The Pinot Noir & Grenache Thread

[beefarmer]

I've looked at this thread for the very first time this morning and already I've ordered a case of the Squitchy Lane. My kindly neighbour has been doing quite a bit of carting upstairs for me lately - he calls it exercise. He thought the Spy Valley and the Glenlofty (from Vinomofo) would be the last for some time and I concurred with him (I think I had my fingers crossed behind my back). Maybe I'll get home before he does for this case?

Looks like a grand review will be on here in the near future.

 

[kermatu]

I'm happy to do a side by side comparison as soon as my Squitchy arrives. How long did others have to wait for delivery?

Mine - including seeming bonus case - arrived in 4 working days. Was priority post and well above the $10 charged for postage.

 

[georgehall]

Picked up a case of the Martinborough Pinot 2013 tonight.
I got a bottle a few weeks back, then another, then tonight took the plunge on a 6 pack.

It's my kind of Pinot, spicy, complex, and really full bodied, for the $26 a bottle I paid it is a fantastic wine. Highly recommended to lovers of more savoury Pinot

 

[tgh]

Layla laid me on the spice, however my best objective hat says that the (half empty )Rockferry (on the kitchen bench) is a much better wine in terms of structure.
It's a drier and initially more stand offish offering however the Layla wins hands down on a week night , quaff for $$ , comparison…

Mine are coming in the not too distant. I look forward to the tasting.

Pinot is a funny beast. My first bottle of the Layla had me in raptures, a little like that west oz one, Byron and Harold, in February. The next bottle of both had me a little indifferent. Go figure. All the pinots, Top Paddock cleanskins from bocaccios have been damn good, including one last Saturday night. I haven't found this level of variance with the nobler varieties. I remember every bottle of the I-777 from Tomich was stunning. It doesn't matter really so long as they are good.

 

[blackcat20]

I've ordered some Serrat Pinot that I'm looking forward to trying.

 

[qaz]

Thanks for the link. Much appreciated!

Welcome

In case you're not aware, Winefront reviews are also available on the free Wineosphere iOS app

Anyone know how to access Huon Hooke's reviews for free?

Australian Pinot Noir: panel tasting results (Decanter, 2016)

Recognise most of you. Can't believe I've just found this thread!:shock: I can feel my wallet emptying as we speak! What are the best pinot deals in the $30 range at the moment?

Besides those already mentioned in this thread, perhaps consider:

95pt 2015 Mac Forbes Yarra Valley Pinot Noir for $25 at Different Drop with voucher code MACTIME (ends tomorrow/Sunday)
(They also have 93-95pt 2014 De Iuliis LDR Shiraz Touriga for $29 with voucher code LDR)

Amongst others, Dexter 2012 and Cloudy Bay 2013 are $35-$36 at [post=1482086]GraysOnline eBay using CTEC20 for 20% off until tomorrow/Sunday[/post]

2014 Fromm La Strada Marlborough Pinot Noir $22.98 @ James Dominguez Cellars
(The 96-97pt Secret 2010 Barossa Mourvedre/Mataro for $59.31 is Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 2010)

For more, the acclaimed 96-97pt 2015 Giant Steps Yarra Valley Single Vineyard pinot noirs (and chardonnays) have been released recently and are likely to sell out soon - they're $50 ($45) at most retailers, including Different Drop, where you can receive 10% off your 1st order using 10OFF after subscribing to their newsletter (free delivery if spending $150+)

Vinomofo has mixed six-packs of them containing two each of the three vineyards at $49/bt ($44/bt)
(you can receive $25 credit by signing up via this referral link)

WhereyabinBru?

Just filled up with some 8 cases after Mornington peninsular trip, about a third Pinot, but most above $30. For the start was impressed with Tuck's Ridge, $45-$100, (try TR Tempranillo- fabulous!), Paringa Estate, $50-$120, Red Claw $25 but much prefer their Yabby Lake single vineyard at $53 (and the YLSV Block 2 at $95 is fab), Massale $26, plus a number of others.

How about Stonier? Is Main Ridge still open?

