Australia

96 Points - James Halliday

The Dr Edge Pinots are part of a voyage of discovery, so it is that the East, North and South are all clone 115 (the ‘16s were MV6), and all have identical vinification: half whole-bunch carbonic maceration, half whole berries, once wild fermentation begins, 80% of the bunches are destemmed on top with 20% remaining as whole bunches, matured in French barriques (10% new) for 9 months. Fragrant, with more red fruits, long and silky; reflects the clonal change, driven by the very cool vintage, the tannin sotto voce.

96+ Points - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

It’s a Big Day in the North.

Woah. Pow pow powerful, yet light too. Dark cherries, damp earth, spice, maybe some cheeky violet, but a brooding kind of ‘minerality’ throughout. Tannin is firm, a long emery rasp through the palate, pure acidity, perfume, earth and grip on a long finish. There’s some meatiness and smoky reductive stuff here, for sure, but the fruit and vineyard shines through. I’m all about this. Wonderful.

95+ Points - Gary Walsh (Wine Front)

Fine perfume, pretty and floral, strawberries dusted with pepper and spice, smoky autumn leaves and walks in the park. It’s delicate, rose petals over strawberry, cool bell-clear acidity, a playful rasp of tannin, and a spicy strawberry finish of impeccable length. Lacy, delicate wine. Diaphanous and thoroughly charming. Oh yes.

97 Points - James Halliday

MV6, 777 and 115 clones, 60% from the Derwent Valley, 30% East Coast and 10% Tamar Valley. The bouquet is multifaceted, with no single message from the single vineyard group, the palate moving onto another tier, but carries with it the higher-toned red fruits of clone 115 (compared to MV6 last year). It also achieves a lightness of touch without any sacrifice of line or length. This is the serious business of enjoyment, not the science of dissecting small pieces of a large puzzle.

Dave’s Block is a very special old vineyard perched on an elevated site in Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale. The soil is classic white sand over clay, the cooler elevation allows the grapes to slowly mature.This very special vineyard was created from cuttings off the Kay Brother’s Block Six, a well known vineyard with 110 year old vines. Previously used as the McLaren Vale component for Ares, Dave’s Block became part of the Single Vineyard Series in 2014 when Ares reverts to showcasing the Barossa Valley.

Dave’s Block is a very special old vineyard perched on an elevated site in Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale. The soil is classic white sand over clay, the cooler elevation allows the grapes to slowly mature.This very special vineyard was created from cuttings off the Kay Brother’s Block Six, a well known vineyard with 110 year old vines. Previously used as the McLaren Vale component for Ares, Dave’s Block became part of the Single Vineyard Series in 2014 when Ares reverts to showcasing the Barossa Valley.

Heartbreak Hill comes from a vineyard off the beaten track in tough growing country, high up in the north eastern corner of the Clare Valley region.Early ripening despite its elevation, this wine displays the elegance and lively aromatics of Clare, with a powerful accent and mineral tannins. At the top of this steep hill, stands a proud Australian flag raised on the flagpole, which adorns the Heartbreak Hill label. Michael knew this site offered something very special from the moment he was first shown the vineyard and needed to secure this fruit. Grower and friend Richard Hughes didn’t make it easy for him though, with negotiations going back and forth over a few years, hence its namesake.

97+ Points - Stuart McCloskey

More intense, open-knit and richly textured compared to the 2015 although, both vintages are matched by their exquisite balance. The wines aromatics (honeyed citrus fruits, waves of minerals and a little maritime note) unfold with 20 minutes in a decanter (advised for ultimate satisfaction). The palate is medium to full-bodied, ripe and endlessly long. The play between textured weight and acidity is fantastic – A perfect marriage of cohesion and completeness. Given my experiences with mature Eileen Hardy Chardonnay’s, the ’14 is difficult to pin down to specific flavours. This wine is more to do with sensation as the palate feel is incredible. I do feel the 2015 has the slight edge and will become one of their best vintages over the past three decades however, there is something irresistibly special about the 2014.

Made in a semidried, Vin Santo style where the grapes are handpicked at optimum ripeness and acid balance, they are then placed on racks and dried before crushing and fermenting. This wine has no botrytis or fortification. Sublimely sweet and rich, bursting with pure pear, pineapple and cream aromas and flavours. A refined acid structure balances the sweetness to give a lingering, velvety finish.