Reviewed: 22nd September 2013
Situated in the Mornington Peninsula, Scorpo wines has quietly established a reputation for producing some of the region’s finest, though understated, wines from pinot noir, chardonnay and shiraz. Winemaking is headed up by Sandro Mosele, whom, along with the Scorpo family, endeavours to produce wines that speak of the region, with as little intervention as possible in the winery.
This tasting allowed me to look through the current range and the wines were right on form. That the estate wines (chardonnay, shiraz and pinot noir) were on form is no surprise, given the reputation that these wines command on the east coast. It was the pinot gris and norien pinot noir that were the biggest surprise.
The pinot gris is delicious, with crunchy pear and creamy, barrel ferment characters, while the pinot noir is excellent current drinking.
The wines from Scorpo tend to slip under the radar, but the quality makes finding them worth the effort.
NB: This was not a blind tasting. My points are best used as a guide only.
Reviewed
Scorpo – Pinot Gris – 2012 (17.5). The nose opens with creamy barrel-ferment notes. The lifted fruit is reminiscent of pear skin, with a lovely, musk-like edge. On the palate, the fruit is ripe and creamy, with an almost crunchy pear texture on the finish. This wine is fermented in older oak and sees batonage/lees stirring and wild yeast fermentation. Delicious.
Scorpo – Chardonnay – 2008 (17.8). Closed and creamy on the nose, but the palate is full of life and vigour. Bright acidity, supple oak, creamy texture and a struck match minerality on the finish. Tight and modern, the acidity is very refreshing.
Scorpo – Pinot Noir – Norien – 2012 (17.7). Beautiful nose here, showing bright, fresh cherry fruit and lovely spice. Typical, approachable and succulent. Not overly complex, but has excellent length and tannin integration. Delicious.
Scorpo – Pinot Noir – Estate – Single Vineyard – 2011 (18). Closed and restrained, yet supple and inviting. Picked in early April (one month later than normal) with great care taken in the vineyard to ensure that the fruit coming off was top notch. Initially, this appears tight and grippy, though it opens nicely with air. Very long and refined, this is a delight to drink now, but will be even better in 5 years. A great result.
Scorpo – Shiraz – 2008 – (18). Some earthy, dusty notes to start, but there is a core of ripe red fruits over supple white pepper and silky tannins. All fruit was de-stemmed and cold soaked prior to fermentation. A superb wine that is restrained and very fine, yet the power starts to build on the very long finish. Hard to resist.