The nose exhibits aromas of cherry, red currants and raspberry, new leather and hints of spice. The palate is elegant with succulent red fruits layered over smoky oak, with supple tannins and a persistent finish. Drinking well now, but will improve over the next five years.

Cinematographer Michael Seresin does not own Harry Potter’s magic wand to make great Marlborough wine, but he does have the second best thing in the form of estate manager Colin Ross, an Australian who makes Nicolas Joly look a lightweight biodynamist. Having purchased his first 167-acre parcel of vines in the Wairau in 1992 that constitutes the “Home Vineyard,” Seresin’s wines debuted with the 1996 vintage; since then he has purchased the “Raupo Creek Vineyard” in Omaka, which is undergoing organic conversion and the “Tatou Vineyard” at the western end of the Wairau Valley. All fruit is sourced from these parcels, hand-picked and sorted before being whole-bunch pressed with young English-born winemaker Clive Dougall in charge of the winemaking. Seresin is certainly a name to look out for, producing some wonderful, complex, natural wines. Neal Martin; Wine Advocate

This wine is richly coloured and shows classic Pinot Noir characters on the nose, exhibiting aromas of opulent red fruit, smoke and leather. The palate reveals layers of dark berry and cherry fruits underpinned by smoky oak. Mouth-coating tannins and a firm acidity draw out the palate. After several months bottle age this wine is enjoyable now but will only improve with time.

The fruit comes from our clay rich hillside Raupo Creek vineyard, with 66% originating from our steep hill block and 34 % from the flats. Each vine is thinned to carry one bunch per shoot.

The fruit was hand-sorted before being de-stemmed and cooled, after a pre-fermentation soaking period the juice was allowed to warm and fermentation started with wild yeast. During fermentation the caps were hand-plunged daily. The wine was then left to sit on skins for two weeks for post ferment maceration; a total of three and a half weeks was spent in contact with the skins. It was then drained and lightly pressed before being transferred to French barriques, of which approximately forty percent were new. The Raupo Creek Pinot Noir went through natural malolactic fermentation during fifteen months spent maturing in barrel, before being bottled unfiltered and without fining.

The nose exhibits floral aromas, red fruit and forest floor, with hints of earth and leather. Concentrated red fruit and earthy flavours follow through on the palate, the tannins are silky though youthful and the finish is persistent. Enjoyable now but this wine will only improve over the next five to ten years.

In years gone by, the notion of range extensions for wineries was an opportunity for many wineries to buy in fruit from within (and outside) their region and cash in on the credibility of their brand by producing wines generally at a higher price than their neighbour they had procured the fruit from. Without the brand awareness, that neighbour, was forced to sell wine, produced from the same fruit, at a much lower price. More and more however, we are seeing new labels minted to innocently offload some excess estate fruit and it is here that some of the real gems can be found as the fruit source and expert winemaking is identical to the said winery's premium brands. The only thing that changes in some instances is the wine may not receive the 'Rolls Royce' oak treatment and/or the length of time in oak and/or it may be purely mechanically harvested and/or it may not receive the 'hand crafted' treatment of daily plunging and/or it may be fermented in an orthodox manner missing out on some of the complexities that a wild ferment can produce.

With a retail price of $22, the Seville The Barber Yarra Valley Pinot Noir commands one third of the shelf price of its more illustrious 'Reserve' cousin. However, this is not owing to any of the factors described above except perhaps giving Seville the opportunity to find a home for their excess quality fruit. The Barber Pinot is hand picked, it is hand plunged daily, 40% sees wild ferment, the wine sees barrel ferment for 10 months - a small portion of which is new. The fruit comes of Seville Estate (Yarra) vines that are 30-year-old and it is put together by 35 years of winemaking knowledge and experience.

