Situated in Central Victoria (south of the Grampians and near the town of Hamilton) in the town of Tarrington you find Hochkirch wines, John & Jennifer Nagorcka’s family vineyard of 20 acres, was originally planted in 1990, after some early struggles the vineyard settled on a biodynamic approach to farming and have been using this method since 1999.
Today they have 14 acres of Pinot Noir growing across two sites in Hochkirch and Tarrington which is used to make three different releases The Tarrington Pinot Noir, The Hochkirch Village Pinot Noir and The Hochkirch Maximus Pinot Noir.
The continue the biodynamic ethos with a fundamentally natural process of vinification, this method delivers fruit with better phenolic maturity at lower sugar levels and with a better acid balance. As a result they only use natural yeasts, the reds fermented in open vats and then have a long post ferment maceration. They are then stored in mainly old French oak for 15 months and bottled unfiltered under gravity.
“It’s kind of understated but also offers layers and layers of complexity. Symphonic. Scents are sweet fruited, spicy, herbal, faintly meaty and nutty, flavours similarly so with fine tannins in a sheath lending gentle pucker and tension. It’s sits in the palate with ultimate palate-refreshing succulence, persistence and detail. Magnificent wine that topples the standard bearers, this is the real deal, honest, pure, fleshy and rich with the grape variety’s best attributes on show.“ Rating: 96 Points. Mike Bennie. The Wine Front.
The Hochkirch Maximus 2020 Pinot Noir starts out quite mild in the glass, there is bouquet but it takes time to grow and expand on the palate. There is sweetness and a herbaceous, slightly funky sour on the front palate and long smooth but still quite complex flavours on the back palate. As it develops in the glass the perfume and flavours really stand out it is fleshy and chewy and delicious.
Awards and Reviews
- 96/100 Points – Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
- 94/100 Points – Huon Hooke, The Real Review
- 94/100 Points – Almanak
$60 AUD