The Yarra Valley does many things exceptionally well, and Pinot Noir is probably what they do best. There are two types of Pinot coming from the Valley at the moment. One is the softer, more feminine Pinot: full of delicate rose petals it’s jammy and can fall off short with being slightly too viscous. This Rochford Pinot falls into the second category; it’s beefy, has less fruit and more earth, there is an almost raw meatiness to it. Tannins are slinky and powdery and there is a brilliant acidity that cuts straight through the mid palate. Linear, bold and only set to improve, if you can resist.
Medium red. Ripe nose, offering both red and dark fruits, stems and restrained oak aromatics. The palate is round, full and balanced. Healthy acidity and integrated tannins contribute to a wine that will age well over the next decade
Awards and Accolades
☆☆☆☆☆ Halliday Winery Rating
2016 Vintage: 93 Points, Ned Goodwin, Australian Wine Companion "This is a blend of numerous batches of grapes across Coldstream and Gruyere. The wine spent 10 months in oak (15% new) following a natural fermentation. 50% of the fruit was destemmed, the rest whole-cluster. The oak regime was gentler than normal given the very warm vintage. Sapid red and dark cherry flavours, red currant and sandalwood too, are hinged to a cage of spiky whole cluster tannins and smart oak. A very easy drink reminiscent of a sassy nebbiolo. Finishes with a lick of chinotto."
From the Winery
Hand picked on 17th February. De-stemmed to open fermenter (50% whole bunch), short coald soak, natural primary & malolactic fermentation, pressed to french oak (15% new). 10 months in oak, racked once prior to bottling. Unfined.
Our Hill Road vineyard and winery is located at Coldstream, 40 kms east of Melbourne in Victoria's oldest grape growing region, the Yarra Valley. Grown on ancient, mountain derived sandy clay loams, these rocky soils, combined with our forty year old vines, are at the heart of this wine. 2016 will be remembered as one of the warmest and earliest harvests on record in the Yarra Valley.
Don't Pay: $38.00
WBW Rating: 95/100
Closure: Stelvin
Region: Yarra Valley, VIC
Winemaker: Marc Lunt
Drink now until: 2026
Alc/Vol: 13.5 %
