2005 Mount Mary Pinot Noir

The light ruby-colored 2005 Pinot Noir has a lovely bouquet of smoke, mineral, strawberry, raspberry, and rhubarb. Silky textured, elegant, and restrained on the palate, it will need several years to fully blossom. Stylistically, it is reminiscent of a Domaine Dujac Premier Cru. Among Australian wine cognoscenti Mount Mary Vineyard (along with Yarra Yering) is regarded as the finest producer in Yarra Valley but only 3000 cases are produced and little of it has made it to the USA market. The Yarra Valley seems to do particularly well with the cool climate varieties of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, less well with the Bordeaux varieties, and that appears to be the case for Mount Mary based on this tiny sample. Mount Mary produces a Bordeaux-style blend called Quintet (due to the use of five varietals) but the 2005 that I tasted was too green for my personal taste. Importer: Gavin Speight, Old Bridge Cellars, Napa, CA: Tel: (707) 258-9552

Pale red. Dried strawberry and rose aromas strongly suggest nebbiolo, with a mineral underpinning that also calls Piedmont to mind. Delicate, finely etched red berry flavors are firmed by silky tannins and gain sweetness with air. Raspberry and cherry compote dominate the long, sappy finish, which perfumes the mouth with a suave floral pastille quality. Impressive for its understated character, but I wonder if it will be dismissed by those who demand length and girth from their pinot.