Bindi Releases Its Big Guns From Vintage 2019

The juice goes to barrel straight from the press tray, with no additions of yeast, nutrients or enzymes. Once the juice is in barrel a small amount of sulphur is added and then we wait, usually about five days, for the fermentation to begin. The wine spent 11 months on yeas lees in French barrels, of which 30% are new, and was bottled in early March.

This Quartz 2019, from our 1988 planting, is bright and fresh with blossom, lemon and wet stone/chalky aromas. There are delicate savoury, mealy lees elements. The palate is vigorous and lively, harmonious with a long, elegant, textured finish. It really is very finely poised and flowing. As has proven to be the way, another five years will see it enter it’s prime and it will improve well and drink deliciously for over ten years. Michael Dhillon, Winemaker

Taken from vines planted in 1988, when Pinot Noir and Chardonnay replaced sheep as the main focus of the farm at Bindi. Fruit here is deeply concentrated, as it is most years. The wine had a rich core of spiced cherry, plum, black cherry and fig. Tannins and present but reasonably soft, with further complexity gained through wet soil and black earth. History shows this wine gets better and better with time in the bottle, as primary fruit gradually fades and tertiary notes become more prominent. Cellar this if you can and you’ll thank yourself down the track. – Ches Cook, FWC.

A small proportion of whole bunches (5%) are included in the vats with the majority of the fruit being de-­stemmed but not crushed. A small amount of sulphur is added on the first day and the ambient yeast takes about four days to begin the fermentation. This wine will spend 15 months in French barrels, of which 25% are new, and bottling will take place late May. The 2019 Original Vineyard, planted in 1988, is a deep, fragrant, earthy, spicy wine;; deeper than is usual for Original Vineyard. It has rich and sweet red and dark cherry, red currant and fresh herb aromas. It is already very complex and has the hallmark perfume and finesse of this site . The palate is initially fresh and supple then the tannin builds with the fruit richness for a silky, balanced, fresh and very, very long finish. This wine will live and improve for decade and well beyond. This is the wine, of those that we make, we most often choose to open at home. Michael Dhillon, Winemaker.

Quite a different wine to Original, and it must be said, a decent step up. Where Original is deep and powerful, Block 5 is more red-fruited and energetic. Fruit here is more elevated and high-toned with a real liveliness to it. It seems more ‘wild’, showing strawberry, raspberry and a cranberry bite. Dried stalk and dried pine needle sit nicely in the background along with a dusting of earth and spice. It’s very aromatic and holds a lot of prettiness on the nose and palate which successfully masks it powerful foundations.  – Ches Cook, FWC.

A small proportion of whole bunches (5%) are included in the vats with the majority of the fruit being de-­stemmed but not crushed. A small amount of sulphur is added on the first day and the ambient yeast takes about four days to begin the fermentation. This wine will spend15 months in French barrels, of which 30% are new, and bottling will take place late May. The 2019 Block 5 is typical of this vineyard, established in 1992, showing layers of earth, spice, red and dark berries with a flamboyance and depth that puts it up with the very best Block 5 wines produced since 1996. The palate is fresh and supple, intense, vibrant, chewy, rich, perfumed, complex and satisfying. The dialed up intensity and power all containedwithin the harmonious framework tells of a wine that will reward 15 plus years of cellaring but, satisfyingly, will drink beautifully at any stage of its life. Sadly, production was 30% down in 2019 and 50% down in 2020. Michael Dhillon, Winemaker.

As is normal, each barrel was filled directly from the press tray and a small amount of So2 was added. The wild yeast generally take five days to begin to ferment the sugars and most barrels took five to six weeks to complete the fermentation. The wine spent 11 months in barrel. Every so often we fall in love with a particular wine. Of course we enjoy and admire each of the wines in every year for their personality and delicious nature but every so often there's a wine that really captures our affection. The 2019 Kostas Rind Chardonnay is one such wine. This wine gives and hides, has forward characters and as well as restraint. There are the usual floral and blossom aromas mixed with citrus, spice and chalkiness. There is a lovely depth of stone fruit concentration. The palate is initially supple then intensifies and brightens and has beautiful texture, harmony and length. It really is very delicious! This is the 29th wine from this vineyard (Est. 1988) and we can comfortably say it will improve for six to ten years and drink well over a 15 to 20 year window. Michael Dhillon, Bindi

A bottle of this was opened all of 2 hours after the wine arriving into stock. It’s a Chardonnay to contemplate and to watch evolve over time in the glass. Certainly over the few hours we had it open, the wine revealed itself more and more and changed shape (with temperature also playing an important role). There is a lot going on here: white flowers and some citrus on the nose, a palate of crackling acidity and nerve, some stone fruit, and then layer upon layer of meal, oat and nut. It has a deep concentration and an effortless delivery of flavour.  Ches Cook, FWC.

A more relaxed feel to Kostas Rind from this release. Lots of interest, just this textural feel that I haven’t seen for a while. Lovely stuff. Supple and mellow in its vibe but dances with its light and lacy flavours and pretty scents. Lots of just-ripe stone fruit, lemon balm, soft talc-like minerally characters, faint Parisian almond and halva with a building core of grapefruity acidity that rolls long through the cool and brittle-bright finish. It’s gentle in a way, speaks softy, a little unassured, let’s say. In all that, a comforting, gentle approach and gigantic appeal; this misses nothing in its roll call of detail. Very good drinking, even right now. 95 Points – Mike Bennie, The Wine Front. Drink 2020-2028. 

The 2019 Dixon spent 11 months in barrel and was bottled in early March. This is a deep and layered Dixon, a composition from the original 1988 planting and the 2001 Kaye vineyard. It is very youthful and ideally needs six to twelve months bottle age. At this point it is most delicious on the second and third days after opening. There are layers of red and dark berries intermixed with spices, earth and flint. There are delicious floral and undergrowth nuances that rise with breathing. The palate is powerful and full with ripe, smooth tannins and gentle acidity keeping the fruit bright and the palate clean and balanced. The first wine from these areas was in 2004 and it and the subsequent wines are all delicious to drink today. So, when is best to drink this wine? A glass today, two tomorrow and two the next day. Or from mid 2021 and beyond. Michael Dhillon, Bindi

Michael’s note above pretty much sums this wine up perfectly. There is plenty of weight and body to this Pinot with a core of clean, dark berried fruit. It carries spice with an aperol/amoro kicker and will be a wine that lives for 15-20 years. Older examples out of dad’s cellar always blow us away, especially considering this is Michael’s ‘entry level’ Pinot…  Ches Cook, FWC.

The Wine Formerly Known As Composition. I do like the personalisation of the wines, increasingly, from Bindi. Vigneron Michael Dhillon does few actions without meaning. It’s a mix of declassified Original and new K Block fruit. I tried all four (new) pinot noir releases blind, initially, and Dixon was very, very impressive. Indeed, when I showed the wines to others, this was the one drunk the most, even with Block 5 in the mix. It invites you into a sense of gusto. It’s a forward and obvious wine but inviting and delicious. Chock full of dark cherry, kirsch, bay leaf and anise, layered with light clove and cedar character and feeling proud, full and generous. It sits on the palate with generosity but freshness, slick texture, a fresh, minerally, cool finish with a roll of chompy tannin. It feels prouder and bolder than most Bindi wines, but it finds easy communion with pleasure. 94 Points – Mike Bennie, The Wine Front. Drink 2020-2030.