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Pinot Noir
While we continue to expand our collection of Burgundies, more and more new-world winemakers are coming to terms with this challenging variety. Australians have identified Geelong, the Yarra Valley and the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria as suited to premium Pinot Noir. More recently, Tasmania has shot up the ranks. Mount Mary, Farr Rising and Tolpuddle are names to seek out. New Zealand is also producing some compelling, full bodied wines. Look for regions like Martinborough, Marlborough and Central Otago. Browse our top rated Pinot wines here.
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2022 Domaine Sylvain Cathiard Vosne-Romanee Aux Reignots Premier CruBurgundy, FRANCE$1499. 00Bottle$17988.00 DozenClosure: CorkSylvain Cathiard built a fearsome reputation through the 1990's and early 2000's for producing some of the greatest wines of Burgundy. His ability to marry fragrant and perfectly ripe grapes with expertly chosen new oak set the standard at the time. While the wines were more approachable than his peers, they also had the requisite components to age and evolve gloriously for many years. Now under the stewardship of his son Sebastien, the wines have gained even more acclaim and are equally as well built for an envious evolution in the cellar.
Other Reviews....
A discreet application of wood sets off the cool aromas of mostly red berry fruit aromas that are cut with plenty of floral and spice wisps. The sleek, delicious and vibrant flavors are even finer while offering ample minerality, all wrapped in a youthfully austere, focused and balanced finish. This is terrific and altogether lovely and very Reignots. Drink through 2034+.
92-95 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundThe 2022 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Reignots bursts with aromas of raspberries, sweet spices, vanilla pod and petals. Medium-bodied, supple and fine-boned, it's especially charming and immediate this year, with a more ethereal and less structural profile than the Murgers and Orveaux tasted, respectively, before and after.
91-93 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Jan 19, 2024)The 2022 Vosne-Romanée Aux Reignots 1er Cru has another pure and sensual bouquet of mineral-laden red fruit, very focused with seamlessly integrated oak (50% new). The palate is luscious on the entry, velvety smooth with layers of black and blueberry fruit. Sweet and candied towards the finish, yet still very complex and alluring. Utterly seductive. Drink 2027-2050.
94-96 points
Neal Martin - VinousThe Reignots offers a brilliant perfume, a little redcurrant livening up the other red berries and cherries. Starts with this pure and precise fruit then builds very attractively on the palate. A little vanilla from the oak but the fruit is more than equal to the wood tannins. 60% new wood for this cuvée. Drink from 2030-2037.
93-96 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy -
- 94
- 92
2022 Domaine Sylvain Cathiard Vosne-Romanee Les Suchots Premier CruBurgundy, FRANCE$1899. 00Bottle$22788.00 DozenClosure: CorkSylvain Cathiard built a fearsome reputation through the 1990's and early 2000's for producing some of the greatest wines of Burgundy. His ability to marry fragrant and perfectly ripe grapes with expertly chosen new oak set the standard at the time. While the wines were more approachable than his peers, they also had the requisite components to age and evolve gloriously for many years. Now under the stewardship of his son Sebastien, the wines have gained even more acclaim and are equally as well built for an envious evolution in the cellar.
Other Reviews....
A wonderfully spicy nose that could be from nowhere other than Vosne offers up notes of mostly red berries, exotic tea, sandalwood, clove and hoisin hints. There is impressive density to the rich and seductively textured yet powerful large-scaled flavors that are supported by firm tannins on the sappy, long and impeccably well-balanced finale. This is also terrific and completely different than the Reignots. Drink through 2034+.
92-95 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundAnother of the more large-scaled wines in the range is the 2022 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots, a medium to full-bodied, broad and fleshy effort redolent of baked plums, sweet red berries and orange zest mingled with petals, spices and creamy new oak. Built around powdery tannins, it concludes with a saline finish.
92-94 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Jan 19, 2024)The 2022 Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 1er Cru has a refined bouquet, eschewing the opulence of this vineyard for something more cerebral - a mixture of red and black fruit, violet and hints of loam. The palate is medium-bodied with a gorgeous, velvety entry. It has the depth of the En Orveaux, yet there is more body and precision on the finish. It fans out wonderfully on the aftertaste and lingers long in the mouth. Superb. Drink 2027-2048.
94-96 points
Neal Martin - VinousA clear ruby colour. The nose starts all in elegance, quite floral, fine and delicate, very few tannins, more a fine tensile strength through the middle, delicate raspberry notes, and very good length as the wine climbs up the other side of the Suchots valley. Drink from 2030-2037.
93-96 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy -
- 95
- 92
2022 Domaine Sylvain Cathiard Vosne Romanee Aux Malconsorts Premier CruBurgundy, FRANCE$2420. 00Bottle$29040.00 DozenClosure: CorkSylvain Cathiard built a fearsome reputation through the 1990's and early 2000's for producing some of the greatest wines of Burgundy. His ability to marry fragrant and perfectly ripe grapes with expertly chosen new oak set the standard at the time. While the wines were more approachable than his peers, they also had the requisite components to age and evolve gloriously for many years. Now under the stewardship of his son Sebastien, the wines have gained even more acclaim and are equally as well built for an envious evolution in the cellar.
Other Reviews....
Once again the fruit is ultra-fresh with plenty of spice, floral and exotic elements adding to the appeal of the ripe, airy and layered nose. There is excellent size, weight and richness to the tautly muscular and mineral-driven broad-shouldered flavors that conclude in a hugely long, balanced and built-to-age finale. This is a very serious, compact and tightly wound wine that is indisputably going to need an extended snooze in a cool cellar. Potentially brilliant. Drink through 2037+.
93-96 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundThis site is often very reserved out of barrel, yet the 2022 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts was already quite open and expressive when I tasted it. Revealing aromas of plums, sweet berries, smoked duck and spices, it's full-bodied, ample and layered, with a rich, textural core of fruit and a broad, expansive finish.
92-94 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Jan 19, 2024)The 2022 Vosne-Romanée Aux Malconsorts 1er Cru is very complex on the nose, leaning more towards black fruit this time, with crushed limestone and hints of ash and forest floor. It seems to expand in the glass. The palate is more linear and stricter than the Suchots, yet more tension and spiciness come towards the bravura finish. The second winter will lend this more weight, and it should be a stunning Malconsorts for the future. Drink 2028-2055.
95-97 points
Neal Martin - VinousA fine bright ruby purple. As always, this cuvée has an extra density over and above the other fine Vosne premiers crus. Indeed, there is so much volume of fruit here, while never becoming over opulent. Welcome back to a first-class vintage of Malconsorts! The finish is exceptionally long, with a useful thread of fine boned acidity extending it further. The tannins are completely integrated. Stunning! So fine, such precision. Drink from 2030-2040.
96-98 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy -
- 96
- 93
2022 Domaine Sylvain Cathiard Romanee Saint Vivant Grand CruBurgundy, FRANCE$5899. 00Bottle$70788.00 DozenClosure: CorkSylvain Cathiard built a fearsome reputation through the 1990's and early 2000's for producing some of the greatest wines of Burgundy. His ability to marry fragrant and perfectly ripe grapes with expertly chosen new oak set the standard at the time. While the wines were more approachable than his peers, they also had the requisite components to age and evolve gloriously for many years. Now under the stewardship of his son Sebastien, the wines have gained even more acclaim and are equally as well built for an envious evolution in the cellar.
Cathiard's plot of Romanee Saint Vivant is the smallest of the ten current owners with their 0.1673 ha of vines planted 1919. In a good year they are able to produce only three barrels of wine, however often it's much less meaning this is one of the rarest and most coveted wines of Burgundy.
Other Reviews....
A reticent if beautifully complex nose blends notes of various spice elements with those of floral, red currant, plum and a hint of exotic tea. The sleek, intense and wonderfully textured medium weight flavors possess outstanding drive and unusually good power on the firm, youthfully austere and quite serious finish that possesses stunningly good depth and persistence. This is exceptionally stylish and classy and a wine that should age accordingly. Drink through 2037+.
94-96 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundThe 2022 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru unwinds in the glass with aromas of plums, berries, smoked duck, spices and vanilla pod, followed by a full-bodied, ample and muscular palate, its broad and fleshy core of fruit framed by powdery tannins and lively acids, concluding with a saline finish. This is a powerful wine from Cathiard that will surely benefit from its second winter in barrel.
93-95 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Jan 19, 2024)The 2022 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru comprises three barrels this year, two of them new from the Raymond cooperage. There is amazing transparency on the nose and stunning delineation, with riveting mineralité behind the red fruit. You could inhale this forever. The palate is medium-bodied, armed with a cashmere texture, filigree tannins and gorgeous black cherries mixed with white pepper and allspice towards the long finish. Very sensual and extraordinarily pure, this is a brilliant RSV. Drink 2028-2055.
96-98 points
Neal Martin - VinousA glowing fresh purple. The bouquet of the Romanée St-Vivant always takes more teasing out than the flamboyant Malconsorts. It is just in the intensity of the fruit in the mouth and the refinement of the finish. Less immediate than the Malconsorts, indeed with much more in reserve, but the quality of the finish shows that all will arrive in due course. Drink from 2032.
96-98 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy - 2021 Domaine Sylvain Cathiard Romanee Saint Vivant Grand CruBurgundy, FRANCE$5799. 00Bottle$69588.00 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: Cork
Sylvain Cathiard built a fearsome reputation through the 1990's and early 2000's for producing some of the greatest wines of Burgundy. His ability to marry fragrant and perfectly ripe grapes with expertly chosen new oak set the standard at the time. While the wines were more approachable than his peers, they also had the requisite components to age and evolve gloriously for many years. Now under the stewardship of his son Sebastien, the wines have gained even more acclaim and are equally as well built for an envious evolution in the cellar.
