Reviewed 2 April 2011

Our “Last Sunday” tasting group met a week late but the quality of the evening more than compensated. This was much more than a mere tasting, it was a sensory delight. As usual, the wines were fantastic, but, even better, Robyn and Loren prepared a series of superb dishes to accompany the wines.

The theme was pinot noirs that were ready to drink. As with all wine, this is open to individual interpretation, but most of the wines were from the early to mid 2000s.

Reviewed

Main Divide – Pinot Noir – 2004 (18.4). Lovely nose. The wine is dense, rich, ripe and textured. On the palate, this is textured, dense, long, ripe and powerful. Obviously pinot, but this is richer and riper than most. Not Burgundian in style, but very impressive.

Felton Road – Pinot Noir – Block 5 – 2003 (18.3). Quite cold initially. Dense and tight, this has great fruit quality. There are earthy notes, with forest floor. The intensity of the fruit is fantastic and there is real depth to the palate with excellent texture. Very long, this is a treat.

Cristom – Pinot Noir – Reserve – 2002 (18). A nervy wine that developed power in the glass. This has real interest. The savoury fruit notes are a treat. We had this with Lauren’s superb lamb dish – this is an excellent food wine!

Road 13 – Pinot Noir – 2007 (18). Greater fruit density here, with a lovely complex nose. Cherry, tar, spice, clove, cinnamon and slightly grippy tannins. An impressive wine that is a very good drink.

Main Ridge – Pinot Noir – The Acre – 2001 (17.6). More vegetative style. This is a complex wine with a lot going on. There is not a lot of primary fruit, but with food this is good. The finish is a touch smoky with a little bit of bacon fat.

Domaine Caillot – Chardonnay – Mearsualt – Le Limozin – 2004 (17.7). Creamy nose and palate. Very supple with a silky mouth-feel. The creamy oak is well judged. This is surprisingly tight and fresh and could take another few years in the cellar. (This was the warm up wine).

Akarua – Pinot Noir – 2007 (17.6). More complex than some here, this is a rich, dense and powerful wine. This is still youthful and very tight. Long, and supple, this is a very good red wine that should improve in the bottle.

Calera – Pinot Noir – Jensen Vineyard – 1999 (17.5). Smoke, tar, rubber, earthy. Rich and generous, the mouth-feel. is lovely. Builds in the mouth, with silky tannins and real length. Aged, there is a touch of cold tea to close.

Domaine Fourrier – Pinot Noir – Gevery Chambertin – 1er Cru – Cherbaudes – 2002 (17.5). A touch earthy, this is quite seductive. Silky in the mouth, with sour plum and cherry fruit. Not generous, but should develop well. Long and supple, this is an excellent wine.

Jean-Michel Guillon – Pinot Noir – Gevery Chambertin – Les Crais – 2003 (17.5). Slightly turbid. Denser fruit, with good complexity. There is an earthy note, with aniseed, tar and smoke courtesy of the oak. Mature, this I a lovely drink.

Mongeard-Mugneret – Pinot Noir – Vosne-Romanee – 1er Cru – Les Petits Monts – 2001 (17.5). Limpid in the glass. Fragrant and juicy fruit with some appeal. A lighter style that is defined by fresh red fruits and minimal interventions. Long and supple.

Paringa Estate – Pinot Noir – Peninsula – 2005 (17.5). Starts off very bright and pretty, but develops depth of flavour and richness in the glass. Pretty fruit, this wine has developed a degree of complexity that makes it excellent drinking now. There is juicy cherry fruit with a touch of meatiness. The balance is spot on. Meaty. At half the price of the “Estate”, this represents excellent value.

Stefano Lubiano – Pinot Noir – Primavera – 2009 (17.4). Perfumed, with strawberry and cherry fruit. Silky, fresh and juicy, this is a pleasant drink. A good effort for an entry level wine.