The Rochford Wines story begins with owner and CEO Helmut Konecsny who first purchased the Hill Road property in 2002 with established vines first planted in 1992. Helmut’s passion for the region has seen Rochford go on to celebrate the diverse terroir of the Yarra Valley. Rochford’s Winemakers Kaspar Herman and Kelly Healey along with Viticulturist John Evans stand by the philosophy of producing the best fruit possible in the vineyard and allowing the wines to express the individuality of the vineyard and each growing season.

Powerful cherries, rose petals and five spice; long, closed, firm and kernelly. Rating: 96 Points; Jeremy Oliver

Block 4 of the home site at Coldstream. 60% whole bunches. Fermented naturally. 25 days on skins. Only 15% new French oak. Second release of a wine under the “Premier” label. There’s no alcohol warmth but there’s a warmth to the flavours of macerated cherries and spice. It’s a welcoming aspect. This is an example of pinot prettiness in its most powerful form, the wine coming at you as a wave before flying out through the finish. It’s both more mouth filling than you expect of pinot noir, and more tannic; it’s not dense or heavy but it still manages to steamroll through your mouth. Spearmint, deli meat and assorted exotic spice notes re-inforce both complexity and the seductiveness of the offering. Tasted: Jun 2017; Alcohol: 13.5%; Price: $80; Closure: Screwcap; Drink: 2020-2026+; Rating: 95 Points; Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front