Cathiard's plot of Romanee Saint Vivant is the smallest of the ten current owners with their 0.1673 ha of vines planted 1919. In a good year they are able to produce only three barrels of wine, however often it's much less meaning this is one of the rarest and most coveted wines of Burgundy.
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- 85
2022 Domaine Sylvain Pataille BourgogneBurgundy, FRANCE$140. 00Bottle$1680.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: CorkSylvain Pataille has been instrumental in raising the profile of Marsannay since founding his domaine in 1999. Farming around 17 hectares biodynamically, he works with a remarkable diversity of sites, from old-vine Pinot Noir to rare Aligoté Doré and Pinot Beurot, and is known for sensitive, terroir-driven élevage with a high proportion of whole bunches. His work has been central to the ongoing push for premier cru recognition in Marsannay, and his wines are frequently cited as reference points for the appellation. They combine clarity and lift with impressive depth, proving that Marsannay belongs firmly among the most serious terroirs of the Côte de Nuits.
Described by Rajat Parr as one of the best Bourgogne Rouge in Burgundy, Pataille's first red is a blend of parcels in Marsannay and the Haute Côtes, covering just over one hectare in total. Again, there are plenty of old vines in the mix, including one parcel planted in 1956. Each parcel is vinified separately before blending, with a variety of maceration styles involved. The final blend usually includes approximately 30% whole bunches. Aging is in barrel for one year and the wine is not touched by sulphur until bottling.
Other Reviews....
The 2022 Bourgogne Rouge has a delineated and attractive bouquet, a little backward initially but opening with brambly red fruit and forest floor scents. The palate has a real "crunch" to it, more of a textural Pinot than one with obvious fruit flavors. Delicious. Drink 2025-2028.
85-87 points
Neal Martin - VinousJust bottled. Mid crimson. An energetic pure pinot fruit nose, not ethereal but not massive, just about the fruit. The finish is made a little more severe by the recent bottling but this is a hugely satisfying crunchy fruit. Persistent for this level. Lovely. Drink from 2025-2028.
89 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy -
- 88
2022 Domaine Sylvain Pataille MarsannayBurgundy, FRANCE$210. 00Bottle$2520.00 DozenABV: 13%Closure: CorkSylvain Pataille has been instrumental in raising the profile of Marsannay since founding his domaine in 1999. Farming around 17 hectares biodynamically, he works with a remarkable diversity of sites, from old-vine Pinot Noir to rare Aligoté Doré and Pinot Beurot, and is known for sensitive, terroir-driven élevage with a high proportion of whole bunches. His work has been central to the ongoing push for premier cru recognition in Marsannay, and his wines are frequently cited as reference points for the appellation. They combine clarity and lift with impressive depth, proving that Marsannay belongs firmly among the most serious terroirs of the Côte de Nuits.
With a patchwork of vines covering over two hectares, this is arguably Pataille's signature red cuvée. The vineyards are spread across Chenôve, Couchey and Marsannay-la-Côte. All the vines were planted between 1950 and 1980, with the youngest being 40 years old. The wines are all aged in a mixture of used barriques and several old demi-muids (600lt). The final blend includes around 80% whole bunches.
Other Reviews....
The 2022 Marsannay Rouge is a mixture of Domaine and négoce wines (from Pataille's father). Initially, it is a little timid, but it opens nicely with aeration, bringing flinty black fruit with the 80% whole bunches imparting a light pepperiness. The palate is medium-bodied with granular tannins, fresh and vibrant, finishing with a touch of black olive. Drink 2025-2032.
88-90 points
Neal Martin - VinousA lovely glowing mid red, with a fresh strawberry note, plenty of energy, and very good acidity. A lovely and lively wine with a very long finish. Drink from 2025-2029.
90-91 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy -
- 95
- 92
2022 Domaine Sylvain Pataille Marsannay Clos du RoyBurgundy, FRANCE$350. 00Bottle$4200.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: CorkSylvain Pataille has been instrumental in raising the profile of Marsannay since founding his domaine in 1999. Farming around 17 hectares biodynamically, he works with a remarkable diversity of sites, from old-vine Pinot Noir to rare Aligoté Doré and Pinot Beurot, and is known for sensitive, terroir-driven élevage with a high proportion of whole bunches. His work has been central to the ongoing push for premier cru recognition in Marsannay, and his wines are frequently cited as reference points for the appellation. They combine clarity and lift with impressive depth, proving that Marsannay belongs firmly among the most serious terroirs of the Côte de Nuits.
Alongside Longeroies and Champ Perdix, the Clos du Roy is one of Marsannay’s largest and most revered vineyards. Some consider it the appellation’s finest terroir, which makes sense when you consider the name: Roy is the ancient French spelling of roi, meaning king. It’s a steep, east-facing slope above the village of Chenôve, on the same line as the Gevrey Premiers Crus to the south. It has lightish red soil, including some sand, over a bed of Comblanchien limestone. When Marsannay finally gets its first Premier Cru (expected 2024), Clos du Roy will likely be at the front of the queue.
Pataille farms a serious 2.25 hectares in the clos, from vines planted in 1952, 1965, 1978 and 2001. As for the winemaking, ‘the king’s vineyard’ gets the royal treatment in the cellar, with 18 months in barrel and six months in tank before being bottled unfiltered. It ferments almost entirely as whole bunches.
Other Reviews....
The Marsannay Clos du Roy from Pataille is consistently among the top wines of the northern Côte de Nuits. The 2022 features soulful, super-ripe cassis and bramble fruit aromas with a savoury, smoky edge. The texture is dense and concentrated, with abundant tannin and enough freshness to drive this to an impressively long finish. The grapes are from Pataille's parcel of more than two hectares of mature vines planted in this south-east facing site's limestone pebbles and clay soil. It is slightly closed at present, but it should open in three to five years and drink well for at least another 20 years after that. Drink 2030-2070.
95 points
Charles Curtis MW - DecanterOnce again there is a highly attractive floral quality to the softly spicy if distinctly earthy nose that features mostly notes of dark currant and exotic tea. There is good underlying tension to the well-detailed medium weight flavors that are shaped by relatively fine-grained tannins on the chiseled and sneaky long finish that is akin to rolling tiny pebbles around in the mouth. This decidedly firm effort is an excellent example of the vineyard though one that will need all of a decade to arrive at its apogee. Drink through 2032+.
91-93 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundThe 2022 Marsannay Clos du Roy has a very well-defined bouquet with black cherries and wild strawberries, hints of inkwell and brine joining the chorus line with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins, taut and fresh, with a very elegant, poised finish. About as good a Marsannay as you will find in this vintage. Drink 2025-2038.
92-94 points
Neal Martin - VinousA hedonistic deep purple colour. The nose is quite backward but obviously all the fruit is there. A very dense red berry fruit, minerals behind. Still unknit but on the road to becoming spectacular. Drink from 2028-2034.
90-92 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy -
- 91
- 92
2021 Domaine Sylvain Pataille Marsannay Clos du RoyBurgundy, FRANCE$299. 00Bottle$3588.00 DozenABV: 13%Closure: CorkAlongside Longeroies and Champ Perdix, the Clos du Roy is one of Marsannay’s largest and most revered vineyards. Some consider it the appellation’s finest terroir, which makes sense when you consider the name: Roy is the ancient French spelling of roi, meaning king. It’s a steep, east-facing slope above the village of Chenôve, on the same line as the Gevrey Premiers Crus to the south. It has lightish red soil, including some sand, over a bed of Comblanchien limestone. When Marsannay finally gets its first Premier Cru (expected 2024), Clos du Roy will likely be at the front of the queue.
Pataille farms a serious 2.25 hectares in the clos, from vines planted in 1952, 1965, 1978 and 2001. As for the winemaking, ‘the king’s vineyard’ gets the royal treatment in the cellar, with 18 months in barrel and six months in tank before being bottled unfiltered. It ferments almost entirely as whole bunches.
Other Reviews....
Scents of red berries, plums, licorice, potpourri and orange zest introduce the 2021 Marsannay Clos du Roy, a medium to full-bodied, bright and fleshy wine with powdery tannins, lively acids and a saline finish. A nicely balanced cuvée that's neither the most extrovert nor the most structured bottling in the range, it will offer a broad drinking window. Drink 2024-2037.
92 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Feb 01, 2023)The 2021 Marsannay Clos du Roy has a nicely poised bouquet with black cherry and mulberry fruit, floral scents emerging with time. The palate is well balanced with firm tannins, very saline with a briny finish. Excellent. Drink 2025-2036.
91-93 points
Neal Martin - Vinous -
- 89
2020 Domaine Taupenot-Merme Gevrey-ChambertinBurgundy, FRANCE$199. 00Bottle$2388.00 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
This is notably ripe but not roasted with its combination of cassis and liqueur-like aromas of plum, black cherry and sauvage hints. There is better freshness on the palate of the delicious, dense and mouth coating middle weight flavors that exude a subtle minerality on the lingering and reasonably energetic finale. Drink from 2028+.
87-90 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundThe 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Village has a very attractive, quite floral bouquet, understated but opening with lovely red berry fruit and rose petals. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, quite structured with a Morey-like personality on the finish. This is quite stylish and should age well in bottle. Drink 2025-2035.
