FFW 2021 Wine Catalogue

A1 PINOTNOIR AKITU, CENTRAL OTAGO 2017 DRINK2020 - 2030

MEET THE GROWER Giant Steps YARRAVALLEY

NEWWORLD NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA 6x75 £165.61 —IWC

Vivid raspberry red colour. A dark cherry, strawberry spice, and raspberry nose - mid weight on the palate with a lovely fresh-ness, hint of clove and ripe healthy fruit, supple tannins leading to a clean and long finish. There is good acidity here too. Tome it resembles 2015 but with a littlemore structure.

I visited this impressive estate in the Yarra valley north of Melbourne in February 2018 and was struck by how superb the wines were. Phil Sexton of Devil’s Lair founded the estate in 1997 after looking for just this climate of cool nights and sufficient rainfall to produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of precision and finesse, and since then has been absolutely nailing it. The wines are fabulous, and from the estate Pinot Noir upwards you will be thrilled with them. Steve Flamstead is the winemaker and is well deserving of over 100 goldmedals he has won in the last 17 years. Production is very small, withmany cuvées numbering only a few hundred cases. The Yarra Pinot displays perfumed cherry alongside spicy, bitter orange notes and warmingmocha and cocoa. It has vibrant red and blue fruits and a lovely underlying earthiness, with whitemushrooms, truffles, savoury spice, and forest floor characters. An elegant wine with breadth, structure, and a long, luscious finish. Screw top too for easy access!

Akitu - three entries, three gold, eight trophies.

WA93 POINTS

KEY FACTS

KEY GRAPES Shiraz, Cabernet

KEY PRODUCERS Penfold’s, Leeuwin, Rolf Binder, Giant Steps, Akitu, Kumeu River and Felton Road

Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir

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WINE CATALOGUE