Availability:
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.
- 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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- 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 -
- 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 -
- 97
- 97
- 96
- 95
2024 Elanto Vineyard Pinot Noir Magnum (1500ml)Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$195. 00Bottle$2340.00 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2025-2033)ABV: 14%Closure: 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 FrontThe 2024 Balnarring Pinot Noir is perfumed and fragrant and quite different in character compared to the 2023 tasted alongside. Where the former was powerful, structural and condensed, this is floral, perfumed and fresh. I love the way this wine performs. There is levity here and minerality too. The tannins are structural and chalky through the long finish. This is very good. It doesn't break stride at any point. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2025-2039.
96 points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate -
- 97
- 97
- 96
- 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 FrontThe 2024 Balnarring Pinot Noir is perfumed and fragrant and quite different in character compared to the 2023 tasted alongside. Where the former was powerful, structural and condensed, this is floral, perfumed and fresh. I love the way this wine performs. There is levity here and minerality too. The tannins are structural and chalky through the long finish. This is very good. It doesn't break stride at any point. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2025-2039.
96 points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate -
- 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% -
- 89
- Special Order Product – Delayed Dispatch
2024 Fat Bastard Pinot NoirPays d'Oc, FRANCE$14. 99Bottle$179.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2025-2028)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinJuicy and supple entry level Pinot with a dryish finish.
Semi translucent red to dark red colour with a bright red hue. Ripe raspberry and strawberry aromas fill the nostrils with whiffs of anise, dried herbs and spice also evident. Juicy cherry, red raspberry and strawberry fruits cast a light supple flow across the palate with some earthy anise and spicy dried herb elements sitting in the background. Dryish finish with mildly chalky tannins and a savoury aftertaste.
Drink over the next 2-3 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 -
- 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
- Reduced
2021 Fowles Farm to Table Pinot Noir - Last StocksVictoria, AUSTRALIAReduced from $17.99$15. 99Bottle$191.88 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% -
- 90
- Special Order Product – Delayed Dispatch
2025 Franca’s Vineyard Pinot NoirSouth Australia, AUSTRALIA$17. 99Bottle$215.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2025-2028)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinA straightforward entry level Pinot with bright acidity and an inky feel to the mid length finish.
Deep dark red black tinged colour with a bright dark purple hue. Ripe dark cherry and strawberry aromas infused with mint drift from the glass followed by some anise and spice notes. Juicy dark cherry, anise and strawberry flavours meld into a scorched earth and dried herb back drop. Slightly chewy tannins with bright acidity and an inky feel to the mid length finish.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 13.5% - 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 -
- 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% -
- 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
- 93
2025 Garagiste Le Stagiaire Pinot NoirMornington Peninsula, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$32. 99Bottle$395.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2025-2030)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinA lively, red to purple fruited Mornington Pinot.
Matured on its lees in 300 litre hogsheads for 7 months with 5% new oak. Dark purple red core with black toned edges and a purple red hue. Fragrant violet, anise, plum and strawberry scents sail out of the glass with some fresh herb, forest floor and spice notes also evident. Rich juicy morello cherry, anise and winter strawberry fruits meld into a dried herb, forest floor and spice back drop. Slightly tangy acidity and polished tannins with a lively red to purple fruited finish.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 13.5%Other Reviews….
I believe this is only recently bottled, though I’m used to that. There’s something of a cru Beaujolais character to this wine, which is likely a strange thing to say, though that’s kind of how it presents. 5% new oak. 5% whole bunch.
Juicy, red fruits, spice, potpourri, roast peanuts. It’s medium-bodied, plenty of energy here, crisp cool acidity, light emery board tannin, a pop to cherry and red fruits, some cola nut and dried herb, a slight smokiness, with a spicy orange zest finish of excellent length. Very good drinking here. Likely better with a little more time in bottle. Drink 2026-2032.
93+ Points
Gary Walsh – 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
- 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....
The 2024 Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir leads with its whole-bunch characters: scraped orange skin, chinotto, bitter clove, dark chocolate and star anise. In the mouth, the whole bunches serve to dry out the wine and compound the tannins, but what it does there, it balances by also contributing spice and capaciousness. In the end, this component pales in comparison to the flow of seamless fruit, which makes a significant impact. This is a powerful, lingering wine of great length and complexity. Time will smooth out the bunching tannins through the finish no doubt. 13.3% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2025-2039.
96 points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateFrom 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
- 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....
The 2024 Primavera Vineyard Pinot Noir is floral and fine, with a profusion of dried herbs and red fruit. The wine is sedate in its way, gentle and weighted to the back palate with exceptional flow and seamlessness. I like this so much. It has less raw, brute force than the Applejack (a very impressive wine), but it feels no less impactful or long. "Placid," comes to mind. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2025-2039.