"Life's to short to drink sub $30 Pinot." said TheRealTMA July 19, 2016.

I could say the same thing about other reds such as shiraz, as well as chardonnay - and definitely sparkling wine

You are definitely right, and probably prove that you have to spend a little bit, or probably a lot more to get outstanding pinots compared to shirazes.

I think that $20-$30 are better than they used to be, especially when they're discounted from $40-$60, but it's probably more a case of good ones being harder to find - the risk of a bad pinot is likely higher compared with shiraz

 

[Sedimental]

Are there no Pinots discounted to around $30 recommended? VM have had different Rock Ferrys around this price point. Are they any good?

 

[Boris spatsky]

Are there no Pinots discounted to around $30 recommended? VM have had different Rock Ferrys around this price point. Are they any good?

I just sent back the Star Lane 2012 Pinot Noir to VM as it was very average. About $26 a bottle

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Are there no Pinots discounted to around $30 recommended? VM have had different Rock Ferrys around this price point. Are they any good?

I got a 6-pack of Stonier Reserve 2012 from LionCo for $32.50/bot - I find the Stonier Reserve perfectly acceptable, but I'm not a pinot snob by any means

 

[sigmadelta]

You dont need to pay more than $30 for a decent pinot. Some recent finds for me have been Bream Creek, Hoddles Creek, Dalrymple, Underground (2013 black and white) Kooyong Massale, Castle Rock. Especially I would be looking at the low end victorians 2015 offerings. I have been really impressed the last 3 years with what the Aussie have been creating.

 

[qaz]

Are there no Pinots discounted to around $30 recommended?

Too hard to go through this thread as suggested to find posts [post=1469174]such[/post] [post=1480869]as[/post] [post=1483482]these[/post]?

Closest to $30 are Bream Creek 2012, Handpicked Tasmania 2013 and

Me, AnonymousCoward and Alzoam managed to convince Katy to try some Pinot Noir at last night's Cellardoor.co TWE members night! She managed two, I think!

The pick for me on price v quality was the Seppelt Drumborg Pinot Noir 2014. Great wine for the (Cellardoor.co) price. The Coldstream Hills Amphitheatre 2013 was stunning, but the tiny vintage numbers made this wine way too expensive ($150 a bottle) for the experience.

These Pinots did inspire me to reach for the Hardy's Eileen Hardy Pinot Noir 2013 I had been eyeing off for some time since picking it up in a $50 a bottle Langton's Mystery Pack this January. This must be in the upper bracket for Aussie Pinots based on what I experienced.

My tasting notes concluded:

http://http://www.cellartracker.com/w?2258255

http://www.vivino.com/wines/11453666

"Fantastic Pinot to help burn another Midnight candle of work! This Pinot Noir is part of the Eileen Hardy series, created in homage to the great matriarch of the Hardy winemaking family. The fruit is sourced from old vines in the Yarra Valley (70%) and Coal River, Tasmania (30%), with 30/25% respectively whole bunched in the ferment. Halliday gave it a fine 96.
The nose and palate are beautiful as briary Summer bramble fruits, mulberries, blueberries, sweet vanilla bean pods, double cream, minerals and delicate spices delight the senses. The palate is light-medium-bodied, but with fine, smooth mid-palate weight, line and length. Very nice. A Wozza 95/100 (4.2/5.0) from me."

If you can afford the $70 outlay (and guessing, without looking, this can be found cheaper than its RRP), I'd say this is worth it.

Seppelt Drumborg Pinot Noir 2014 is $27 at CellarDoor.co using using HAPPYHOUR for 10% off (ends tomorrow/Sunday)

Hardy's Eileen Hardy Pinot Noir 2013 is $52 at GraysOnline eBay using CTEC20 for 20% off until tomorrow/Sunday

btw was the 2015 Coldstream Hills Deer Farm available? Looking forward to its release this September after Winefront's 96pts

VM have had different Rock Ferrys around this price point. Are they any good?

Don't know about those but Rock Ferry Cawte's Cave is rated highly by Huon Hooke

I've ordered some Serrat Pinot that I'm looking forward to trying.

