Hillcrest Vineyard Wines

With Paul Ippolito

Hillcrest Vineyard is an excellent boutique winemaking operation situated in the Yarra Valley of Victoria that is carving out a well deserved reputation for high quality Old World influenced wines. 

Their wines caught my eye last year and I was impressed with the quality of all three wines released at that time - the Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, and now the the new 2004 releases are out on the market.

You see both David and Tanya Bryant, the owners of Hillcrest Vineyard have set out to combine the best of the Old and New Worlds in their wines to produce distinctive Australian wines that reflect their origins. Their commitment to exceptional standards in wine production is evidenced by their having one of Australia's most respected winemakers, Phillip Jones, produce their wines for them. Together this team produces quite a minuscule 400 cases.

I got to try these 2004 releases recently and I can thoroughly recommend all of them with the seriously good Premium Pinot Noir being my pick and really just a sensational wine.Here are my thoughts on the range;

Chardonnay 2004 - A gorgeous mid lemon yellow colour. You get classic white peach aromas with hints of tropical fruit. This is a complex and elegant wine with lovely uplifting fresh acidity. All of this leads to a well balanced style meshing the fruit, acidity and oak beautifully together in balance and harmony. One classy wine follows with a long lingering and creamy finish. 

Overall quite delicious and good value at around $37. Should cellar 3-5 years and worth a try with prawn and mushroom risotto.

Estate Pinot Noir 2004 - Reddish crimson in colour, this is young, floral and fragrant in its aroma delivery. Lovely fresh strawberries, resplendent raspberries and deep sour cherries all flow through. Some hints of gameyness and cinnamon add to the wine's complexity. Medium bodied, silky in finish with dominant strawberries on the palate. 

Purity of fruit emanates all the way onto the finish. Try this with BBQ swordfish with char grilled vegetables. At around $33, this is good value. Have now and over the next 3-4 years.

Premium Pinot Noir 2004 - The Bryant's are delivering very good Pinot Noir to us. No easy feat given what a finicky grape variety it is to grow and make. This one is classically varietal in composition and just quietly one superb wine. Cherry garnet red in colour. Quite floral and fragrant yet complex as well. Deep red cherries, earthy characters, hints of forest floor and truffles all abound from the nose in what is a fruit driven style of Pinot Noir. Lively, vibrant and fruity. Soft yet with a good solid acid backbone. Fine tannins with youthful rounded fruit flavours - think cherry and plums. Try over 5- 7 years plus with some spicy lamb rissoles. A really beautiful drinking wine at around $48.

Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - Deep dark purple crimson, it is still in its infancy in terms of its development yet it is drinking well now. Enticing and inviting with lots of ripe blackcurrants with deep dark cherries that makes for fragrant aromas. Quite spicy fruit, concentrated, persistent and delicious to savour. Smooth, soft and well rounded on the palate with the black fruits carrying through well and in sync with the cedary oak and coffee mocha nuances. 

Black olives, mulberries and a hint of aniseed on the finish. Drinking well with lamb cutlets, this is a very-good-drink-now proposition but one that should also develop over the next 5-6 years. Well priced at around $37. A very nice wine.

In summary, this is a winery to put firmly on the "winery watch" list and is certainly one for the wine loving purists who enjoy their Australian wines made in a manner that retains traditional winemaking values yet also with a typically Australian focus on purity and freshness of fruit character. 

I urge you to check out their web site at www.hillcrestvineyard.com.au

Paul can be contacted by email at Paul_Ippolito@hotmail.com where you can also request to be placed on his mailing list for his wine newsletter.

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