Last night the Pinot Grigio, tonight the Pinot Noir. I was surprised by the drinkability, if not sophistication, of the Grigio, so was interested to see what the Noir is made of. As with the companion wine, this one is priced keenly at $A14.
Pretty, relatively dense ruby red, good clarity. Upon opening, the wine's nose was almost entirely mute. Some time in glass has helped it to express itself a little, but it's not exactly screaming out of the glass, even now. The aromas are of sweet Pinot fruit and a little spice, thankfully not confected but also quite simple. The palate is a lot more expressive than the nose. Entry is quite immediate and leads to a middle palate of light to medium weight, showing varietal fruit and some more spice. The fruit itself, though identifiably Pinot Noir in character, has an unattractively stressed, prune-like dimension. Fruit weight is pretty light on too, and I'd describe the wine's intensity as a little dilute. Some subtle oak contributes complexity, especially towards the after palate. Acidity is on the soft side, just present enough to add some shape and structure to the palate. Finish is unremarkable in length.
I think I prefer the Pinot Grigio in the Juliet range. This wine's fruit character and lack of intensity make for a slightly underwhelming experience. On the plus side, it's obviously a Pinot and the winemaking seems well thought out. Still, I'd probably buy something from the De Bortoli Windy Peak (or Gulf Station if discounted) range in preference to this.
Price: $A14
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: January 2008
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