Editors notes
2018 was a bit kinder to us in terms of Pinot Noir quantity. Our low-yielding front
block managed to produce a few more bunches than in years past, as did the fruittree block. But it was the mature vines – our unknown clone of Pinot that was planted in the early 1970s - that stood out. We always attribute our Pinot fragrance to this mature, and the 2018 shows this. It’s a wine with dark
berry and cherry fruit purity, with underlying ripe, fine tannins that give the wine a terrific finish.
More like the 2016 Lily than the heftier 2017, this is a wine with lovely perfume and elegant
mouthfeel. – Maryann Egan
Details
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Wine Type
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Oak Type
Tasting Profile
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Light (Light)Full (Full)
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Low Tannin (Low Tannin)Tannic (Tannic)
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Sweet (Sweet)Dry (Dry)
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Low Acidity (Low Acidity)High Acidity (High Acidity)
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Aroma
- Earthy
- Herbal
- Red Fruits
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Palate
- Cedar
- Red Cherry
- Strawberry
Food Pairings
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Poultry
Critic Scores & reviews
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Gary Walsh
93"Maryann Egan, who I’ve met a few times now, is one of the better people in the world of wine. Not to say that makes a difference to what’s in the bottle, though at whiles I like to dream that good character could perhaps be osmotic… Cherry cola, creamy spicy oak, dried mint. Medium bodied, lovely fine silty tannin provides traction, even acidity, poached spiced strawberries, shines on the finish with a pretty perfume and dried herb, and carries long. It’s a light wine of substance, if that makes sense. Easy to like."
Other vintages
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Locations
Australia
Australia's wine industry is a thriving part of the country's economy, contributing significantly to employment, production, export, and tourism. In fact, the industry is the fourth-largest wine exporter in the world, shipping out 760 million liters of wine to countries including France, Italy, Spain, and the UK. One of the key factors contributing to Australia's success as a "New World" wine producer is the formal export and marketing of its wines through Wine Australia.
Australia's wine regions are scattered across the south and southeast, with almost every state boasting its own vineyards. Victoria, for example, is home to an impressive 21 wine regions. Some of the most famous wine regions in Australia include Margaret River, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Eden Valley, Clare Valley, Hunter Valley, Yarra Valley, and local regions to New South Wales such as Cowra, Southern Highlands, and Mudgee.
Australian winemakers are known for producing a diverse range of grape varieties, with Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir being among the most popular. They tend to focus on producing wines that are ripe, fruit-forward, and easy to drink, using modern winemaking techniques and equipment such as stainless steel tanks and temperature-controlled fermentation.
With its bold, fruit-driven flavors and reputation for quality and diversity, Australian wine has become a popular choice for wine lovers around the world. And with such a broad range of wine regions and grape varieties, there's something for every palate to enjoy.
Victoria
The wine region of Victoria has the highest number of grapevines than any other state in Australia. It is home to over 600 wineries and well-known regions such as Yarra Valley, Heathcote, and Rutherglen. Victoria is situated in the southeastern corner of Australia where due to the location, the climate has a cool maritime influence and is known for its outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, along with producing Australia’s most famed dessert Muscat and Topaque wines.
There are a number of different terroir levels throughout the wine region of Victoria which leads to the production of different ranges of wines. In the southern region of Victoria, the vines are regulated by the cool winds of the Bass Strait. Central Victoria consists of mostly flat terrain that tends to be drier and warmer than the rest of Victoria, which results in more fruit concentrated wines. It may be surprising to note that Victoria is the third most productive wine region in Australia, seeing as it does not have as many areas suitable for viticulture, which has resulted in the cellar door culture of Victoria being concentrated with smaller, but more personal boutique wineries.
Yarra Valley
The Yarra Valley is a wine region known for producing outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The region has become a leading wine tourism destination, popular for weekend trips as it is located only an hour’s drive northeast of Melbourne.
The cool climate region has some of the oldest soils in the world, and produces terrific Chardonnays in the leaner, acid-driven style. Long gone are the days of excessively oaked and oily Chardonnays. Superb Pinot Noir is cultivated with tremendous results. Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc and even Sparkling wines of premium quality are also worth seeking out.
Yarra Valley is the oldest wine region in Victoria with the first vines planted in 1838 at Yering Station. Reg Egan founded the iconic Wantirna Estate in 1963, followed by Dr Bailey Carrodus in 1969 who founded equally lauded Yarra Yering in the foot of the Warramate Hills. Nowadays a fleet of new world wine makers and growers are making sure Yarra Valley stays at the forefront of Victorian wine production. Key wineries to look out for are Mayer, William Downie and Macforbes.
The region in 2009 suffered in the Black Saturday fires, with an estimated 25% of all production was impacted.
About the brand Wantirna Estate
Wantirna Estate Vineyard is located just outside of Melbourne, Victoria in a town of the same name. Founded by Reg and Bertina Egan in 1963, Wantirna Estate was the first of the new generation vineyards planted outside the region of the Yarra Valley. This was a new adventure for Reg, a Melbourne lawyer who in 1984, gave up his law practice to focus solely on viticulture and winemaking. After a vintage in Burgundy, Reg and Bertina's daughter Maryann Egan studied oenology at Charles Sturt University and is currently the head winemaker in addition to being an accomplished wine writer. Early plantings included a mixed bag of Italian and Spanish varieties, however in the 1970s, the land was replanted to focus on more familiar grape varietals such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for single vineyard wines and Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot for Bordeaux blends. Much of the current Cabernets and Merlot are part of the original 1963 plantings.
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