Pinot Noir – June 2017: New Release
Barry Weinman: 18th June 2017
Pinot Noir is not the easiest wine to make well. It tends to do best in cooler, boutique wine producing areas and requires plenty of attention in the winery. Also, the attention required in the vineyard precludes large scale plantings. So compared to Shiraz, these are not the cheapest wines to produce.
Affordable Pinot Noir is an elusive beast. The highlight for me of a recent line up of Pinots was the new Shottesbrooke Pinot from the Adelaide Hills. Here is a good drinking, varietally correct wine that is selling for $20. Definitely worth a look.
Though it costs more, the Picardy Pinot is in fine form. Precise and balanced, it is great drinking now, but will also improve in the bottle.
Reviewed.
Picardy – Pinot Noir – 2014 (18pts -$40). Solid core of pretty fruit. Berry, plum and cherry characters with tar, liquorice and spice. Gentle oak adds depth with the fruit tannins and acid drive on the finish. An excellent wine that will build complexity in the bottle over the next 5 years.
Shottesbrooke – Pinot Noir – Adelaide Hills – 2016 (17.6pts – $20). Lovely colour and aromas of ripe berry/cherry fruit. Silky, supple, decent texture and relatively fine, with cedary characters adding depth. Not overly concentrated, but a great drink. The generous flavours linger. A decent $20 pinot is a rare commodity, but this one hits the spot.