2009 Paringa Estate Pinot Noir

100% Pinot Noir from one of the most famous boutique wineries in Australia. Winemaker and owner, Lindsay McCall was a pioneer of the Mornington Peninsula, grubbing up an orchard to plant vines in 1984 and implementing the rarely seen Lyre trellis system to control vine vigour. Despite the extreme heat spike in February 2009, overall it was a cool vintage and yields were down by a third. The fruit was sourced from three leased vineyards in Red Hill and other high-quality growers. The vines are 15 years old, planted on deep red volcanic soil in Red Hill with dry land viticulture, and on lighter sedimentary soils in Moorooduc and Tuerong requiring irrigation. Each batch of Pinot Noir was separated by site and/or clone and fermented in 3-tonne stainless steel. Aged in French oak barriques (10% new) on lees for 10 months. TA 6.9 g/l, pH 3.33. Much darker than most Pinot! Not really very fine. (JR)

At first: Very dark crimson. Strong liquorice notes – opulent New World style. Strange buckwheat notes. Very intense, sweet and quite alcoholic. Lots of work on the tannins has clearly been done but the Pinot flavours are not that pure. Retaste: Bright crimson. Slight wet wool on the nose. Very full-on fruit – not subtle! (Score 15.5) (JR)

Fruit sourced from three leased vineyards in Red Hill and other high-quality growers. Average age of these vineyards is 15 years. Red Hill soil is deep red volcanic and allows dry-land viticulture, Moorooduc and Tuerong is lighter sedimentary soil and require irrigation. Each batch of Pinot is separated by site and/or clone and fermented separately in three-tonne stainless-steel fermenters and aged in French oak barriques (10% new), on lees for 10 months. TA 6.9 g/l, pH 3.33. Stelvin closure. Loose and dry and edgy. Quite dry finish. Very different from the Oz norm – but arguably not so different from Ocean Eight at this same tasting. (JR)