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Media Reviews

2007 Pinot Noir

Grant Dodd, The Winning Pro, October 2008
"...when Jeff Burch releases a pinot under his own name (in this case with Burgundy based winemaker, Pascal Marchand) you open it with expectations. The good news here is that the expectations are met, and some, partly because you don't expect a pinot from WA to be this good, and partly because it is simply a lovely wine. ...this has grace, style and more than a touch of charm. Delicious, silken, cherried, beautifully balanced and with a bit of 'x-factor' that sets it apart. It has perhaps the masculinity of a very good Nuits St George from a top vintage with some New Worldrichness of flavour and prettiness thrown in to the mix. This is an excellent wine by any description and outstanding drinking."
95 Points

 

Steven Spurrier, Decanter Magazine
"(Western Australia) These low-vigour vineyards are the region's coolest. Black cherries and red berries with zest and depth. Will develop in the next few years and the Stelvin will retain the wine's lovely freshness"
4 Stars

Anthony D'Anna, Boccaccio Cellars, 27 August 2008
"The 07 Pinot Noir is showing beautifully at the moment and I can see this wine will age into an absolute stunner. Medium red in colour; the palate is a mix of lifted rose petals, strawberries, red cherries, spice and forest floor. This wine is multi-layered very complex and interesting. One of the best new release Pinot's I have tried this year."
95 Points

Ray Jordan, The West Australian Magazine, 27 September 2008
"Bright crimson colour. Has a beautiful texture and mouth feel with supple ripe tannins and complex fruit flavours of dark cherry with subtle forest-floor earthy funkiness. The palate is soft and generous but full of life and length. Very promising wine."
93 Points

Ken Gargett, The Courier Mail, November 2008
"WA's most serious effort yet with complexity and length, spice, fungal and truffle notes. French-Oz collaboration using Great Southern fruit."
93 Points

Tony Keys, The Key Report, October 2008
"Wonderful nose of red fruits. The weight and texture of the wine is outstanding and pinot perfume all the way and a return journey; an exquisite drink."
97 Points

Campbell Mattinson and Gary Walsh, The Big Red Wine Book, 1 June 2009
"...this is a fascinating drop - it probably goes straight to the top of the Western Australian pinot noir hierarchy. Talk about a promising debut. It tastes of fresh strawberries, cherries, autumn leaves and the odd wisp of woodsmoke. It's medium bodied and yet there's a rosé-like sweetness through its core. Walsh reckons there's a bit of gamey undergrowth growing behind its ears, but Mattinson doesn't really see it. Both reckon, in any case, that it doesn't matter -especially given the wine's expansive finish. Top notch. Drink 2010 - 2015."
94 Points

Huon Hooke, Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine, April / May 2009
"Burgundy winemaker Pascal Marchand teams with Howard Park's owner Jeff Burch. As expected, a more weighty, structural pinot, with dustytobacco, red fruit and oaky aromas. A fleshy, high-extract palate with density and soft tannins."
94 Points (5 Stars)

James Halliday, Australian Wine companion 2010
“Deep crimson-purple; a complex wine, with strong oak influence on top of ripe dark fruits”
91 Points

 

Philip White, The Independent Weekly, 14 November 2008
"Burgundian winemaker Pascal Marchand is half of this hot partnership in the deep south west; the other bit's Jeff Burch, owner of Howard Park. Think: traditional winemaking combined with the best cool fruit Burch could coax from the Porongurup and Mount Barker vignobles, and some determined biodynamic tendencies. Inhale: ripe wild cherries in chilli chocolate sauce, nutmeggy oak and richly composted earth. Drink: silky syrup with slender, persistent natural acidity and extremely fine-grained, gently insistent tannins. Exhale: sheer, saucy, deep pleasure, especially when it contains some roastpork belly. Ponder: languorous, teasing, appetising luxury that hangs on and on."
93 Points

Bob Campbell, Master of Wine Oct 2008 - www.bobswinereviews.com
“Elegant, raspberry and black cherry flavours with a seasoning of spicy oak. Supple, delicate wine with a lingering finish. Supported by fine, drying tannins. Stylish Pinot Noir that promises to age well.”  
89 Points
 
   
   

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