2023 Mac Forbes Coldstream Village Pinot Noir

Highly Rated
A gloriously flavoursome Pinot in this intriguing sub-regional lineup.

Price:
Sale price$65.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship, only 2 units left
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Description

Coldstream Village Pinot Noir is always one of our favourites of Mac's Village set of Pinot Noirs.

Located at the entrance to the Valley floor, Coldstream is characterised by low elevation and grey loam soils underpinned by clay, with significant influences of ironstone and mudstone. These elements contribute to a wine with a generous mid-palate structure and soft, melting tannins. The strong northern winds and cooler nights play a crucial role in helping the vines manage the summer heat, resulting in a Pinot Noir that balances power with finesse.

On the nose, this wine offers an alluring mix of dark red fruits, spiced rhubarb, and herbaceous undertones, layered with a subtle complexity reminiscent of a mulchy forest floor. The palate is both plush and firm, with a rich core of blood plum and earthy spice, supported by tannins that add depth and gravitas. 

Coldstream is home to some of the great Yarra Pinot Noirs and this walks in a similar mode.

96 points
"A very bright crimson. An excellent Coldstream with its scents of red and black fruits, menthol, rosebush and spice. It's very even on the palate, with good concentration and fine-grained tannins rounding out a wine to enjoy now and over the next decade."
- Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion)

 

Location:
Located at the entrance to the Valley floor, this subregion is characterized by low elevation with grey loam and clay-based soils. Strong winds from the north slow transpiration in summer, while cooler overnight temperatures help the plants regulate after hot days. The influence of ironstone and mudstone is significant, contributing to a full mid-palate structure with soft, melting tannins.

Tasting Notes:
This wine offers powerful aromatics, rich with dark red fruits and herbaceous undertones. The fruit core is generous, featuring spiced rhubarb, blood plum, and a mulchy forest floor complexity. Plush yet firm tannins add gravitas to the wine. We recommend decanting this wine before serving at 14-16°C.

Vintage:
The season was challenging, marked by extreme rainfall during winter and spring. Poor flowering conditions resulted in reduced yields, but the depth and concentration of flavor are enhanced as a result. A long, slow ripening period over the summer led to a late harvest, producing fruit with wonderful detail and depth—a revelation from such a difficult season.

Wine Analysis:

Alcohol: 12%
Acidity: 5.5 g/L
pH: 3.65
Winemaking:

Soils: Grey loam overlying clay
Fruit: 10% whole bunch, 11 days on skins in open fermenters
Yeast: Wild
Maturation: 8 months in small old oak
Fining: None
Filtration: Polished
Bottled: 17th January 2024

96 points - "From two vineyards on the valley floor. Made with 10–20% whole bunches, three to four weeks on skins before being pressed to seasoned barriques for 11 months. A very bright crimson. An excellent Coldstream with its scents of red and black fruits, menthol, rosebush and spice. It's very even on the palate, with good concentration and fine-grained tannins rounding out a wine to enjoy now and over the next decade." - Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion)

95 points - "This is a beautiful Coldstream pinot noir. It’s bright, it’s detailed, it’s fresh and it has flavour. Black and red cherries, purple flowers, inlays of spice and a gently reductive, smoky, meaty element. This feels both composed and complete. Integrity of tannin and persistence through the finish are highlights here. You get a bit of undergrowth but you also get brightness and lift." - Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

Mac Forbes

If you love premium and artisanal Australian wine, Mac Forbes is a name you need to know. He’s not only one of the country’s most talented winemakers, but he’s one of the most influential spokesmen for promoting the concept of Australian ‘terroir’, believing that wine should represent a time and a place.

Mac specialises in single vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah and Cabernet from the Yarra Valley. His wines are delicate and finely etched, characterised by subtlety and grace.

His Pinot Noirs are fine-boned, the Chardonnays are adored by lovers of fruit purity rather than winemaking artifice, and his array of off-dry Rieslings from the Strathbogie Ranges are among the country's most interesting. Additionally, his ever-expanding range of experimental wines is a treasure trove for the curious drinker.

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