It's May, so it's the Pinot Party dozen again. Yes, we may sound like a broken record, but that is often one of the toughest packs to put together, with prices for great pinot at a great price getting harder and harder to find. That means of course, that we aren't just putting any old plonk here that's light, red, and called pinot; we have gone to great lengths to make sure everything in this pack is on point.

This year, we’re also shining a light on two cracking premium packs that deserve a bit of extra attention. The first is a fascinating look at Pinot Noir from around the world, pulling together some brilliant and perhaps unexpected regions that really highlight the grape’s versatility. The second dives deep into the Yarra Valley, exploring its sub-regions and villages through a line-up of icons and rising stars, and an insight into just how nuanced the region has become. Best of all, every pack this month lands under $300. Boom!

Famous for its temperamental and finicky nature it can be a right royal pain in the butt, but when grown in the right spots and with the right care from the right people, it makes one of the most alluring and beguiling wines on the planet - something all you pinot-philes already know and love.

This year's pack features a few perennial favourites that punters will recognise, along with some new treats we have discovered along the way. Of course, that means a ton of Victorian pinot from Gippsland to Geelong, and classic hot spots like the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula. There is some cracking gear from Tassie and the Adelaide Hills, while our French and kiwi friends have added a little international flair to this otherwise home-grown pack.

So much good pinot here its almost worth buying two!

Sourced from three vineyards; Derwent Estate, one in the Coal River Valley and another 35-year-old dry grown vineyard in the Hillwood area. Quite a heavy bottle for an entry level Pinot Noir.

Raspberry, strawberry, some nutty nougat oak and spice. It’s a lively and juicy wine, red fruit, a slightly minty and sappy edge, strawberry and milk chocolate, a dusty feel to tannin, some dried herb, with a fresh finish of good length. Easy-going and good drinking all up. GARY WALSH, The Wine Front

The Lime Kiln range from Derwent Estate Wines offers a more approachable lens on one of southern Tasmania’s most consistent cool-climate producers. Based just outside Hobart in the Derwent Valley, the estate has been in the same family since 1913, with viticulture introduced in the early 1990s and now overseen by multiple generations. Winemaker John Schuts brings both local experience and time spent in Burgundy, shaping a style that leans into purity, structure and site expression. The broader philosophy is grounded in careful farming and a hands-on, small-batch approach in the winery, supported by a purpose-built, highly efficient straw-bale facility.

The Lime Kiln wines sit as a more early-drinking, fruit-forward tier within the range, but are treated with the same level of attention as the estate’s top bottlings. Fruit is typically sourced from a combination of Derwent Estate’s own vineyards alongside select sites in regions such as the Coal River Valley and the Tamar Valley, including older dry-grown plantings. This multi-site approach builds complexity while maintaining freshness, resulting in wines that reflect Tasmania’s cool climate with clarity, approachability and strong regional character.

I believe this is only recently bottled, though I’m used to that. There’s something of a cru Beaujolais character to this wine, which is likely a strange thing to say, though that’s kind of how it presents. 5% new oak. 5% whole bunch. Juicy, red fruits, spice, potpourri, roast peanuts. It’s medium-bodied, plenty of energy here, crisp cool acidity, light emery board tannin, a pop to cherry and red fruits, some cola nut and dried herb, a slight smokiness, with a spicy orange zest finish of excellent length. Very good drinking here. Likely better with a little more time in bottle. (93) GARY WALSH, The Wine Front

Barney Flanders is one of the more intriguing, quietly uncompromising voices in the Australian wine scene. Through his label Gargiste Wines, he focuses on small-batch, site-driven wines from cool and often overlooked Victorian vineyards. The approach is minimal intervention but thoughtful—wild ferments, gentle handling, and a clear aim to let site and season speak without excess winemaking gloss. The wines tend to sit on the savoury, textural side of the spectrum, with a slightly wild edge that reflects both the vineyards he works with and his own hands-off philosophy.

Moorooduc Estate is one of the Mornington Peninsula’s foundational producers, established by Richard and Jill McIntyre in the early 1980s. It’s a vineyard-first, site-focused winery that has been central in defining what Mornington Pinot Noir looks like: cool-climate, naturally high acid, fine-boned, and built more on perfume and structure than sheer weight. The estate has long worked with organic principles and a relatively traditional, low-intervention cellar approach, with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay as its core expressions of the region’s maritime influence.

I know we have said it before but honestly, how do the McIntyres do this wine for this kind of money? It always impresses and considering this is all hand-harvested, wild yeast fermented, and spends time in top-notch French oak you just have to smile with a glass in front of you. The Devil Bend Pinot Noir sits within Moorooduc’s range as a step outside their strict estate bottlings, sourced from the broader Mornington Peninsula—specifically the cooler, lower-vigour sites around the Devil Bend area on the western side of the peninsula. These sites are strongly influenced by maritime winds and a long, slow ripening season, which helps preserve acidity and aromatic lift while naturally limiting yields.

