FAMILY RESERVE Pinot Noir

Grown at 960m, fruit from vines established in 1990. Vines of some pedigree and at the margins of what is considered cool climate viticulture. Satsuma plum, baked raspberry, certainly on the leaner side of the red fruit spectrum. There's a lingering freshness to the periphery, a bright and vibrant halo - so to speak. An elegance and freshness personifies the wine on entry. Fine tannins on a persistent length, balanced acid with a lovely carriage of flavour. Top tier Pinot Noir.

A fine Pinot Noir from Orange, this is a pale ochre hue. The nose offers aromas of dried herbs, mushrooms, animal skins, red fruits and forest floor notes. This is a savoury style and with a little time in the glass, the red fruits and coffee grind notes come to the fore. The wine has a fine line of acidity, silky tannins and good length. Enjoy now and over the next four to five years. Seems as though it would be ideal with a good mushroom risotto."

Medium-full brick-red with a tint of tawny rather than purple, which reflects its age and whole-bunch treatment. Sappy herbal stemmy aromas, suggesting a solid proportion of whoe bunches in the ferment. A slightly forward developed wine, starting to show some mellow characters, also quite complex in a bunchy kind of way. Very appealing in its style. Really lovely flavours, but perhaps not for long keeping.

This is such a delightful wine, such an impressive Pinot Noir, that I decided I just wanted to tell you about it from the get-go. It was fruitful and flavoursome while maintaining the elegance expected of Pinot Noir. Dark cherries and ripe red fruits to the fore on a lovely savoury, medium bodied palate with a gentle oak influence, soft tannins as it sits, stays and persists for a good while. It was indeed a pleasure to get the opportunity to try this wine. An excellent example of why Pinot Noir is a favourite variety of mine.

Pigeon eye with a cerise rim in hue. Earthy, gamey brown mushroom and undergrowth notes, peppery stalky whole bunch influence, crystalline red fruits, choc-orange richness with touches of smoky oak and cherrywood. Full and supple. The body silky and fleshy. A sharp vein of acidity stills crackles while the tannins are fine and neatly play their role through the medium length finish that echoes with darker, savoury tones.

"Some sweet raspberry leaf, persimmon and macerated strawberries. A balsamic sweetness meets with clover, caraway and anise spice. Turned earth, dried tobacco leaf and cocoa nibs on the finish. Lovingly wrapped with a silky tannin frame and long acid line. Crunchy and savoury."