Champagne, Yarra Valley, Pinot...
Yarra valley
Part of the Port Philip zone which surrounds Melbourne, the Yarra Valley is located an hour outside Melbourne and is one of the most important fine wine growing regions in Australia. The Yarra Valley’s viticultural history extends back to 1838 when the Ryrie Brothers planted the first vineyards at what is now Yering Station, with the first vintage produced in 1845 by the legendary James Dardel. In 1863 Hubert de Castella established St Huberts Vineyards and Guillaume de Pury established Yeringberg, bringing the total area under vine to 430 acres. This trend continued with the establishment of Yeringa with David Mitchell planting vineyards at Stringybark Creek increasing the area under vine to 1000 acres. This period of growth was followed by a series of poor vintages and tough economic conditions which saw vineyard production completely cease by 1937.
The Yarra Valley’s modern renaissance began when Reg Egan planted Wantirna Estate in 1963 and was followed in the late 1960s and early 1970s by Mount Mary, Yeringberg, Yarra Yering, St Huberts, Seville Estate, Yarra Burn, Chateaux Yeringa (now de Bortoli) and others, From the this period through to the late 1990’s investment and expansion continued, with the majority of wineries small, quality conscious, boutique producers of top quality wine which fetched appropriate prices. The latter period of the 1990’s saw large scale corporate investment, with Moet & Chandon establishing Domaine Chandon alongside acquisitions by Mildara Blass, McWilliams, Hardys and others.
The Yarra Valley is a diverse and cool climate region with a lower average growing temperature than both Bordeaux and Burgundy, the principle white variety is Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, while the red varieties that the region is renowned for are Cabernet Sauvignon (with associated Bordeaux varieties of Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc) which helped put the Yarra Valley on the map followed by Pinot Noir which arrived en masse in the 1980s and followed more recently by Shiraz (which is sometimes blended with Viognier). Both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are also cultivated as sparkling base. Interestingly, vineyards planted in the cool, upper Yarra Valley for the production of sparkling wine are now being used for table wines. Whether it’s global warming or just that recent vintages have been warmer, there is little doubt that the Upper Yarra including places such as Hoddles Creek and other sub-districts such as Woori Yallock have really come into their own over the last 5-10 years.
Chardonnay styles vary across winemakers and site, with a distinctive aromatic profile of melon and fig in warmer sites and white peach and grapefruit from cooler vineyards. Both styles are characterised by good acidity. Outstanding producers include Oakridge, Toolangi, Coldstream Hills, de Bortoli, Giant Steps, Mac Forbes and Hoddles Creek. The Yarra Valley is one of the first Australian regions to establish Pinot Noir of high regard, with notes of plum, cherry and strawberry and a characteristic underlying sappy acidity and fine soft tannins. Outstanding producers include de Bortoli, Coldstream Hills, Giant Steps and Mount Mary and Wedgetail. Yarra Valley Cabernet is almost always blended with traditional Bordeaux varieties and is characterised as a medium bodied wine, elegant, with notes of cassis, hay, tobacco leaf, fine silky tannins and remarkable longevity. Outstanding producers include Mount Mary, Yarra Yarra, Yeringberg, Wantirna Estate. Shiraz is less prevalent in the Yarra Valley and highly dependent on vineyard location favouring warmer growing conditions. Increasingly producers are following the Northern Rhone Cote Rotie blend by adding small quantities of Viognier for added colour and aromatic lift. Classic Yarra Valley Shiraz is almost always of a cool climate style with notes of pepper, black cherry and spice with fine silky tannins. Outstanding producers include Yering Station, de Bortoli, Jamsheed, Yarra Yarra and recently Serrat.
Sources:
The Oxford Companion to Wine, (ed) Jancis Robinson
James Hallidays Wine Atlas of Australian, James Halliday
Champagne
The chalky soils of Champagne combined with its frigid growing environment create wines that are electric and salivating. But it’s the creation of bubbles that makes these wines stand out.
The bubbles are formed during a secondary fermentation in bottle, known as Méthode Traditionelle. The longer they age, the more nougat and brioche flavours develop and the finer the bead (bubble) becomes.