At $16.99, Seville The Barber Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2010 will take some beating as the Bargain Pinot Noir of the Year. A medium to deep red ruby colour is the first indication of some generosity here. The nose shows dark cherry and some strawberry tones with hints of earth, pine needles and forest floor. Between the colour and the bouquet, one would expect a big fruit forward palate and while it delivers luscious fruit in droves, it is beautifully textured with balancing savoury tones and cleansing acidity on the back maintaining the tannin structure. Indeed the longer it remains open, the more it shows which is a great sign for further improvement as well as longevity. An excellent wine and absolutely bargain at around two-hundred bucks a case. Now – 2016+; Quality: Excellent; BW; WineStar© August 2011

Perversely, has the deepest red-crimson colour of the three Seville Pinots; a powerful bouquet and palate of black cherry coming from 30-year-old estate vines; it needs more time to open up and start to display some of the complexity its siblings have. Drink by: 2020; Date tasted: 26/Feb/2011; Price: $22.00; Alcohol: 13%; Rating: 94 Points; James Halliday Wine Companion 2012

Halliday Special Value Star - James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2012 ("Wines considered to offer special value for money")

To call this wine a 'show pony' would be an understatement and one can see easily and quickly how it has rated so well. The nose is all about intense plum and spicy cherry. It is fruit forward in the mouth with loads of ripe berries and hints of herb and spice. There is lovely lingering acidity on a long finish with fine tannins escorting the savoury tones all the way to the finish. This really does border on exceptional in my book. Highly recommended from me. Drink: Now-2015+; Quality: Excellent BW; WineStar© November 2011

Trophy Best Red Wine of the Show - 2011 International Cool Climate Wine Show
Trophy Best Pinot Noir - 2011 International Cool Climate Wine Show
Trophy Best Estate Made & Bottled Red - 2011 International Cool Climate Wine Show
Gold Medal - 2011 International Cool Climate Wine Show
Gold Medal - San Francisco International Wine Competition 2011
Pure Gold - Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2011
Blue Gold - Sydney International Wine Competition 2011
Top 100 - Sydney International Wine Competition 2011

Nick Stock Video Tasting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds6KAFAl2ck

Digs deep into the spice box, with nutmeg, clove and allspice flavors that perfectly frame the ripe, supple wild black cherry and raspberry notes. Comes together on a supple frame, with plenty of staying power on the finish. Drink now through 2015. 13,000 cases made. 92 Points; Wine Spectator

Naturally fermented and then aged in oak barrel for 8 months, the 2010 Spy Valley Pinot Noir reveals a ruby-purple color and aromas of warm strawberries, macerated cranberries and red cherries with a hint of forest floor. Medium bodied with mouth-filling red berry flavors, it is well supported by finely grained tannins and refreshing acidity, finishing long and a little spicy. Drink it now through 2015+. 90 Points; Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate

Seamless Pinot Noir with concentrated dark plum and berry fruit flavours supported by smoky oak. Silken-textured wine with good weight and richness. 4½ Stars; Bob Campbell MW

The wine exhibits classic pinot elegance and discreet power with ripe cherry, game & spice flavours leading to an impressively long finish by fine, firm tannins; Judges Comments; Pure Gold - Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2011

Youthful, fruit-packed and supple, with substantial body and strong plum/spice flavours, delicately seasoned with oak. Deliciously smooth, with plenty of potential. Best 2012+. Winestate Magazine

Unpredictably cool and windy weather during flowering might have reduced total crop production in 2009, but the season resulted in the creation of one of the best Estate Pinots we have made in recent years. Once bottled, our Estate Pinot Noir is deliberately held back from release until it has begun to develop some really attractive drinking qualities. Sure, it looks good now, but there are better days ahead for this stylish wine from the low-yielding 2009 vintage. Give it another 5-7 years in a cool dark place and you should be handsomely rewarded by its added complexity and optimum drinking pleasure. Enjoy!

Bright colour; somewhat reserved on the bouquet, with red and black cherry, anise and clove; the palate reveals the full story with ample levels of red fruits, ironstone minerals and a beautifully defined and silky finish; will certainly enjoy the test of time. 95 Points; Drink by: 2018; Alcohol: 13.5%; James Halliday Wine Companion

Stefano Lubiana is a fifth generation winemaker who left his family home in the Riverland of South Australia in search of cool climate vineyards from which he could handcraft mostly Burgundy and Northern Italian varieties, he settle just north of Hobart where he is creating some really impressive wines.