89-91 points
Neal Martin - VinousAll purple without the black centre. A very perfumed nose, but underlying cooked vegetables. Generous and saline together, suggests Romain. Just 13.2% alcohol despite the ripeness of the perfume. A fresh and long finish.
89-91 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy -
- 91
2019 Domaine Taupenot-Merme Nuits Saint Georges Les Pruliers Premier CruBurgundy, FRANCE$299. 00Bottle$3588.00 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
A top note of herbal tea is present on the earthy and markedly sauvage-inflected aromas of red and dark currant with a smoky nuance. The denser if less refined medium weight plus flavors exhibit a taut muscularity along with focused powerful on the sappy, serious, youthfully austere and impressively long finish where the only reproach is a touch of warmth. This is always one of Taupenot's best wines, certainly among the 1ers, and 2019 is no different. Drink from 2031+.
93 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundThe 2019 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Pruliers 1er Cru has a backward bouquet that demands coaxing, scents of dark berry fruit, leather and sous-bois, with brown spices and sage. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Quite linear in style, it politely refuses to fan out on the finish. If you are looking for a strict and slightly backward Les Pruliers then this is the place to come. Drink 2023-2037.
91-93 points
Neal Martin - VinousBig rich purple, heady dark fruit, thick textured then some spice behind which helps keep it in check. A typically dark fruited middle sector Nuits-St-Georges, which will develop more character with age.
90-93 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy -
- 92
- Organic
2019 Domaine Taupenot-Merme Morey-Saint-Denis La Riotte Premier CruBurgundy, FRANCE$310. 00Bottle$3720.00 DozenABV: 14.5%Closure: CorkWhile based in Morey-Saint-Denis, Domaine Taupenot-Merme has collection of prime vineyards across both the Cote de Nuits and the Cote de Beaune. A significant proportion of their 13 hectare holdings are in premier and grand cru plots, including the grands crus Clos des Lambrays, Charmes-Chambertin, Corton-Rognet and Mazoyères-Chambertin. Much of these vineyards contain old vines which have been supplemented with newer plantings from massale selections of their strongest vines.
Seventh-generation Romain Taupenot is in charge of winemaking, aided by his sister Virginie. Organic farming has been practiced since 2001, and once harvested grapes are 100% de-stemmed before a cold soak and indigenous fermentation. Oak use is also sympathetic with only 25% new oak used for the village wines and up to 40% for the grand and premier cru. While the wines can carry a healthy degree of richness, they are always balanced by freshness so as to be a pure and faithful representation of their origin.
La Riotte is one of Morey's leading premiers crus, with mostly very old vines and the same geology as Mazoyères containing calcareous soil rich in clay. Taupenot-Merme has a 0.57ha parcel and the estate’s vines are more than 60 years old on average.
Other Reviews....
Earthier and less elegant though still pretty aromas are composed by notes of plum and dark berries laced with hints of spice and floral, especially violet. There is again very good verve and freshness to the delicious and caressing yet quite punchy medium-bodied flavors that possess a seductive texture thanks to the sappy dry extract that also serves to buffer the moderately firm tannic spine shaping the slightly longer and more complex finale. This is one to consider, especially for aging over the mid to even longer-term. Drink 2029+.
90-93 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundThe 2019 Morey-Saint-Denis La Riotte 1er Cru is stubborn and austere on the nose at the moment, red berry fruit and damp loam aromas/woodland scents gradually unfurling, hints of cepes. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit mixed with white pepper and sage. Classic in style, nicely focused, this builds in the mouth and exerts good grip on the finish with impressive length on the aftertaste. Great potential but will benefit from cellaring. Drink 2024 - 2038.
92-94 points
Neal Martin - VinousFine crimson purple, the nose is quite restrained, before a significant weight of fruit, a touch of heat too, dark raspberry notes, and a touch of alcohol to finish. Just enough acidity, slightly dry tannins.
90-93 points
Jasper Morris - Inside Burgundy -
- 88
- Organic
2019 Domaine Taupenot-Merme Gevrey-ChambertinBurgundy, FRANCE$180. 00Bottle$2160.00 DozenABV: 13%Closure: CorkWhile based in Morey-Saint-Denis, Domaine Taupenot-Merme has collection of prime vineyards across both the Cote de Nuits and the Cote de Beaune. A significant proportion of their 13 hectare holdings are in premier and grand cru plots, including the grands crus Clos des Lambrays, Charmes-Chambertin, Corton-Rognet and Mazoyères-Chambertin. Much of these vineyards contain old vines which have been supplemented with newer plantings from massale selections of their strongest vines.
Seventh-generation Romain Taupenot is in charge of winemaking, aided by his sister Virginie. Organic farming has been practiced since 2001, and once harvested grapes are 100% de-stemmed before a cold soak and indigenous fermentation. Oak use is also sympathetic with only 25% new oak used for the village wines and up to 40% for the grand and premier cru. While the wines can carry a healthy degree of richness, they are always balanced by freshness so as to be a pure and faithful representation of their origin.
Taupenot-Merme owns 1.64Ha of village-designated vineyard in Gevrey-Chambertin, spread over seven parcels. The youngest parcels were planted in 1986, and more than three-quarters of the vines went in between 1968 and 1971.
Other Reviews....
A notably ripe yet still agreeably fresh combination reveals its aromas of dark currant, warm earth, the sauvage and a discreet hint of wood. There is once again very good energy to the nicely detailed and lightly stony medium-bodied flavors that possess a surprising inner mouth perfume, all wrapped in a lingering and solidly powerful finale. This is a quality Gevrey villages and worth checking out. Drink 2026+.
89-91 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundThe 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Village does not quite have the expressiveness of the Morey Village on the nose and demands more coaxing, a little broody and sultry at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit with touches of sous-bois and white pepper. Lovely balance here and the precision on the finish compensates for the bashful aromatics. It will need 24 months once in bottle and fingers crossed the nose will step up a gear. Drink 2023 - 2032.
88-90 points
Neal Martin - VinousI thought that the village Gevrey-Chambertin showed a ripe fruit profile when I tasted it, but in fact the degree is a very manageable 13.1%. Fine mid purple, riper fruit here and some deep very ripe strawberry, with plenty of flesh on the palate.
88-90 points
Jasper Morris - Inside Burgundy -
- 93
2022 Dr Mayer Remstal Pinot NoirRemstal, GERMANY$49. 99Bottle$599.88 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: Diam CorkGerman born Timo Mayer, along with partner Rhonda Ferguson established Mayer in 1999, on the slopes of Mt Toolebewong, between Healesville & Woori Yallock. They produce a small range of hand crafted, single vineyard wines, believing that wines are made in the vineyard and not the winery. All wines are unfined and unfiltered to show the true expression of the vineyard.
Vines are often close-planted, winemaking frequently utilises a generous use of whole bunch but most impressive is Timo's cheerful, amusing nature. Timo showcases his German touch with this small-parcel Pinot Noir from Germany’s Remstal region, a picturesque pocket of Württemberg east of Stuttgart. Made in collaboration with his son River, this wine carries Timo’s signature flair—layered, textural, and unapologetically funky. Darker and richer than his Yarra Valley Pinots, it shows the influence of its cool-climate origins while still offering that whole-bunch spice and structure that defines his style. A striking expression of place, guided by a master of minimal intervention.
Alc. 13.5%Other Reviews....
Remstal pinot noir made by Rivar Mayer, ‘he’s the man over there now’, says Timo Mayer.
Super high toned perfume, dark cherry, almost Black Forest cake scents, some white pepper, violet floral lift, some mulberry scents, a touch of salted liquorice. The palate is informed by the bouquet for its descriptors, with a tangy, blood orange squirt in there for good measure. Again, quite lifted and high toned in flavour, and lots of white pepper dashed over it. Fine, river pebble tannins in tow. Good. Potent, character-filled pinot noir. Drink 2024-2027.
93 Points
Mike Bennie - The Wine Front -
- 95
- Reduced
2024 Dromana Estate Tuerong Park Pinot NoirMornington Peninsula, Victoria, AUSTRALIAReduced from $23.99$19. 99Bottle$239.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2024-2029)ABV: 13.8%Closure: StelvinEstablished in 1982, Dromana Estate was one of the early pioneers to recognise the potential of the Mornington Peninsula. Their Tuerong Park label are single vineyard wines produced from selected parcels of fruit and offer great bang for your buck.
The long awaited return of our best selling Pinot doesn’t disappoint, already drinking superbly you’d be hard pressed to find better value on the Mornington Peninsula or anywhere else for that matter.Moreish Mornington Peninsula Pinot that delivers unbeatable value.
Dark red colour with black shaded edges and a light red hue. Heightened aromatics of spicy dark cherry, strawberry, violet and clove show wonderful intensity with some trailing rhubarb and brambly cedar like notes also chiming in for additional interest. Delicious dark cherry and strawberry fruits make a supple entry onto the palate and show excellent concentration. Surprisingly complex for a such a young wine, complimenting rhubarb, dried herb, bramble and spicy cedar characters ensue. Powerful and expansive it possesses very polished tannins to finish long, smooth and spicy.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 13.8% -
- 96
2021 Dromana Estate Pinot NoirMornington Peninsula, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$59. 99Bottle$719.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2023-2028)ABV: 14%Closure: StelvinMatured for 12 months in French oak puncheons. Semi translucent red to dark red core with black shaded edges and a light red hue. Intense dark cherry and strawberry aromas intermingle with brambly dried herb, rhubarb, forest floor and spicy cedar notes. Rich and concentrated the palate is awash with spicy dark cherry and strawberry fruits which overlay rhubarb, dried herb, forest floor and brambly cedar elements. Very supple and round in its feel it possesses outstanding power, silken tannins and finishes very long and moreish.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 14% -
- 92
- Nick's Import
2020 Domaine Dubreuil-Fontaine Corton-Perrieres Grand CruBurgundy, FRANCE$220. 00Bottle$2640.00 DozenABV: 14%Closure: CorkAmong the various vineyards owned by Dubreuil-Fontaine, it's the parcels in the famed Corton grand cru that are cherished most. In addition to their 0.7ha of Chardonnay planted in En Charlemagne, their Pinot Noir is planted in the prime lieu-dits of Clos du Roi at the top of the Corton hill, to its south-east in les Bressandes, and to the south in les Perrières. Clos du Roi is perhaps the most complete of the trio, with glorious weight of fruit married to significant structure. Bressandes meanwhile is for many their favourite, a giving and generous expression yet it retains sufficient character to differentiate itself in the range. Lastly les Perrières has a more free-draining, stony soil tending to a finer expression of Corton, though as with all of these wines it can be very long lived.
