Innocent Bystander Pinot Noir 2021 ~ Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia

94/100 The Age Epicure
93/100 James Halliday
Bronze - Huon Hooke (2020 vintage)
90/100 Wine Enthusiast (2019 Vintage)
90/100 Stuart Knox (2019 Vintage)
Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards (2019 Vintage)
Bronze - Campbell Mattison (Halliday) (2019 Vintage)
Bronze - Wine Spectator (2019 Vintage)
Bronze - Ned Goodwin MW (Halliday) (2018 Vintage)
Bronze - Wine Enthusiast (2018 vintage)
Bronze - Robert Parker (2018 vintage)
Bronze - The Wine Front (2018 vintage)
Bronze - Wine Spectator (2018 vintage)
Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards (2018 vintage)
91/100 James Suckling (2017 vintage)
91/100 James Halliday (2017 vintage)
Bronze - Wine Spectator (2017 vintage)
Bronze - Wine Enthusiast (2017 vintage)
Bronze - Wine Spectator (2017 vintage)
Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards (2017 vintage)

Silver - Rutherglen Wine Show
Bronze - Royal Hobart Wine Show
Commended - International Wine Challenge (2018 vintage)
Silver - The TEXSOM International Wine Awards (2017 vintage)
Wine Spectator Top 100 #54 (2016 vintage)
Bronze - 2016 Royal Melbourne Wine Show Awards (2016 vintage)
Silver - The TEXSOM International Wine Awards (2015 vintage)
Silver - The TEXSOM International Wine Awards (2014 vintage)
Silver - International Wine Challenge (2012 vintage)

The Age Epicure "As Australian pinor noir vines mature, as winemakers grow more adept at handling this capricious grape and as consumers seek easy-drinking, non-aggresive reds, local pinots get better...Most of the Frenchies were dried out, fruitless and seriously unexciting, while the best plump-fruited, juicy Aussies were delicious. Innocent Bystander is a good example. Like a Down Under Cru Beaujolais in style, it is afforadable, aromatic with sour cherry, plum, spice and floral notes, light but intense and lingering, succulent, silky and soft in tannins."

James Halliday "Very good clear crimson-purple; red and black cherry fruit leaps from the glass on the first whiff and first taste; a high quality pinot from a very good vintage that is all about varietal fruit, with enough spice and oak to satisfy all comers."

Winemaking "An excellent vintage for Pinot Noir in both the upper and lower Yarra Valley. The 2021 vintage saw a lot of rain leading up to harvest. The sun broke out in February keeping things dry and the temperatures stayed mild leading to high fruit flavour and excellent acidity."

Huon Hooke "Medium to light, bright ruby colour, with a strong tint of purple. The aroma is youthful and reductive, showing straightforward cherry fruit, which is echoed on the palate. It's bright and fresh in the mouth, with simple primary cherry character and a sheen of firm, drying tannins to conclude. Basic pinot, quite well done." (2020 vintage)

Wine Enthusiast "Quiet at first, this wine needs plenty of swirling before it unfolds aromas of cherry, plum, crushed stone and whiffs of roasting herbs, spice and black olive. The palate is more powerful than the nose lets on, thanks to tightly wound, talc-like tannins. Brambly fruit is laced with spice. Drink now with decanter and a meal at the ready or wait until 2025. Christina Pickard" (2019 vintage)

Stuart Knox "Quite deep ruby core. Black cherries, cola and cinnamon spices on the nose. Rich black fruits and soft tannins make for a very plush feel to the palate. It flows well with layers of sweet spices highlighted by a fine-boned acid line. Delivering great drinking at this price point" (2019 vintage)

Campbell Mattinson (Halliday) "Light and energetic and not a lot more. Cherry and twiggy-spice notes run busily through the palate, a (very) gentle bitterness appearing on the finish. Dry. Quaffable." (2019 vintage)

Wine Spectator "Aromatic, with floral, herbal and tea notes that balance out the tangy red fruit flavors, followed by firm tannins on the finish. Drink now. 450 cases imported. — MW" (2019 vintage)

James Suckling "A soft and fun pinot with dried strawberries and hints of cedar and fresh herbs. Medium body. Fine, round tannins. Delicious aftertaste. Drink now. Screw cap." (2018 vintage)

Robert Parker " The 2018 Pinot Noir comes out of the bottle a bit tarry, so give it a quick splash into a decanter to give it some air. Beyond those dark aromas, this supple, medium-bodied wine hints at raspberries and confected cherries before finishing with some more earthy, savory tones. For $20, it's a decent Pinot, which is more than you can say about many at this price." (2018 vintage)

Wine Enthusiast "This is a ripe and somewhat reductive Pinot. It eventually opens with time in glass, revealing red fruit wrapped in lots of oak spice. The fruit on the palate sits a bit heavily and tannins are lean and astringent, emphasizing the oak particularly at the finish. This straightforward Pinot is wanting for a bit of charm and brightness. Christina Pickard" (2018 vintage)

Ned Goodwin MW (Halliday) "Maraschino cherry sass and medicinal crunch, all root spice and rhubarb, splayed across a gently astringent finish. This is lightweight, easy enough to drink and solid value." (2018 vintage)

Wine Spectator "Toasted herb notes and hints of chive mingle with robust cherry and plum flavors, showing off some charry elements on the finish, with dusty tannins. Drink now. 3,800 cases imported. — MW" (2018 vintage)

James Halliday "Bright crimson; no question about the dark cherry varietal expression, nor the pairing of brisk acidity and rounded tannins on the finish.." (2017 vintage)

James Suckling "Some nice caramelized oranges and wild strawberries framing this fresh and fragrant pinot on the nose. Medium-bodied with lithe, supple tannins and pretty acidity. A juicy finish. Drink now." (2017 vintage)

Wine Spectator "Fresh strawberry and rhubarb flavors show an appealing green edge, with plenty of juicy tension on the crisp finish. A note of matcha lingers. Drink now. 3,800 cases imported. — MW" (2017 vintage)

Multi-award winning, Innocent Bystander has a reputation for delivering some of Victoria's famous Yarra Valley’s most consistent, over-performing, affordable, varietal wines. Using 100% hand-picked fruit, wild ferments and gravity-flow winemaking techniques, Innocent Bystander wines are made with minimal filtration and fining, and reflect the climate, soil and topography of the Yarra Valley.

Yarra Valley is a region with a cool climate, best known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Yarra Valley is an hour’s drive east of Melbourne.

Wines made from Pinot Noir are generally dry, light and low in tannin, with high acidity. They have red fruit flavors (strawberry, cherry, raspberry) and are often aged in oak barrels, which can impart aromas of vanilla and clove. Pinot Noir is used to produce red Burgundies and is the main red grape variety in New Zealand. For red wines, Pinot Noir is usually vinified as a single variety. Pinot Noir can also be used for the production of champagne, often in a blend with Chardonnay.