In terms of who invented Champagne, the English make a strong case as they worked out the formula for purposely making the fizz happen and their stronger coal-fired glass bottles - resulting from the Industrial Revolution - could hold the pressure. Whereas the French were still bottling in wood-fired glass which wasn’t strong enough and they hadn’t cracked the technique of creating bubbles on purpose.
Grapes
White: Chardonnay
Red: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
Styles
Nowhere in the world can emulate the fineness and electric detail of these wines. Non-vintage Champagnes should be enjoyed earlier in their lives, while vintage wines have more structure and can age beautifully. House styles differ too. Blanc des Blancs (100% Chardonnay) offer a more elegant and fragile expression while Blanc des Noirs (100% Pinot and or Meunier) are darker fruited with more obvious structure and power.
Favourite Producers
Pierre Peters, Louis Roederer, Vilmart, Andre Clouet, Taittinger, Larmandier, Egly-Ouriet, Jacques Selosse
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Yering Lane Pinot Noir 2023Located in the heart of the Yarra Valley in the sub region of Gruyere, Martingale is a first-generation family run vineyard. Focusing predominantly on Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah from their 40-acre property of which 20 acres is under vine.
This new entry level Pinot is about as good as you'll see coming out of the Valley for this price. Generous and packed with varietal flavour, it has a great mouthfeel and bursts with juicy cherry, red plum and subtle spice. PWS
2023Pinot noirAustralia506$23.00 As low as $20.70 -
Wickhams Road Yea Pinot Noir 2023I forget what Franco said on his little back label spiel, as I’ve given the bottle away, though it was something along the lines of ‘High acidity from this site, so no need for adds’.
It’s a bit spicy and mulchy, poached strawberry and raspberry, a little mint and floral perfume. It’s crisp, sappy, lively, a smudgy feel to tannin, slightly smoky and tobacco-laced, with a juicy finish of good length, gentle dusty tannin trailing. Nice.. GARY WALSH, The Wine Front
Cooler and drier than their Hoddles Creek vineyards, this Yea Valley pinot is the most reticent and fine-boned of this year's three Wickhams pinots. A light, bright red, this has scents of redcurrants, a little strawberry and blood orange. The palate is compact and very nicely balanced, with gently grippy tannins suggesting that this will need another six to 12 months to unfurl and grow into itself. PHILIP RICH, Halliday Wine Companion2023Pinot noirAustralia506$25.00 As low as $22.50 -
Hoddles Creek Estate Pinot Noir 2024Red fruit, cherry, a little earthy, with some cinnamon oak showing, and sarsaparilla. It’s a more fruity and bouncy expression of Hoddles Pinot, some grainy chew to tannin, a bit of sap and orange rind, something of a ferrous edge, with a stiff tannic finish of good length. Needs a bit of time to come around. It’s maybe a little more robust and fruity than is usual for this wine, though it’s still good. (92+) GARY WALSH2024Pinot noirAustralia506Special Price $25.00 Regular Price $30.00 -
De Bortoli Estate Pinot Noir 2023From three, mainly south and east facing sites, all planted in the early 1990's. A light, bright ruby red. Red plum, cherries and pomegranate combine with some crushed flowers and white pepper in this stylish and, always, well priced wine. The palate is light to medium bodied with those aforementioned red fruits, some underbrush and very fine, persistent tannins. PHILIP RICH, Halliday Wine Companion
The Estate Vineyard wines are elegant, handcrafted wines that reflect the unique characters of the De Bortoli Yarra Valley Estate in Dixons Creek where this essentially single vineyard wines from mature vine is made with minimal handling and thoughtful winemaking. Exceptional quality
with a distinct sense of place.
There is a lovely smokey cedary thing going on here, its really inviting giving the pure red fruits and soft sweet spices a lovely counterpoint. A touch of darky cherry and a little wild strawberry as well. That smoky things continues on the palate with combo of black and red forest fruits to the fore and a little garrigue like finish that close it out. It looks pretty serious in some sense but at the same time easy to drink, keeping you come back for more.2023Pinot noirAustralia506$26.00 As low as $23.40 -
Arfion Spring Pinot Noir 2023Originally from New Zealand, Dave Mackintosh established Arfion with his father Brian and brother Jimmy in 2011. Dave has been obsessed with making wine since '98 and likes to delve deep on a broad spectrum of styles. Sourcing grapes from highly skilled, sustainable growers from across the Yarra, they ensure site and variety are in harmony throughout the season with low impact winemaking at their heart. They do abide by one rule. All wines must deliver good times.