Other Reviews....
Enough wood to remark upon sets off ripe yet cool aromas of black cherry liqueur, newly turned earth and a whiff of smoked game. There is excellent verve and detail to the surprisingly fine and appealingly textured larger-scaled flavors that possess focused power on the firm, youthfully austere and impressively persistent finale. Drink through 2032+.
93 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundThe 2020 Corton-Perrières Grand Cru has quite an intense bouquet with blackberry, briary and crushed violet scents, the 35-40% new oak nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, but this is very well balanced, quite polished in style with a touch of maraschino cherry and blood orange on the finish. Excellent. Drink 2025-2040.
92-94 points
Neal Martin - VinousThis has been racked. Full deep crimson colour, the nose is sturdy but not brutal nor too ripe. Fills out the mouth well, not too dry behind. Slightly sombre throughout but not rugged.
89-92 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy -
- 91
- Nick's Import
2020 Domaine Dubreuil-Fontaine Beaune Montrevenots Premier CruBurgundy, FRANCE$125. 00Bottle$1500.00 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: CorkDomaine Dubreuil-Fontaine is one of the true quiet achievers in Burgundy, where they produce outstanding wines from their home in the picturesque hamlet of Pernand-Vergelesses, just north of Beaune. It's perhaps this setting, away from the feverish scouring of wines further north in the Cote de Nuits, that has allowed the domaine to fly under the radar. Certainly it has meant these wines can be found for a fraction of what we're now accustomed to seeing from Burgundy.
The domaine is under the guidance of fifth generation winemaker and owner Christine Gruere-Dubreuil, who has been joined recently by her daughter Clémentine. While they farm vineyards as far south as Volnay and Pommard, much of their production is centred around Pernand, including excellent sites on the Corton grand cru hillside, along with the leading premier cru of Savigny-les-Beaune; Les Vergelesses. All reds are 100% destemmed before spending 12-15 months in barrel, with 35% new wood used on the grand cru wines to around 15% maximum on the remainder of their range.
Other Reviews....
A very ripe nose freely reveals its aromas of mocha, dark currant, plum liqueur and plenty of earth character. The sleek, delicious and nicely vibrant flavors possess very good richness that terminate in a balanced finale where a hint of bitter pit fruit eventually emerges. Drink through 2028+.
90 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundThe 2020 Beaune Montrevenots 1er Cru has a well-defined bouquet with raspberry punnet, wild strawberry and crushed stone aromas, rose petal emerging with time. The palate is silky smooth with pliant tannins, fine acidity, the 25% new oak seamlessly integrated and maintaining that velutinous texture on the finish. Lovely. Drink 2024-2038.
91-93 points
Neal Martin - Vinous -
- 91
- Nick's Import
2020 Domaine Dubreuil-Fontaine Savigny-les-Beaune Les Vergelesses Premier CruBurgundy, FRANCE$110. 00Bottle$1320.00 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: CorkDomaine Dubreuil-Fontaine is one of the true quiet achievers in Burgundy, where they produce outstanding wines from their home in the picturesque hamlet of Pernand-Vergelesses, just north of Beaune. It's perhaps this setting, away from the feverish scouring of wines further north in the Cote de Nuits, that has allowed the domaine to fly under the radar. Certainly it has meant these wines can be found for a fraction of what we're now accustomed to seeing from Burgundy.
The domaine is under the guidance of fifth generation winemaker and owner Christine Gruere-Dubreuil, who has been joined recently by her daughter Clémentine. While they farm vineyards as far south as Volnay and Pommard, much of their production is centred around Pernand, including excellent sites on the Corton grand cru hillside, along with the leading premier cru of Savigny-les-Beaune; Les Vergelesses. All reds are 100% destemmed before spending 12-15 months in barrel, with 35% new wood used on the grand cru wines to around 15% maximum on the remainder of their range.
Other Reviews....
Fresh, notably ripe and expressive aromas of both red and dark berry fruit are laced by hints of warm earth, humus and a floral top note. There is again excellent volume to the concentrated, muscular and powerful medium-bodied flavors that display fine length on the robust, firm, rustic and moderately austere finish that is notably better balanced. Drink through 2030+.
91 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundThe 2020 Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Vergelesses 1er Cru Rouge has a fairly high-toned nose, although this veers more towards the red fruit spectrum compared to the Domaine’s other cuvées this vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, finely balanced with a fresh, sous-bois-tinged finish. Very fine. Drink 2024-2038.
91-93 points
Neal Martin - VinousThis wine is showing its paces much better, having been racked starting with a much prettier nose than the Clos Berthet. This makes a well-balanced wine, at just over 13%. Soft raspberry and a little strawberry, the acidity is in proportion and the tannins fine.
88-90 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy -
- 89
- Nick's Import
2019 Domaine Dubreuil-Fontaine Savigny-les-Beaune Les Vergelesses Premier CruBurgundy, FRANCE$94. 99Bottle$1139.88 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: CorkDomaine Dubreuil-Fontaine is one of the true quiet achievers in Burgundy, where they produce outstanding wines from their home in the picturesque hamlet of Pernand-Vergelesses, just north of Beaune. It's perhaps this setting, away from the feverish scouring of wines further north in the Cote de Nuits, that has allowed the domaine to fly under the radar. Certainly it has meant these wines can be found for a fraction of what we're now accustomed to seeing from Burgundy.
The domaine is under the guidance of fifth generation winemaker and owner Christine Gruere-Dubreuil, who has been joined recently by her daughter Clémentine. While they farm vineyards as far south as Volnay and Pommard, much of their production is centred around Pernand, including excellent sites on the Corton grand cru hillside, along with the leading premier cru of Savigny-les-Beaune; Les Vergelesses. All reds are 100% destemmed before spending 12-15 months in barrel, with 35% new wood used on the grand cru wines to around 15% maximum on the remainder of their range.
Other Reviews....
A very ripe nose combines notes of poached plum, earth, spice and mocha. The plush, round and equally ripe flavors conclude in a robust, overtly powerful and rustic finish where noticeable warmth slowly emerges. Drink through 2026+.
89 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundThe 2019 Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Vergelesses 1er Cru Rouge possesses one of the higher-toned aromatics, offering upfront, well-defined raspberry, briar and sous-bois scents. The palate is medium-bodied with a supple opening, smooth and harmonious. Touches of cassis surface toward a finish that is almost Aloxe-Corton in style. Plush and attractive. Drink 2022-2032.
89-91 points
Neal Martin - Vinous -
- 96
- 95
- 95
- Organic
2023 Elanto Vineyard Pinot NoirMornington Peninsula, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$84. 99Bottle$1019.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2024-2030)ABV: 14%Closure: Diam CorkElanto Vineyard, a 10.6-hectare high-density site on the Mornington Peninsula, is managed by acclaimed winemaker Sandro Mosele and his team. With 11,000 vines per hectare—four times the typical density—yields are limited to 300-500g per vine, enhancing concentration and power in the wines. Organic practices, deep soil cultivation, and volcanic basalt soils rich in iron stone encourage site-specific expression, while the vineyard's southeast aspect and cool sea breezes preserve natural acidity and freshness.
The five Pinot Noir vineyards—Vertex, Ironstone, Chicory, Kilnside, and Basalt—span 6.7 hectares on the upper slopes with basalt-rich soils. The red volcanic soils transition to shallower, stonier terrain mid-slope, producing lower yields, concentrated flavors, and a distinct tannin profile. Each vineyard was harvested and vinified separately, with chilled, destemmed fruit (3-5% whole bunches) undergoing cold soak and natural fermentation in concrete vats. After 25-30 days on skins, the wine was pressed and aged in a mix of new and older French oak barriques for 11 months before blending and bottling.Very deep dark red black tinged core with a dark red hue. Potently alluring aromas of dark cherries, strawberries, violet, dried herbs and subtle anise flood the olfactory senses with earthy rhubarb and spicy cedar notes ensuing. Rich and powerful the seductive palate has a wonderful velvet like feel to it with spicy dark cherry, strawberry and rhubarb flavours expanding across the palate like a peacocks tail, carrying with it ample textural volume. Lending further interest are brambly dried herb characters, forest floor and spicy cedar. Silky smooth tannins finishing very long, gorgeously fruited and supple.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 14%Other Reviews….
Never in a million years would I have picked the vine age given the savouriness, detail and complexity in this wine. Fruit off four-year-old vines. Quite astonishing and yet, the proof is in the glass. Full of heady aromatics – all florals and wood spice with flavours of dark cherry, cherry compote and poached rhubarb. But it’s not at all fruity, as it also comes with a hint of charred radicchio and Italian bitter herbs. There’s a vivacity across the just medium-bodied palate, a little sinewy, yet savoury through and through; best of all, the shapely, fine tannins take charge as it finishes long and convincingly. Made from hand-picked fruit, whole-berries with 3% whole-bunches, fermented in Nico Velo Tulipe concrete vats, pressed off skins after a month and aged a year in mostly light toast François Frères barriques, 30% new. Drink by 2031.
95 points
Jane Faulkner – James Halliday’s Australian Wine CompanionThere’s a lot going on with this Pinot Noir but it manages to feel effortless. Seamless is the word; finished is another. Campari-like herbs, roasted nuts, earth, undergrowth and sweet black cherries, the latter deep-set in Pinot Noir terms. There’s an excellent framework of tannin, firm and velvety at once, dry strings splayed out across a mesh made of hazelnuts. This wine became more expansive as it rested in the glass. This is the first Pinot Noir grown and made from this vineyard. It’s an exciting debut, with an even more exciting future. Drink 2024-2030+
95 points
Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front -
- 97
- 97
- 95
2024 Elanto Vineyard Pinot NoirMornington Peninsula, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$84. 99Bottle$1019.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2025-2033)ABV: 14%Closure: Diam CorkRich, supple and expansive with a long peacock’s tail like finish.
Elanto Vineyard is fast becoming one of the most compelling projects on the Mornington Peninsula. Established in 2018 by Elizabeth and Tony Todaro with Sandro Mosele at the helm, the 10.6-hectare Balnarring site is planted at an extraordinary density over 11,000 vines per hectare, four times the regional norm. Yields are kept to just 300-500g per vine, resulting in small, concentrated bunches that carry the depth and power Sandro has long championed. Volcanic red soils, southeast exposure, and the cooling influence of Western Port Bay provide the setting, while meticulous organic farming and uncompromising vineyard detail push the wines into rare territory.
The five Pinot Noir vineyards, Vertex, Ironstone, Chicory, Kilnside, and Basalt, span 6.7 hectares on the upper slopes with basalt-rich soils. The red volcanic soils transition to shallower, stonier terrain mid-slope, producing lower yields, concentrated flavors, and a distinct tannin profile. Each vineyard was harvested and vinified separately, with chilled, destemmed fruit (3-5% whole bunches) undergoing cold soak and natural fermentation in concrete vats. After 25-30 days on skins, the wine was pressed and aged in a mix of new and older French oak barriques for 11 months before blending and bottling.
Dark red core with black toned edges and a red to dark red hue. Perfumed aromas of violet, dark cherry, strawberry and anise soar from the glass trailed by some spicy cedar, forest floor, subtle dried herb and brambly rhubarb like notes. Rich, supplely textured dark cherry, strawberry and anise flavours expand across the palate with a peacock’s tail like power wave. Spicy cedar, rhubarb, forest floor, delicate infusions of dried herbs and bramble are spread across the back half. Seamlessly integrated, velvet smooth tannins and fresh underlying acidity. Finishes super seductive and very long.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 14%Other Reviews……
What a beguiling wine – only the second release and showing complexity far beyond its years. It’s certainly youthful and pretty with heady aromas of florals and autumn leaves with flavours of wild strawberries, dark cherries and pips, chinotto, Middle Eastern spices and some poached rhubarb, too. The medium-bodied palate is evenly poised, laden with filigree tannins (lots of them) and energising acidity; oak (25% new) completely integrated. This has depth, some grip, a little amaro bitterness on the finish and, of utmost importance, it will age but it’s oh-so pleasing to drink today. Drink by 2036.
97 points
Jane Faulkner – James Halliday’s Australian Wine CompanionThe intensity of fruit here is fantastic, as is the length of the finish, as is the tannin profile. This wine is out of the ordinary on these matters alone. It tastes of stewed red and black cherries, peppercorns, cedar and undergrowth, the dry crackle of the finish – yet sluiced with fruit – one for the ages. The slightest degree of warmth is my only hesitation; in all other respects this is superb. Drink 2026-2033+
95 points
Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front -
- 93
- Special Order Product – Delayed Dispatch
2023 Emilian Parcel Selection Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$29. 99Bottle$359.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2025-2031)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinA light, eloquently detailed Pinot that shows good freshness and a savoury red fruited finish.
Includes 15% whole bunch with aging taking place in 2 year old French oak for a period of 7 months. Dark red in colour with black toned edges and a bright red hue. Elevated violet, sour to red cherry, strawberry and clove scents carry a perfumed like quality with some forest floor and spicy cedar notes also evident. Light in body the palate is eloquently detailed with red cherry and strawberry fruits which meld into a spicy back drop of forest floor, cedar and dried herbs. Showing plenty of underlying freshness it has elegant, fine boned tannins and a savoury red fruited finish.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13% -
- 93
2022 Escarpment NOIR Pinot NoirMartinborough, NEW ZEALAND$32. 99Bottle$395.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2025-2030)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinLight, supple and spicy with a faint twang to the acidity and a savoury finish.
Aged in predominately older French oak barriques for a period of 10 months. Semi translucent red to dark red colour with a light red hue. Spiced cherry and strawberry aromas mix with forest forest floor, hints of anise and dried herbs. Light, supple and spicy, red cherry, winter strawberry and anise flavours decorate the palate with dried herb, forest floor and brambly cedar elements the undercard. Polished tannins with a faint twang to the acidity and a savoury finish.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 13% -
- 95
2024 Felton Road Bannockburn Pinot NoirCentral Otago, NEW ZEALAND$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenABV: 13.8%Closure: StelvinFelton Road's vineyards are managed using organic and biodynamic viticulture, ensuring the highest quality fruit arrives at the winery. From there winemaking is intentionally hands off with gravity flow, wild yeasts, wild malo, and an avoidance of fining and filtration to help preserve the expression of its terroir. Felton Road farms four properties totalling 32 ha in the Bannockburn sub-region of Central Otago. The fruit for this wine is a blend of four vineyards; Cornish Point, Calvert, MacMuir and The Elms.
The 2024 Bannockburn Pinot Noir reflects a dry, steady growing season with cool March nights preserving freshness and precision. Handpicked fruit was gently destemmed (with 20% whole clusters) and traditionally fermented before maturing 13 months in French oak (20% new). Expect a wine of depth and vibrancy, balancing purity of fruit with fine tannin structure and impressive length.
Alc. 13.8%Other Reviews....
Pure aromas of strawberries, orange peel, sandalwood and potpourri. It’s medium-bodied with firm yet fine tannins and a crisp and delicious finish. So attractive now, with just the right amount of tension at the end. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
95 points
JamesSuckling.com -
- 91
- Special Order Product – Delayed Dispatch
2023 Fetherston Fungi Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$32. 99Bottle$395.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2025-2030)ABV: 12.5%Closure: StelvinLight, fresh and supple with an elegant red fruited conclusion.
Semi translucent red to dark red colour with black toned edges and a light red hue. Fragrant cherry and strawberry aromas along with some violet notes blossom out of the glass trailed by forest floor, bramble and spicy dried herbs. Light in body the palate is both fresh and supple in its feel with red cherry and strawberry fruits melding into a forest floor, fresh herb and spice infused back drop. Polished tannins with an elegant red fruited conclusion.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 12.5% -
- 92
2022 Fetherston Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$39. 99Bottle$479.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2023-2029)ABV: 13.4%Closure: StelvinIncludes 15% whole bunch with maturation taking place in French oak of which 28% was new. Semi translucent red to dark red in colour with black toned edges and a bright red hue. Fragrant violet, red cherry, strawberry and rhubarb scents are interwoven with hints of clove, forest floor and spicy cedar. Light in body, elegant red cherry and rhubarb flavours drive the palate with notions of forest floor, delicate fresh herb infusions and spicy cedar lying underneath. Finishes savoury with good freshness and fine grained tannins.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13.4% -
- 96
- 94
2024 Fighting Gully Road Pinot NoirBeechworth, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$44. 99Bottle$539.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2025-2031)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinA wonderfully perfumed, silky textured and highly moreish Pinot.
This delicious Pinot Noir was made from two clones (114 and MV6) and comprises a whole bunch component, which was fermented separately using maceration carbonique. Each component was matured separately in new (40%) and seasoned Italian coopered French oak 500 litre puncheons for a period of 12 months.
Semi translucent red to dark red colour with black toned edges and a light red hue. The wonderfully perfumed nose evokes aromas of violet, red to dark cherry, strawberry and subtle rhubarb with some delicate anise, forest floor and dried herb and spice notes also chiming in. Silky textured and highly moreish, the palate features red to dark cherry, strawberry and rhubarb flavours. Notions of dried herbs, forest floor, bramble and spice are also apparent. Excellent power wave with cashmere like tannins. Finishes long and supple.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13.5%
Other Reviews......
One-third whole bunch done as a carbonic component and blended back; 10 months in 40% new French oak puncheons. A pinot noir of layers, deceptively so, as it builds in flavour and nuance across the palate. A pristine purity resides here. Brilliant bright cherry red hues. Boysenberry, cherry and raspberry fruits mix with musky florals and sweet spice aromas. Concentrated and fleshy, it sets about releasing hints of forest floor and a gentle savouriness tied to vibrant, summery fruits and woody spice to taste, all delivered through a web of fine tannins. Flows evenly and with staying power. Drink by 2030.