When we first started making Primavera Pinot Noir the wine was young and fruity with good Pinot Noir characteristics, smooth and very drinkable. Every year since Steve has worked hard to improve the structure and flavour of this wine. Today our ‘Primavera’ Pinot Noir has evolved into a wine that is heading in the same direction of our Estate Pinot Noir, made possible through better vineyard management, a reduction in cropping levels plus a delay in release dates (in more recent years) that has allowed this wine more time in French oak barriques. All these improvements have been achieved without compromising the balance and drink ability of this wine. It continues to be very popular and is now selling out within 6 months of release.

The most attractive characteristics of this wine are its fruitiness, vibrancy, juiciness and tangy dry finish. It’s laced with fresh elegant strawberry and cherry flavours, reminiscent of our earlier versions of this wine. Perfect cool, yet dry growing conditions, have contributed to this wine’s natural power, length, complexity and texture. Seasoned oak has been used so as not to dominate the overall feminine structure making this wine truly drinkable.

A delightful short to medium term pinot that will flesh out and mature with elegance and grace. Its heady rose garden perfume, scents of cloves, cinnamon and mocha precede a juicy and brightly lit palate whose fresh cherry, raspberry and plum-like flavours and restrained oak are framed by fine, supple tannins. It finishes with length and focus. 92 Points; Jeremy Oliver

Yet another in the production line of outstanding wines from the always reliable Lubiana stable. This is a wine released young and designed to be drunk young - but there is absolutely no stinting on quality with bright, fresh berry and cherry characters on the palate, impressive structure and great balance. This is vibrant and aromatic with 10 months in French oak acting as a moderating influence. A lovely wine that really blossoms with food, and offers seriously good value; Tasmanian Examiner

Light bright ruby red. Pretty red fruits abound, with plum, cherries and raspberries, together with some lifted floral aromas. The palate shows an immediate approachability with its soft centre developing an array of sweet red fruits with time in the bottle, all encapsulated by a savoury tannin structure. Despite the light colour, there is a myriad of intense fruit flavours that build in the glass.

The 2010 growing season on the Mornington Peninsula was mild to warm with yields close to ideal levels. Regular seasonal rainfall provided just enough moisture to ensure the vines were happy throughout the season. Temperatures were slightly above average during ripening, without any heat spikes, ensuring consistent flavour development and beautifully clean fruit.

The grapes for the Stonier Pinot Noir were selected from several long term growers for Stonier, with an epicentre around Merricks, Merricks North and Balnaring. The gently de-stemmed fruit was fermented in a combination of small open fermenters and larger Potter fermenters. Approximately 3% of the blend was fermented as whole bunches. Pressed and transferred to a mix of fine grain French oak (approximately 10% new) for malo lactic fermentation, the wine was matured for 10 months prior to racking and bottling.

The 2008 vintage was a cooler year from veraison through to the middle of February. A short heat spike in the middle of February kicked everything along, and harvest started on the 20th of February. 95% of our vineyards were picked by the end of February, avoiding the prolonged extreme heat wave in early March. The ripening conditions for our Pinot Noir were ideal, the coolness of the majority of the season lending an elegance to the wine, avoiding over ripe and jammy flavours. The sugar levels for the Pinot Noir ranged from 12.8 – 13.5 Baume. Vine age was from 10 – 20 years. Yields averaged 6.5 tonnes per hectare.

The fruit is all destemmed and transferred to small batch open top fermenters. The final wine is a blend of Burgundy clones 114 and 115, as well as MV6 and D5V12, all from TarraWarra Estate vineyards. The must is not pumped, but rather gravity fed into the fermenters. We use specialized cultured Burgundy yeast. Fermentation takes about 5 days with peak ferment of 33° C. Post ferment, the wines were pressed and settled before transferring to barrel (French oak, 10% new) for aging. We use a combination of Francois Freres, Mercurey, Sirugue and Dargaud et Jaegle oak.

The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in barrel, and is racked, blended, filtered and bottled after 10 months in oak.

The colour in 2008 is a vibrant raspberry, the wine has aromas of ripe raspberries, blackberries, with spice notes. The palate has lovely full raspberry fruit with great tannin structure typical of Yarra Valley Pinot Noir. It has a long finish and persistent flavour.

