The next steps for Aussie pinot noir and chardonnay
On a visit to London earlier this month, Tom Carson, the winemaker at Yabby Lake in Australia’s Mornington Peninsula, hosted a tasting of Aussie chardonnay and pinot noir from some of the regions around Melbourne where these varieties are doing particularly well: Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Geelong.
Ten minutes with … Bill Downie
Having lived and worked half the year in Burgundy for five years, Bill Downie set up by himself, in Victoria, in 2003, with his first Yarra Valley pinot noir, under the William Downie label.
Australian regional pinot noir – Phil Sexton and Martin Spedding
At the Australia Trade tasting in January, Phil Sexton of Giant Steps/Innocent Bystander in the Yarra Valley, and Martin Spedding of Ten Minutes By Tractor in Mornington Peninsula, argued a strong case for an expression of place in Australian pinot noirs from the three regions of Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley and Tasmania.
New world pinot noir – a blind tasting tour
A blind tasting of pinot noirs from Australia, California, Chile, New Zealand and Oregon revealed less national identity than might have been hoped for.
Schubert, Block B Pinot Noir 2008, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Schubert, Block B Pinot noir 2008, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Sonoma strikes for coolness
Sonoma, in California, made its cool climate case at a recent seminar in London, showing mostly pinot noirs with two chardonnays, a couple of classic grape varieties associated with cool climate viticulture.
German pinot noir, emerging excellence
The recent emergence of German pinot noir (spätburgunder) on the world stage was revisited with this tasting seminar, held at Staatsdomäne Assmansshausen in Rüdesheim, Germany, in late September 2009, as part of a Master of Wine visit to the region.
Alto Adige pinot noir
Pinot noir accounts for less than 7% of the Alto Adige vineyard area, not quite 350 hectares. Even so it is still considered a core variety for the region, having been first planted here in the mid 19th century.
Regional New Zealand Pinot Noir?
Pinot noir is the second most planted grape variety in New Zealand, and arguably the second best place in the world to be making pinot noir.
Where next for Aussie pinot noir?
Australian pinot noir can now stand on its own on the world stage. Tasmania and Victoria have the best spots so far.
