It's possible we've spilled more than enough ink (or rather typed enough keys) regarding just how much we love Pinot Noir and why - we certainly know it's one of our audience's preferred topics! So we won't bore you with any lengthy intro spiels, but we will say that we've been on the hunt for a tasting lineup for a number of weeks now, putting together a series of bottles that we believe punch greatly above their weight based on their region, relative price levels, and contemporaries. Even on the higher price ends here, we think these reds have the presence, perfume, and classic Pinot prettiness that give expressions multiple price tiers above a run for their money (so to speak).
Among these ten bottles, all pouring at our Saturday (31st May) tasting between 12 and 2pm, you'll cover Australia - a generous new Lethbridgebottling from their unique Henty vineyard, Two Tonne's 'Three Wishes' label from east of the Tamar River, a top-five pick for us all through last year with Elanto from Mornington Peninsula, and the brand new vintage of Lowestoft's 'La Maison', the previous year being the winner of the Jimmy Watson Trophy! New Zealand will follow suit, with the wonderfully floral Southern Tor from McArthur Ridge and Rippon's structural Mature Vine effort from 2020. France then gets the limelight with a recent Loire Valley favourite in the Clement & Florian L'Instant, and an energetic young Bourgogne from Domaine Derey Fréres. Just for some added fun, we'll explore Italy and Germany too, with a 2022 from Tiefenbrunner (one of the great recent years for red wine in Alto Adige), and the same year from Koehler-Ruprecht in Germany's Pfalz region. For all the minute details and praise on each, see below!
For followers of a Barossa great, Friday afternoon will sweep in Langmeil, encompassing seven of their latest releases! Their Sales Manager Leigh Woodrow will be in to host between 4:30 and 7pm, showing off the Wattle Brae Riesling, Massimo Montepulciano and Rough Diamond Grenache, and two each of their classic Cabernet and Shiraz bottles sourced from their famously old vines (Wild Child and Jackaman's for Cabernet + Valley Floor and Orphan Bank for Shiraz)
We're very excited for a weekend ahead - hope to see you there!
Pinot Noir - New Releases & Cult Favourites
Tasting on Saturday 31st May (12 to 2pm)
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Clement & Florian L'Instant Pinot Noir 2023 -
$30 on special this week; $35 RRP
"The bouquet is lush and seductive, showing blackcurrants, cherries and raspberries, and lovely earthy notes. The palate coats the mouth with delicious mixed berries and silky, polished tannins add to an overall feeling of finesse – something that is hard to find at this level." - Clos Cachet, Importer Notes
Lethbridge 'The JD' Pinot Noir 2023 -
$39 on special this week; $45 RRP
"Our love affair with the Henty wine region continues to flourish with the introduction of the JD Pinot Noir. We have always held this cool climate region in high esteem for the quality of fruit that goes into our Sparkling wine program. But in recent years as the climate warms, we have seen some great character in the Pinot Noir fruit from this Henty vineyard and rather than pick it all early for sparkling wine, we have decided to make a ‘nothing spared’ Pinot Noir. The wine is a beguiling combination of ripe white cherries and cranberries with an earthy undertone, finishing with lingering acidity and sappy fine tannins. Everything I look for in a cool climate Pinot Noir! Intensely aromatic, this wine provides surprising richness balanced with fresh acidity typical of Henty. On the palate there are generous red fruits, baking spice and refined tannins. A wine to enjoy now or cellar and enjoy at a later date." - Ray Nadeson, Winemaker
Koehler-Ruprecht Spatburgunder Pinot Noir 2022 -
$45 on special this week; $52 RRP
"Sourced from a mix of sites in Kallstadt and one vineyard in Bad Dürkheim where the soils here are light and sandy. The grapes were handpicked, destemmed and fermented in stainless stee. The wine is pale, succulent and nervy with terrific cran/cherry fruit, fresh soil notes and very little oak in evidence." - Dominik Sona, Winemaker
Tiefenbrunner Turmhof Blauburgunder Pinot Noir 2022 -
$49 on special this week; $55 RRP
// From Alto Adige, grown on loamy moraine sediments between Pinzano and Mazzon, chalk gravel moraine soil in Corona, moderately silty sand in Aica di Fiè
"A smoky blend of dusty rose, lavender and blackberries smolders up from the 2022 Pinot Noir Turmhof. It's round and supple with juicy acidity and fresh wild berry fruits. This finishes gently tannic yet lively and crisp." - Eric Guido, Vinous
McArthur Ridge Southern Tor Pinot Noir 2023 -
$49 on special this week; $55 RRP
// Gold Winner (97 Points) & Best Pinot Noir of Show - Decanter World Wine Awards 2024 (2022 vintage)
