Let’s face it—getting your hands on a top-notch Pinot Noir without the hefty price tag is becoming quite the mission. With Pinot being such a finicky grape, it often demands premium prices, especially when it’s done right. But that doesn’t mean we’re giving up the chase!
We’re always on the lookout for those cellar-savers that deliver top quality without making your wallet cry. Lately, it’s been getting tougher, but luckily, we’ve unearthed some brilliant Pinots from across Australia that won’t break the bank.
Here’s the best of the bunch, from the Yarra Valley to Tasmania, and beyond!
Mornington Peninsula
The Mornington Peninsula is a mecca for cool-climate Pinot Noir, delivering wines with bright, red-fruited profiles, silky tannins, and a distinctive savoury edge. The maritime influence keeps temperatures cool, allowing for a long growing season that produces complex, fresh, and aromatic wines.
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2023 Garagiste Le Stagiaire Pinot Noir
Producer: Barney Flanders is the master behind Garagiste, focusing on small-batch, handcrafted wines that reflect the subtleties of Mornington’s sub-regions. His Le Stagiaire range is renowned for offering incredible value while showcasing the elegant and savoury side of Pinot.
Why it's great value: This wine punches well above its weight, with vibrant red fruit, a touch of spice, and a structure rarely found at this price. At just $30, it’s one of the best bargains on the market.
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2023 Red Claw Pinot Noir
Producer: Made by the iconic Yabby Lake, Red Claw is their more approachable range, but it doesn’t skimp on character. Expect vibrant cherry, cranberry, and a herbal edge.
Why it's great value: You’re getting Yabby Lake quality for a very reasonable price. Red Claw Pinot is bright, smooth, and easy to drink—a great value expression of Mornington’s terroir.
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2023 Kooyong Massale Pinot Noir
Producer: Kooyong is a renowned name in the Mornington Peninsula, producing premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Massale Pinot blends fruit from their Tuerong and Balnarring vineyards, showcasing the region’s unique terroir.
Why it's great value: At just $32, the 2023 Kooyong Massale Pinot is packed with bright cherry and strawberry flavours, fine tannins, and fresh acidity. It’s a vibrant and satisfying everyday drinking Pinot at a top-tier price.
Yarra Valley
The Yarra Valley is one of Australia’s most celebrated Pinot regions, producing wines that are typically more perfumed and elegant, with soft tannins and a fine structure. The climate here is cooler than many other regions, perfect for nurturing Pinot Noir into beautifully aromatic and balanced wines.
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2023 Hoddles Creek Estate Pinot Noir
Producer: A family-run estate, Hoddles Creek has built a reputation for high-quality wines that offer great value. Their Pinot is always fresh, vibrant, and perfectly balanced.
Why it's great value: At just over $30, this is a textbook Yarra Valley Pinot offering fine acidity and ripe red fruits. Consistency and quality year after year make it a staple on any value wine list.
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2023 Arfion Spring Pinot Noir
Producer: Dave Mackintosh of Arfion is a Yarra Valley innovator, known for his experimental approach and making wines full of life and energy.
Why it's great value: Vibrant and crunchy, this Pinot captures the essence of Yarra Valley fruit without compromising complexity. It’s an exciting drink-now wine for $28.
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2023 Airlie Bank Pinot Noir
Producer: Airlie Bank is the experimental arm of Punt Road, crafting easy-drinking wines that over-deliver for the price.
Why it's great value: Bright, juicy, and red-fruited, this Pinot offers exceptional value as a go-to everyday drinker. At $24, it's hard to beat for quality and drinkability.
Tasmania
Tasmania’s cool-climate vineyards produce some of Australia’s most refined and sophisticated Pinot Noirs. The long growing season here allows the grapes to ripen slowly, resulting in wines that are concentrated with vibrant acidity and a delicate structure.
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2023 Two Tonne Tasmania TMV Pinot Noir
Producer: Ricky Evans is one of the stars of Tasmania, crafting small parcels of vibrant wines from the Tamar Valley.
