I suppose I ought to say something about this take on Pinot noir from Bortoli in the Yarra Valley. Not much of an invitation to read this review - Is it ?

The wine is from the vintage with the bush fires in the hotter areas of the valley, and was a bit of a mistake - I wanted a go on the '08 but my dear Misses who picked it up during the Sains Xmas 25% off promo for any 6, was not available on the mobile, once she had got to check-out. I forgot to tell her to avoid the '09, before she went, perhaps there was no '08 on the shelf ?

On first opening the nose is pretty benign, other than Benylin and an old iron tonic drink that you bought from a chemist in the 70's. The guy who makes this wine gets 9 out of 10 for effort in trying, but regretably only a 5 in the resulting wine, Alc 13%. The style is a very light village Santenay, a burgundy that quite often has a typical sappy and savoury edge in less ripe years, but sufficient oak to fill the hole in the overall palate spectrum.

This wine is lean and hollow when 1st opening, very light cherry and that preserved cocktail bitter cherry flavour, the kind you get with the ones they shove in a cheap cocktail, some cherry stone, a little pith which is interesting, and high acidity which throws the wine off balance because it is too citric for the depth of fruit. A touch of sulphites there on the 1st glass that you could mistake for a bushfire note.

I put the cap back on.

2 days later and the wine was a little fuller, better cherry pinot and some red mulberry (not deep and dark ripe), a little pith still there, and acidity had calmed down, and that savoury edge had rounded out quite a bit. No oak treatment that I feel the wine needs, no 'sous bois' nor herby, but just enough interest to keep going with it. Not a wine to find many friends, but probably satisfactory with cold white meats and poultry.

IMO ....There is hope, when made in this style on a better vintage and when the producer tries the subtle use of some french oak.

Jamie Goode is more diplomatic about the '07, which is more than likely, a better vintage and £2 less to buy.
Gulf Station PN '07

NB, the '09 vintage is not a really good food wine, and I have no experience in ageing a pinot noir with such skinny fruit and no oak. Acidity would keep it fresh for a long time though.

I will try again on a better year provided there is a promo running at the time.

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Duncan

Good note, thanks Duncan.

You can tell I've got a soft spot for this Pinot Noir attempt. It is not confected or jammy - so it gets 50 points for starters.

The 25% off for 6 promo at Sains is on. So what do I do ?

I wanted the '08 vintage. There are quite good reports on the web for the '08, so I was determined to find it. I went through the whole lot piece-meal, it's on the top shelf with security caps on, so more difficult to slide around. Worth it though.....I found 2 bottles hiding at the very back, a bit dusty - but I take the risk, the mega store is not that warm.

The wine is now £10.99 for a single, I'm pleased with that.

Tom Cannavan likes the '08

We (well some of us) are looking for the same sort of stuff from a new world PN. Ok, we'd like some tight grained french oak with our pinot, but that is serious money now, even if only 10% is used for élévage.

"You get what you pay for" says Shezz.

I'll give this a bit longer before I report, I have my receipts and I know from last time that it improves from a damn good airing, so in the bottle will be a much slower process.

Chuffed.

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Duncan

if this is on par with the Tesco finest De Bortoli Yarra PN then I should think its a decent aquisition for an £8 PN (tesco at best goes on offer for £10)

I did look at it the other day along with another Oz PN (might have been Windy Peaks which isn't as good)

but only opted to try The Elms PN

might take another look

Haha Shez - You're gonna give me a real bad time, if it's too lite for you ? Nope, me thinks. BTW, I didn't remember that TF was made by De Bortoli. The TF is made "with integrated oak" they say, so that may account for £2.50 per bottle. For best french fine grain oak - lots more I'm sure.

Jamie Goode says "a point of interest for the '07". The vintage, the occasion, the grub with it, and bottle aging is key to this one.........IMHO .

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Duncan

De Bortoli Gulf Station Yarra Pinot Noir 2008.

The '08 got better reviews than 2009. I said the wine had a potential to evolve into something more akin to leafy light burgundy, with a bit of meadow or hedgerow bottom.