94 points
Jeni Port - James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion -
- 94
2019 Filigree & Stone Single Vineyard Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$39. 99Bottle$479.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2021-2026)ABV: 12.8%Closure: Diam CorkSemi translucent bright dark red colour with subtle tinges of black to the edges and a light red hue. Nosing offers up a mix of sour to red cherry, rhubarb and winter strawberry scents infused with spicy clove, forest floor and stalky cedar. Light in weight with a supple mid palate feel, vibrant sour to red cherry and winter strawberry fruits are underscored by crunchy acidity. Infusions of fresh herbs, stalky cedar, earthy forest floor and spice lie underneath. Well integrated tannins have a polished feel. Finishes long, elegant and fresh.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 12.8% -
- 91
- Special Order Product – Delayed Dispatch
2022 Fowles Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch Wild Ferment Pinot NoirVictoria, AUSTRALIA$32. 99Bottle$395.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesABV: 13.3%Closure: StelvinDark red in colour with black toned edges and a translucent dark red hue. Aromas of cherry and strawberry infused with hints of mint drift from the glass trailed by some vanillin cedar, earth and fresh herb notes. Light and elegant the palate features red to dark cherry and strawberry fruits over earth, spicy cedar and infusions of fresh herbs. Slightly dryish, chalky tannins and fresh underlying acidity with a savoury finish.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 13.3% -
- 92
2021 Fowles Farm to Table Pinot NoirVictoria, AUSTRALIA$17. 99Bottle$215.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2024-2027)ABV: 14.1%Closure: StelvinSemi translucent red to dark red colour with a light brick red tinged hue. Fragrant aromas of dark cherry, rhubarb, dried herbs, brambly cedar, forest floor and spice greet the nostrils. Delicious cherry, strawberry and rhubarb flavours are layered across the palate with a supple feel. Lying beneath are notions of brambly dried herbs, forest floor and spice. Polished tannins with a spicy medium to long finish that’s quite savoury.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 14.1% - 2022 Francois Mikulski Volnay Santenots du Milieu Premier CruBurgundy, FRANCE$390. 00Bottle$4680.00 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: Cork
François Mikulski has quietly earned a place among Meursault’s most respected producers, known for wines that prioritise purity, energy, and mineral precision. His focus is on clarity and freshness across the board — whether it’s Aligoté or Premier Cru — with élevage and viticulture carefully tuned to preserve site and structure. Stylistically, the wines lean toward the racy, tensile end of the Meursault spectrum, in the vein of Roulot or Carillon. They’re built to age, but always with a drink-now brightness that keeps you coming back for another glass.
Other Reviews....
Here the more restrained nose is both riper and spicier with its aromas of poached plum, violet and liqueur-like dark pinot fruit scents. The rich, succulent and sappy medium weight flavors possess a seductive mouthfeel before culminating in a dusty, youthfully austere and solidly powerful finale. This could use more depth but like all competent examples of Santenots, this should easily repay 10+ years of keeping during which more depth should develop. Drink through 2032+.
92 points
Allen Meadows - Burghound -
- 89
- 92
- Special Order Product – Delayed Dispatch
2021 Franz Haas Pinot NeroAlto Adige, ITALY$69. 99Bottle$839.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 2 Years (2025-2027)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinLight and savoury with earthy cherry and rhubarb flavours over a dried herb and spice back drop.
Semi translucent red to dark red colour with black tinged edges and a light red hue. Aromas of dried cherries and rhubarb mix with strawberry, dried herbs and spicy earth. Light and savoury the palate features earthy cherry and rhubarb flavours over a dried herb and spice back drop. Slightly grainy tannins with a spicy mid length finish.
Drink over the next 1-2 years.
Alc. 13.5%Other Reviews….
A fresh and tight pinot with aromas of sliced strawberries, cherries and lemon zest. Pink peppercorns, too. Medium-bodied, juicy and transparent, with fine tannins and excellent clarity. Drink now. Screw cap.
92 Points
JamesSuckling.com -
- 94
2024 Frenchman’s Cap Pinot NoirTasmania, AUSTRALIA$22. 99Bottle$275.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2025-2031)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinFragrantly scented with a supple flow of rich fruit and a long moreish finish.
Semi translucent red to dark red core with black shaded edges and a vibrant red hue. Fragrant violet, red cherry, strawberry and anise aromas are interwoven with forest floor, dried herb and spice notes. Rich dark cherry, strawberry and anise flavours flow supplely across the palate with notions of dried herbs, forest floor and spicy cedar the undercard. Polished tannins with a long moreish finish. Great everyday drinking Pinot.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13.5% -
- 96
2024 Freycinet Vineyard Pinot NoirTasmania, AUSTRALIA$69. 99Bottle$839.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2025-2031)ABV: 13.9%Closure: StelvinPowerful and expansive with juicy dark to black fruits.
Matured in French oak barriques (25% new) for a period of 10 months. Deep dark red core with black toned edges and a vibrant purple red hue. Pronounced dark cherry, strawberry and more subtle anise aromas set sail from the glass followed by some violet, fresh herb, earth and delicate spicy cedar notes. Juicy dark to black cherry, wild strawberry and anise flavours flood the mouth with spicy cedar, earth and infusions of fresh herbs sitting in the background. Powerful and expansive, it has grainy tannins which lend a structured feel across the long expressive finish.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13.9% -
- 96
- 96
- Organic
- Reduced
2017 Fromm Clayvin Vineyard Pinot NoirMarlborough, NEW ZEALANDReduced from $99.99$74. 99Bottle$899.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2023-2026)ABV: 13.5%Closure: CorkThis release is the 21st release from the Clavin Vineyard. Deep dark red black tinged colour with a dark red hue. Pronounced dark to black cherry, anise and strawberry aromas fill the nostrils complimented by toasty cedar, dried herb, earth and spice notes. Rich dark to black cherry, dark plum and anise flavours carry a fleshy texture across the weighty palate with notions of strawberry, spicy cedar, earth and subtle dried herbs lingering long through the back half. Velvet smooth yet sturdily built tannin structure with a ripe powerful finish.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 13.5%Other Reviews….
A strong red-cherry nose with a deep sense of complexity that is, for now, tightly buried in this young pinot. There is plenty of spice and earthy sous bois to come with some more time. The pedigree is instantly seen on the palate with an enthralling interplay of power and elegance. Long, fresh and pure cherries and red plums fold through layers of fine tannins. Drink in 2023.
96 Points
JamesSuckling.comA magnificent offering; the fabulously fragrant bouquet shows dark berry aromas with dried herb, warm spice, flint, almond and floral notes, followed by a impeccably focused palate that offers outstanding weight and depth. It is multi-layered and symphonic, as well as firmly structured, promising to evolve graciously. From the Brancott Valley district. At its best: 2020 to 2030. Certified organic.
97 Points
Sam Kim -
- 93
- 93
- Special Order Product – Delayed Dispatch
2023 Gala Pinot NoirTasmania, AUSTRALIA$33. 99Bottle$407.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2024-2029)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinSemi translucent dark red colour with black toned edges and a red to dark red hue. The nose is filled with spicy dark to black cherry, anise and dark plum aromas which are intermeshed with toasty oak and dried herb notes. Light to medium bodied the palate features juicy dark to black cherry and dark plum fruits over an anise, toasty oak and spicy dried herb back drop. Supple in its feel it has polished tannins and finishes with a savoury medium to long aftertaste.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 13%Other Reviews…..
A wonderfully fragrant pinot noir showing fruit tones of red cherry, raspberry and nectarine fruits with hints of exotic spice, red licorice, amaro herbs, pressed wildflowers, celery salt and twiggy bits and pieces. More of the same on the palate, with some dried meat nuance, tight, sapid acidity and fine, silty tannins. Spacious too. Great drinking. Drink by 2035.
93 Points
Dave Brookes – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion -
- 94
- 95
- 94
2024 Garagiste Le Stagiaire Pinot NoirMornington Peninsula, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$32. 99Bottle$395.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2024-2030)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinDeep dark red core with a bright purple red tinged hue. Fragrant freshly crushed cherry, violet, strawberry and fresh herb scents sail out of the glass trailed by hints of clove, forest floor and spice. Nicely fleshed the palate is layered with seductive cherry and strawberry fruits infused with fresh herbs. Some forest floor and spice elements linger underneath. Polished tannins with bright acidity lending youthful freshness. Finishes long, juicy and spicy.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13.5%
Other Reviews....
These samples were addressed to Sir Gary Walsh, and quite frankly, I think I deserve a knighthood, though obviously I’d refuse it, being a man of the people.Spicy, perfumed, complex. It has plenty of structure, juicy cherry flavour, bright but balanced acidity, and excellent length. A short note for an impressive wine. What else do you need to know? Oh, yes, it drinks a charm. Drink 2024-2030+
94 points
Gary Walsh – The Wine Front
Don’t overthink this. It’s a delicious, well-made and pleasing pinot. Nothing out of place, with a neat combo of florals, red cherries, baking spices galore and some woodsy notes, too. And it's a little autumnal. Some amaro/Angostura bitters pop out, adding a touch of exotica. A neat layer of textural tannins, mouth-watering acidity and refreshment throughout. Drink by 2032.
95 points
Jane Faulkner - James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion -
- 95
2024 Gembrook Hill Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$61. 99Bottle$743.88 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: Diam CorkFounded in 1983, Gembrook Hill is one of the Upper Yarra Valley's benchmark estates, planted on a cool, elevated site with volcanic soils that naturally lend themselves to producing fine-boned, ageworthy wines. Over four decades on, the estate has become a reference point for the region, with wines built on clarity, restraint, and a deep sense of place.
