Two Exceptional Wines

 In a recent tasting of benchmark wines I came across two wines which I thought were exceptional. The first wine was a 2009 Lucien Le Moine Clos de la Roche Grand Cru.

Clos de la Roche is one of the best terroirs in Morey-St-Denis. Lucien Le Moine is a high quality negociant house who picks one hundred barrels or so from each vintage. There is no winemaking here. They are bought after fermentation. 2009 was a warm and highly regarded vintage.

In Burgundy, the view is that Grand Cru wines need to fire on three cylinders; fruit, tannins, and acidity. And this is what this wine does, almost. This is a concentrated, yet elegant wine with strong aromatics of rose petals and red cherry. There are interesting secondary flavours here, bacon stands out for me. The fruit has started its downhill run, but only just. The wine is quite tannic, like a Gevrey-Chambertin. So: fruit 9, tannins 10, acidity 7. The finish is long.

Score: 96/+++ 

The second wine was a 2016 Podere S. Giuseppe Brunello di Montalcino Stella di Campalto

The grapes come from a 25 year old vineyard, organically/biodynamically farmed. The combination of Stella di Campalto's uncompromising farm management and the Podere San Giuseppe winery make this one of the standout Brunello producers.

The wine is red and black fruited, black olive and some herbal notes. It is still quite youthful. The wine is incredibly elegant, while underneath its flavours sits restrained power. It is so harmonious. The tannins are very firm. The wine is 100% Sangiovese, but in the tasting a number of us thought this wine to be Nebbiolo. 

The best Sangiovese I have ever had.

Score: 97/+++

These two wines are expensive. Are they worth two or three Mt. Edelstones? I think so.

Peay Ama Pinot Noir

 I quite enjoy US Pinot Noir from time to time. It needs to come from one of the better producers in Sonoma or Willamette Valley. Given the dramatic price increases of premium Australian Pinot Noir (e.g. Bindi, by Farr, Place of Changing Winds), the US wines are not too expensive now. What I enjoy about these wines in comparison to Burgundy is the somewhat dialed-up fruit flavours, as long as the structure is still good. 

I was looking forward to this 2019 Peay Ama Pinot Noir, given I liked the 'standard' blended Pinot Noir quite a lot. This wine comes from the West Sonoma Coast, the new hot bed of Pinot Noir in the US, as the ocean and frequent frog provide cooler temperatures and humidity as well. The owners are quite meticulous, splitting the vineyards in 25 blocks, and also growing a number of different clones.

However, what often happens, the best, i.e. ripest grapes are reserved for the single vineyard wine, whereas the rest goes into the blended wine. In this case, the wine is more concentrated, but also quite fruity and ripe. The red cherry and strawberry flavours are nice, but the overall mouthfeel is a bit flabby. The wine is not very acidic. The tannins are silky, but very light.

Score: 90/-

Delamere Pinot Noir

 I have mentioned a number of times that Tasmanian Pinot Noir is tricky. The marginal climate can be attractive. However, there are many subregions in Tasmania with quite different conditions. What is very suitable in one year may not be ideal in another. It is therefore difficult for Tasmanian wineries to establish a solid track record over a number of years.

I am drinking the 2021 Delamere Pinot Noir  from the Tamar River region. The vines are well established at 40 years of age.

The colour is purple, indicating a savoury Pinot Noir, and it is. The wine is of medium intensity. The complex dark fruit flavours are quite ripe, but are balanced by savoury notes. The wine sits in the mouth a bit, and lacks energy to move forward, but it is appealing when it  finally gets to the finish. The tannins are soft and fine grained, leading to a satisfying medium plus finish.

Score: 93/++  

 

Elanto Vineyard

 There are not many high density projects in Australia. The new Bindi vineyards and Place of Changing Winds are perhaps the most prominent. Now we have the first wines from a new, very ambitious project. It is called Elanto Vineyard on the Mornington Peninsula, managed by Sandro Mosele, the former winemaker of Kooyong.

