Helen's Hill Estate Long Walk Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012

Helen's Hill is a 150 acre property in Coldstream with some of the finest views of the Yarra Valley. The 'Long Walk' Pinot Noir is made primarily from carefully selected rows in the largest block of Pinot Noir on the property. Each of the 120 rows is 520 metres long, so when tending the vines one is in for a long walk! Comprising three clones, all from old vines; MV6 forms the backbone of the wine and is complimented by D4V5 Pommard clone and Dijon Clone 115.

The last nine vintages of the Long Walk Pinot Noir (vintages 2012 to 2021) have all received a Special Value Star ★ in the Halliday Wine Companion. The Long Walk must surely rival the Hoddles Creek Estate Pinot Noir as the best value Pinot Noir to come out of the Yarra Valley.

"Medium weight, plums and cherries, good acid cut and attack with fine but firm powdery tannin framing up the wine beautifully. Muscular and intense, but not without charm. Long finish. Ooomph and chutzpah. Carries it off with style."  Gary Walsh

Expert reviews

"The colour is even deeper than that of its Ingram Rd sibling; it is packed with luxurious dark cherry and plum fruit running in an unbroken stream through the bouquet, palate, finish and aftertaste. Exceptional pinot noir, and will hit the heights over the next 5+ years. Drink by 2022."  James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion - 97 points and Special Value Wine ★ 

"Proprietor Allan Nalder is, and I think rightfully, excited by the contribution his Pommard clones are making to Helen's Hill Pinot Noir. Dark cherries, musk, spice and vanilla wood – fetching sort of earthy minerality here too. Medium weight, plums and cherries, good acid cut and attack with fine but firm powdery tannin framing up the wine beautifully. Muscular and intense, but not without charm. Long finish. Ooomph and chutzpah. Carries it off with style. Drink: 2014-2020+."  Gary Walsh, The Wine Front - 93 points

Awards

Special Value Wine – Halliday Wine Companion  ★ 

About the winery

In 1997, the Nalder and McIntosh families purchased a 150 acre property in Coldstream with some of the finest views of the Yarra Valley and replanted the existing orchard as a vineyard. Today 110 acres are under vine.

The story of Helen's Hill began long before a vine was ever planted in Coldstream. It's a story of two families with a shared love of farming and wine. Having been dragged away from the land to careers in medicine and finance, they always yearned to return to a life they loved. So when they inspected a property now known as Helen's Hill Estate in 1996, they decided it was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

The former owner John Frazer, a businessman working in Collins Street, proposed marriage in the 1950s to a young lady by the name of Helen. Helen agreed but on one condition; John had to buy a farm as Helen longed for a life on the land. John bought land in the Yarra Valley and the couple lived on the farm and started a family. Tragically, Helen was diagnosed with cancer and passed away, leaving John and two very young children to carry on. While showing Allan Nalder and Andrew McIntosh around the estate some 40 years later, John recalled a number of incidents – "this is where Helen bogged the tractor", "this is where Helen planted our first apple tree" and "this is where Helen…" At the completion of the inspection when they were standing atop the highest hill enjoying the views of the Yarra Valley, John recalled that in her last weeks Helen would love nothing more than to sit on this hill and look out over the sweeping farmland. He said, "This was Helen's Hill."

The new owners had a Helen in the family too, so the name 'Helen's Hill' seemed like the perfect name for their vineyard and winery.

Helen's Hill specialize in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. 65 acres of pinot noir are planted to MV6, 114, 115 and a Pommard clone, while 16 acres of chardonnay are planted to PEN58, P76 and Mendoza clones. In addition, there are smaller plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. The vineyard has a number of hills running through the property with different soil types and micro climates, which allow the different grape varieties to flourish.

"It's no coincidence we are where we are. We scoured Coldstream in the Yarra Valley to find the perfect site. We were looking for three things - hills, microclimates and the iconic Yarra Valley soil.

The combination of these three factors is why we chose Helen's Hill to put down our roots, as we knew this climate would make our wines truly interesting and unique to others in the region. To this day, these factors define us and the wines we produce.

The French call it terroir. We call it Helen's Hill."  Helen's Hill