Bright, but light, colour; a big brother to the Rose, with marked texture and structure to the plum, spice and briar flavours of the long palate. Priced low in a tough market. 92 points; James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2010

The wine shows an alluring aroma of dark cherry, violets and dusty tannins. The palate delivers sweet cherry fruit with well balanced natural acidity supported by fine round tannins. Smooth and lively.

Spicy, toasty oak and fresh cherry and plum fruit; light- to medium-bodied, good acidity making up for some lack of flesh. Screwcap. Rating 90 Drink 2010 Date Tasted Jan 07  James Halliday Australian Wine Companion

We aim to pick the Pinot Noir grapes in the early morning so as to bring the grapes to the winery cool. The grapes are picked into small 5 kilogram trays that are then stacked into the cool-room overnight. The next day the grapes are destemmed, not crushed, into an open fermenter where they soak on their skins for a few days, until the temperature of the must is above 15 degrees Celsius. The must is then inoculated with yeast and the fermentation takes place over the next week with regular plunging.

The vineyard has three distinct blocks of Pinot Noir and these are all harvested separately. Even in our small vineyard there are quite amazing differences between the blocks and each delivers quite unique characters. Added to that is the fact that there is often up to 2 weeks difference in the harvest dates. The mature vines, around 35 year old vines, give us the savoury tones and fine tannins, the Front block delivers spicy and savoury flavours, whilst the Fruit Tree block is generously fruity. Once blended, the resulting wines complement each other beautifully. The wine is matured in a mixture of new and 1 and two year old oak barrels, with around 30% new barrels being used each vintage. Winery Notes

Light but bright and clear colour; a very elegant and precisely defined pinot, reminiscent of Mount Mary style, and will have the same unexpected ability to age. Diam. 13.5% alc. Rating 94 Points; Drink 2015 $65 Date Tasted Sep 09 James Halliday Wine Companion

Made by the guys at Hoddles Creek; the Wickhams Road wines are made with the same philosophy used with Hoddles Creek. They are single vineyard wines with the care and attention that has made Hoddles Creek such a success. The difference with Wickhams Road is that it has been sourced from trusted growers around Victoria. Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

Wildwood is a tiny producer in Sunbury, Victoria. Although a well established name in Melbourne, the minuscule production has meant that this winery remains largely undiscovered in Australia’s other states. The current releases are excellent examples of cool climate Australian wines. They are also wonderful values. Wildwood Vineyards experience a frost-free, cool, maritime climate. Lying in the rain shadow of Mount Macedon, the vineyard is treated to dry, sunny autumn days, which allows for maximum development of fruit flavours prior to harvest.

Right on Melbourne's doorstep, just past the airport, lies one of the jewels in the Sunbury crown. The wines can be decidedly fine and delicious. Ralph Kyte-Powell, The Age Epicure.

A complex Pinot with the aromas of red fruits and rose along with the suggestions of forest floor. Pristine on the palate, with layers of intense dark cherry and raspberry, perfectly integrated oak and satiny tannins. A short-term Pinot with a compelling, velvety mouth feel, and subtle hints of spiciness and meatiness on the finish. This is delicious and super value.

The south-facing slope at Prices Road is devilishly steep, receives little direct sunshine and the Hill’s name is richly deserved. Some years the grapes simply fail to adequately ripen and other years, all is forgiven when incredible fruit is, by necessity,100% hand picked and outstanding flavours materialise.

Bastard Hill is Yarra Burn’s icon label, from a single slope on our Prices Road, Hoddles Creek vineyard, and is only crafted in years of singular perfection. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have the mettle to survive this unforgiving site. These exceptional, highly awarded wines are producedin only the limited quantities that nature will allow.

Brilliant cherry red in colour, this wine displays bright, ripe raspberry fruit characters with classic rhubarb and beetroot on the bouquet. Very fragrant white pepper and spice notes, plus thecomplexity of lifted violet and rose petal floral characters add to the intensity of this wine.

Plush sweet fruit characters plus the silky, yet firm tannins ensure this wine is delightful on thepalate. Very tightly structured in its youth, this wine opens up beautifully with great complexity of flavour on the palate – the classic ‘peacock’s tail’.

