Seppelt Sunday Creek Pinot Noir 1999 (review)

84 points

Victoria, Australia. 13.5%

We bought several dozen of this wine when the brand was being shut down in one of many rationalisations by the Penfolds group. An awful blue label - perhaps not surprisingly this wine always was sold cheap, but in the end was sold off on special at a ridulously low A$8. Shortly after the subsequent vintage (which never saw the light of day under this brand) won some wine show trophies - which must have caused the marketing dept some heatache.

Now 6 years old the 1999 is surprisingly together (unusual for Australian Pinot Noir). Quite dark, with touch of brown rim. Soft yet varietal nose (some rose petals even). Rich quite forceful palate with a refreshing finish. It has fattened with age and is now the best bottles are quite solid burgundy. Odd bottles show excessive oxidation - this was before most 'downunder' pinot began being bottled with stelvin screwcap enclosures, this 1999 has a cheap cork.

For the price this wine is extraordinary value. And a sign perhaps that quality pinot noir can be made in some volume. Cheap quality Pinot may be possible.