Pinot Noir 2021

This cuvée comes from the Yarra Valley, in the state of Victoria, in south-east Australia. It blends grapes from partner growers’ vineyards and plots farmed by Mac Forbes, spread between the cool Upper Yarra and the valley floor. Conceived as a regional portrait, it also brings together barrels not selected for the estate’s single-vineyard wines.

The grapes are harvested by hand. Fermentation, with native yeasts, includes 5% whole bunches and takes place in concrete tanks and open stainless-steel tanks. Maceration lasts 18 days on average. The wine is then aged for nine months in concrete and in small and large oak barrels. It is neither fined nor filtered.

This wine reveals notes of tart blackberry, red cherry, cranberry, red plum, raspberry, dried rose, moss, tobacco, pepper, smoky spices and slate. The light- to medium-bodied palate offers a fine, airy texture, supported by lively acidity and delicately gripping tannins. Its fresh, savoury and mineral finish stretches out with lovely precision.

Australia began making wine more than two centuries ago. The result is a country rich in old vines, multi-generational winemaking families and a deep-rooted knowledge of and respect for craftsmanship. Add to that a thirst for exploration and innovation, a fearless attitude and a varied portfolio of 65 wine regions across many climates, and you have the makings of an extraordinary wine country like few others. Australia burst onto export markets in the 1980s and has since offered the whole world vibrant, fruity wines of exceptional value. Until the late 1990s and early 2000s, the story of Australian wine was dominated by over-concentrated examples of Shiraz, Grenache and red blends. Between these two extremes lies the diversity of Australia's high-quality and regional wines, which has always existed. Australian viticulture is mainly concentrated along the southern ocean fringe, where conditions are cooler. There are four main wine regions, located around the major cities: Western Australia around Perth, South Australia around Adelaide, Victoria around Melbourne and New South Wales around Sydney. The country is one of the world's largest wine producers and was the 4th largest exporter in the world in 2011. This recent development has made Australia one of the most prominent countries today for the quality of its wines. You can taste Australian wines all over the country. Each Australian region has its own grape varieties. Australian wines are defined by their grape variety, unlike French wines, which are defined by their terroir.