Wrong.

The '09 was better, wiith that imaginary smokey dimension from the bush fires down / or up the valley. The 2008 is not going anywhere at all. If anything - The '08 is more Benylin cough mixture like, and less acidity. I don't think it will ever acquire PN black cherry, cherry stone & fungi or forest floor attributes. It may go musty benylin in the end ??. I'll keep the last one, till I forget about it. Who knows, may suit a guest.

Prefectly reasonable at the discounted price I spose - Never £10.99 / £11.99 though.

I am pretty disappointed.

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Duncan

Oh dear. I took a couple of the 08's.

Like you, Duncan, I have been working on the house. I have been installing decking in the garden, and I don't mean a little square like the kits you can buy in DIY stores. Fortunately the weather has been very good for it over the last couple of weeks.

The previous owner added no patio whatsoever and just left the whole area turfed with a flagged path. Timber decking is my patio surface choice. Walking out barefoot in the summer, it can't be beat IMO.

I have a few Tasting notes to put up, when I have the time.

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tribs

snaffled the last 4 bottles of the 2007 vintage of the Tesco Finest Yarra PN last night - rest on the shelf were 2010

Usually £14.49 but 25% off = £10.87 plus an extra 5% for 6 bottle saves an extra 55pence per bottle

Worth a shot if the older vintage is on your shelves as has been one of the better budget NW PN I've thus tried

Also Wither Hills PN is available for under a tenner at both Maj and WR right now too but is a bit deeper and oaky from previous experience

Yes, I found one on the '07 and because it is oaked I took it. There was one '07 Stockmans Station CO pinot noir as well, for 50p more. Mel liked the Central Otago SS, and because also there is a bit of bottle age, I thought.....Well, nuffing ventured, nuffing gained.......I spose I must keep going with this NW pinot noir discovery lark.

Shez - If I don't get anything satisfying (in that burgundain way for me) off these two, - The NW PN job is down to you, from now on .

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Duncan

I'm too starting to give up a bit now Dunc
At least in terms of looking for Burgundian elegance.
NZ/Oz pn isn't ever going to be the same as burg. It's a bit a of a different animal but by means a bad one
Be good to see how some of these stand up over time and if/how they evolve

I too have some stockman station in my target along with thinking about some Grey Ghost which is going for the same price
According to the shelf price label I've got until Tuesday to decide

Yup ** and therefore the oaked versions will be kept in singles.
I would have taken a few Grey Ghost had they been 2007 or '09. I do want to age them a little, not too much though, and I believe that the more concentrated fruit from those vintages would be more suitable.

I could and probably will be wrong. There were just 2 '08s JE GG on the fine wine shelf, and given that I just spent a load on Friday with that Beaune and Rhone order, I'm keeping within some sorta reason.

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Duncan

Having tried the 2005 Vintage widow earlier this year, I believe the ageing potential for some of these is pretty decent.
At 6 years this still felt as though it had the ability to keep going a fair while, even as one of the first vintages and rated a early drinking offering according to a good number of write ups I read.
These easily have 5 years in them but think 10 isn't out of the question but will be some time before we are able to assess this

The tesco I found the GG in has both 08 and 09 on the shelf. Not sure whether to try both or give the newer vintage the benefit as being a bit fresher and keeping some of the MSB character
Personally I wasn't all that impressed with the 2009 Stich but didn't drink it later due to Vav getting all my attn for that vintage

Followig Shezza's recommendation I grabbed a bottle of TF Yarra V 2007 (which should be the oaked version of the Gulf Station). The 2007 was hidden behind many 2010 bottles. I am wondering whether I should give it a taste to see if I like it enough to buy some more before the 2007 bottles disappear

certainly give it a go. from past experiences it has been good for a £10 PN
Offer expires on 17th I think so you have a week

If your Tesco has the Stockmans Station Central Otago PN, its worth having some at the £11 discount px.
This offer runs out tomorrow tho, so be warned... I'm thinking about going to grab some tonight