2013 Murdoch Hill Wines, Pinot Noir, The Single Vineyard Phaeton, Adelaide Hills, South Australia.
The small batch hand made Pinot from Oz The Phaeton by Murdoch Hills Wines is a beauty with sweet cherries and bright acidity. This expressive and detailed wine has open and silky layers along with good balance, drive and vitality, got to thanks Josiah, ex-Michael Mina Somm, at Bay Grape, a cool wine bar and store in Oakland, again, for turning me on to the Murdoch Hills The Single Vineyard Phaeton imported by Vine Street Imports in New Jersey, otherwise I wouldn’t have ever thought to check it out, this is lovely and joyous Aussie Pinot. I don’t taste many wines from Australia these days, so it was great to buy a wine off the shelf and be thrilled by it, this The Phaeton Single Vineyard bursts from the glass wrapped in a shiny ruby hue and a mix of floral, fruit and sweet cedary scents leading to a palate of zingy bing cherry, juicy plum, a hint of blueberry, light mineral tones, soft tannins and sweet and savory spices as well as pretty vanilla/smoky wood. The wine gets delightfully vigorous with air picking up cranberry and licorice notes as well as lavender and guava elements in the background, it has a nice 13.5% alcohol which makes it neither too ripe or too lean, if you are looking for an interesting artisan Australian Pinot Noir, you love this Adelaide Hills unfiltered, native yeast, 50% whole cluster example!
($45 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive
