2022 Mac Forbes Ferguson Vineyard Pinot Noir

96 pts NICK RYAN TOP 100
The most complete expression of Mac Forbes’ Pinot work – Ferguson shows why this small Woori Yallock site has become his flagship.

Price:
Sale price$110.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship, only 2 units left
Rendering loop-subscriptions

Description

If there’s one wine that sums up Mac Forbes’ work in the Yarra, it’s Ferguson Pinot. The block itself is tiny – just over a hectare – but it’s been at the heart of his single-vineyard story since 2012. South-facing, planted in ’95, it’s a site that naturally reins things in, giving fruit that’s detailed and structured rather than plush. Year after year, it’s the wine people look to as the benchmark of his style.

The 2022 season threw up its share of challenges – wet winter, tricky flowering, low yields – but the fruit that made it through had serious concentration. Mac kept the handling simple: wild ferments, around 30% whole bunches, and time in old oak. No tricks, just letting the vineyard carry the weight.

In the glass it’s layered without being heavy. Red fruits, spice, a little savoury earth, and a line and length of tannin that gives the wine shape without hard edges. A stunning Ferguson release here from Mac.

96 points
"There’s a polished clarity to this wine, a lack of distraction or adornment that shows every winemaking choice was the exact right one for wine’s needs, not the winemaker’s. It’s a very bearable lightness of being."
- Nick Ryan (Top 100 Wines of 2025)

96 points - "From the Ferguson vineyard, planted in '95 and dry farmed; 20% whole bunches. A light, bright garnet. Gently perfumed with aromas of red fruits and deep-in-the-woods mulch. Like many good pinots I've had over the years, there's a depth of fruit and complexity that defies the light colour and subtle scents. Detailed and fine boned. Forbes' wines are sometimes on the edge, taking them out of the mainstream, but they are definitely worthy of attention." - Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion)

96 points - "Top 100 Wines of 2025 Mac Forbes has always put site first. Whether it’s wines focusing on Yarra Valley “villages” or special single vineyards, he accentuates the personality of a place before his own. But sometimes you see the man in what he’s made, and you see him most clearly when you don’t see him at all. There’s a polished clarity to this wine, a lack of distraction or adornment that shows every winemaking choice was the exact right one for wine’s needs, not the winemaker’s. It’s a very bearable lightness of being." - Nick Ryan (The Weekend Australian)

"Another lean and racy pinot noir, this time more dark fruited though, despite the crunch and tight acid profile. Just-ripe cherry, pickled raspberries, blood orange, cumquat and a scree of dried, Italianate herbs. Tannins are refreshing and lend good shape. This feels more in the zone, a bit more pulp to play with. Elegant, refined, restrained (very). Long ageing ahoy!" - Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)

Vineyard
At 1.36ha, the Ferguson vineyard in Woori Yallock has been leased by Mac Forbes Wines since 2012. The south-facing aspect protects vines from hot northerly winds. Planted in 1995, this unique site produces outstanding fruit in both hot and cooler years, perfectly aligning variety with terroir.

Tasting Notes
Seductive aromatics of orange pith and rosella lead into black fruits and bramble, with a subtle hint of tobacco leaf. The palate has a strong core with long, silty tannins firming up on the finish. Mid-palate fruit is tightly packed, showing plum skin, goji, and raw spice. Whole-bunch fermentation adds freshness and complexity as the wine opens.
Recommendation: Decant before serving at 12–16°C.

Vintage
A wet winter followed by a wet spring created difficult flowering conditions and reduced yields. However, vigorous green canopies thrived in these conditions, especially in dry-grown vineyards. Agility was required to pick at the right times, but the resulting wines display excellent fruit quality and dense flavours.

Wine Analysis

Alc/Vol: 11.5%

Acidity: 6.0 g/L

pH: 3.75

Vineyard Details

Rootstock: Own roots

Clone: MV6

Planted: 1995

Soils: Grey loamy clay over siltstone

Density: 2.5m x 1.5m

Aspect: South-west

Elevation: 120m

Winemaking

Yeast: Wild

Fermentation: 16 days in open stainless fermenters, 30% whole bunch

Maturation: 11 months in small old oak

Fining: None

Filtration: None

Bottles Produced: 1,326

Price Bracket $101 and Above
Type Red
Body Light Bodied
Variety Pinot Noir
Country Australia
Region Yarra Valley
Australian State VIC
Feature High Score
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
The Wine Front
Critic Score 96
Alcohol 12.5%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2022
Closure Cork

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.

Others also liked

Recently viewed

Common Questions

Delivery is free on orders of $199 or more.

For orders under this amount, delivery is calculated at checkout based on your postcode. You can order in any quantity or combination of wines you like. Straight dozens are not required.

We will dispatch your order the same or next business day.

Estimated delivery transit time varies depending on your location. Please review this page for specific estimates.

No sorry we do not have a store front and pickup is not available.

Yes, no problem. When placing your order select ‘Store at Different Drop and Delivery Later’ as your shipping method or reply to the order confirmation email after placing your order with additional instructions.

We stock three different sized gift boxes (single, three bottle and six), all are available for purchase for a flat rate of $8. They look great and make an awesome impression.

To add a gift box to your order, simply add at checkout. The special requests box is your friend, please give us as many details of what you are looking for and we will try our best, or get in contact to discuss it with you. 

If you want to bulk order gifts or if you have any trouble please email hello@differentdrop.com or call and we can try and help.

 

Our warehouse is automated so unless you tell us otherwise, we will ship your order. If you would like us to hold your order please reply to the order confirmation email after placing your order and we are happy to store your order for up to 6 months at no charge. You can review our heat policy here.

Yes, of course. We want Different Drop customers to always be getting the best price. You can see our price match policy here.

No, feel free to mix it up! There is no minimum requirement. You can order wines in any quantity or combination, 1 or 50+ bottles.

No, all prices are set at the full discounted dozen rate already.

Most wine retailers list at a single-bottle price and then discount 10–15% when you buy six or twelve. We've taken the opposite approach. Since the overwhelming majority of our orders are already 6 bottles or more, our list price is set for the case buyer from the start. There's no inflated single-bottle price to discount down from.

What that means for you:

- One price, same for everyone — no minimum to hit to unlock the best rate
- No mixed-six gymnastics to qualify for a discount
- Our single-bottle price is typically at or below a traditional retailer's by-the-dozen rate

Put simply: the box discount is already baked into the price.

**And if you find it cheaper elsewhere?** Let us know. If the same wine is available at a lower price at another retailer (including at their mixed-six or by-the-dozen rate) we're happy to match it.

If you can't add more wine to your cart it means we are low on stock of that wine. For example, if you are only able to 3 bottles and no more that means we only have 3 bottles left of that wine. If it's a must have, please contact us and we may be able to order more in for you.

Regular Enquiries

Urgent Enquiries

02 8376 8775