As you can see, it is meticulously planted (in 2018) in eight blocks with different slopes and sun exposure. Interestingly, the soil is the same, namely red volcano. At Kooyong, Sandro planted on different soils, and he found this the most promising.

The first wines from 2023 are now available. I found the Chardonnay had a promising fruit profile, but was still lacking some definition. The Pinot Noir was the better wine, with good complexity, red fruits and savoury underbrush characteristics. Making great wine takes a lot of time and patience. Apparently the 2024 wines are a step up. This will be a producer to watch. 

Domaine Jaeger-Defaix

 Vineyards in Rully in the northern part of the Côte Chalonnaise are the second interest of Hélène Jaeger-Defaix. Wines from the Côte Chalonnaise create interest, because one tries to find the same quality of Chardonnay or Pinot Noir as in Burgundy 'proper', but at a fraction of the price.

Two whites and two reds are available for tasting. The 2022 Jaeger-Defaix Rully 1er cru Le Cloux is light and fresh, with an elegant mouthfeel. This is a pleasant, well made Chardonnay without a lot of impact (91 points). The 2022 Jaeger-Defaix 1er cru Rabourcé Blanc sits right above the Le Coux vineyard. There is less of the white clay soil here. This is a fuller and more powerful wine with a longer finish (93 points).

The first red is the 2022 Jaeger-Defaix Rully Rouge. This is a village wine. It is light, well made, but not complex (91 points). The best wine of these is the 2022 Jaeger-Defaix Rully Rouge 1er cru Clos du Chapitre. The soil is clay. This wine is 100% barrel fermented, with 10% new oak. Strawberry flavours dominate. This is a bigger wine, but still energetic, with quite a tannic finish (94 points).

Overall, the Jaeger-Defaix wines are well made: balanced, with delicate flavours, and an elegant mouthfeel.

Bindi New Releases

 There are some wineries with exceptional wines which manage to deliver high quality at reasonable prices as well (think Penfolds Bin 28, for example, or Ata Rangi Crimson Pinot Noir). Bindi, unfortunately, is not one of them. However, there are specific reasons for this. As Bindi became better known, wines from their exceptional Estate Vineyard in Macedon sell out in an instant. It was an opportunity too good to pass up, to expand with wines from bought-in fruit. The recent release of these wines (and some estate wines) allows us to assess their quality.

Let's start with the 2023 Bindi Dhillon Macedon Ranges Chardonnay. This wine is made from fruit sourced from the Macedon Ranges. Citrus and white peach are the dominant flavours. The focussed acidity is high, giving the wine a very refreshing finish (88 points). The second wine from the current release is the 2023 Bindi Kostas Rind Chardonnay. This is the standard wine from the Estate. The immediate observation is that this wine is much more concentrated. Otherwise there are similarities to the previous wine in terms of flavour and acidity. In addition, the wine has more energy and drive (92 points).

Then we come to the red wines. The 2023 Bindi Dixon Pinot Noir is the entry level Pinot Noir from the Estate. The colour is pale, but there is a lot going on in the mouth. Strawberry and raspberry flavours reveal themselves first, savoury notes follow, balanced by fine tannins. This wine tastes very young and must be aged to experience better harmony. The Dixon is my pick from the wines reviewed here (92 points).

The second area of focus for Michael Dhillon is Heathcote. The 2023 Bindi Col Mountain Grenache comes from there. This is quite a light red, soft, with typical raspberry flavours - a basic expression of Grenache, somewhat unusual from Heathcote (88 points). The Pyrette Shiraz has been around for longer. This release is the 2022 Bindi Pyrette Shiraz. This is a lighter style, very different from the typical expression from Heathcote. Blackberry, earthy and peppery notes deliver a typical cooler climate style. The wine finishes quite tannic (90 points). 

I was not able to taste the premium wines of this release. They were the 2017 and 2018 Darshan Pinot Noir and the 2019 Block 8 Pinot Noir. I tasted the 2017 Darshan at a visit to the winery last year (see previous blog post), as well as the 2021 Block 8. These wines come from new high density plantings on the Estate. They are exciting wines of small volume, the scarcity matched by high prices. 