95 points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateFrom 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
- 92
- 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....
The 2024 Sexton Vineyard Pinot Noir is incredibly perfumed, with apples and rose petals, cherry and blood plum. In the mouth, the tannins are quite grippy and firm—still eminently fine but with rigidity. This is quite different from the other Pinot Noirs in this vintage release, more structural and not as complex. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2025-2034.
92 points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateFrom 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 -
- 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% -
- 95
2023 Glen Garvald by Levantine Hill Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$49. 99Bottle$599.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2024-2030)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinDark red in colour with black shaded edges and a light red hue. Fragrant violet, dark cherry and strawberry aromas drift through the nostrils trailed by some anise, forest floor, dried herb and spicy cedar notes. Both expansive and supple in their feel rich dark cherry and strawberry fruits flood the mouth with notions of anise, earth, dried herbs and spicy cedar the underbelly. Terrific power wave with velvety tannins finishing long and seductive.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13% -
- 94
2021 Glen Garvald by Levantine Hill Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$46. 99Bottle$563.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2023-2029)ABV: 12.5%Closure: StelvinSemi translucent red colour with a light red hue. Brambly red cherry, strawberry and rhubarb scents show good lift out of the glass followed by some forest floor, dried herb and spice notes. Delicious red to dark cherry and strawberry fruits glide effortlessly across the palate with a silken feel. Notions of rhubarb, dried herbs, forest floor and brambly spice lie underneath. Velvet smooth tannins concluding long, supplely textured and savoury.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 12.5% -
- 93
- Special Order Product – Delayed Dispatch
2024 Golding The Purveyor Pinot NoirAdelaide Hills, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$24. 99Bottle$299.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2025-2030)ABV: 12.5%Closure: StelvinLight and supple with a fresh, spicy red to dark fruited finish.
Dark red in colour with black toned edges and a red hue. Fragrant violet, dark cherry, strawberry and clove scents sail through the nostrils with hints of rhubarb, forest floor and spicy dried herbs also evident. Light supple entry with dark cherry, strawberry and rhubarb flavours melding into a spicy dried herb, clove and forest floor back drop. Polished tannins with a fresh, spicy red to dark fruited finish.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 12.5% -
- 95
2022 Grasshopper Rock Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot NoirCentral Otago, NEW ZEALAND$46. 99Bottle$563.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2024-2030)ABV: 13.3%Closure: StelvinAged for 10 months in French Oak barriques (28% new) followed by 18 months bottle aging.
Semi translucent red to dark red colour with black toned edges and a light red hue. Alluring violet, ripe cherry, dark plum and anise scents show plenty of elevation out of the glass trailed by some toasty oak, earth, dried herb and spice notes. Ripe and fleshy the palate is amply endowed with rich dark cherry, plum and anise flavours which meld into a subtlety toasted vanillin cedar, dried herb and spicy earth back drop. Polished and supple, it has velvety tannins and a long powerful finish that’s highly seductive.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13.3% -
- 93
- Special Order Product – Delayed Dispatch
2023 Greywacke Pinot NoirMarlborough, NEW ZEALAND$59. 99Bottle$719.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: 5 - 6 Years (2030-2031)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinAn elegant, tightly structured and savoury Pinot Noir.
Matured in French oak barriques, 30% new. Dark red in colour with black shaded edges and a red to dark red hue. Spicy dark cherry and rhubarb scents drift through the nostrils trailed by some dried herb, stalk and earthy graphite like notes. Elegant, tightly structured and savoury, the palate features spicy rhubarb and cherry flavours over a dried herb, stalky cedar and forest floor back drop. Grainy tannins lending a slightly chalky feel across the fresh, elegant finish which has a tense feel to it.
Cellar 5-6 years.
Alc. 13% -
- 92
- 90
- Reduced
2020 Grosset Pinot Noir - Last StocksPiccadilly Valley, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, AUSTRALIAReduced from $84.99$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenABV: 13.8%Closure: Screw CapOther Reviews....
This has aromas of very ripe strawberry and herbal notes with oak spice adding sweeter elements. The palate has supple red-cherry and strawberry flavors, set in round, rich and ripe style. Drink now. Screw cap.
92 Points
JamesSuckling.com (April 2022)Only 3000 bottles produced. 40% whole bunch. 50% new oak. Piccadilly Valley.
Red cherry, raspberry, spicy creamy vanilla oak, a little floral, with a pleasant amaro twang. Medium-bodied, succulent red fruits, a subtle smokiness, fresh acidity and fine emery tannin, with a some orange zest and a slightly drying/soapy spicy finish of good length. Shows the season to an extent, but has a fair bit of energy and drinks well as at now. Drink 2022 - 2024.
