Good Pinot Noir under $25 - Mission Impossible? Part 4

The last six in this often unrewarding endeavour

Stoniers Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2010

See-through mid-red with brownish edges. The nose is fairly Burgundian and the flavour hits a few of the right notes. It’s a lightweight, though, with fairly simple sweet fruit and a touch of decay. I can’t see it going anywhere, in fact it might’ve been better a year ago. I’m not sure where other reviewers found the excitement here – this is just under $25 and just not worth the money.

Parringa Estate Peninsula Pinot Noir 2010

This has all the basic ingredients of colour and flavour and some Burgundian notions but it’s a bit blunt and in your face. Like Big and unsubtle. 14.5%. Lacks the charm and elegance I look for in Pinot Noir. I suspect that some might like this for the big flavour but it didn’t convince me. It’s all head and shoulders, all front. Just crept in under the $25.

Spring Vale ‘Melrose’ Pinot Noir 2011

From the east coast of Tassie, and a year younger than the Stonier’s, the colour is much the same light red. The nose is similar too, but the palate packs a tremendous punch of concentrated fruit. The problem is that it’s like hitting a stock cube in a sauce that hasn’t dissolved – too much, and it has an artificial flavour to it as well. It tastes as if someone’s added grape extract to it. The wine is unbalanced as a result, and I can’t see it sorting itself out.

St Clair Pinot Noir 2011

I’ve had some excellent Sauvignon Blancs under this label, and I can’t imagine what made these good people want to bottle this Pinot under it. This is Pinot lollywater. Sweet nothing, and nothing to commend it. A complete waste of money and drinking time, and it will do the reputation of NZ Pinot Noir no credit at all.

Mayas del Limari Reserva Pinot Noir 2010

A young enthusiast at Vintage Cellars talked me into trying this wine. It comes with an intriguing label and has a good red colour. There are hints of Burgundy on the nose but the flavour is big and hot, and it kind of falls apart from here with muddled flavours and a finish that lacks conviction. I’ve had better wines from Chile.

Paliser Estate Pencarrow 2010

Had this in the first round and wasn’t impressed, but other reviews made me think I'd been too hard on it. This bottle was a little better but I still can’t see what the fuss is about. Colour is good, nose is not quite there, flavour is straight up-and-down light red and not really Burgundian. Body and weight are spot on for a Pinot, but the lacks the essential character and charm I look for. And it’s simple. Can’t see a big future here.

TarraWarra Pinot Noir 2009

I ran into this one by accident: I ordered more of what I thought was the 2010 from Dan M’s online, and this arrived instead. The 2010 is one of the few stand-outs in this difficult terrain, but 2009 was the year of the horrendous fires in Victoria, the worst of them around Healesville and Kinglake just up the road from the Yarra Valley. That explained why the label said half the fruit had come from Tumburumba in NSW.

The wine turned out to be a perfect match with a duck Cassoulet, in fact very similar to the 2010 in body and structure – medium with good depth and length. The flavour spectrum runs from cherry fruit to gamey, meaty and earthy notes. Breathtaking value at $20. Tarrawarra has built a strong reputation for consistent quality, and Clare Halloran the winemaker clearly isn’t leaving anything to chance. Here’s an interview with Clare http://www.tarrawarra.com.au/videos-and-posts/winewriter-sally-gudgeon-asks-who-is-clare-halloran

There’s most likely no way of knowing whether you’ll get the 2009 or 2010 if you order some at Dan M’s online. The good news is it doesn’t matter since they’re both lovely Pinot Noirs.

Kim

Other parts in this series:

Part 1: http://briard.typepad.com/get_the_picture/2012/04/good-pinot-noir-under-25-mission-impossible.html

Part 2: http://briard.typepad.com/get_the_picture/2012/05/good-pinot-noir-under-25-mission-impossible.html

Part 3: http://briard.typepad.com/get_the_picture/2012/06/good-pinot-noir-under-25-mission-impossible-part-3.html

Final wrap-up: http://briard.typepad.com/get_the_picture/2012/08/among-maa-few-great-bargains-emerged.html