Well, that rule has not been broken here. What a belter of a pinot noir. It says 'Spring' pinot but this will be slurppable all summer long so don't you worry about that. This is all about straight up juicy fruit and absolutely gluggably styled pinot that is light on its feet, crunchy and bursting with fruit. Lashings of raspberry and red cherry with clove, white pepper and a melange of fresh ground sweet spice. It's slippery and so easy to drink and while it comes of feeling pretty and light it still packs plenty of punch. Absolutely delicious!
2023Pinot noirAustralia506$34.00 As low as $30.60 -
Oakridge Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2023More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2023Pinot noirAustralia506$34.00 As low as $30.60 -
Yering Station Pinot Noir 2023 375mlMatured in 500L, 18% new French puncheons. A bright cherry red. Aromas of red and black fruits together with some rose bush scents and brown spices precede the nicely concentrated and well-structured palate. The fact that this will get even better over the next three to five years underlines just how well priced this is. (94) SPECIAL VALUE - PHILIP RICH, Halliday Wine Companion2022Pinot noirAustralia506$39.00 As low as $35.10 -
Denton Pinot Noir 2023More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2023Pinot noirAustralia506$40.00 As low as $36.00 -
Giant Steps Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2024A 50/50% mix of upper and lower Yarra estate and grower fruit. 30% whole bunches. A very bright crimson purple. Pretty and complex with aromas of red cherry skins and rhubarb together with some pink peppercorn spice and a light savoury edge. More approachable than the '23. As a young wine, the medium-bodied palate is spicy, silky and long. It'll probably age well but it's so good to drink now that there's no need to bother! (95) PHILIP RICH2024Pinot noirAustralia506$43.00 As low as $38.70 -
De Bortoli Phi Lusatia Park Pinot Noir 20222023 Victorian Wine Show, Best Pinot Noir Of Show - Trophy
2023 Victorian Wine Show, Best Red Wine Of Show - Trophy
2023 Victorian Wine Show, Best Wine Of Show - Trophy
2023 Victorian Wine Show, Grower Best Single Vineyard - Trophy
2023 Victorian Wine Show - Gold Medal
2023 Yarra Valley Wine Show - Gold Medal
A mix of vineyards and clones from the Lusatia Park vineyard in Woori Yallock. Bright cherry red. An immediately appealing wine with its dark cherry fruit, lavender and incense. This has good weight and depth without being heavy. A touch savoury, too, and the tannins are silky and long. Already a joy to drink, this will still be looking good four to six years from now. PHILIP RICH, Halliday Wine Companion2022Pinot noirAustralia506$44.00 As low as $39.60 -
Oakridge Hazeldene Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022Impeccably balanced and light on its feet, fine grained and ever so gently chewy tannins round out a wine that's approachable now but will keep. PHILIP RICH, Hallidy Wine Companion2021Pinot noirAustralia506$44.00 As low as $39.60 -
Giant Steps Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2023A 50/50% mix of upper and lower Yarra fruit; 35% whole bunches and matured in French oak (10% new). A bright crimson red. After a few good few swirls, aromas of ripe raspberries, black cherries, wild herbs and some crushed violets soon emerge. The palate, though, doesn't need much coaxing, and this silken, sappy wine has excellent depth and persistence. Will be even better six to 12 months from now. 96 PHILIP RICH, wine companion
2023Pinot noirAustralia506$47.00 As low as $42.30 -
Punt Road Block 1 Pinot Noir 2021More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2021Pinot noirAustralia506$51.00 As low as $45.90 -
Burton McMahon Syme Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2022Pinot noirAustralia506$53.00 As low as $47.70 -
Wanderer Upper Yarra Pinot Noir 2023More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2023Pinot noirAustralia506$60.00 As low as $54.00 -
Mac Forbes Coldstream Pinot Noir 2022Grey loam overlying clay soils. Whole berry in open fermenters for 14 days on skins with wild yeast. 10 months in small old oak. No fining.
