Drinks of the Month

Lethbridge Ménage a Noir Geelong Pinot Noir 2010

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on February 1 2014 at 10:57

This week’s wine highlight was the Australia Day tasting which seems to get better every year. I could have picked out a whole load of interesting bottles but this came from the producer who made the biggest impact on me, Lethbridge of Geelong

Most stockists have it around £23 a bottle - £23.09 Noel Young Wines, £23.50 at Eton Vintners but I found it for £19.95 online at Quality Wines of Somerset and at allaboutwine.co.uk for £19.99. Still not exactly cheap but that’s true of almost all the better Aussie wines these days and there are plenty of pinots which would cost more and deliver much, much less.

It’s fine textured and silky with some lovely delicate red berry fruit (but by no means a fruit bomb) and with enough structure to support a good steak. Interestingly it turns out to be biodynamic as I often find the wines I most enjoy are these days (but not sulphur-free, I'm pretty sure).

If I’d been able to I might well have singled out the equally delicious Lethbridge chardonnay which doesn’t seem to be on sale in the UK yet but since winemaker (and former neuroscientist) Ray Nadeson was at the tasting in person hopefully there will be enough demand for it to make it available in the not-too-distant future.

There’s also an attractive, citrussy off-dry riesling too (Dr Nadeson riesling) of the style I’ve recommended with a Chinese New Year feast this weekend. If you live in Oz can buy it for around 30 AD (£16).

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