There is always a generosity here and 2024 has embraced that vibe  but added a little sappy detail to elevate the stakes a little more.. A touch of wild cherry and raspberry fruit, that amaro and citrus twang you often see and a sprinkle of sweet spice and whole black pepper that entices you in. It's plump through the middle with succulent fruit that zips along a fine line of tannins that bind all the fruit together beautifully. 

It's soft and supple with plenty of Joie-de-vie while delivering a serious edge that most producers in the Mornigton must be pretty jealous about.

Few Australian producers can match the sheer consistency and value delivered by De Bortoli Wines. Across a broad and diverse range, they continue to produce wines that comfortably outperform their price point; thoughtful, site-driven, and reliably excellent year in, year out. Much of that success is driven by the direction of Steve Webber and his outstanding team, whose depth of experience and attention to detail underpin everything from everyday drinking to more serious releases.

This cool-climate Pinot Noir is another impressive addition to the stable, showcasing the same balance, purity and drinkability that defines the house style. It’s a wine that speaks clearly of its origins while remaining accessible and engaging yet another reminder of just how well De Bortoli continue to deliver at every level. Bravo De Bortoli.

Fermented in both vats and open fermenters. Some whole bunches included in the ferments to help give some aromatic lift. Gentle extraction, patience in new and used casks, thoughtful winemaking delivers a wine that we were honestly pretty shocked when we heard the price. Soulful, ethereal, aromatic red and dark fruit aromas. Graceful flavours, gentle and plump, fine tannin, spice, lovely texture. Hard to beat for the money.

SPECIAL VALUE - Like the Village chardonnay, this over-delivers for the price in this excellent vintage. A light, bright crimson. Fragrant with aromas of freshly picked raspberries, bright florals and a little sandalwood incense. Bright and succulent on the medium-bodied palate, with silky tannins making for a very tasty wine to drink now and over the next two to three years. PHILIP RICH, Halliday Wine Companion 

Deep-ish red-purple with a raspberry aroma, fresh and straightforward, with the depth and tannin structure to suggest it will give more as it evolves. Very promising, and would be good value. HUON HOOKE, The Real Review

Yering Station is one of the foundational names of the Yarra Valley, widely regarded as a benchmark producer since its modern revival in the late 20th century. Built on one of Victoria’s oldest vineyard sites, the estate has played a key role in re-establishing the region’s reputation for refined, cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Today, it remains a model of consistency combining estate fruit with carefully managed vineyard sources to deliver wines that are polished, reliable and distinctly Yarra in character.

The “Village” Pinot Noir sits as an accessible expression of the Yering Station style, drawing fruit from multiple Yarra Valley sub-regions to build a broader regional picture rather than a single-site statement. Its ridiculous value.

There is a proliferation of this wine that sees it all over the place, and rightly so, it’s value packed, well made, carries a good name. Now at Dan Murphy’s, so will be increasingly less in indie retail me thinks, but Bill is smart so has released a second value-packed pinot noir, Tolmie, to offset that fly in ointment.

Soft and juicy with quite a bit of sweet, pretty red berry fruitiness. Sweet spice too, a touch of alpine herbs. A little grip to texture, a salty, blood orange finish. Easy access style, yet with some sophisticated restraint and coolness to. An attractive drink and a bargain for the bucks. MIKE BENNIE, The Wine Front

William Downie is one of the key figures in the shift toward a more transparent, site-driven expression of Pinot Noir in Australia. His work has consistently focused on cooler Victorian regions, with a strong emphasis on minimal intervention winemaking—wild ferments, little to no fining or filtration, and a light touch with oak. Across his wines, the intent is less about polish or power and more about capturing fragrance, texture, and a sense of place, often in a slightly raw but highly expressive form.

The Cathedral Pinot Noir sits in his range as a broader Victorian blend rather than a single-vineyard wine. Fruit is typically drawn from a range of cool-climate sites across the state historically including areas such as the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, King Valley, and Alpine Valleys. The aim is to build a picture of Victorian Pinot as a whole rather than isolate one site. What defines Cathedral is its balance between approachability and complexity. 

This is a great buying/drinking option. It's complex, it shows finesse, it's well sustained through the finish and the flavours themselves are joyous. Flavours of dried herbs, fresh red and black cherries, a stewed berry note and flings of spice/woodsmoke/orange rind. It's a ripping wine at a (very) attractive price. (93) CAMPBELL MATTINSON, The Wine Front

Fruit is 57/32/11% Geelong/Ballarat/Henty. 5% whole bunches. A light, bright crimson ruby. Immediately engaging, this literally leaps out of the glass with its melange of freshly poached strawberry, bing cherry and rose petals. It equally good, too, on the mouth-filling - without being heavy - palate. Finishes with succulent and persistent tannins. I can see this becoming softer and more complex in the medium term. (94) PHILIP RICH, Halliday Wine Companion 

EKIN Wine Co is a relatively new Adelaide Hills–based producer founded around 2021 by viticulturists Mark Vella and Brad Case, both long-time growers across South Australia. Rather than being a traditional estate winery, EKIN is very much a “grower-led” project—built on deep vineyard experience and long-standing relationships across sites in the Adelaide Hills, with additional fruit drawn from other South Australian regions. The philosophy is deliberately practical and fruit-focused: good vineyard work first, minimal intervention in the winery, and a focus on expressing site and season rather than winemaking imprint.