2008 was another warm year, but nothing compared to the challenges faced during the previousvintage. The better soil moisture lead to brighter canopies which helped the vines maintain brightness and freshness in the fruit. Once again, the sheltered Bastard Hill site was protected fromthe hot spells of the season and the key to retaining both freshness and complexity. Alcohol 13.5%; Just 200 cases made.

A Volnay-like charmer with elegance and finesse. Deep smoky charcuterie-like aromas of rose petals, sweet red cherries, raspberries and spices are backed by assertive scents of smoky oak. It's deep, finely textured and sumptuous, with delicious layers of sweet red cherries and plums backed by earthy, spicy and meaty influences underpinned by fine, sappy tannins. It's long and very complete, finishing with a lingering core of fruit and suggestions of mint and menthol. Not yet that complex, but with great potential. Drinking: 2013-2018+ Rating: 95 Points; Jeremy Oliver Australian Wine Annual

The top-of-the-range Bastard Hill wines come from a spectacular high-altitude site that got its name from vineyard workers tired of trudging up and down the extreme mountain-goat slope, which is bitterly cold in winter. This new release is very aromatic and quite light but with intense flavours (from bacon to sweet cherries), soft tannins, sexy texture and quite forward oak that is still in balance. Almost ethereal. Drink with herbed quail. Winsor Dobbin; January 2010

Bacon bone bouquet, with cherry fruit, toasty oak and a touch of spice; surprisingly sweet fruited palate, with drive and nerve; needs time but the precision is certainly there to suggest an interesting future. Price: $65; Drink: to 2016; Rating: 94 Points; James Halliday Wine Companion

Barrel fermented wine in the final blend gives some Yarra Valley Pinot Noirs a sort of smokey bacon character. The colourfully name Yarra Burn Bastard Hill Pinot was the clearest example of this, but unfortunately for those of you who want to try it, it’s not available in the UK. The wines we tasted were all 2008, paler than you might expect for wines only a few years old, elegant, and indeed wonderfully ethereal! If you like Pinot noir then it's a great region, well worth taking a look at. Brompton Wine, UK

Good hue and clarity; a full-bodied pinot in the expected style of Yarra Yering; supple and velvety in the mouth, it has the full spectrum of plum, black cherry and spice flavours which carry the generous amount of new oak. Long lived style. Cork. 14.5% alc. Rating 94 Drink 2016 $75 Date Tasted Dec 08 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion

A charming perfume of dark cherries, plums, rose petals and freshly turned earth with undertones of fivespice, cloves and cinnamon is tightly knit with showroom-fresh but beautifully controlled cedar/vanilla oak. Silky, fine and fine-grained, it's long and unctuous, fleshy and focused, with pristine sour-edged fruit superbly entwined around stylish, crunchy fine tannins and wonderful oak. It shows just a hint of raisined fruit. (18.2/93, YTD 2011-2014) Jeremy Oliver

Yarra Valley (and neighboring Mornington Peninsula) may be Australia’s prime spots for Pinot Noir and Yarra Yering’s 2006 Pinot Noir does not disappoint. Medium ruby-colored, it offers up a super-expressive bouquet of smoke, spice box, roses, black cherry, and raspberry. Silky on the palate, it is intense and full-flavored while remaining elegant. Its flawless balance should allow it to blossom for several more years and drink well through 2018.  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate # 181 Feb 2009 Jay Miller 92 points Drink: 2009 - 2018

This wine shows a complex nose of ripe cherries, plums, rhubarb and violets. The palate is juicy yet savoury with complex ripe red fruits supported by integrated spicy oak, with fine tannins and a long crisp finish.

