31 December 2014

WoTM - Topper's Mountain 2010



My Wine of the Month for December is Topper's Mountain 2010 Wild Ferment Pinotage  from the  New England appellation of New South Wales, Australia.

I had a too brief taste of this wine in September at the international Pinotage tasting I presented in Toronto, but this time I was able to give it my full attention. I bought a bottle of 2009 and 2010 vintage which I had couriered to my Sydney hotel. Thanks to BYO enjoyed it with dinner in Annie’s Kitchen restaurant on Coogee Beach. 
On first taste the 2010 is a lighter style of Pinotage with cherry notes but there’s a meaty herbal body with violet hints. There are soft tannins in the background and a touch of dark chocolate.

This wine grows on one as it develops in the glass and it has a persistent finish, leaving lingering cherry flavours. Really delicious complex wine. 

The wine was fermented using only the wild vineyard years and traditionally fined with isinglass. Only 700 bottles were produced.

Topper's Mountain are cool-climate vineyards planted on red volcanic soils at a altitude of 900 metres. Mark Kirby is the owner and vigneron and the winemaker is Mike Hayes.


Topper's Mountain 2010 Wild Ferment Pinotage 
abv: 14%
Cost: $32 AUD
No. 337 of 700 individually numbered bottles.

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