Pinotnow Tasting – 28 ‘pinots’ + a few extras

Another one from the depths of the tasting note book, this tasting was of the Pinot focused range of Victorian wholesaler Pinot Now, with a range that spans everything from Champagne to Macedon Rose, including a full brace of imported Pinots.

Of particular note was (again) how largely dissapointing the Oregon Pinots were. I simply do not enjoy the oaky and extractive, super ripe style that so many of them typify. Will not give up the search, but Australia, NZ & Burgundy will continue to be the recipient of my Pinot dollars in the meantime.

Drappier Brut Nature NV
100% Pinot which announces itsel with a bready Pinot nose leading to a light, very crisp palate that is pleasant it lacking in intensity. 16.8

Drappier Rose NV
Sweet, strawberry & cream nose on a very dry base. Sweet entry gives way to a palate that is pretty, but lacks the follow through. Good enough. 16.9

Lallier Grand Cru Brut
Step up here. Cheesy, yeasty nose with a bit of dirt and funk. Pure creamy, yeasty palate is fresh and good. Nice stuff. 17.3

Lallier Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs NV
Stemmy, earthy funk to the nose with a lovely rich mouthfeel. Excellent length on the lemon drenched, whipped cream edged palate. Lovely 17.9

Gisselbrecht Riesling 2007
Quite odd to see an Alsatian Riesling here and this was less than convincing. Pure, lightly musky & limey nose. Really quite light but also flat palate has a slightly coarse back end. Not enough intensity really, but should improve. 16+

Gisselbrecht Pinot Blanc 2007
I quite like good Pinot Blanc, but this shows the other, flavourless side of the grape. Just a little more richness after the Riesling with that same open purity that I rather like. Palate is still utterly lacking in intensity. 16+

Gisselbrecht Pinot Gris 2007
More sweetness, but also some fruit loop rubbery lolly sweetness. Very simple palate. Nope. 15.4

Gisselbrecht Franken Grand Cru Gewurtztraminer 2004
Nice to see the return of some aromatics after a few dull, backward wines. Gewurtz spice starts slowly but gets all fat and oily by the back palate. Awkward rear end ruins everything. 16.1

Rimu Grove Bronte Pinot Gris 2008
Upfront sweet honeyed apple fruit on a simple palate. Simple crowd pleaser, but drinkable+. 16.3

Rimu Grove Pinot Gris 2008
Honeyed pear nose – open and easy again, this time with a nutty edge. Creamy, rich mouthfeel of peaches and a splash of vanilla. Fresh, friendly and quite tasty indeed. 17

Rimu Grove Chardonnay 2007
Nutty & immediately oaky nose, but backed by some creamy well handled fruit. Big, layered palate is obviously worked but very tasty, if just a little cheesy. 17.4

Rimu Grove Bronte Pinot Noir 2007
Sappy, peppery nose that is just a little weak but authentic. Gamey, minty palate is just a little obvious and dried out. Needs more fruit really for an upfront Pinot. 15.9

Rimu Grove Pinot Noir 2006
Musky, skins and marred with a little of that 06 vintage hollowness. Dry & stemmy palate is genuine but finishes hot & unconvincing. 16.3

Duroche Gevrey Chambertin 2006
Giving little away on the nose. Caramel old oak & stems. Dry, chewy licoricey palate that is old shool in structure but too chewy. Needs alot more fruit. 14.8

Duroche ‘Les Champeaux’ Gevrey Chambertin 2006
Withdrawn dried out and fruitless, with just a little more strawberry concentration after the village wine above. Perhaps it will improve with bottle age? 15.5+

A to Z Oregon Pinot Noir 2007
Funky to what is a very simple, confected nose. Meaty, utterly overripe palate falls away dramatically at the finish. Simple, average quaffer at ridiculous $40 price. 15.0-

Chehalem 3 Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007
Broad & very ripe nose. Oaky, heavily extracted palate. Where is the generosity? 15.4

Scott Paul Martha Pirrie Pinot Noir 2007
Generous, extractive red cherry nose. Palate however is thin, oaky and hard edged palate. Washed out finish. No. 14.5

Scott Paul La Paulee Pinot Noir 2006
Lots of oak and soupy ripe fruit on the nose. Rich palate is cream, rich but lacking in definition. Falls away on the finish. Better, but still dissapointing. 15.8

Evesham Wood Willamette Pinot Noir 2007
God I hope this is a bad bottle. Sulphurous, acrid shiite. U/R

Evesham Wood Le Puit Sec Pinot Noir 2006
Brandy like volatility on the nose. Candied palate that had me reminiscing about pink Nerds (though I don’t think the pink ones smelled differently). Unsurprisingly forward, dull palate. No. 15

Valli Bannockburn Riesling 2007
The more Central Otago Riesling I try, the more I like. This is a stony, deep, intense, dry and chewy wine in the style of a good Trocken, with real pull through the palate. Very good. 17.8

Valli Gibbston Pinot Noir 2007
Welcome back to Pinot land. Pippy black fruit with choc bullets and prettiness. Red, sappy palate with a bit of burliness to the fruit but a lovely fresh, uplifting finish. Lovely Pinot that will only gett better. 18.5+

Valli Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2007
More opulent and powerful wine than the Gibbston with a fleshy palate and a stemmy edge. Lovely pretty wine of such beauty and silkiness. Upfront wine without the structure of the Gibbston perhaps, but its one sexy wine nonetheless. Lovely. 18.5

Carrick Pinot Noir 2007
Very serious Central Otago Pinot. Deep & powerful nose, with obvious fruit but also an edge of rawness that really commands some cellar time. A bit blocky but will improve. 17.5+

Carrick Excelsior Pinot Noir 2005
Excellent name! Rather ripe nose that is much more open and deep and fulfilling after the standard wine. Palate though is again all arms and legs, with firm acid and tannin. Great power though. Cellar this. 17.8++

Labryinth Valley Farm Pinot Noir 2005
Menthol and cranberry nose showing both under and overripeness, palate follows with an initially sweet palate that ends up astringent and stripped. Not quite. 14.8

Labryinth Viggers Pinot Noir 2005
Volatile caramel & licorice nose with a meaty edge. Washed out, bland palate. No. 15

Mount Gisborne Chardonnay 2005
Old school. Oaky, nutty powerful stuff. Pineappley notes are a distraction, but quality wine lies underneath. 17

Mount Gisborne Pinot Noir 2005
Volatile nose with typical Macedon mintiness. Lean but really refreshing palate with some nice ruby, minty fruit at its core. 17.4

Labryinth Bien Nacido Pinot Noir 2006
Finally a good American Pinot. 36yr old plantings. Serious, meaty nose, really ripe and full. Long & meaty & full with spiced fruits and plenty of pepper. Real length & texture. Good stuff. 17.9

Pisa Range Black Poplar Block Pinot Noir 2007
Sweetly sexy, coal & black fruit nose. Ripe and sweet, but with a cheesy, bacony edge. Finely textured, yummy if just a little feral. Very good. 17.8

Muddy Water Pinot Noir 2008
Musky, just bottled nose. It’s light and sweet & pretty with plenty of straightforward fun fruit. 16.8

Muddy Water Slowhand Pinot Noir 2007
Black cherry, chunky fruit with dark plum and full ripe fruit. Sweet finish. Quite attractive and open wine of style and substance. Very nice. 17.9