2021 Garagiste Le Stagiaire Pinot Noir
Mornington Peninsula, VIC
One of the country's best value Pinot Noirs from Mornington Peninsula legend, Barney Flanders.
$29.00
Out of Stock
About The Wine
Barney Flanders loves Pinot Noir, and every release of the value-packed Le Stagiaire Pinot Noir seems to out do the previous one. It has been one of the most popular wines in Different Drop history.
Minimal whole bunches used in the ferment as usual, with wild ferment, three weeks on skins and further ageing in concrete, foudre and old barrels. It's unfined and unfiltered, with plenty of savoury complexity to balance the beautifully ripe and pure Pinot fruit.
Simply put this wine represents the essence of Mornington Peninsular Pinot Noir. Value for money wise, this is an Australian Pinot Noir star.
About Garagiste
Garagiste is the brainchild of Barnaby Flanders.
After leaving Allies Wines in 2003 he embarked on a mission to produce small batch premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay under his own label in his beloved Mornington Peninsula.
Barney loves the sub-regionality to be exploited in Mornington Peninsula, the slight alterations in aspect and soil profile within this small wine producing region provide him with the scaffolding around which he builds his stunning harem of small batch wines.
They are only ever made in small quantities so time is of the essence if you want to explore the world of Garagiste.
Photo Credit: Pinot Palooza
From The Producer
Barney Flanders doesn't make Le Stagiaire wines specifically for this label—all his ferments start out as potential single-vineyard wines, and the single-site-labelled wines are barrel selections, with the remaining wines bottled under this label. This gives us some idea of how he's able over-deliver, year in year out and, we might add that the wines that make up this terrific value Pinot could quite easily have been bottled as single-vineyard wines.
This year, Balnarring and Merricks make up the core of the blend, with a little whole-bunch (10%) on the Merricks adding lift and complexity. Across the blend, the grapes were sorted then mostly de-stemmed and fermented in concrete using indigenous yeast, with minimal hand-plunging and 22 days on skins. The wine was then aged for eight months on gross lees, in both hogsheads and foudre (five per cent new). Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
So crunchy and bright, there are tannins that are as delightful as they are surprising (structure is not usually found in Pinots from this area, particularly at this price point). The concentrated and plump fruit profile is present but does not give way to the inherent elegance and purity to be found. It has a pleasant mouthful, and its fleshy and an assertive acid line encourages you to revisit the glass with a frequency one should be wary of!
Blend : Pinot Noir (100%)
ABV : 12.80%
Closure : Screw Cap
Drink Until : 2030
Bottle Size : 750ml
Mornington Peninsula, VIC
- RRyknerVerified BuyerRated 4 stars2 years agoGood value
A well-balanced pinot noir
- HLHussle L.Verified ReviewerRated 4 stars2 years agoPretty as a picture
This is a tremendous Pinot. Very floral on the nose with classic strawberry characters. Lovely earthiness on the nose as it is is exposed to the environment. On the palate is lush berries and tar / earth with a hit of mineral. With an even balance of acidity, I’d anticipate will make this a dream in 2 - 3 years. I’ll buy more for sure! Whisky.Wine.Hussle
- SMStephen M.Verified BuyerRated 4 stars2 months agoSuperb value Pinot
There is no way you can go wrong with a bottle of this. Great price and great taste.
- JMJonathan M.Verified ReviewerRated 3 stars9 months agoSmooth but lacking flavour
I enjoyed the first taste, it was smooth, the tannins were not obvious, and it was an easy drinkable wine. However I thought it lacked depth and flavour.
- AAnonymousVerified BuyerRated 5 stars10 months agoDelicious
Easy drinking and grows in the glass!!
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