90 Points
Gary Walsh - The Wine Front (February 2022) -
- 95
- 95
2022 Handpicked Single Vineyard Highbow Hill Yarra Valley Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2025-2030)ABV: 12.7%Closure: StelvinSupple and light yet expansive and powerful with a long silky finish.
Semi translucent red to dark red colour with black toned edges and a light red hue. Fragrant violet, red to dark cherry and strawberry scents are interwoven with brambly cedar, forest floor, rhubarb and spicy dried herb notes. Very supple and light in its flow, savoury red to dark cherry, strawberry and rhubarb fruits are layered across the palate. Expansive and possessing cashmere like tannins, notions of brambly vanillin cedar, dried herbs, forest floor and spice lend further nuance. Concludes long and silky.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 12.7%Other Reviews….
A little more of that black dirt, autumn decay on the nose at first, yet give this a moment, and plenty of dried rose petals and native violet come out to play. Plenty of perfume as it opens with cooler fruited tones of blue cherries, plum pit, wet slate minerality and char-kissed. Tannins are silken, acidity is vibrant, and this lighter-framed Pinot slips through the mouth with style and surety. This wine is all about the phenolics and a cut-lip bloodiness. So fine and nimble, and seemingly seamless – just one long flow in the mouth. It’s polished and structured, supple and leaves an impression on the palate. However, it remains guarded. This needs a little more time, and I predict there is plenty more for this to say.
95 Points
Cassandra Charlick – WinePilot.com -
- 95
- 95
2022 Handpicked Collection Tasmania Pinot NoirTasmania, AUSTRALIA$52. 99Bottle$635.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2025-2031)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinA wonderfully perfumed and deliciously fruited Tassie Pinot that finishes long and spicy.
Included in the ferment was 25% whole bunch fruit with maturation taking place in French oak barriques and puncheons (one third new) for a period of 10 months. Semi translucent red to dark red colour with black shaded edges and a light red hue. Wonderfully perfumed nose with scents of violet, dark cherry, strawberry and anise complimented by some delicately toasted cedar, fresh herbs, forest floor and spice. Delicious dark cherry, strawberry and anise flavours are laid out across the savoury palate with notions of spicy cedar, forest floor and infusions of fresh herbs extending across the back half. Understated in its power, it has well structured, fine grained tannins, good freshness and a long spicy finish.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13.5%Other Reviews….
Aromatics are abundant with charred sour cherry, juicy red berries, savoury sweet woodsy spice, a whiff of game, still a hint of blood and a red earthed rock salt note. Great fruit intensity on the palate, waves of flavour and a precise drive from start to finish. The shape holds firm, the acid line is long and lean, and the chalky texture wraps around it snugly with lightly toasted oak. This has brilliant length and shape, with an emotive shapeshifting quality to it. Nudging into crevices and bringing you back to the glass for more. The finish is long, and that just bitter char note holds strong, a nice foil to the fruit freshness. slight herbal, red cherry cola note. Brilliant and resplendent with clean-cut energy. Drink 2025-2033.
95 Points
Cassandra Charlick – WinePilot.com -
- 93
- 92
2024 Harewood Estate Denmark Pinot NoirGreat Southern, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA$24. 99Bottle$299.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2025-2029)ABV: 14%Closure: StelvinA juicy quaffing Pinot.
Red to dark red core with black toned edges and a bright red hue. Aromas of dark cherry, strawberry and more subtle anise are trailed by some dried herb, earth and spicy cedar notes. Juicy dark cherry and strawberry fruits are delivered with impressive intensity over a background of anise, earth and subtlety toasted cedar. Polished tannins with a long fruit driven finish that’s quite moreish.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 14%Other Reviews….
West Aussie Pinot has grown from a curiosity to a serious example of this great grape, which offers value, flavour and great drinkability. Denmark has established itself at the forefront of this movement. A garnet/pale crimson hue, this is quite a savoury style of Pinot and a most welcome one. We have notes of leather, undergrowth, mushrooms, red cherries and a touch of nutmeg oak. On the palate, we move more to the red cherry end of the spectrum. This is well crafted and neatly balanced, with good acidity and impressive length. Enjoy for the next six years. Drink 2025-2031.
92 Points
Ken Gargett – WinePilot.com -
- 94
2024 Heirloom Vineyards Pinot NoirAdelaide Hills, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$29. 99Bottle$359.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2025-2031)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinDelicious red to dark fruits with bright, lively acidity lending a fresh feel to the long juicy yet savoury finish.