From one of the Yarra Valley’s most distinctive sites, this is a fine-boned expression of Pinot Noir that highlights the precision and longevity for which the estate is known.
Other Reviews....
Gembrook Hill is a treasure of Australian wine and here, in the glass, we open the trove and its riches are as evident as ever. This release is a beautiful example of what Gembrook Hill does so well: it’s a bit murky, a bit light, a lot composed and a lot persistent. It tastes of undergrowth, strawberries, red cherries and sweet spice, with whispers of mint and cedar as top notes. Tannin is fine-grained and well formed and the aforementioned persistence is of special note. This is an excellent release of Gembrook Hill Pinot Noir. Drink 2026-2033+.
95 points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front -
- 92
- Special Order Product – Delayed Dispatch
2021 Giammarino Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$36. 99Bottle$443.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2024-2030)ABV: 13.2%Closure: StelvinMatured in second and third use French oak for 10 months. Semi translucent red colour with black toned edges and a light red hue. Perfumed aromas of violets, red cherries and strawberries are followed by fresh herb, subtle anise and faint spicy cedar notes. Light in body, red cherry and winter strawberry fruits are delicately layered across the palate with forest floor, fresh herb and spicy cedar elements also chiming in. Refined tannin structure finishing fresh and elegant.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13.2% -
- 98
- 96
- Reduced
2024 Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIAReduced from $105.00$94. 99Bottle$1139.88 DozenABV: 13.3%Closure: StelvinFounded in 1997 by Phil Sexton, Giant Steps has become one of Australia’s most celebrated cool-climate producers. With a focus on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the wines are crafted to reflect their individual vineyard sites, from Tarrawarra to Gladysdale. Today, under the guidance of Head of Winemaking Melanie Chester, Giant Steps continues its legacy of expressive, site-driven wines defined by purity, finesse, and a profound sense of place.
Planted in 1997 by Ray Guerin, Applejack Vineyard sits on steep east-facing slopes at 300m in Gladysdale, with grey clay loam over a basalt volcanic base. The cooler upper Yarra climate provides a long growing season, well suited to Pinot Noir. Fruit was hand-picked and fermented in a mix of small oak fermenters and stainless-steel vats, with Pommard parcels whole-bunch fermented and other clones destemmed. The final blend includes 30% whole bunch. Maturation took place over ten months in French oak barriques (20% new, 80% seasoned), before blending and bottling by gravity without fining or filtration.
Alc. 13.3%Other Reviews....
From the Applejack vineyard, planted on grey clay soils at 300m in Gladysdale in '97 by Ray Guerin. 40% whole bunches and 40% less wine in '24. Darkly fruited and more intense than the '23 with aromas of wild blackberry, raspberry, briar, and just a hint of sous bois. On the palate, this is as concentrated and mouth-filling as the bouquet suggests it will be, culminating with succulent, grippy tannins on the long, tapering finish. It's a touch more 'sauvage' and a little less floral than normal but, even in this warmer vintage, one of Australia's most celebrated pinot noirs is in impressive form. Drink 2025 - 2032.
98 Points
Philip Rich - Halliday's Australian Wine CompanionThe Applejack Vineyard at Gladysdale in the Yarra Valley is on an east facing slope. There’s a 100 metre drop from the top of the vineyard to the bottom. There’s also significant clonal diversity in this vineyard. It was planted in 1997. The Bastard Hill and Primavera vineyards are red dirt; we’re into caramel-clay soils here at Gladysdale.
When I was a kid in suburban Melbourne various neighbours along my street would, in autumn, sweep up the fallen leaves into brown piles and then burn them, in the gutter, in the street. I’d walk to school and pass intermittent piles of smouldering smoke, which was cinematic, atmospheric, and mind-boggling simultaneously. I mention this here because this release of Applejack Pinot Noir is so inherently autumnal. I picked up the glass, took one sniff and sip, and thought: hello. The smoked herbs, the leaves, the walk through a misty-smoky field of red cherry and plum. The palate puts its foot down, upping the presence, and then fanning out through the finish. It’s a wine of extreme length but it’s the feels, the fleshes and the nuances that motor the enchantment. Drink 2026 - 2034+.
96 Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front -
- 97
- 95
- Reduced
2024 Giant Steps Primavera Vineyard Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIAReduced from $105.00$94. 99Bottle$1139.88 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinFounded in 1997 by Phil Sexton, Giant Steps has become one of Australia’s most celebrated cool-climate producers. With a focus on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the wines are crafted to reflect their individual vineyard sites, from Tarrawarra to Gladysdale. Today, under the guidance of Head of Winemaking Melanie Chester, Giant Steps continues its legacy of expressive, site-driven wines defined by purity, finesse, and a profound sense of place.
Planted in 2001 by Lou Primavera, this 12-hectare vineyard in Woori Yallock sits at 240m on north- and north-east-facing slopes of red clay loam. Fruit has been sourced from here since 2006, with MV6 on the north slope and 115 and G-clone on the south. Handpicked in two parcels, fruit was fully destemmed and fermented separately by clone in small seasoned French oak vats. After 10-14 days on skins and completion of malolactic fermentation, parcels matured for ten months in French oak barriques (20% new, 80% seasoned). Bottled by gravity without fining or filtration.
Alc. 13.5%Other Reviews....
From Lou Primavera's '01-planted vineyard at 300m on red volcanic soils in Woori Yallock. 35% whole bunches. A bright crimson red. This always highly seductive and perfumed wine has aromas of raspberries, orange peel and cranberries as well as a little musk stick and rose bush. There's a gentle succulence on the palate that's nicely balanced by the wine's supple tannins and fine-boned acidity. Long, lovely, now and over the next six to eight years. Drink 2025 - 2032.
97 Points
Philip Rich - Halliday's Australian Wine CompanionThe Primavera Vineyard sits at 300 metres above sea level.
Oak is more present in this wine. Mahogany, red fruits, lots of herb and flowers, pomegranate and roasted nuts, quite grippy, whole bunch notes evident but tucked in, classic red fruits, rinds, musks and florals but with whispers of mescal. This felt slightly blocky and oaky at first but it came together in the glass and as it did, the wine’s deliciousness went through the roof. The aftertaste has that animal fat, smoky, bacon-like aspect. This is the sleeper in the range; it could be up with the best of them in time. Drink 2026 - 2032+.
95+ Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front -
- 96
- 94
- Reduced
2024 Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIAReduced from $105.00$94. 99Bottle$1139.88 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinFounded in 1997 by Phil Sexton, Giant Steps has become one of Australia’s most celebrated cool-climate producers. With a focus on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the wines are crafted to reflect their individual vineyard sites, from Tarrawarra to Gladysdale. Today, under the guidance of Head of Winemaking Melanie Chester, Giant Steps continues its legacy of expressive, site-driven wines defined by purity, finesse, and a profound sense of place.
Planted in 1997 on the steep north-facing slopes of the Warramate Ranges in Gruyere, the Sexton Vineyard spans 30 hectares at 130 - 210m elevation. Soils are thin grey clay loam over granite and ironstone, with low yields naturally set by the shallow gravelly loams and tough rocky clay base. Pinot Noir is predominantly G5V15 and MV6 clones, well suited to the warmer conditions and sunlight exposure of this site. Handpicked fruit was fermented in a mix of small oak fermenters and stainless-steel open vats. MV6 parcels were whole-bunch fermented, while the remainder were destemmed and cold-soaked prior to fermentation. The final blend is 20% whole bunch. Maturation took place in French oak barriques (25% new, 75% seasoned) for ten months. Bottled by gravity, unfined and unfiltered.
Alc. 13.5%Other Reviews....
From the Sexton vineyard in Gruyere planted in the late '90s. 100% destemmed. A deep crimson ruby. Aromas of ripe dark raspberries, blackcurrant pastilles (these were always my favourite) and even a little kirsch. A touch of rose bush. The palate is juicy and fleshy and the wine's ripe, plush tannins make this, along with the Primavera, the richest, meatiest and most immediate of the four single-vineyard pinots in '24. Having said this, you'd be happy if you found some laying around the cellar in eight or so years. Drink 2025 - 2030.
96 Points
Philip Rich - Halliday's Australian Wine CompanionThe Sexton vineyard was planted in 1997. It’s a north-facing, exposed site, at 200 metres above sea level.
Red fruit, aspects of saucy oak, figs and graphite, smoke. Chester described this wine as “grenache adjacent” and that’s as apt a call as you’ll hear. It has that cloves-tucked-into-raspberry-into-smoke-into-iron persona. It feels compact, it tastes delicious, and it has good weight and length, the latter featuring a keen smoked peppercorn aspect. Love the feel and the profile of this. Drink 2026 - 2033+.
94+ Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front -
- 94
- 95
- Reduced
2024 Giant Steps Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIAReduced from $37.99$34. 99Bottle$419.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2025-2031)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinSlippery mid palate feel with juicy red to dark fruits extending through the long savoury finish.
Matured in French oak (10% new, 90% older) for a period of 8 months. Vibrant dark red core with black toned edges and a light red hue. Fragrant and spicy, red to dark cherry, strawberry and red liquorice aromas unfurl from the glass with some gentle clove, forest floor and cedar notes also evident. Slippery mid palate feel with juicy red to dark cherry, strawberry and red plum fruits decorating the palate over a subtle dried clove, forest floor and spicy cedar back drop. Excellent intensity with slightly grainy but integrated tannins concluding long and savoury.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13.5%Other Reviews….
A 50/50% mix of upper and lower Yarra estate and grower fruit. 30% whole bunches. A very bright crimson purple. Pretty and complex with aromas of red cherry skins and rhubarb together with some pink peppercorn spice and a light savoury edge. More approachable than the '23. As a young wine, the medium-bodied palate is spicy, silky and long. It'll probably age well but it's so good to drink now that there's no need to bother! Drink by 2030.
95 Points
Philip Rich - James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion -
- 94
- 97
- 94
- 96
2023 Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$94. 99Bottle$1139.88 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinOther Reviews....
From the Sexton vineyard in Gruyere; 10% whole bunches and matured nine months in French barriques (25% new). A deep ruby. Aromas of kirsch, damson plums, licorice root and spices; this heady, concentrated wine has a lot of meat on the bones, with ripe, persistent tannins boding well for the future. A great contrast to the more delicate Giant Steps wines such as Bastard Hill and Primavera. Drink 2024-2030.
97 Points
Philip Rich - James Halliday's Australian Wine CompanionA longer ripening period during the 2023 vintage has amplified aromas, with shades of violet at the edge of ripe blood plum and dark cherry. The ripeness is also reflected in bright, luscious blood plum and dark cherry flavours in the front palate; while the combination of MV6, G5V15 and Abel clones provides a keen savoury note, with earthy bite and graphite notes. Chewy tannins give a moreish finish to a wine that already appears resolved and complete. Drink 2024 - 2032.
94 Points
David Sly - DecanterThe Sexton vineyard was planted in 1997. It’s a north-facing, exposed site.
It might be north-facing and exposed but there’s a coolness to this release. It tastes of forest berries and boysenberries with toast and sprays of alpine herbs. It’s not overtly minty but it has that cooling feel. There’s a sweetness to the spice and a general impression of completeness, the latter aided by a full suite of ripe, grainy, meaty tannin. The finish of this wine has a fan to it; forever quality’s best marker. Drink 2027 - 2033+
94+ Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine FrontThe final blend of this wine is around 21% whole bunch fermented. A quiet wine in the glass that needs a bit of time before it reveals itself, be patient as this wine unfurls and gains momentum. It is deeply pigmented in garnet hues and shows black raspberries, cherries and rose petals. Woodsy herbs like rosemary stem, thyme, clove and sesame. Front to middle palate tannins are grainy and astute. There are granite-like immoveable foundations to this wine that will allow it to live a long time. So too is there significant turbidity and viscosity to this wine. Drink now or cellar for 8 years. A perfect wine for blackened skinned cod.
96 Points
Shanteh Wale - WinePilot.com -
- 96
- 98
- 96
- 98
2023 Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 13.2%Closure: StelvinPlanted in the upper Yarra Valley on a dramatic slope which allows for a cooler and extended growing season, the Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir is regularly one of the highlights of Giant Steps single vineyard releases. Applejack Pinot Noir has a very strong track record of accolades, including last year being awarded 2024 Halliday Wine Companion Pinot Noir of the Year.
Other Reviews....
Pinot Noir of the Year. Named after the Applejack eucalypts that surround the vineyard, which was planted at Gladysdale in 1997 by Ray Guerin. Seven clones comprising 114, 115, MV6, D2V5, D5V15, Pommard and Abel. Whole bunches (40%) and 20–25% new French barriques. 2022 was a hard act to follow, but this superb wine gives it a shake. Exotic, aromatic and pure with its bouquet of wild strawberries, dark cherries, quince, spices and flowers. Densley packed, this saturates the palate, but, as always, it's light on its feet at the same time. Seamless tannins round out another benchmark for what's already a benchmark wine. Drink 2024-2030.
98 Points
Philip Rich - James Halliday's Australian Wine CompanionA complex story unfolds along the palate – reflective of the complex plantings of MV6, G5V15, 114 and Pommard clones across the steep Applejack Vineyard, that rises sharply from 180m to almost 300m in the upper Yarra Valley. A moreish juiciness is celebrated thanks to 40% whole-bunch fruit in the fermentation, but the sophisticated flavour profile in this restrained, almost coy expression turns very serious in the back-palate, when a surge of black cherry grunt enters the conversation and leaves you with plenty to contemplate by its powerful closing note. Drink 2024 - 2032.
96 Points
David Sly - DecanterThe Applejack Vineyard at Gladysdale in the Yarra Valley is on an east facing slope on grey soils. There’s a 100 metre drop from the top of the vineyard to the bottom. There’s also significant clonal diversity in this vineyard. It was planted in 1997.
I tasted this wine a few months ago and loved it from the first sip. I have it on the desk now and there it is again, aglimmer in the glass. This wine is no one’s fool. It’s a pure expression of its place in the world and that place happens to be complex. It’s a cool wine with straight trees of tannin, perfumed red and black berries, lines of spice and echoes of woodsmoke. It’s a forest of a wine, a bit lush, a bit wet, a bit woody; verdant. At all times, as you drink it, the fruit comes at you like a swell. When you swallow this wine it flares out like you’ve reached the lookout at the end of a long walk. It’s a good wine. And it’s more than that. Drink 2025 - 2036+
96 Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine FrontThe final blend of this wine is around 40% whole bunch fermented from the grey clay soils containing Able, MV6, Pommard, 114 and 115 clones. Red toffee apple, hibiscus, and freshly smeared lipstick. Rosella, beetroot and cassis. Exotically spiced, savoury and earthy. The mid palate has a clarity of Bing cherry that’s astonishing. Followed by prune plums, Quong dong and finishing with amplified acidity. There is an umami note, almost like a delicious msg sprinkle. Some decently weighted tannins keep the palate flavours echoing long into the next sip, its sturdy in its structure ensuring this wine will outlive almost any Aussie pinot noir. It’s bullet proof and worth every cent and more. Drink now or will cellar for 10 years. A wonderful wine to have with sirloin, truffle crisps or drinking alone.
98 Points
Shanteh Wale - WinePilot.com -
- 92
- 96
- 95
- 94
- 96
2022 Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$84. 99Bottle$1019.88 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinOther Reviews....
From the Sexton vineyard in Gruyere. Destemmed with whole berries and matured nine months in French barriques (20% new). A deep ruby crimson. The densest and most brooding of the Giant Steps Yarra Valley single-vineyard pinots from 2022. You'll find bramble berries, freshly ploughed earth and a little black pepper. Savoury and concentrated on the palate, there is plenty of meat on the bones with substantial and persistent tannins masked by the sheer weight of plush fruit at this stage. A succulent wine to enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2022 - 2030.
96 Points
Philip Rich - James Halliday's Australian Wine CompanionAromas of clove, bing cherries, lilac and mulch. A darker composition. A carnal whiff of autumnal leaves and Lapsang souchong. Detailed tannins compress a mid-weighted palate of impressive density and freshness. This will unravel nicely across the mid-term, based on poise and succulent length. A reductive clench at the finish confers further tension. Drinkable now, but best from 2024.
95 Points
Ned Goodwin MW - JamesSuckling.comSavoury, with earth and graphite notes on a slightly reduced and closed nose – a function of nutrient-poor grey clay loam soils. In the mouth it reveals ripe plum, cherry and dusty fig flavours, with meaty undertones and a hint of tobacco. Still very young, this 100% destemmed Pinot needs time to flesh out. The fruit comes from the saddle of the Sexton vineyard, planted to the MV6, G5V15 and Abel clones. Drink 2024 - 2028.
92 Points
Sarah Ahmed - DecanterThe Sexton vineyard is at the wonderfully-named Gruyere, planted in 1997. North-facing, exposed site.
Meaty pinot noir. Bold with varietal fruit, and spice, and herbs, but that bloody, meaty drive defines it. Gosh Giant Steps is in great form. I’d point this lower than the other single vineyard (pinot noir) releases for its length, but the flavour profile here is the biz, or the shiz, or whatever that term is. It’s an excellent wine now; if it stretches its legs on the finish as it matures it will be outstanding. Drink 2025 - 2029.
94 Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front
A stunning version, showing wonderful precision. Offers wild strawberry, raspberry and maraschino cherry flavors that are sleek and polished, plus wild fennel, toasted green tea, rose petal and cardamom details. There's a hint of forest floor on the long finish, with dense, velvety tannins. Drink now through 2037.
96 points
Wine Spectator -
- 94
- Special Order Product – Delayed Dispatch
2024 Glaetzer-Dixon Avance Pinot NoirTasmania, AUSTRALIA$37. 99Bottle$455.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: 4 - 5 Years (2029-2030)ABV: 13.8%Closure: StelvinRipe, fleshy mid weighted Tassie Pinot.
Nick Glaetzer began his winemaking journey with his family in the Barossa Valley, following with vintages in the Languedoc, the Pfalz, Margaret River, the Riverland, Sunraysia, the Hunter Valley and Burgundy. In 2005 Nick landed in Tasmania, searching for cool-climate, super-premium vineyards; perfect for crafting Pinot Noir, Riesling and savoury Shiraz. The concept behind his Avance Pinot came from Nick’s experience working and travelling through many winemaking regions on the European Continent which gave him an insight into the lighter wine styles, keenly sought after by the local village people for their fresh fruit driven flavours.
Deep dark red black tinged core with a dark red hue. Expressive dark cherry, anise and plum aromas evolve from the glass with some dried herb, earthy incense and spice notes also evident. Juicy dark to black cherry and anise flavours are layered across the mid weighted palate. Plum, earthy incense and spicy dried herb elements sit in the background. Ripe, sturdy tannin structure finishing spicy and fleshy textured.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 13.8%















































