy is expensive, more so because you have to buy 3 bottles to make sure you end up with one that’s any good. Limited production ensures high prices, and the fabled wines of the Domaine de La Romanée-Conti (DRC) can run into thousands of dollars for a single bottle.
So what do we expect for $10? Or $20?
We put together some samples Dan Murphy’s, de Bortoli’s and Aldi provided, and invited a few Pinot lovers among our friends. We’ve given our brief impressions below, and we’ve added what we consider the best BUYs in this price group.
Overstone Pinot Noir 2013 – $13 at Dan M’s. We found this a bit thin and ungenerous, lacking in appeal and charm. 85 points.
Toi Toi Clutha Pinot Noir 2013 – $17 at Dan M’s. Simple, light wine with a touch of green fruit and a hint of volate acid. Drinkabable though. 86 points
De Bortoli Windy Peak Pinot Noir 2013 – $11 at Winestar (the better 2012 is $11 at Boccacio). Very simple, clean wine but it lacks character, depth and complexity. Expected more from this. 86 points
Tudor Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2012 – $13 at ALDI. It’s clean, smooth and balanced and shows just a hint of Pinot character. Tony Keys gave this a big wrap and 91 points; we’re not quite so wrapped but several of the boys didn’t mind it. 88/89 points.
Twelve Degrees Pinot Noir 2013 – $15 at Dan M’s. Pretty ordinary light red, lacking substance and charm. 86 points.
South Island Pinot Noir 2013 – $15 at Dan M’s. More substance and depth to this wine, with a bit more grip on the finish. Still no excitement here though. 88
de Bortoli Yarra Valley Villages Pinot Noir 2012 – $18 at Winestar. This Pinot gets 92 points from JPringle and 93 for Winestar, but this was the most disappointing wine of the lot (and there were no dissenters. Some pong on the nose and a washed-out palate might indicate a bad bottle. 86.
Anthem Discover Pinot Noir 2012 – $20 at Dan M’s. For a $20 Pinot, this was pretty light on. We found it softer and sweeter than the others but still light and simple. 87 points.
Only a few weeks ago, the Devils Ridge Block 1 Central Otago Pinot Noir 2012 ($11 at Kemenys) surprised us. We wrote: ‘it’s not Felton Road but it’s a perfectly drinkable light red that is clean, smooth and recognisable as a Pinot Noir.’ It’s a pity we didn’t have a bottle as a reference point.
Are there any Great Pinot Noirs under $20?
Yes, we’ve found a number of Pinot Noirs in this range with more more charm, flavour and character than we found in the group above. Here is our current shortlist:
Wickhams Road Gippsland Pinot Noir 2013 – $16 at Winestar. Made by Hoddles Creek from selected vineyards, and terrific value for money. They also make a Wickhams Road Mornington Pinot Noir 2013 and a Wickhams Road Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2013, both for the same money.
Oakridge Over the Shoulder Pinot Noir 2012 – $18 at Kemenys. Haven’t tried this but it gets 93 from the usually reliable Winefront
Riposte the Dagger 2013 – $17 at MyCellars. Made by Tim Knappstein in the Adelaide Hills. Haven’t tried it but the reviews are very positive.
Heemskerk Abel’s Tempest Pinot Noir 2011 – $19 at Kemenys. This was a surprise, given that it’s a cheap label of a major Tassie producer, but it’s a winner: medium-bodied and full of soft, ripe flavour with all the right notes of dank leaves and dry twigs.
Saint Clair Pinot Noir 2012 – $18 at Dan M’s. Brilliant Pinot from a maker on top of his form. From Marlborough. Fruit-driven, with dark cherries and raspberries opening the show, savoury forest notes in the background, good depth on the mid palate but a touch short on the finish.
Last Horizon Pinot Noir 2012 – $18 at Winestar. Another wine from Tasmania, this is from McWilliams whose tentacles now reach from the Hunter and Riverina to Margaret River and Tassie. A touch more herbaceous than the Heemskerk but pretty close to our idea of a good Pinot.
HODDLES CREEK ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2012 – $20 at Randalls. The last of the brilliant 2012, again made in the more herbaceous style but plenty of class here.
There are more under $25
Port Phillip Quartier Pinot Noir 2012 – $22 at MyCellars. Made by Sandro Mosele at Kooyong from brought-in fruit. Chris Shanahan loves it, and Sandro hasn’t put a foot wrong in recent memory.
Mud House Central Otago Pinot Noir 2012 – $22 at Kemenys. Came up as one of the bargains at the recent IWC in Sydney. Lots of plush soft fruit here but not jammy; high on drinkability, good intro to Pinot for novices.
Dalrymple Pinot Noir 2013 – $25 at MyCellars. Haven’t tried this but the winery has built a great reputation for quality Pinot Noir.
Kooyong Estate Massale Pinot Noir 2012 – $25 at Winelistaustralia. Masterful but understated in the typical Kooyong style.
Kim
