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Fast Facts: Variety: Pinor Noir Region: Canberra Region Country: Australia Winemaker: Rob Howell Closure: Cork Alcohol: 13% Cost: $18AUD Source: Cellar Door Purchase Winery Website: Jeir Creek |
The area surrounding Australia’s capital city Canberra has a small but ever growing number of wineries. Jeir Creek was established in 1984 and they make a wide range of wines, including a very good botrytis Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blend. I visited their cellar door late last year and picked up this bottle as part of a clearance to make way for the 2003 vintage Pinot Noir.
The region is probably best known for the Clonakilla winery and their world-class Shiraz/Viognier blend, but there are plenty of other small makers doing interesting things in this cool climate environment. It is well worth a trip to visit some of these makers, being only 3 hours drive from Sydney. It will be very interesting to see what wines come out of the region in the years ahead.
Tasting Note: A slightly cloudy appearance with a translucent blood red hue. Sour cherry, earth, Chinese five spice and a slight floral lift. The palate exhibits cherry, well integrated oak and some stalky characters with good balance from the start through to the lingering finish. Lacks the depth though to rise above being better than very good. Still, it’s rather enjoyable to drink and is certainly right up there as one of the better Pinot Noirs I’ve tried under the $20 price point.
When to Drink: While I suggest that it is at or close to its peak drinking now, it is not at all on the edge of falling over and will probably hold the peak for the next couple of years.
Verdict: There is plenty to like about this wine at under $20, although I think it just sneaks back up above $20 when not being cleared out. It does show that the region has something to offer wine enthusiasts and I would still have been happy to have bought it at the regular price. 88 points.