AusCellardoor have the 2015 for $40.41 using VIVINO for 10% off

I got a 6-pack of Stonier Reserve 2012 from LionCo for $32.50/bot - I find the Stonier Reserve perfectly acceptable, but I'm not a pinot snob by any means

From The Den? When was that? Must have missed it - I thought [post=1466089]$34.30[/post] was good

 

[blackcat20]

AusCellardoor have the 2015 for $40.41 using VIVINO for 10% off

However they require min 6 purchase, I only wanted a couple.

 

[Steady]

AusCellardoor have the 2015 for $40.41 using VIVINO for 10% off

Thanks qaz, I was not aware there were discount codes for AusCellardoor.

is this an ongoing code or do new ones pop up every now and then?

 

[qaz]

Thanks qaz, I was not aware there were discount codes for AusCellardoor.

is this an ongoing code or do new ones pop up every now and then?

No worries - I came across the Vivino codes for AusCellardoor and Cellarmasters on the Vivino website where it provides details on where to buy the reviewed wine eg. No minimum order.

Even if there's no redemption limit, then it still might be cancelled if too popular/publicised, so hopefully it won't appear on OzBargain like the Cellarmasters one did

 

[Steady]

No worries - I came across the Vivino codes for AusCellardoor and Cellarmasters on the Vivino website where it provides details on where to buy the reviewed wine eg. No minimum order.

Even if there's no redemption limit, then it still might be cancelled if too popular/publicised, so hopefully it won't appear on OzBargain like the Cellarmasters one did

I'm not an OzBarginer - but there is one AFFer who seems to struggle with keeping things on the down low

 

[AnonymousCoward]

From The Den? When was that? Must have missed it - I thought [post=1466089]$34.30[/post] was good

I bought them early-Mar 2016 - Den had those on sale at the time.

 

[MELso]

Fans of Paringa Estate should note that the 2012 Estate (mid-tier) pinot noir can be had for $586.26 for a case of 12 (~$49 a bottle) in the Grays eBay sale. Paringa `Estate` Pinot Noir 2012 12 X 750ml VIC | eBay

 

[Sedimental]

Fans of Paringa Estate should note that the 2012 Estate (mid-tier) pinot noir can be had for $586.26 for a case of 12 (~$49 a bottle) in the Grays eBay sale. Paringa `Estate` Pinot Noir 2012 12 X 750ml VIC | eBay

Good wine, good vintage. Reasonable price.

 

[Sedimental]

Thanks qaz and others for your inputs. I have read every post in this thread since I stumbled upon it. I've bought and enjoyed the Hoddles Ck, Bream Ck, de Bortoli Estate, Seppelt Henty etc. They all taste fine but lack that nose that keeps on evolving and just begs you back for more. I guess what I was hoping to find for around $30 was a $50-60 RRP Aus/NZ Pinot that I could indulge in most weekends without shelling out for the full Burgundian experience. Can anyone whose tasted the recent VM Rock Ferrys tell me whether they drink like a $60 bottle?

 

[beefarmer]

Thanks qaz and others for your inputs. I have read every post in this thread since I stumbled upon it. I've bought and enjoyed the Hoddles Ck, Bream Ck, de Bortoli Estate, Seppelt Henty etc. They all taste fine but lack that nose that keeps on evolving and just begs you back for more. I guess what I was hoping to find for around $30 was a $50-60 RRP Aus/NZ Pinot that I could indulge in most weekends without shelling out for the full Burgundian experience. Can anyone whose tasted the recent VM Rock Ferrys tell me whether they drink like a $60 bottle?

A very good clinical sampling Sedimental and I hear you. You want fresh cut flowers, you want hints of strawberries, a desirable nose with blackberry aromas, you want a sweet bouquet initially then a pinot body that comes along and sweeps you off your feet. I have the answer. Someone who works in a fruit shop. I think our learned colleague Wozza would agree with me that the Tomich I-777 closely fits this description. At least the wines have been good to drink. Keep working at the ol factory Sedi.