While sharing many of the flavours and aromas of the standard wine, this has significantly greater focus, intensity and length; the flavours drive through the palate and aftertaste with rare elan. Screwcap. 13.5% alc. Rating 95 Drink 2016 $45 Date Tasted Feb 10 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2011

Made by pinot noir expert Ray Nadeson, this is a very refined drop.  Still shy and undeveloped, it has a core of fine plum and spiced cherry woven through with foresty and slightly feral, gamey threads.  It expands into a rich mouth-filling palate of great length and tight structure. 5 Stars * * * * * Ralph Kyte-Powell; The Age Epicure Uncorked

A scrumptious tawny pink Cuvée, a big-on-flavour Rosé, and Extra Dry. The Pinot grapes underwent skin contact in open fermenters, fashioned to the traditional Tavel style. The wine then spends a short period of less than one month in older oak with a portion undergoing malolactic fermentation, to gain richness on the palate. The Pinot characters here are slightly less acidic than most other pink wines, whilst the (strong for its style) oakey characters and remarkable complexity contribute to its tongue-jarring qualities
 
Colour of this Rosé is a mature pink, wonderfully robed with varying shades of brown and orange hues. There are elegant notes of red currant, cherry and rose hip with hints of vanillin spice on the nose. Palate is delicate, with fruit complex flavours complimented by floral scents and soft, subtle tannins. Smokyness and stalky flavours, dry and refreshing, strawberry and spice, phenolics and fine texture. A mouth watering wine with a crisp, dry finish. Drink now and enjoy with a refined, freshly presented angel hair pasta tossed through with smoked trout, goats cheese and pine nuts.

This is Yering Station's Extra Dry pinot noir rose - and the best rendition of it that I've tried for some time. Simply, it is a beautiful drink. it's dry, but the fruit flavours are bright and clear. There are no signs of intrusive alcohol. It has foresty, autumnal notes, but it's essentially cherried and Turkish delight-ish. It feels refreshing, pure, and spotlessly clean - yet it has some character to it too. The price, the flavour, the aroma - they're all working for me. 92 Points; The Wine Front

Strong pink, with a touch of salmon; a highly expressive bouquet of spiced strawberries leads into a long palate that is indeed extra dry (ED), with plenty of flavour on the finish and aftertaste. A distinguished wine. Screwcap. 12% alc. Rating 94 Points; Drink 2013 $22 Date Tasted Nov 10 James Halliday Wine Companion

The cool climate and long ripening season of the Yarra Valley to the east of Melbourne provides an idyllic environment for growing and ripening the likes of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Yering Station is renowned for producing award-winning wines of world-class quality and distinction. Now led by Winemaker Willy Lunn, Yering Station was honoured with the prestigious `Winemaker of the Year’ at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London, 2004.

Aromas of lifted strawberry and red cherry fruit with gamey notes, complimented with subtle vanillin oak. The palate is well structured and persistent with great depth of fruit and savouriness on the finish. Open and rotary fermenters, part fermentation in barrel; 7-14 days. 9 months in French oak barrels (5% new, 95% 1 – 5 years). Excellent with poultry such as duck or meaty fish dishes such as tuna.

Winemaker Video Tasting: http://www.yering.com/winess/red/2010-little-yering-pinot-noir.html?mid=3&sid=1&currentID=5

The name Little Yering was not used in the nineteenth century heyday of Chateau Yering, but Little Neuchatel was — hence this oblique reference. Light but clear colour; attractive early drinking style, with purity and freshness to its red and black cherry fruit; the tannins are fine and supple, and 12 months in French oak has mainly contributed to the mouthfeel. From Yarra Valley, Vic; Drink to 2014 with veal kidneys; Rating: 92 points, $18, Screwcap, 13.5% alc; James Halliday Top 100 for 2011; The Weekend Australian, November 19

Early records of the Yarra Valley’s famous Frog family show them moving in to the original Yering Station winery building back in 1859. The property’s first ‘Mr Frog’ - Edmund Frog II - knew the cool, fresh environment, smell of grape skins and the constant access to some of Victoria’s finest wines made this the best address an 19th century amphibian could have.

Today, legend has it that the fifth generation of the venerated Frog family still lives within the cooler crevices of the historical building, now home to cellar door.  This wine is proudly dedicated to the site’s founding frog. 

This wine is made from 100% Yarra Valley grapes, which have been fermented in open fermenters with regular plunging. Part fermentation in aged French oak barrels was also included in the winemaking process.

Ruby red. Ripe raspberry, blackberry and cherry characters with hints of savoury oak and spicy undertones. A silky palate with lovely, ripe fruit characters and fine tannins. Drink now or over the next 3 or 4 years.