The Wines
and Reviews
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IMPORTANT UPCOMING RELEASES AND TASTINGS
1 July - 2006 Vintage Release - Red Wines
19 July - Annual Open Day - all wines ever made on tasting at Hillcrest. 10am - 4pm only.
CURRENT RELEASES & REVIEWS
2006 Pinot Noir - Reserve Deep cherry red, intense pinot aromatics of red fruit and forest perfectly prepare you for what is to follow. The palate is developing beautifully but is still incredibly tight, firm, structured, its red fruit and spice characters obvious but still in its infancy. The wine has layers of complexity that set it apart from all before it, powerful yet subtle, persistent, poised, impeccably balanced. I adore this wine, but please give it cellaring time. Drink: 2013-2025+ 2006 Pinot Noir - Premium Similar to the Reserve, intense and fragrant, showing as slightly fuller and richer at this stage, a touch more approachable now. Structured, balanced, bright acidity, great potential. Drink: 2011-2020+ 2006 Pinot Noir - Estate Exactly the same fruit/ferments as the Premium and Reserve wines, clearly a sibling to them both, being more forward and fruit driven. Probably our best Estate wine yet. Drink: 2009-2018+
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon - Premium Purple/red colour, classical in every way, perfumed, pencil, cedar and black fruits on the nose, incredibly varietal, firm but ripe tannins, medium to full bodied, great acid and structure. Drink: 2012-2025 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon - Estate
Again a clear sibling to the Premium, red/purple in colour, slightly more forward and expressive in showing its varietal character at this stage, firm acid, delicious Cabernet. Drink: 2010-2020
2006 Chardonnay - Premium
96 POINTS - Gary Walsh, Winorama (www.winorama.com.au) - Opens with plenty of spicy ginger oak over bright grapefruit and nectarine fruit, a little almond nougat and a wisp of struck flint. On the palate it is coiled tight, spring loaded and intense with flavours of grapefruit, nectarine, green mango, almond and spicy oak. Lithe and energetic. Sparks of flinty minerality flying, a lightning bolt of pure acid arcing from front to back palate crackling all the way to the crisp lemon and spice finish. A wine of great clarity and finesse but in desperate need of further cellaring to show its best. 2010-2016
96 POINTS - Campbell Mattinson, Winefront (www.winefront.com.au) - Scintillating. As good as Yarra Valley chardonnay gets. It tastes of grapefruit, lees and cedar but it's got a waxy, grippy length that sets it apart. A wine of the highest order - and void of any alcohol bite on the finish. Outstanding. Drink: 2010-2016.
2006 Chardonnay - Estate
94 POINTS - Campbell Mattinson, Winefront - Pristine Yarra Valley chardonnay. Just a slashing wine really. Direct, lengthy, complex flavours of toast, lemons, nectarine and slate, its backbone of acidity pure and rigid. This needs at least another couple of years in the bottle to show its best. Drink: 2010-2015.
2006 Village Merlot
94 POINTS - Gary Walsh, Winorama - Aromas of blackcurrant and bramble fruit, black olive, subtle mocha oak and just a tiny smear of menthol. Rich and varietal. On the palate medium to full bodied with black fruit, dark chocolate, black olive and subtle oak. A wine of depth and density. It has plenty of smooth powdery ‘Greek coffee’ tannins and good natural acid balance. Finishes with savoury black fruited flavours. I love good Merlot and this wine made me very happy. 2007-2011
2005 Village Pinot Noir Rose
94 POINTS - Gary Walsh, Winorama - It smells like Pinot with cherry, strawberry and rose petal and has faint earth and licorice aromas adding complexity. On the palate light but flavoursome with delicate fresh strawberry and cherry fruit, undergrowth and licorice root flavours. It has lovely vibrant natural acidity and tastes pretty much dry. Balanced, delicious and does all the things a good Rosé should do. 2007-2009+
RATINGS - Previous Releases - an impressive history!
2005 Chardonnay - Premium 96 POINTS - James Halliday, 2008 Wine Companion - "The epitome of Yarra Valley chardonnay" 96 POINTS - Gary Walsh, Winorama 93-94 POINTS - Campbell Mattinson, Winefront
2005 Pinot Noir - Premium ***Selected for Qantas International First Class!!! 96 POINTS - Gary Walsh, Winorama 95 POINTS - James Halliday, 2008 Wine Companion 94 POINTS - Campbell Mattinson, Winefront
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon - Premium 97 POINTS - Gary Wash, Winorama 95 POINTS - James Halliday, 2008 Wine Companion 96 POINTS - Campbell Mattinson, Winefront
2005 Pinot Noir - Estate 94 POINTS - Gary Walsh, Winorama 94 POINTS - James Halliday, 2008 Wine Companion 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon - Estate 90-94 POINTS - Gary Wash, Winorama 89 POINTS - James Halliday, 2008 Wine Companion 89 POINTS - Campbell Mattinson, Winefront
2004 Pinot Noir - Premium ***Selected for Qantas international First Class!!! 96 POINTS - Campbell Mattinson, Winefront
95+ POINTS - Gary Walsh, Winorama 94 POINTS - James Halliday, 2007 Wine Companion
2004 Pinot Noir - Estate 92 POINTS - Gary Walsh, Winorama 92 POINTS - Campbell Mattinson, Winefront 89 POINTS - James Halliday, 2007 Wine Companion 2004 Chardonnay - Estate
93 POINTS - Gary Walsh, Winorama 90 POINTS - James Halliday, 2007 Companion 89 POINTS - Campbell Mattinson, Winefront
2003 Pinot Noir - Estate
94 POINTS - James Halliday, 2006 Wine Companion 93 POINTS - Campbell Mattinson, Winefront 2003 Chardonnay - Estate
94 POINTS - James Halliday, 2006 Wine Companion 92 POINTS - Campbell Mattinson, Winefront
2002 Chardonnay - Estate
93 POINTS - Campbell Mattinson, Winefront
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