Why it's great value: This Pinot offers depth and vibrancy, with layers of red fruit and fine tannins. At $35, it’s a top example of why Tassie Pinot is gaining such a stellar reputation.
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2023 Stoney Rise Pinot Noir
Producer: Joe Holyman’s Stoney Rise has become a benchmark for high-quality Pinot in the Tamar Valley. Joe’s focus is on creating wines that balance elegance and approachability.
Why it's great value: Smooth, soft tannins and a plush red fruit profile make this wine a true representation of what Tasmania has to offer. It provides excellent depth for a fraction of the cost of bigger names.
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2023 Holm Oak Pinot Noir
Producer: Based in the Tamar Valley, Holm Oak is known for crafting some of the best value Pinot Noirs in the region. Tim and Rebecca Duffy’s focus on small-batch, hands-on winemaking has helped elevate Holm Oak’s status as a producer of vibrant, accessible wines.
Why it's great value: The 2023 Holm Oak Pinot delivers delicate flavours of berries, spice, and herbs, all wrapped in a refined, elegant structure. At $32, this is an absolute steal for a wine of such finesse.
Adelaide Hills
Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir tends to be more fruit-forward and accessible than its cooler-climate counterparts, often with ripe cherry and plum flavours, but it still retains a freshness and vibrancy thanks to the cool nights in the region.
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2023 Riposte The Dagger Pinot Noir
Producer: Tim Knappstein, a veteran winemaker, is behind Riposte, with The Dagger being his go-to for an easy-drinking, everyday Pinot.
Why it's great value: At just $22, this is an absolute gem for its price. Bursting with red fruit and a refreshing finish, The Dagger is a top pick for quality Pinot on a budget.
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2024 Troppo Pinot Noir
Producer: Made by the Unico Zelo team, this is a fresh and modern wine from the Adelaide Hills, Troppo is all about being fun and juicy, perfect for easy drinking.
Why it's great value: This fruit-driven Pinot, priced around $25, offers juicy plum and berry notes with a fresh, playful style that’s great for any occasion.
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2023 Murdoch Hill Pinot Noir
Producer: Michael Downer’s Murdoch Hill is known for its elegant and expressive wines. His Pinot Noir is no exception.
Why it's great value: At $30, Murdoch Hill delivers a Pinot that’s both bright and complex, offering balance, finesse, and layers of fruit that are hard to find at this price point.
More of Our Favourite Great Value Pinot Noirs
If you're still thirsty for some top-quality Pinot at a great price, here are three more stellar options we love:
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2023 Mac Forbes Yarra Valley Pinot Noir
Producer: Mac Forbes is a Yarra Valley legend, crafting wines that truly express their vineyard sites. This Yarra Valley Pinot is a blend of declassified single-vineyard batches, making it a complex yet approachable wine.
Why it's great value: At $38, you’re getting access to the incredible craft of Mac Forbes at a fraction of the price of his single-vineyard wines. Bright cherry, subtle spice, and fine tannins make this a must-try.
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2024 William Downie Cathedral Pinot Noir
Producer: William Downie is renowned for his natural, minimal-intervention approach to winemaking. The Cathedral Pinot combines fruit from some of Victoria’s best cool-climate regions.
Why it's great value: At $35, this is an elegant and layered Pinot with juicy raspberry and pomegranate notes, delivering serious quality for everyday drinking.
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2023 Xavier Goodridge Papa Pinot Noir
Producer: Known for his lo-fi, organic wines, Xavier Goodridge is pushing the envelope in terms of modern, minimal-intervention winemaking.
Why it's great value: Priced at $31, this Pinot is all about drinkability—light, bright, and brimming with red berries, making it the perfect chilled red for any occasion.
We think these wines represent the best-bang-for-your-buck of their respective regions. Whether you’re after a fruit-forward everyday Pinot or something a little more complex and elegant. Enjoy the journey through Australia’s best Pinot regions without breaking the bank!