 

Underestimate or Overestimate

 Growing grapes and making wine is obviously a challenging business and developments can be quite dynamic. Part of this dynamic is the 'discovery' of new wine making areas or regions. Over the last couple of days I tasted two wines from very different regions which both are not necessarily new, but have grown in significance over the last few years. The two wines were a 2020 Chacra Pinot Noir from Patagonia, Argentina, and a 2019 Tertini Pinot Noir from the Southern Highlands, New South Wales.  

Chacra has taken a very serious approach, including bio-dynamics and organics, since starting their journey in 2004. Obviously, they impressed the wine world and have achieved glowing reviews. My first experience has been with the 2020 Chacra Cincuenta Y Cinco Pinot Noir, obviously from a vineyard started in 1955. The palate shows strawberry and red and black cherry flavours, as well as licorice and herbal flavours. The wine is quite elegant and balanced, but it lacks a bit of interest in its texture. The tannins are mild, and the finish is medium.

While this wine is certainly a good Pinot Noir, it is not outstanding, and certainly not as exciting as the reputation preceding it. While the climate is quite suitable for Pinot Noir, the soil composition of pebbles and clay may not deliver the drive and intensity I had hoped for.

Score: 92/+

The Southern Highlands south of Sydney do not really rate as a premium wine growing region among most wine enthusiasts. Its preeminent winery is Tertini. I recently tried the 2019 Tertini Yaraandoo Vineyard Pinot Noir. The vines are still quite young, planted in 2000, but the vineyard, sitting at an altitude of over 700 meters, is highly regarded.

The wine is quite perfumed on the nose. Dark cherry flavours dominate the palate. This is a light to medium, clearly cool climate Pinot Noir. What this wine has, a bit in contrast to the Chacra, is drive, a great texture, and a long finish. This is not the most complex of wines, but it drinks beautifully with an excellent Pinot Noir typicity. 

Score: 94/+++ 

P.S.: A reader has pointed out to me that the winery has closed. A Canberra article mentioned the winery is closed since 2023 due to a lack of succession. This is a real shame. I am wondering what is happening to the vineyard shown in the picture.

Place of Changing Winds 'Clos de la Connerie'

 The man behind Place of Changing Winds is Robert Walters, who for decades has imported fine wine from around the world (Bibendum, International Fine Wines), in particular Burgundy. Building on this experience and many discussions with international growers and winemakers, he finally decided to get into winemaking himself. More than anybody else in Australia, he combines experience with science in finding the right site and implementing a methodical winemaking approach. He settled on a vineyard site in Macedon, I believe pointed out to him by Michael Dhillon of Bindi, and he has a similar portfolio with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Macedon, and Shiraz from Heathcote. For those interested, I recommend the winery's website, which gives away some of the story and Robert's meticulous approach.

The star of the portfolio is clearly Pinot Noir. As volumes of this high density planted vineyard are very small, the company has adopted a direct selling approach which is understandable, yet annoying. Basically, there is a mailing list and you have to buy some of the more standard wines (Grower Series) to get access to the super premium wines (Estate Series). However, some of these trickle into the market and there can be bought separately.

Yesterday, I tasted my first wine from this estate, the 2019 Place of Changing Winds 'Clos de la Connerie' Pinot Noir. Robert advised me to not drink this wine too early, but this is as long as I could wait. This wine comes from the original high density plot at 12500 vines per ha, planted in 2012 (yes, the vines are young). 

I pour the wine and wow! The colour is a deep ruby. Clearly, this is a concentrated wine. Aromas of forest berries rise from the glass. On the palate, black cherry, licorice and spice deliver a more savoury sensation, with an incredible depth of flavour and richness. This is a serious wine. Despite the intensity, the wine is elegant in the mouth (12.5% alc.). The tannins are fine and don't quite match the flavours. While the wine is quite long, it runs out of steam a bit on the finish.

