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Airline pilots make surprisingly good wine. Their appreciation of the sciences, a respect for the weather and a bird's eye view of the land, all invaluable to the winemaker's art. John Ellis would take every opportune weekend away from his regular New York Paris route, to pursue a passion for viticulture. He planted the first commercial Cabernet Merlot vines in the Hamptons and found time between trans atlantic flights to work vintages amongst the Grand Cru vineyards of La Bourgogne. Ellis ultimately made the great lifelong sea change in favour of our land downunder. He settled on a farmstead outside Leongatha, amongst the slow ripening pastures of Gippsland and established a vineyard called Bellvale. It is now a place of fully mature vines and old world.. Placing pinot amongst the pastures»
Lindsay McCall's enthusiasm for great wine began in the 1970s, he established his first Mornington plantings in 1985 on the site of a derelict orchard at Red Hill along Paringa Road. From day one, McCall focused on exactingly managing the soils and the vines, after completing his day job as local school teacher. His affinity for the land and astonishing feel for winemaking produced monumental vintages of Pinot Noir, which propelled the exquisite range of Paringa Estate wines to international renown. McCall works closely with Mornington's finest vignerons to nurture better standards of viticulture and deliver finer vintages with each harvest. Limited yields of elite parcels, the artisanal efforts of Paringa Estate are regional icons, weaving the pick of.. Exquisite editions by the master of mornington»
Three British Army officers, in their capacity as agents of the East India Company, established one of Western Australia's first agricultural enterprises in 1836. Named after Captain Richmond Houghton, it was not until Thomas Yule's stewardship that vines were planted and the first vintage of Houghton wine flowed in 1859. Thomas Yule now sources fruit from the eminent Justin Vineyard in Frankland River, a dark ruby Shiraz of lifted liquorice and intense brambleberry, seasoned by piquant pepper notes and supported by showroom tannins. The very elite of Frankland River Shiraz... Artisanal wines of distinguished sites»

Circe Hillcrest Road Vineyard Pinot Noir CONFIRM VINTAGE

Pinot Noir Mornington Victoria
Dan Buckle and Aaron Drummond are Mornington born and bred. They work at the illustrious Mt Langi Ghiran but find time to share the husbandry on a precious three acre vineyard on an elevated northeast ridge at Red Hill South. The Messrs Drummond and Buckle take a decidedly Burgundian approach to processing their Pinot Noir, ferments of exclusively whole bunches are foot stomped over the course of a week before filling to small oak casks. Structured and eloquent, pastoral and intense, small batch, superior vineyard Mornington Pinot at its finest.
Available in cases of 6
Case of 6
$335.50
Vines were established on a chilly slope of deep red basalt volcanic soils along Hillcrest Road in 1993. Closely cropped at a little over one tonne per acre, the property yields a frugal harvest of awesome Pinot Noir. The tight, small bunches, physiological ripeness and immaculate skins are ideal for traditional whole bunch winemaking. The fully stemmed fruit is treated to a course of maceration, as ambient yeasts initiate a week of ferment, followed by several days of boots on pigeage. Batches are pressed into a selection of French oak barriques for completion of malolactic and a year's maturation on full gross lees without any racking, to preserve the integrity and eloquence of a tremendous site.
Purple scarlet red. Fragrant cherry ripe aromas, red apples and rhubarb notes, sasafras and anise spice. A multi layered palate of wild piquant raspberries, red licorice wick and frais de bois, dark anise tannins and sasafras oak in support of the textural, weight of fruit. Structured, dimensional and refined, its lifted finish resolves on a length of mineral and pebble pastoral complexity.
Circe
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Circe
Circe is a partnership inspired by growing up on the Mornington Peninsula and a love of Pinot Noir

Dan Buckle and Aaron Drummond met at Mount Langi Ghiran in 2007. After a vintage of Shiraz it was inevitable that the conversation would turn to any other varietal except Shiraz. With both of them growing up on the Mornington Peninsula, they were keen and curious as to what they could do with Pinot Noir from such great soil. Drummond & Buckle acquired a vineyard along Hillcrest Road, Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula, three acres undervine being roughly half I-clone Chardonnay and half MV6 Pinot Noir, with north facing rows, moderate spacing and deep red volcanic basalt soils.

Circe

Hillcrest Vineyard is leased from Paul and Louise Coronel, who planted the 3 acres in 1993. Given Paul’s engineering background the vineyard is not surprisingly meticulously set up. It is dry grown and managed for quality. As such, Drummond & Buckle keep yields low, cropping at less than 2t to the acre. Being a small vineyard means that they can really focus on the detail. They both spend a lot of time in the vineyard because, as good viticulturalists know, there is no substitute for footprints among the vines.

The name Circe derives from Homer and is a nice metaphor for the seductions and perils of Pinot Noir. Dan studied arts at university before realising it wouldn’t help him get a job. He then went on to oenology. At least his studies of the classics helped in determining a good name.

Circe

Circe