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Shaw + Smith Pinot Noir Workshop, Brisbane 2019

Here at Wine Experience, we all have a deep love affair with Pinot Noir. It's one of our favourite varieties as witnessed by the extensive range of local and imported wines we stock. 

So when the opportunity came up recently to attend the Shaw + Smith Pinot workshop. Hosted by Master of Wine (MW) David LeMire and his trusty offsider Dan Coward (think Batman and Robin), I enthusiastically put my hand up.  

Shaw + Smith are one of this country's most successful brands (the Shaw and Smith Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc set the benchmark for this variety in Australia), although they aren't particularly known for Pinot Noir. The coolish Adelaide Hills does offer the opportunity to grow the variety successfully, so it's not surprising they are striving to change that image.   

The tasting kicked off with a brief, but detailed introduction by David and Dan, outlining the history of Pinot Noir, both in Australia and France.  The French have a fair head start, having grown the variety for over 1000 years in Burgundy. Our history starts a little later in 1831, with cutting believed to have been brought to Australia by James Busby, from cuttings taken at Clos Vougeot in Burgundy.

With Pinot Noir not well suited to fortified wine production, it wasn't until much later, in the late 1960s through the 80's that Pinot Noir started to be taken seriously in suitable climates like the Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills and Morning Peninsula. And perhaps it is only now that Australia Pinot Noir is hitting its straps, with cold regions like Tasmania leading the charge. 

This tasting involved ten wines served blind, with guidance from David to look for nuances in the site, climate, viticulture (clonal selection & vine density) and different winemaking techniques such as whole bunch and whole berry fermentation and the use, or absence of new oak.  

Here are my notes, the black is my initial tasting notes and the blue italic is my comments and thoughts once the wine was revealed:

Wine 1: Slightly murky colour, bright red fruits, stewed rhubarb/beet with hints of vanillin oak.   Polished, soft and silky mouthfeel, with bright, crisp acidity well-judged to balance out the wine. A well made, clean and immediately approachable wine of high quality.  New World.

 I didn't get too specific with region or vintage, and I had an overall positive impression, a wine that would be easy to enjoy, if not in the top tier of sophistication and complexity.   It turns out this was the 2018 Shaw + Smith Pinot Noir, well played by the Shaw and Smith wines team. Retail $45.

Wine 2: 

More red brick in colour, forest floor, bright crunchy almost al dente acidity, with a touch of underripe greenness in the background.   Very lean and austere, can taste the limestone of Burgundy here.

I knew this was from Burgundy and perhaps a cooler vintage, and that was pretty close.  Hard to see the value for the money on today's showing. The wine being the 2016 Simon Bize Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru 'Aux Vergelesses'.  Retail $165.  

Wine 3: 

Slightly murky, pale brick red colour, subtle red fruit and spice nose.  Quite austere, firm palate, tightly wound, shy. Very savoury. Can feel the whole bunch here?

A hard wine to pick turns out it was the 2016 Shaw + Smith Lenswood Vineyard Pinot Noir. An ambitious wine that divided the room.   Retail $85.

Wine 4: 

Bright crimson almost purple colour, subtle aromas, ripe sweet fruit.  Soft and voluptuous, velvety mouthfeel. Generous and broad, almost sweet fruit, candy finish. 

I spoke up about this wine as it was clearly from the new world, and a warmer site or vintage.  I incorrectly guessed Australia, The wine being the 2016 Peay Vineyards Scallop Shelf Pinot Noir from Sonoma Coast, California.  In hindsight, the generous mouthfeel, overall ripeness and candied notes were a clear giveaway. That being said, the wine looked good.   Retail $155.

Wine 5: 

Dark, blood red, quote reductive with earthy, vegemite aromas (this blew off after 20min). Huge fruit weight and density, copious fine tannins, dry, firm finish.  Concentrated and bulky. Burgundy?

The weight and firm, savoury character of this wine pointed to Burgundy.  The funky aromas did blow off, to reveal a wine of weight and power. No surprises when this was unveiled as the 2016 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits-St- Georges Vieilles Vignes.  A wine for lovers of forest floor, leather and mushroom. Retail $155.     

Wine 6: 

Dark red, beautifully perfumed nose, evocative and instantly attractive.  Ethereal, light on its feet, impeccable balance and finesse. Elegance in a glass.  Love it. Burgundy?

It's fair to say I loved this wine from the second I smelled it.  It had everything I love about Pinot Noir. A beautifully crafted wine that was, in fact, my favourite wine of the entire tasting.  I had it pegged as hailing from Burgundy, given the sheen finesse and elegance of the wine. I was quite surprised to find out it was the 2017 Tolpuddle Vineyard Pinot Noir from Tasmania.  Sadly 2017 is now sold out, so I am looking forward to tasting the 2018 when it is released in September. Retail $85

Wine 7: 

Deep dark red, profound, brooding nose.  Tannic, powerful mouthfeel. Slightly astringent, almost too forced for my liking.  Reminds me of Barolo. New world.

This wine had plenty of admirers in the room, a powerful, muscular and tannic expression of Pinot Noir.  I was quite surprised to find out this was the 2015 Rippon mature Vine Pinot Noir from New Zealand. Retail $85   

Wine 8:     

Pale red, light in colour. Sweet red fruits going to strawberry and raspberry.  Good perfume. Interesting, slightly candied fruit finish. Interesting wine, maybe a touch sweet-fruited for my liking.  New world.

This wine was the lightest of the tasting, and also one of the youngest. 2018 Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir. Another delicious Giant Steps Pinot Noir to enjoy.  Retail $65

Wine 9: 

Brick red, lifted tea leaf, chamomile and rose petal.   Lots of fine tannins. Good balance of sweet and savoury fruit.  Has a natural wine feel. 2017 Place of Changing Winds' Clos de la Connerie' Pinot Noir from the Macedon Ranges in Victoria. 

This is a relatively young, seven-year-old vineyard with some very dense vine plantings. The average density is 15,000 vines/ha, with a peak density of an astounding 33,000 vines/ha, which must be the densest plantings in Australia? Clearly and experimental and ambitious wine.  Retail $72

Wine 10:

Dark red, great perfume and new oak nose.   Silky texture, crisp acidity and a long finish.  Some oak spice on the finish, a very elegant and attractive Pinot, that will improve with some time in the bottle. High quality Burgundy?  

No surprises that this wine turned out to be the 2016 Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Grand cru 'Echezeaux', a powerhouse that needs time in the cellar to show it's true potential.  Retail $400

Overall a great Pinot Noir tasting and a huge Thank You to the Shaw and Smith team. 

Cheers 

Scott 

To find the wines of Shaw and Smith and Tolpuddle, explore the links below:

Shaw and Smith Producer Profile

Tolpuddle producer Profile