Curly Flat vs. Felton Road Pinot Noir

I describe the Felton Road Pinot Noir as Shiraz drinkers' Pinot. It is usually dark and with big flavours. It occurred to me that one of my favorite Australian Pinots, the 2006 Curly Flat Pinot Noir, is a bit similar. So I decided to put it right next to the 2006 Felton Road Pinot Noir (this is the 'standard' version) .

The colour of both wines is similar: a full-bodied, strong red.

The Curly Flat tastes of cherry and apricot, with some savoury characters creeping in. The high point of this wine is the big mouthfeel it generates. The tannins are soft and the finish is long, although it does not provide the Burgundian 'fan'.

The Felton Road tastes a bit darker, mainly of black cherries. This wine is a bit more developed and the mouthfeel falls off against the Curly Flat. The tannins are a bit finer grained, the finish has similar length, but is a bit drier.

Both wines are excellent examples of full bodied Pinots. The Curly Flat is slightly sweeter, but more vibrant. It would be interesting to include Felton's Block 5 in this comparison. I should have some in the cellar. I may try it in a few days.

Curly Flat. Score: 95/++

Felton Road. Score: 94/++