Delicate aromatics of soft talcy florals and pulpy red plum. The palate is fleshy with dark red fruits, baked rhubarb and a touch of savoury cacao. Firm structure across the mid palate melts to a generous lingering finish. MAC FORBES2022Pinot noirAustralia506$62.00 As low as $55.80 -
Thousand Candles Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2017Pinot noirAustralia506$66.00 As low as $59.40 -
Thousand Candles Gathering Field Pinot Noir 2023
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2023Pinot noirAustralia506$66.00 As low as $59.40 -
Coldstream Hills Deer Farm Pinot Noir 2023More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2022Pinot noirAustralia506$70.00 As low as $63.00 -
Hoddles Creek Estate 1er Pinot Noir 2023Whether it's $20 or $70, you can count on Hoddles Creek to overdeliver! From a year that's produced several superb Yarra pinots, this is up there with the best of them. A bright medium crimson, this leaps from the glass with its beguiling aromas of cherries, raspberries, rose petals and a little whole-bunch derived incense and spice. And boy, is it good on the gently textured and energetic palate. Superfine and persistent tannins round out a beautifully balanced and poised wine that is destined to keep improving for years to come. (98) PHILIP RICH2020Pinot noirAustralia506$73.00 As low as $65.70 -
Coldstream Hills Reserve Pinot Noir 2023More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2023Pinot noirAustralia506$100.00 As low as $90.00 -
Dosnon Blanc de Noirs NVThe NV Brut Blanc de Noirs Récolte Noire is a touch more elegant than the Récolte Brute, with layers of perfumed Pinot fruit that emerge gracefully from its medium-bodied fame. This delicious Champagne possesses lovely balance in an understated style. ANTONIO GALLONINVPinot noirFrance376$100.00 As low as $90.00 -
Giant Steps Applejack Pinot Noir 20232022 was a hard act to follow, but this superb wine gives it a shake. Exotic, aromatic and pure with its bouquet of wild strawberries, dark cherries, quince, spices and flowers. Densley packed, this saturates the palate, but, as always, it's light on its feet at the same time. Seamless tannins round out another benchmark for what's already a benchmark wine. PHILIP RICH, Wine Companion
2023Pinot noirAustralia506$105.00 As low as $94.50 -
Giant Steps Sexton Pinot Noir 2023More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2023Pinot noirAustralia506$105.00 As low as $94.50 -
Wantirna Estate Lily Pinot Noir 2021More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2021Pinot noirAustralia506$105.00 As low as $94.50 -
Giant Steps Primavera Pinot Noir 2023More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2023Pinot noirAustralia506$105.00 As low as $94.50 -
Andre Clouet Rose No.3 NVClouet's rose epitomises elegance and focus, while flamboyantly celebrating the generous red cherry, strawberry, watermelon and pink pepper fruit of Bouzy. It encapsulates that wonderful talent of pinot noir to build and rise on the finish, all the while retaining graceful precision as delicate as rose petal perfume. Structure is fine and elegant, driven both by chalk minerality of the village and a very finely executed tannin presence. It finishes with great length and poise of exquisite red cherry fruit. A pristine and enticingly priced rose. Older disgorgements have taken on savoury suggestions of tamarillo, while upholding their primary integrity. TYSON STELZER
The NV Brut Rosé No 3 Grand Cru is a pure Bouzy Pinot Noir that gets its beautiful intense onion-skin color from the addition of 8% red wine. The nose is rich and complex but at the same time pure and refined, with a nice chalky layer and vinous fruit intensity. Round and rich but fresh and vital on the pure and elegant palate, this is a full-bodied, pretty intense and persistent rosé to be served with main courses. This rosé is seriously complex and expressive, with grip, tension and a long finish. Remarkable in class and style. STEPHAN REINHARDT, Wine Advocate
(made from 100% Grand Cru Bouzy pinot noir, with 8% still wine): Vivid orange-pink. Aromas and flavors of ripe red berries, candied rose and toasty lees. Fleshy but nervy and focused, with strong mineral cut and hints of bitter herbs on the very long, energetic finish. Smoothly blends richness and vivacity, making it extremely flexible with food or without. JOSH RAYNOLDSNVPinot noirFrance376$125.00 As low as $112.50 -
