The
wines of Pirie, Tasmania
Website: www.pirietasmania.com.au
Dr Andrew Pirie
(right) is famous for setting up Pipers
Brook,
which for a long time was the most famous Tasmanian winery. Notably,
he obtained the first Australian PhD in viticulture. Indeed, it was
this PhD that led him to Tasmania, which he concluded had the most
Burgundian climate of all sites in Australia.
His involvement there in 2002 after almost 30 years, and now he’s busy with
Tamar Ridge, a new big player on the Tasmanian
wine scene, which also involves famous viticulturalist Richard
Smart.
But
in addition to the Tamar Ridge wines, Pirie is making his own range of Tassie wines, under the Pirie
Tasmania label. I first tried them in October 2005 (see notes below),
and then revisited a fuller selection from the range more recently.
The quality is consistently high, with the cool Tasmanian climate
delivering fresh, pure fruit flavours. Most impressive of the lot is
the Estate Pinot Noir.
An academic at heart, Andrew Pirie is currently writing
a book about terroir, which he reckons will be out in 2010. It will no
doubt be worth reading.
UK importer is Stratfords Wine Agencies (www.stratfordwine.co.uk)
Pirie South Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Rounded and classy with a hint of greenness. Nice stuff, with
sophistication. Ripe and classy. 89/100
Pirie South Riesling 2006
Attractive dry style of Riesling with crisp, rounded lemony fruit.
Nice balance. 87/100
Pirie South Pinot Gris 2007
Brightly fruited and quite fresh. 88/100
Pirie South Chardonnay 2005
Fresh intense toasty nose with some buttery notes. Nice freshness
to the palate which is bright and nutty. Delicious. 88/100
Pirie South Pinot Noir 2005
Lovely bright cherry and berry fruit nose is quite aromatic. The
palate is fresh and pure with well-defined berry fruit. An expressive
wine. 89/100
Pirie Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Bright, fresh and a bit grassy. A sophisticated style with real
refinement. 90/100
Pirie Estate Riesling 2005
Intense, limey, honeyed nose. Aromatic and full. The palate is
rounded with some fresh fruity notes. Quite an elegant style. 89/100
Pirie Estate Chardonnay 2005
Broad and bold with a nice intensity to the nutty, fruity palate.
Mealy and rich: a refined wine. 90/100
Pirie Estate Gewurztraminer 2006
Very perfumed with fresh grape and lychee notes. The brightly
fruited palate has some attractive sweetness. 88/100
Pirie Estate Pinot Noir 2005
Dark, bright, pure cherryish fruit dominates here, with a spicy
edge. There’s some savoury complexity. Generous and supple with
lovely spiciness under the elegant fruit. Quite serious. 92/100
Pirie Estate Pinot Noir 2004
A cooler year. Brooding berryish nose. The palate has nice purity
and structure. Quite tight berry fruits here, but with some nice fruit
sweetness. A balanced, elegant style. 90/100
wines
tasted 09/07
Earlier notes:
Pirie South Riesling 2005 Tasmania
Lovely open sweet lemony, floral (honeysuckle) nose. There’s a
bit of spice in the background. The palate is rounded with soft lemony
fruit backed up by good acidity. Some sweetness, but the balance is
great. A really expressive wine that would work well with spicy food.
More residual sugar than is normal in Aussie Riesling. Very good+
89/100
Pirie South Pinot Noir 2004 Tasmania
Vibrant cherry red colour. Bright, forward, cherryish nose is
juicy and inviting, like a good Beaujolais. The palate shows clear,
pure, fresh red berry and cherry fruit, with good acidity. It’s
fresh and juicy, and easy drinker. Very good+ 86/100 (£7.99 Waitrose)
Pirie Estate Pinot Noir 2004 Tasmania
Tight, savoury cherry berry and spice flavours dominate here, in
this nicely structured wine. It’s quite perfumed on the nose with
some sweet black fruits. There’s savoury, spicy structure and a hint
of earthiness. Tight at the moment with good acid. All the components
are there for a bright future. Very good/excellent 90/100
Wines tasted 10/05
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these wines with wine-searcher.com
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