Bellvale Pinot Noir 2019

"It's so inherently complex and just so good to drink. It's not a hearty Pinot Noir but it's a Pinot Noir with heart. Undergrowth, characteristically so. Fresh cherries. Sweet spices. It will obviously develop further from here but drink this now and you're winning."  Campbell Mattinson

"This classically-styled pinot noir shows upfront raspberry and wild strawberry notes with complex, savoury spices such as clove and anise. Well-proportioned oak frames the background of dense, dark plums, briar and blackberry fruit. The palate is full and balanced, with plenty of polished tannin and an excellent, upright structure carrying a dense core of powerful fruit. The wine builds to a crescendo on the finish, persisting with delicious loganberry and spice flavours. The balanced structure and fine tannins make this an excellent match with a broad range of foods."  Bellvale

Expert reviews

"This Bellvale Pinot Noir 2019 is one of the best $25 Pinot Noir you'll find in Australia. Period. Crucially, this packs an intensity that isn't normally found in $25 Pinot. Maybe Shiraz, but not expensive-to-produce, fickle, cool climate Pinot.

I credit the success here on the Ellis' dry-grown, high-density, mature Gippsland vineyard. It's clearly a prime block, the low yields delivering unwavering fruit intensity and wines that are probably too cheap in the scheme of thing.

Indeed this Pinot is sappy, mulchy and deadly serious. Pinosity plus. It's mushroomy, spicy, the fruit clear and present, but the savoury form and tannins so unlike your typical light and fruity wine. It could do with a smidgen more generosity through the middle, but not at the expense of depth. You can pay double the price and get less wine… Best drinking: now to six years."  Andrew Graham, Australian Wine Review - 92 points

"The vines for this Gippsland Pinot Noir are planted at 7100 vines per hectare. This is $25 well spent. I mean, really. It's not a profound wine but it's so inherently complex and just so good to drink. It's not a hearty Pinot Noir but it's a Pinot Noir with heart. Undergrowth, characteristically so. Fresh cherries. Sweet spices. It's frisky more than it is tangy. It will obviously develop further from here but drink this now and you're winning. Drink: 2020-2025+."  Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front - 92 points

"Pinot noir is a speciality at Bellvale, and this latest example has delicious varietal purity. Red cherry, almond, and lightly twiggy herbal notes meet the nose, unfussed and appetising. It's middling in body with juicy balance, silky mouth-feel, persistent flavour, and just enough gentle tannin to enhance textural interest. Drink 2020 to 2024."  Ralph Kyte-Powell, The Real Review – 91 points

About the winery 

Bellvale was established in 1998 by owner/winemaker/viticulturalist John Ellis. The 22 hectares of vineyards are situated in the hills just north of Leongatha, in the lush Tarwin River Valley of South Gippsland. This area is generally acknowledged as one of the country's leading Pinot Noir producing regions. The vineyards are planted to Pinot Noir (14ha), Chardonnay (6ha) and Pinot Grigio (2ha). The vines are dry grown and densely planted at 7100 vines per ha with 2 metre row spacing. 

John Ellis honed his passion for fine wine and viticulture over an extensive time spent in Europe. This included many trips to Burgundy, France, during his 25-year career as a commercial pilot. He chooses to uphold the traditional methods of the premium producers in Burgundy, where vine density is high and crop load limited to sacrifice quantity for quality. "Our vines have extensive and very deep root systems, which allow the fruit to more effectively express the terroir. I agree with the French that great wine is made in the vineyard.” says John. 

Bellvale wines flavour profiles present the full expression of a vineyard tended the artisan way. Its Pinot Noir is elegant and well-structured, featuring a powerful palate of rich, ripe black fruits, with a fine oak influence. Its cool-climate chardonnay is crisper, due to higher acidity, and tightly structured, with a well defined balance between fruit, secondary characters and integrated oak. And the Pinot Grigio is weighty and flavoursome with refreshing acidity.