Bruno Paillard Brut Premiere Cuvee NVPinot noir leads this accurate, well-crafted aperitif style of elegant finesse and persistence. A primary red cherry, wild strawberry and lemon fruit focus is underlined by taut acidity and expressive chalk mineral depth. Nuances of honey, anise and ginger are building as it gains maturity. It's clean and taut, a low dosage keeping the finish fresh and lively. TYSON STELZERNVchardonnay, Pinot Meunier, Pinot noirFrance376$140.00 As low as $126.00 -
Dosnon Blanc de Noirs NV 1500mlMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
NVPinot noirFrance376$200.00 As low as $180.00 -
Vouette et Sorbee Blanc dArgile Brut Nature R18(R18, disgorged Nov 2020. Magnums R19, disgorged Dec 2021). Within the cold, west-facing, Kimmeridgian limestone-rich lieu-dit of Biaunes, there is a small plot of Chardonnay that Gautherot planted wild: without preparing the soils and amongst the native vegetation (a totally crazy idea). The Côte des Bar is overwhelmingly planted to Pinot Noir, but in 2000 Gautherot chose Chardonnay. He used massale cuttings from Anselme Selosse’s vines (in Avize) and Vincent Dauvissat’s Valmur Grand Cru vineyard. This plot has become the base of what Antonio Galloni calls “one of the most beautiful and distinctive wines in Champagne.”
The vines here yield only 15 to 20 hl/ha each year—one of the keys to the intensity on offer. The 2018 and 2019 wines also took in some Chardonnay from Fonnet (from 2020, upcoming vintages will also take in Chardonnay from the Vouette vineyard, which was previously planted to Pinot Noir but was replanted to Chardonnay a number of years ago).
Fermentation for this wine was wild and took place in used 500- and 600-litre barrels, with a small portion of fruit fermented and raised in Georgian amphora (see Textures). As with the Fidèle, this wine spent roughly 15 to 18 months in bottle on lees, before being disgorged by hand with zero dosage.
2015Pinot noirFrance376$245.00 As low as $220.50 -
Vilmart Coeur de Cuvee 201580% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir from vines averaging 60 years old, the wine spends nearly 6 years on lees. Most importantly only the heart of the pressing is taken - 1400 litres instead of the usual 2100 litres, hence the name 'coeur de cuvee.'
The 2015 Brut Coeur de Cuvée is a pretty dense wine that belies its deceptively mid-weight structure. What surprises me most about the 2015 is how closed it is. In most years, especially warm years, Coeur de Cuvée is quite a bit more open and voluptuous, but the 2015 does not come across like that at all. Rather, it is super-classic in bearing, with tons of gravitas from the 60-year-old vines just waiting to emerge. There are none of the awkward herbal notes that penalize so many wines. Bright saline notes extend the finish effortlessly. The 2015 is a brilliant Coeur de Cuvée. ANTONIO GALLONI
2015chardonnay, Pinot noirFrance376$325.00 As low as $292.50 -
Vilmart Coeur de Cuvee 2016The 2016 Brut Coeur de Cuvée is an elegant, sensual Champagne. In other words, classic Vilmart. Crushed flowers, mint, chalk, slate, dried herbs and citrus peel are all beautifully delineated. Brisk acids wrap it all together in style. The 2016 needs a few years to be at its most expressive, as it is pretty reserved today. Even so, all the elements are impeccably put together. The barrels used here are one to three years old. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged: September, 2022. (94+) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous
Notes of honeysuckle and lime blossoms, blood orange peel, anise and cardamom are a fragrant overtone heralding this fresh Champagne, which shows good tension and drive. The refined, chalky mousse is lacy in texture, buoying finely meshed flavors of ripe apricot and quince paste, raw almond, vanilla wafer and candied ginger. Ends with a long, mouthwatering finish. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Disgorged September 2022. Drink now through 2036. (95) WINE SPECTATOR2016chardonnay, Pinot noirFrance376$340.00 As low as $306.00 -
Carbon Brut NVMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
NVPinot Meunier, Pinot noirFrance376$430.00 As low as $387.00