2023 Mac Forbes Yarra Junction Village Pinot Noir

96 pts
Brisk and beautiful Pinot from the cool Yarra Junction sub region. Mac Forbes at his elegant best.

Price:
Sale price$62.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship, only 1 unit left
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Description

The  Yarra Junction Village Pinot Noir hails from one of the Yarra Valley’s higher and cooler sites. Located in a small, east-facing valley running from Yarra Junction to Poweltown, this vineyard benefits from grey loam soils with underlying silt and cooler winds from the Yarra River.

Protected by surrounding mountains, the site enjoys a late ripening season, resulting in grapes with thicker skins and higher acidity that translate into a Pinot Noir with remarkable structure and finesse.

This Pinot Noir is a study in contrasts—bright and aromatic with summer florals and fresh red berries, yet underpinned by a more serious, structured palate. The wine reveals a dense core of red fruits, complemented by a burst of blood orange and wrapped in tactile, mealy tannins. A hint of sappy spice lifts the finish, adding an extra layer of complexity to this already intriguing wine. The challenging vintage, marked by heavy rains and lower yields, has only intensified the depth and detail of this release from Mac.

This sang at a recent tasting, so high-toned, with some amaro/negroni twang. An exquisitely elegant wine, deft and flavoursome with bouncy red berry fruits, a nice herbal element, and Mac's typical pale, sensual palate.

96 points
"A bright ruby red. A core of red and black fruits laced with blood orange and a little spice. You barely notice the whole bunches. Really fresh and brightly structured on the palate. This will be a cracking wine in another six or so months."
- Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion)

 

96 points
"From a single vineyard planted in 1995. Made with 10–20% whole bunches and three to four weeks on skins before being pressed to seasoned barriques for 11 months. A bright ruby red. A core of red and black fruits laced with blood orange and a little spice. You barely notice the whole bunches. Really fresh and brightly structured on the palate. This will be a cracking wine in another six or so months."
- Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion)

Location:
This vineyard is east-facing within a smaller valley that runs from Yarra Junction to Poweltown in the south. The area features grey loam soils with underlying silt. Cooler winds from the Yarra River, combined with mountains to the north and southwest, provide protection from the hot afternoon sun during summer. The grapes typically ripen later, with thicker skins and higher acidity, resulting in an elegant structure with clean lines and powerful drive.

Tasting Notes:
Oh so pretty—bright with summer florals, fresh red fruits, and a burst of blood orange. The palate is more structured than the aromatics suggest, with a dense fruit core wrapped in tactile, mealy tannins, perfectly lifted on the finish by a hint of sappy spice. 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: 12.5%
Acidity: 5.7 g/L
pH: 3.55
Winemaking:

Soils: Grey loam soils with underlying silt
Fruit: 30% whole bunch, 15 days on skins in open fermenters
Yeast: Wild
Maturation: 9 months in small old oak
Fining: None
Filtration: None

Price Bracket $51 to $100
Type Red
Body Light Bodied
Variety Pinot Noir
Country Australia
Region Yarra Valley
Australian State VIC
Feature High Score
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
Critic Score 96
Size 750ml
Vintage 2023
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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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