http://www.winehero.com.au only great wines Sun, 24 Mar 2013 04:15:55 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5 http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/oakridge/ http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/oakridge/#comments Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:09:32 +0000 winehero /?p=2004 Read More]]>

Wine:	Oakridge “864″ Pinot Noir 2010
Region:	Yarra Valley
Price:	$$$$
Category:	food hero
Buy:	Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore
Hero Notes:	While most of the publicity coming from this estate has been around its laser-like, intensely pure Chardonnay, winemaker Dave Bicknell’s craft and style is now equally evident in his Pinot Noir. A full range of dark cherry and savoury complexity is as evident in this single-vineyard release as expectation would demand.

]]> http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/oakridge/feed/ 0 http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/de-bortoli/ http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/de-bortoli/#comments Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:06:10 +0000 winehero /?p=2009 Read More]]>

Wine:	De Bortoli Reserve Pinot Noir 2010
Region:	Yarra Valley
Price:	$$$$
Category:	food hero
Buy:	China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam
Hero Notes:	De Bortoli has recently dialled-up the complexity and interest in all of its Reserve wines, but none more so than the Pinot Noir. Do not be fooled by its pale colour, or the relatively restrained nose, for this is a wine that opens up slowly to display a full range of aromas and flavours from musky florals through to bitter cherry and earthy, forest floor. Good for drinking now if you are happy to give it an airing, but one that will also pay dividends if cellared.

]]> http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/de-bortoli/feed/ 0 http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/william-downie/ http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/william-downie/#comments Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:04:42 +0000 winehero /?p=2033 Read More]]>

Wine:	William Downie Pinot Noir 2011
Region:	Mornington Peninsula
Price:	$$$$
Category:	food hero
Buy:	Hong Kong, Japan
Hero Notes:	Bill Downie has the loose-limbed, minstrel-like look of a young Bob Dylan, and perhaps, too, the same passionate fire for his chosen subject. This release is one of region and style that also includes a version of Yarra Valley and Gippsland Pinot Noir under separate bottlings. This wine is delicate and fragrant, with perhaps a bit more subtlety than the other releases. Bright, supple and elegant.

]]> http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/william-downie/feed/ 0 http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/shawsmith/ http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/shawsmith/#comments Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:02:51 +0000 winehero /?p=2035 Read More]]>

Wine:	Shaw + Smith Pinot Noir 2012
Region:	Adelaide Hills
Price:	$$$
Category:	by the glass
Buy:	China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore
Hero Notes:	Cousins Michael Hill-Smith (Australia’s first MW) and Martin Shaw started this venture just over 20 years ago with a pocket-full of ambition, but no winery or vineyards. It is a different story today, and Shaw + Smith now sports an uber-stylish winery and cellar door, which in turn commands a spectacular view of its surrounding vineyards. The Pinot is a recent addition to the range and makes for excellent early drinking.

]]> http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/shawsmith/feed/ 0 http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/bannockburn/ http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/bannockburn/#comments Fri, 22 Mar 2013 06:59:40 +0000 winehero /?p=2041 Read More]]>

Wine:	Bannockburn “Serre” Pinot Noir 2010
Region:	Macedon Ranges
Price:	$$$$$
Category:	must have
Buy:	China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea
Hero Notes:	Michael Glover now treads the boards at Bannockburn, and the mighty Serré vineyard – French for ‘tight’, because it is close-planted to such an unforgiving density – ranks among the most anticipated releases of any Australian estate each year. This is a purist approach to wine, where the winemaker is trying to reflect the vineyard, site and season well above any sense of technique or method. A very impressive wine.

]]> http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/bannockburn/feed/ 0 http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/by-farr/ http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/by-farr/#comments Fri, 22 Mar 2013 06:03:22 +0000 winehero /?p=2043 Read More]]>

Wine:	“Farrside” by Farr Pinot Noir 2010
Region:	Geelong
Price:	$$$$
Category:	must have
Buy:	Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore
Hero Notes:	For many critics, this is the transformational wine that made them think differently about Australian wine in general, and about Australian Pinot Noir in particular. Appropriately, Gary Farr – and his son, Nick – have been at the forefront of pioneering this variety in Geelong, believing in both site selection and winemaking vision in equal measure. This wine shows the art of the winemaker and the narrative of vineyard in perfect tandem.

]]> http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/by-farr/feed/ 0 http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/curly-flat/ http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/curly-flat/#comments Fri, 22 Mar 2013 05:51:51 +0000 winehero /?p=2038 Read More]]>

Wine:	Curly Flat Pinot Noir 2010
Region:	Macedon Ranges
Price:	$$$$
Category:	food hero
Buy:	Japan
Hero Notes:	The guiding philosophy at Curly Flat is one of relentless enquiry and total attention to detail – crops; orientation; canopy; clones; yeasts; barrels; technique are all under constant challenge and review. The result is that this meticulously-tended estate on the cold, wind-blasted slopes of the Macedon Ranges makes some of the most compelling and delicious Pinot Noir in Australia.

]]> http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/curly-flat/feed/ 0 http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/yabby-lake/ http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/yabby-lake/#comments Fri, 22 Mar 2013 05:27:31 +0000 winehero /?p=2018 Read More]]>

Wine:	Yabby Lake “Block 2″ Pinot Noir 2010
Region:	Mornington Peninsula
Price:	$$$$
Category:	food hero
Buy:	China, Hong Kong, Singapore
Hero Notes:	This Mornington Peninsula estate is racing away under the winemaking stewardship of Tom Carson, and already has an enviable reputation for crafting wines that reflect site and season. The 2010 Block 2 was made in tiny quantities – 250 dozen – and displays bright red fruits, floral tones, and warm Asian spice notes of anise and clove. A great match with roast goose!

]]> http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/yabby-lake/feed/ 0 http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/kooyong/ http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/kooyong/#comments Fri, 22 Mar 2013 05:26:49 +0000 winehero /?p=2025 Read More]]>

Wine:	Kooyong “Ferrous” Pinot Noir 2010
Region:	Mornington Peninsula
Price:	$$$$
Category:	must have
Buy:	Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore
Hero Notes:	If Sandro Moselle, the winemaker at Kooyong, has one over-riding talent, it is about coaxing great flavour with little intervention. The “Ferrous” is already a delicious wine and it will develop into something even more special.

]]> http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/kooyong/feed/ 0 http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/timo-mayer/ http://www.winehero.com.au/2013/03/timo-mayer/#comments Fri, 22 Mar 2013 05:10:49 +0000 winehero /?p=2013 Read More]]>

Wine:	Timo Mayer” Close-Planted” Pinot Noir 2012
Region:	Yarra Valley
Price:	$$$$
Category:	must have
Buy:	Japan
Hero Notes:	Delicate rose-petals; assertive, punchy stems; flintiness; and a little reduction – there is a touch of madness in this beauty, almost a daring eccentricity that seems to come directly from its maker, the cheeky and tirelessly enthusiastic Timo Mayer. Timo just shrugs -’It’s not me, it’s all vineyard. I do the same thing each year and it just does its own thing!’. Pinot that makes you smile.

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