Imagine life with a personal sommelier. No more wandering the aisles of Dan Murphy’s selecting wine based purely on label aesthetics, or wondering which $20 bottle of shiraz will get you the best bang for your buck. No more doosey bottles, but rather, perfect wine all the time suited to your personal tastes.
We got the full sommelier experience at the Explore Pinot Lunch hosted by Vinified Wine Services and Lamaro’s Hotel.
I’ve taken a few wine courses, and even attended Pinot Palooza. I am no wine expert, just a keen pinot enthusiast who is always eager to learn more, and the Explore Pinot lunch was the perfect opportunity. Vinified is a personal wine consulting service specialising in cellar consultations, wine education, and of course providing you with your very own sommelier.
We were in good hands with Vinified Director, Luke Campbell. Luke spoke on wine making strategies, regional influences, and even told stories about the winemakers themselves. By the end of the session, he knew everyone’s name and personal taste preferences!
Luke explained that pinot is a very versatile grape and most can be broken into two categories; light with red fruit and cherry characteristics, or more voluptuous with spicy and savoury dark fruit characteristics. We tasted wines from both categories side by side to determine our specific palate preferences. I’m a spicy dark fruit kinda girl!
We got up close and personal with ten pinots all paired with signature dishes from Lamaro’s menu. The afternoon sent us on a round-the-world tasting journey visiting wines from the Yarra Valley, New Zealand, the United States, and Burgundy.
Here are some of my top pinot picks from the afternoon. Many can be purchased from Vinified themselves!
- The Bone Line Pinot Noir 2016 Waimanu/Canterbury, New Zealand – sultry dark fruit, oaky tones, and a full flavoursome body with a smooth finish. ($60 RRP)
- Santolin ‘Gladysdale’ Pinot Noir 2016, Yarra Valley – a lighter, fruitier option with mild spice and moderate complexity. ($50 RRP)
- Hurley Vineyards ‘Garamound’ Pinot Noir 2016, Mornington Peninsula – these guys focus exclusively on pinot noir and have certainly mastered the art! This little baby packs a spicy peppery punch, whilst going down very smoothly. ($85 RRP)
One day I aspire to have a vast wine collection and my very own cellar. Until then, I’ll stick to personal recommendations from my very own sommelier.
The Explore Pinot Lunch took place on 30 March, however, Vinified has an upcoming Secrets of Cellaring Secrets of Cellaring event on 31 August, which explores cellaring methods and compares aged vs. new release wines. Get your tickets here.
– Ember Mitchell
Ember is an American turned Aussie. Her love affair with Melbourne goes back five years, and she still can’t get enough of this city! Discovering new hideouts and hidden gems around Melbourne is her hobby. Marketing Strategist by day, spontaneous adventurer, brekky enthusiast, and aerial acrobat by night.
An afternoon with our very own sommelier and a chance to get up close and personal with ten pinots from around the globe.
