October 2023 Releases: Moorilla Muse 2017 Pinot Noir $56 & Marcus Hill Vineyard 2017 Pinot Noir $35

Moorilla Muse 2017 Pinot Noir  $56
Style and winemaking:
Due to the complexity of the Moorilla vineyard (and its location) we tend to have
fruit that lends itself to a heavier and more robust style of pinot noir. My aim is
to work with this, but to try to bring levity to the finished wine. By picking over
many different days and working with the variability in the vineyard, we can make
many wines and then work with that natural complexity in the winery to build
a balance between fruit and oak derived aromas and flavours. By using stems in
some fermentations, we can get a great depth of tannin as well. The result is a
wine displaying a great deal of complexity—powerful yet balanced and showing the
subtlety I look for. It will benefit from bottle maturation.
Viticulture:
The fruit was sourced from the Moorilla vineyard located on the west bank of
timtumili minanya / River Derwent. The fruit was left on the vine until flavour
profiles showed an increase in fruit and berry characters, before it was hand-picked.
Effort was made—in picking within blocks—to obtain separate fruit batches for
fermentation. 2017 was more typical of Tasmanian weather: cool and dry with the
normal warm / humid and cold / dry fluctuations. It was also the longest vintage of
my tenure, as overall it was a quite cool year, so fruit intensity and acid profiles are
distinctive. Compared with the hot 2016 vintage we harvested later than normal.
Winemaking:
Winemaker: Conor Van Der Reest
Abv: 13.0%
Bottled: 2017
Closure: Stelvin
Cases Produced: 757
Tasting note:
A rich, stewed nose of rhubarb, plums and cinnamon brings a caramelised tart
to mind, before a silken fruit-bomb of a palate unfurls, awash with strawberries,
raspberries and milk chocolate. Structure is velvety, with some light white-pepper
suggestions of oak throughout. Another exemplary Muse pinot

Marcus Hill Vineyard 2017 Pinot Noir $35

Marcus Hill Vineyard is located on the Bellarine Peninsula, a short drive from Geelong towards the coastal townships of Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale.

This small vineyard was established in 1999 with plantings of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz and finally Pinot Gris and is managed with the aims of growing premium quality grapes in an environment where natural balance is encouraged. The vineyard is part of a small farm with substantial plantings of indigenous trees and shrubs which are home to a wide variety of birds and other creatures which provide natural pest control for the vines – no pesticides are required.  The vines receive minimal watering and a variety of natural fertilisers are used to encourage soil and plant health. The Bellarine is girt by sea, on two sides, and is cool during the growing season. The wine is made in a manner which is sympathetic to the site and area, which produces elegant, delicate and feminine wines. The grapes are picked by hand in small parcels, often with family and friends – hence the People Madly Stomping label. All wines are handcrafted with minimal intervention, handling and processing principles.

Tasting Notes: 2017 Marcus Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir
Morello cherry, wild herb and earthy characters. Rich mid palate, well structured, with
supple tannins and good length.