Clearly, this intense profile is achieved by the dense planting (and no doubt a lot of care). It calls into question the mantra of old vines being a prerequisite of great wine. This wine delivers a new profile of Australian Pinot Noir. It drinks well now, but will develop even more complexity in the next 5-10 years. Robert Walters has other labels with even double this planting density. I am encouraged to track some down in the future.

Score: 96/+++     

  

Giant Steps Applejack Pinot Noir

 Giant Steps is one of the success stories of the Yarra Valley. Like few others, Giant Steps have emphasised the characteristics of different vineyard sites. Still, we have perhaps not conclusively progressed past the differences between the Valley Floor and the Upper Yarra Valley.

The Applejack vineyard fulfills many conditions for great Pinot Noir; it is closely planted with seven clones; a sloped vineyard at higher altitude; east facing. The only drawback; clay soil, not ideal for energetic Pinot Noir.

The 2021 Giant Steps Applejack Pinot Noir is very perfumed, with rose petals so present.

On the palate, we experience a typical Yarra Valley fruit profile; strawberry, raspberry, red cherry. The flavours are not overly complex, but the texture is very appealing with silky tannins present along the palate, and on the long finish.

The wine presents a little fruity now, but with time is likely to deliver more complexity.

Score: 94/++

Felton Road Bannockburn Pinot Noir

 I have been collecting Felton Road Pinot Noir wines for many years. They produce about five single vineyard wines, and then there is the blended Bannockburn wine from the remaining grapes. Obviously, the single vineyard wines are more expensive. Over the years, I have observed an almost perfect correlation between the price points of the single vineyard wines and the blend and the scores. Blind tasting? I found the blend often more layered and complex than some of the single vineyard wines.

The labels of these wines are very similar and quite boring, but the content is anything but. This is the 2019 Felton Road Bannockburn Pinot Noir. There is a dark cherry and forest floor aroma arising from the glass. On the palate, red and black cherry flavours are matched with some underbrush and excellent oak integration. Fresh acidity and solid tannins produce a perfect balance. The finish is long and lingering.

Score: 95/+++

Paul Hobbs Russian River Pinot Noir

 I am writing this tasting note after this 2020 Paul Hobbs Russian River Pinot Noir has been opened for two days. This is a good thing, as this wine is obviously young and a bit overwhelming.

This is a concentrated and rich wine. Selected from premium growers across the valley, the fruit delivers dark cherry, plum, beetroot and forest underbrush flavours. This is a brooding wine with firm, somewhat coarse tannins. The finish is long.

This wine is certainly on the big side for a Pinot Noir. Alcohol comes in at 14.3%. Paul Hobbs is a highly regarded winemaker, with operations in different continents, particularly in Argentina. He has a full throttle style, which you may or may not find appealing.

Score: 92/0

Lowestoft Pinot Noir

 The 2018 Lowestoft Pinot Noir is the first wine of this new Tasmanian label, put together by the Fogarty Wine Group, owners of Dalwhinnie, Deep Woods, Evans & Tate, amongst others.

This is not a single vineyard wine, but a best barrels selection from vineyards across Tasmania. The wine has been matured in large format French oak, 35% new. It is positioned as an ultra premium wine.

And the wine is impressive. It is a delicate wine of great purity, initially quite understated. Red cherry fruit and some darker and earthy flavours, backed by firm acidity, deliver quite a piercing mouthfeel. The fine grained tannins linger long on the palate.

Score: 94/+++ 

Hirsch Vineyards Horizontal Tasting

 I was attracted to Hirsch Vineyards for a couple of reasons. It is not located in the heart of Sonoma, where Pinot Noirs can be big and bold, but rather at Sonoma Coast, where the climate is cooler and wetter. And Secondly, because the owners have gone through a big effort to identify individual blocks which have different soil and aspect characteristics, and are bottled separately. The last few days, I compared three of their wines from 2016.

The first wine I review here is the best of barrels 2016 Reserve. As is often the case with best of barrels wines, this wine is overdone, in my view. The wine has good concentration of red and black cherry fruit, but it is not very precise or differentiated. It shows some fruit ripeness, but also green components. The tannins are dry and long before the wine finishes firm, but a little dull.

Score: 90/0

Then I look at the 2016 East Ridge. The peculiar aspect of this steep sloped vineyard is that two thirds of the vines have phylloxera. The owners say it is very carefully managed, and I quite like this wine, particularly on the second day. It is more restrained than the Reserve with red cherry and savoury earthy flavours. The wine has better balance overall, but the tannins are still quite plucky.

Score: 92/+

The third wine is the 2016 Block 8, regarded by the owners as their grand cru. There are concentrated red fruits on the palate, but the overriding feature is the high level of acidity, backed by firm tannins. Again, I did not find this wine all that pleasing to drink.

Score: 91/0

While the wines are not bad, I found this tasting experience disappointing. I did not see the terroir coming through all that much, and I missed any kind of enchantment I like to associate with good Pinot Noir.

 

Two Leading Australian Pinot Noirs

 It is interesting to compare these two leading Australian Pinot Noirs I drank this week, even though they are of different age. They are the two brands with international Pinot Noir reputation.

Firstly, the 2020 Bass Phillip Estate Pinot Noir. Since the ownership change, the label is a little different; old vines is added. Is the wine different? This Pinot Noir is full-bodied, with flamboyant red and black cherry flavours. The wine is quite fruity, delivering a big mouthfeel, but there are also earthy notes, and smoky and salty flavours. This is quite Burgundian in a Vosne-Romanée style. The silky tannins have appeal, and the aromatic and expanding finish is excellent. The wine is 

perhaps a bit fruity, but it has other attractive elements. It certainly tastes like a Bass Phillip of old.

Score: 94/++

The 2017 By Farr Sangreal Pinot Noir is also big fruited, with dark cherry and black fruited jam flavours. It is also quite savoury. This wine certainly packs a punch, maybe a bit too much, but the fine grained tannins compensate. The wine shows an attractive salinity and a long finish. It is ultimately well composed, and would appeal to Shiraz drinkers.

Score: 94/++

In terms of international recognition, these two wines would certainly come across as Australian wines, bigger fruited than Burgundy. The expanding finish is a hallmark of Bass Phillip, and only the best Burgundies show this well. There are aspects which could improve before I would call these world- class, but they are excellent examples of how far Australian Pinot Noir has come.

Australia vs. New Zealand Pinot Noir Tasting

 A couple of days ago, I tasted six premium Australian and six premium New Zealand Pinot Noirs. Who came out ahead? Perhaps surprising, I scored the Australian Pinot Noirs slightly higher. Why? There were clearly country differences. The Australian wines were quite savoury and often with good energy. The New Zealand wines were fruitier and often a little round with not enough to show on the finish.

My top wine, unexpected, was the 2019 Picardy Tête de Cuvée from Pemberton. This is Picardy's best Pinot Noir of the vintage. Some of the fruit is densely planted, and the yields are low. The wine opens quite light on the palate, as the red and dark cherry fruit emerges. This is quite a complex and earthy wine with cigar box flavours underneath. The tannins are fine, supported by 30% whole bunch, and the finish is long (96/+++ points). Just behind was the 2020 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir, quite an intense, dark fruited wine. The mouthfeel is plush and smooth, and very textural. The wine has good persistence and a long finish (96/+++ points). 

In the next level came the highly acclaimed 2022 Ossa Pinot Noir from the Belrose vineyard near Swansea. The fruit is quite young and vibrant, and the wine has good intensity, but feels slightly blocky in the mouth. The 2022 Giant Steps Wombat Creek tasted of red cherry, with medium intensity and fine tannins - overall a more balanced wine. Also impressive was the 2018 Moondarra Sambaside Pinot Noir, a new label to me. This wine was on the lighter side with savoury notes, not dissimilar to the Picardy (93/94 points for these wines).