The EKIN Pinot Noir (Adelaide Hills) sits squarely within this approach. Sourced primarily from cool-climate Adelaide Hills vineyards, it reflects the region’s hallmark style: high natural acidity, lifted red fruit, and a savoury, herbal edge. The winemaking is relatively restrained with wild ferment influence, some whole-bunch inclusion, and ageing in older French oak aimed at preserving brightness and structure rather than building weight or richness. The result tends to be a Pinot defined by red cherry and berry fruit, spice, and fine tannins, with a slightly edgy, savoury finish that reflects the variability of multi-site Hills sourcing.

We have had this little guy floor-stacked up the front for a while now and it has been incredibly popular. No wonder too as it delivers plenty of immediate pleasure and just enough complexity and interest to keep you coming back for more. They nailed it!

Always a consistent performer form the Pencarrow stable of wine with an enticing bouquet with freshness and complexity, aromas of flowers, earth and red berry fruits. There’s a light and fine oak spice seam and wood note then earthy brown soil moments. A lighter-weighted expression, a dry wine on the palate with fine tannins with flavours of red apple skin then red berry fruit and plum. A ready to drink expression from day of purchase through 2028+. CAM DOUGLAS MS

Clear ruby. Bright cherry and raspberry aromas leap from the glass of this light-bodied and expressive pinot. There is a persistently sweet berry coulis right through the palate, coated in a fine dusting of cinnamon and cloves and almost imperceptible tannins. Light-weight yet delicious for enjoying over the next few years while it possesses the brightness of youth. STEPHEN WONG, The Real Review 

Palliser Estate Wines is one of the benchmark producers of the Martinborough, long recognised for its classically styled, site-driven wines that reflect the region’s cool, gravelly terroir. Founded in the early 1980s, the estate has built its reputation on meticulous vineyard management and a focus on purity and structure, with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay at the heart of the portfolio. Today, Palliser continues to sit firmly among the region’s most consistent producers, balancing precision winemaking with an emphasis on drinkability and regional expression 

The Better Half is the personal project of Marlborough winemaker George Elworthy, best known for his long-standing work alongside his wife, Jules Taylor. After years helping build the success of Jules Taylor Wines, Elworthy stepped out with a label of his own—playfully named in reference to their partnership. Despite the light-hearted branding, there’s serious pedigree here, with experience spanning top Marlborough estates and international vintages, all feeding into a confident, regionally expressive style.

The wines are sourced from select vineyard sites across Marlborough’s Wairau and Awatere Valleys, bringing together the region’s hallmark brightness and aromatic lift with a slightly more relaxed, drink-now approach. Winemaking leans towards minimal intervention, preserving purity of fruit and freshness, and the range is designed to capture the easy charm of Marlborough—vibrant, clean, and immediately enjoyable without sacrificing detail or regional character.

This lives up to the ethos brimming with wild strawberry and crushed black raspberry fruit lightyly dusted with a sweet/savoury spice combo. Its puer and clean. Super zippy on the palate but has all that energy backed up with lovely, sweet fruit. It feels super lively and completely more-ish in its delivery. A cracking little Marlborough wine.

The first vintage for new winemaker Matt Connell, and a good year in which to start. This is from the Pisa sub-region. Not much in the way of oak, just 10% new. Dark plum and cherry, plenty of spice, a little nougat richness, thyme and assorted herb perfume. It’s medium-bodied, plenty of sappy and spicy flavour, a little grainy grip to tannin, with a slightly tangy bitter orange and quinine finish of solid length. It’s a lively wine that carries the signature of Otago Pinot. GARY WALSH, The Wine Front 

Nevis Bluff is one of those quietly exciting Central Otago projects that captures the raw, untamed edge of the region. Sourced from vineyards around Bannockburn and the Pisa sub-regions areas shaped by schist soils, altitude, and a continental climate, the wines lean into both power and precision. There’s a real sense of place here: sun-drenched days building ripeness, tempered by cool nights that lock in acidity and detail.

The style sits somewhere between generosity and structure. You get the hallmark Central Otago signature—dark cherry, plum, and spice—but with a savoury, mineral thread and a more restrained, finely tuned frame than you might expect. It’s Pinot with depth and texture, but also energy and line. Nevis Bluff feels like a project that’s still evolving, but already delivering wines that speak clearly of site, with a slightly wild, rugged charm that makes them instantly appealing.

WINE REVIEW / TASTING NOTE

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