Winetastic

Thistle Hill are an organic vinyard and winery from Mudgee, NSW. Those familiar with the climate in Mudgee will be wondering what they were thinking trying to grow Pinot there, due to the often extreme heat. However the grapes were actually sourced from the somewhat cooler region of Orange.

We started drinking this wine from a glass suited for cabernet or shiraz, big mistake. At that stage it was all pepper on the palate, with an overly dry finish. After a quick switch to an “all rounder” glass, the wine presented itself far better. Two hours later, the fruit finally emerged and the wine came into balance. I did not jot down any notes at the time, however you can read Thistle Hill’s own notes if you desire.

Be sure to give this pinot some time in the air or better still a decanter in order to allow the fruit flavours to emerge. The wine is $21 a bottle at the cellar door, however as I recall we bought some on special. I have two more bottles remaining, and two years in the suggested drinking window, expect an update in a year from now!

Score: 7/10
Would I buy this wine again?
Probably not, however if you are in Mudgee do visit Thistle Hill, very much a boutique operation and nice people to boot.

Although this post strays a little from the winetastic “aussie wine” niche, it has not been posted without good reason. A group of wine bloggers are running a monthly event known as Wine Blogging Wednesday, each month a theme is chosen, posts are written and horizons expanded, worthy endevours indeed. This month the theme is New Zealand Reds, hosted by Corkdork.

The 2004 Kim Crawford Marlborough Pinot Noir displays a smokey nose which shrouds the fruit hidden beneath, strawberry and cherry combine with earthy tones on the palate, a light mouth weight that finishes with a little peppery tannin. For those who are interested: Official tasting notes.

Weighing in at around $15 a bottle, this easy drinking pinot will not break the bank. It is enjoyable without being particulary exciting. The kiwi origins of this wine do provide a little varity from similar aussie wines, such as the DeBortoli Windy Peak.

Score: 6/10
Would I buy this wine again?
In short, no. Unfortunately it appears that finding a “great” pinot under $25 is a difficult task.

This post will hopefully represent a refinement in the focus of my wine reviews here on Winetastic. I hope to focus less on the traditional tasting note structure, instead providing a link to the producers own tasting notes, and focusing more on giving an idea of the style and perceived value of the wine.

The 2004 De Bortoli Windypeak Pinot Noir is not going to win any big awards or rave reviews about its brilliant complexity, or surprise a drinker with unexpected scents and flavours. However it is very easy drinking, provides some variety from the standard shiraz, merot or cabernet, and represents good value for money at around $12 a bottle.

Like most pinot noir I have tasted this is a medium bodied wine that really does taste very different to the more common red varieties here in Australia. I have been told by many wine lovers that you will either love pinot noir or hate it, for newer wine drinkers this would be a nice and inexpensive place to start.

Score: 6/10
Would I buy this wine again?
I originally decided to pick this bottle up based on its “bloody good” rating from Quaff, a book for those seeking value for money wines under $15. I have since purchased several more bottles.

An excellent offering from Paringa Estate, this 2004 Pinot Noir was recomended to us by the wine guru at our local Dan Murphy’s, he mentioned it was one of his personal favourites.

An intense, rich dark red in colour, the bouquet of this wine has sweet fruity tones mixed in with subtle spices. On the palate there are bursts of strong cherry and a touch of oak. This was considerably more subtle than most Pinot Noirs i’ve tasted, however the fruit driven characteristics manage to maintain a considerable depth of flavour and complexity.

Would i buy this wine again? At around $20-25 dollars a bottle it’s an easy drinking wine, i might be tempted to go for it again, though some further Pinot investigation is on the cards.