The next group included three wines from New Zealand, the 2022 Two Paddocks Estate Pinot Noir, the 2021 Valli Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir, and the 2022 High Garden Vineyard Pinot Noir. As mentioned, these wines have a strong fruit profile, but were not as well structured as the wines above (92 points).

The final group included the 2021 Stonier Reserve Pinot Noir, the 2021 Shaw & Smith Lenswood Pinot Noir, the 2020 Neudorf Home Block, and the 2016 Fromm Cuvee H Pinot Noir - all 90 points.

Bannockburn Tasting

 Bannockburn from the Geelong region is a high quality producer famous for being the first winery to employ high density planting in the 1980s, and also for its legendary winemaker Gary Farr who during this time fashioned the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir along Burgundy principles (he worked at Domaine Dujac, where he completed 12 vintages).

The Serré vineyard

This tasting was focussed on the 2022 vintage, which was wet and cold. Unfortunately, it showed. The three Chardonnays lack fruit concentration and character. 

The Pinot Noirs fared a little better, but the light colour and lack of tannins are proof of the difficulties. The flagship, the 2022 Bannockburn Serré Pinot Noir is made from vines planted in 1984, based on the MV6 clone. The vineyard is planted to 8000 to 9000 vines per hectare. This is dense planting (see image), but not as dense as some Burgundy vineyards and some recent plantings in Australia. The fruit in this year tastes of strawberry and red cherry. There is some silkiness in the wine. Overall, it is quite soft (92/++ points).

The other single vineyard wine is the 2022 De La Terre. This vineyard was planted in the 2000s and is based on the 777 clone. Having younger fruit was actually advantageous in this year. The wine is a bit darker, with bigger red cherry fruit, and more crunchy (93/++ points).

The other Bannockburn story, less often told, is Shiraz. The wines are meant to be similar to Rhône style Shiraz. The first Shiraz tasted was the 2012 Shiraz. This wine is quite developed, with the blackberry fruit almost gone. Licorice and earthy flavours have taken over. This wine is elegant, but past its peak (91/0 points). 

The 2013 De La Roche Shiraz, a single vineyard wine, is very dark and a bit more lively. Mushroom flavours and some spice feature. I found the mouthfeel a bit sticky, but fine tannins balance this out (92/+ points).

Then came two big surprises. The 2003 Shiraz, from a warm vintage. This is a big wine, sunshine in the glass. There is an orange tint, but the wine is still lively. It is concentrated, but elegant and very balanced. I loved this wine, and I believe it is still available for purchase (95/+++).

But the star was the 1995 Serré. This was simply stunning. Orange in colour, this is still a lively wine at 28 years. Astonishing! It is very elegant and complex, with silky tannins and a long finish (97/+++). 

So what is the clincher here? Gary Farr left in 2004. He clearly made the 1995 Serré, and he would have had a hand in the 2003 Shiraz. Yes, 2022 was a difficult vintage, but is Bannockburn as good as it was under Gary Farr?

Rippon Pinot Noir Tasting

 Those of you who are familiar with Pinot Noir from Central Otago know that most of these wines are quite full-bodied with significant fruit weight, reflecting the many sunshine hours of the region, and despite it being the most southern wine region in the world. Felton Road wines would be the most sophisticated and consistent of this style. Rippon wines could not be more different. Felton Road and Rippon are like chalk and cheese as the saying goes.

The story of Rippon always starts with the location of the vineyard on Lake Wanaka. Many regard it as the most beautiful vineyard in the world. The vineyard is now 35 years old, and the soil is predominantly schist in character.

I had an opportunity to taste five of their Pinot Noirs today. The 2019 Pinot Noir is fashioned in a light style, with strawberry and red cherry notes, and some savoury backbone. The wine is finely balanced (92/++ points). The same wine from 2012 is still remarkably fresh. The wine is more complex than the younger version, with cherry and mushroom flavours, and an earthy and smoky character vying for your attention (93/++ points).