50% whole bunch fermented with maturation in second and third use French oak barriques for a period of 7 months. Dark red core with black toned edges and a red to dark red hue. Fragrant violet, strawberry and clove scents blossom out of the glass with forest floor, brambly cedar and spicy rhubarb notes following on. Delicious red to dark cherry and strawberry fruits intermix with clove, forest floor, brambly cedar and spice characters. Refined tannin structure with bright, lively acidity lending a fresh feel to the long juicy yet savoury finish.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13.5% -
- Nick's Import
2021 Henri Boillot Pommard Clos Blanc Premier CruBurgundy, FRANCE$270. 00Bottle$3240.00 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
An agreeably pure nose offers up notes of cool red pinot fruit cut with hints of earth and forest floor. The sleek, delicious and tension-filled medium weight flavors also display excellent cut though not the same refinement or persistence on the moderately austere finale. Some patience will be required as this is presently fairly tightly wound. Drink through 2029+.
90 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundNot so deep in colour nor so expressive on the nose. There is power on the plate with a long spicy finish and a thread of acidity. Tough to come after the Caillerets though, and the Clos Blanc is from relatively young vines. Drink from 2026-2032.
89-91 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy -
- Nick's Import
2020 Henri Boillot Pommard Clos Blanc Premier CruBurgundy, FRANCE$270. 00Bottle$3240.00 DozenABV: 14.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
A somber and decidedly restrained nose consists of poached plum, red cherry and plenty of warm earth nuances. I very much like the texture to the solidly concentrated medium weight flavors that display sneaky good length where the only reproach is a touch of warmth. Drink through 2027+.
91 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundDeep full purple, the nose seems almost discreet after the Volnays. Clos Blanc is a cooler spot. There is a firm thread running through the middle, and a tannin or two. Plenty of concentration at the back, not too ripe, good potential.
90-93 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy -
- 94
2019 Henri Boillot Clos de Vougeot Grand CruBurgundy, FRANCE$670. 00Bottle$8040.00 DozenABV: 14.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
A brooding and restrained nose reluctantly offers up its aromas of red and dark currant, warm earth and a menthol hint. There is outstanding volume and mid-palate density to the reasonably refined if not exactly elegant flavors that culminate in the hallmark austerity of a classic Clos de Vougeot. Patience not only a virtue but essential with this wine. Drink 2034+.
93 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundRich aromas of cassis, plums, warm spices, dark chocolate and toasty new oak introduce Boillot's 2019 Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, a full-bodied, deep and concentrated wine that's layered and elegantly muscular, with lively acids and powdery structuring tannins. Youthfully reserved, this has turned out very nicely. Drink 2027 - 2057.
94 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Jan 2021) -
- 92
2019 Henri Boillot Pommard Clos Blanc Premier CruBurgundy, FRANCE$299. 00Bottle$3588.00 DozenABV: 14%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
A cool, pure if very restrained nose features a pretty mix of red and dark currant and earth nuances that are trimmed in just enough menthol and wood toast to mention. There is again very fine volume to the sappy, rich and powerful medium-bodied flavors that, much like the Frémiets, remain relatively refined before culminating in a dusty, saline and beautifully persistent finish. This is lovely and it's not so structured that it couldn't be approached after only 5 or so years. Drink 2027+.
90 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundThe second vintage of this new domaine bottling chez Boillot, the 2019 Pommard 1er Cru Clos Blanc offers up lovely aromas of rose petals, spices, raw cocoa, sweet berry fruit and cassis. Medium to full-bodied, rich and muscular, with lively acids and ample reserves of powdery tannin, it's a touch more serious and reserved than its 2018 sibling was at the same stage. Drink 2025 - 2045.
92+ points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Jan 2021)Planted 2012, with just three barrels made from a third of a hectare, as these young vines were green harvested to keep crop levels low. Glowing mid purple. Medium plus density given the youth of the vines, but obviously a really fine plant material. This appellation will join the pantheon of top class Boillot reds in due course as the vines age – there is already considerable promise.
90-93 points
Jasper Morris - Inside Burgundy
An obsession with a fickle varietal.
Once you experience it, you never forget it. For some wine lovers, Pinot Noir becomes an obsession. While promising one of world's greatest wine experiences, it can also deliver some of the most disappointing. What is it about Pinot that makes it so frustratingly variable? There are known quality factors which offer encouragement to winemakers. Micro-climates have been observed to play an important part in a successful matrix, particularly the diurnal temperature range. Pinot Noir is a little like Riesling, in the sense that it requires warm, but not overly hot days and cool nights to fully develop its maximum flavour potential. Sunshine hours, rainfall, time and rate of precipitation are all important. Countering this is the fact that the same clone will not respond to differences in micro-climate in the same way. Older vines make better wines. Creative and adaptive viticultural management and winemaking are essential. Buy Pinot Noir online. Any questions about our products or shipping? Please feel free to get in touch by calling us directly on 1800 069 295 or by emailing [email protected] and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Browse and buy Pinot Noir online, spend more than $200 and you'll qualify for free delivery to most of Australia.















































