Bindi Block 5 Pinot Noir Macedon Ranges, Victoria – 2019

This is Bindi’s top single vineyard Pinot Noir and is produced in tiny volumes. 

Bindi is widely acknowledged as being one of Australia’s best small producers. It is situated at around 500m altitude in the cool climate Macedon Ranges, about an hour’s drive north of Melbourne. The winery is truly “boutique”, even by Burgundian standards, with only 7 hectares of vines, of which 5 hectares are planted with Pinot Noir and 2 hectares with Chardonnay. Total production is never higher than 3,000 cases per vintage.

A small proportion of whole bunches (5%) were included in the vats with the majority of the fruit being de-­stemmed but not crushed. A small amount of sulphur was added on the first day and the ambient yeast took about four days to begin the fermentation. This wine spent 15 months in French barrels, of which 30% were new, and was bottled in late May 2020.

The 2019 Block 5 is typical of this vineyard, established in 1992, showing layers of earth, spice, red and dark berries with a flamboyance and depth that puts it up with the very best Block 5 wines produced since 1996. The palate is fresh and supple, intense, vibrant, chewy, rich, perfumed, complex and satisfying. The coiled up intensity and power all contained within the harmonious framework tells of a wine that will reward 15 plus years of cellaring but, satisfyingly, will drink beautifully at any stage of its life. Sadly, production was 30% down in 2019 and 50% down in 2020.

Drink 2022-2035