The  2019 Rippon Pinot Noir 'Emma's Block' comes from a block down by the lake facing eastward. It has slightly more intensity than the Estate Pinot Noir, but it is still quite a light wine. It is elegant, with silky tannins and delivers this ethereal feel, only Pinot Noir can. I enjoyed this wine a lot (95+++ points).

The brother if you like, is the 2019 'Tinkers Field'. It comes from a block next door, and facing north. The main difference to the previous wine is the angel of this block, therefore the different aspect. Black cherry, herbs and spices form this wine. It is darker and more intense, quite precise, but not as delicate as the 'Emma's Block' (94/++ points).

A special release is the 2019 Lolo's Block from the top part of the vineyard. It celebrates the 70th birthday of the Mother. This is a fruitier wine with red cherry flavours. It is a bit forward on the palate (92/+ points).

Overall, there is a clear style to these wines. They require contemplation and should not be overwhelmed by hearty food.  

Pooley Pinot Noir

I would like to see some Tasmanian winemakers producing excellent Pinot Noir year in year out. Yes, the vintages variations are more challenging than on the Mainland, but leading Burgundy producers manage to do just that. 

Last night, I enjoyed the 2021 Pooley Pinot Noir.

This wine has very strong red fruit aromas. On the palate, red cherry and licorice deliver quite intense and pure flavours. There is a good line in this not too complex, fruit dominant wine. It strikes a nice balance between freshness and structure built on firm, and also silky tannins, and encompassing fresh acidity.

There are not many secondary flavours, such as mushroom or forest floor in this wine. This could be because the wine is still very young or, more likely, because it comes from the Coal River Valley. Why? This is the sunniest part of Tasmania. Some experts I regard highly argue great Pinot Noir needs rainy conditions. The jury is out. There is also a single vineyard wine from Pooley, which I will review in a little while.

Score: 92/++

  

Two excellent American Pinot Noirs

 When it comes to American Pinot Noir, it is safest to avoid the 2019 and 2020 vintages. 2019 was very small, and 2020 affected by wildfires. However, 2018 and 2021 were very good.

At a recent tasting, I found two American Pinot Noirs standing out. The first was the 2018 Willakenzie Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. This not well known Oregon winery has 420 acres of vineyards across a diversity of soil, aspect, and elevation. The structure built around grippy tannins is the major feature of this blended wine. Blue fruit flavours give way to savoury notes of mushroom and licorice. This is quite different from a pretty wine; more like a grizzly bear, but well balanced (94 points).

The second wine was the 2021 Littorai Les Larmes Pinot Noir. Littorai is one of the influential and trend setting wineries in Northern California, pushing in particular higher altitude vineyards closer to the coast. Most wines are single vineyard, but Les Larmes is a blend from Sonoma vineyards. This is quite a fresh and racy wine. Red fruits, in particular pomegranate feature. The wine shows firm minerality and a lasting finish (94 points).

By Farr Côte Vineyard Pinot Noir

 Many of you will be familiar with the Farrside or Sangreal Pinot Noirs of By Farr. These are quite distinctive from each other, with Farrside being very savoury and structure focussed, whereas Sangreal emphasizes dark fruit flavours. Over the last decade, By Farr has experimented with a high density vineyard, the Côte vineyard. This hillside vineyard faces north, north east and east in three sections. Tasting the 2016 By Farr Côte Vineyard Pinot Noir is my first experience of this wine. 

I was gobsmacked. This is again quite a different Pinot profile. The wine is quite perfumed on the nose. On the palate, red and dark cherry is the dominant fruit flavour, but the main impression is the smooth character of this wine, which caresses the palate with immense charm. It is a great blend between fruit and savoury characteristics. The wine shows great finesse, supported by fine and detailed tannins, which leads to a very long finish. This is a softer wine than the other two mentioned, but do not be fooled; it has great intensity.

Score: 98/+++