"A complex, fresh young wine with layers of cool herbal, sweet floral, subtle smoke and stemmy crunch over an amalgam of red and blackberry fruit. The palate has a compact tannin and oak-derived structure, currently closed in over the mid-weight fruit. Mainly angles at present, there is clearly some drive to the perfumed fruit, so the 2023 will come around in a year or two. Quite sweet coconutty oak creeps in on the drying finish." - Stephen Wong, The Real Review
Derey Frères Bourgogne Cote d'Or 2023 -
$52 on special this week; $59 RRP
"Glowing purple, an exuberant nose, with abundant juicy dark berry fruit energy. All destemmed. A large jug of this would go down handsomely of a summer's evening. Excellent fruit-acid balance, some blackcurrants at the back. Lovely." - Jasper Morris MW
Two Tonne 'Three Wishes' Pinot Noir 2022 -
$65 on special this week; $72 RRP
"Situated just north of Hillwood on the eastern bank of the Tamar River, this is a beautiful and unique site, planted in 2000. Protected from the northerly winds of bass strait, the vineyard sits in a small valley, facing north/north east., It is a warm site, influenced by the river which lies a few hundred metres to the south. There is two clones of pinot in this vineyard. One of the upright clones occupy the majority of the block, very common in the Tamar, and a small section of MV6, which has much smaller berries and compact bunches. Vine age and yield management allow us to find the greatest potential in the upright clone, whilst MV6 is super low yielding and packs a heap of flavour and structure." - Winemaker Notes
"An inviting vibrant ruby, this shows aromas of crunchy red apple, red cherry and raspberry fruits with hints of five-spice, charcuterie, purple flowers, teacake, pomegranate, crushed stone and shoyu. Graceful and finely textured, bright acidity pushing the wine forwards, fine elastic tannins keeping everything in check, fading slowly with a vivid energy and stony, savoury vibes." - 94 Points, Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion
Elanto Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2023 -
$79 on special this week; $89 RRP
"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." - 95 Points, Jane Faulkner, Halliday's Wine Companion
Rippon Mature Vine Pinot Noir 2020 -
$110 on special this week; $129 RRP
// Certified Biodynamic
"Firm and tight licorice, graphite, slate and light dried strawberry. Goes to iron. Flowers. Medium body. Creamy and fine tannins with a rather dusty finish. Fresh acidity and long and linear finish. Structured. From biodynamically grown grapes. Better after 2024, but already beautiful." - 98 Points, James Suckling
"This is sinewy and firm, dark fruited, lashed with brined black olive savouriness and stippled with dried, Italianate herbal character and a sooty spice note. Perfume and palate in accord. Fine ribbons of tannin tighten the wine, there’s an emery board feel to it all and yet a juiciness lays underneath, a succulent core of briny acidity reaching long through the wine and refreshing with each sip. It’s quite beautiful in its lean and muscular way. Time, please." - 94 Points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
Lowestoft 'La Maison' Pinot Noir 2023 -
Available for $135
// New vintage - very limited availability!
"The 2023 La Maison Pinot Noir offers a complex nose of raspberry, pomegranate, and cherry blossom, with a palate of densely structured red fruits. Subtle notes of dried herbs, aniseed, and oak spice add depth and intrigue, while fine whole-bunch tannins lend the wine a lifted, elegant finish with remarkable poise and length - Liam McElhinney, Winemaker
"There's a lot going on here – all of it good. Bright red cherry, red plum and raspberry pip tones with hints of cocoa powder, pomegranate, Chinese barbecue joint, amaro, souk-like spice, leaf litter, struck flint, XO sauce, shiitake broth and earth. Pure and spicy red fruits, fine, powdery tannins and a mineral- laden acidity that seems to pull the flavours forward on the palate, finishing long, savoury and true with everything plumb and tickety boo. Just lovely." - 96 Points, Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion
Langmeil - The Latest Vintages on Tasting!
Friday 30th May (4:30 to 7pm)
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What will be on pour -
Wattle Brae Eden Valley Riesling 2024
Massimo Montepulciano Primitivo 2022
Rough Diamond Grenache 2023
Wild Child Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Jackaman's Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Valley Floor Shiraz 2022
Orphan Bank Shiraz 2022
If you wish to buy any of these wines, please use the links above
Alternatively, email us at sales@thewineemporium.com.au, or contact us on (07)32521117 if you have any questions.
// Prices valid until Wednesday the 4th of June