Mac Forbes, Yarra Valley Pinot Noir

Lately, I’ve been reviewing a number of wines sent to me to review from Lidl grocery stores and I have yet another one for you today. This one is a pinot noir from the Yarra Valley region of Australia.

Pinot noir is one of the most lauded grape varieties for wine. It also has a reputation for being a challenging variety for producers. It’s a cool climate variety yet it’s sensitive to frost and wind. It is also notoriously susceptible to fungal diseases in the vineyard, due in part to the tight clustering of the grapes and the thin skins on this variety. Once harvested, it can also be a finicky grape in the winery. For these reasons, as well as its popularity, it can be difficult to find good yet inexpensive pinot noir. Some people claim you can’t find cheap pinot noir worth drinking. And while I agree it’s challenging, there are some bargains to be found out there. This being a great example.

Now this isn’t the cheapest wine you’ll find on the shelves at Lidl, coming in at $19.99 per bottle. But it’s a great value for a pinot noir. And while many of the wines at Lidl appear to be Lidl-exclusives, this one is not. You might be able to find it at other shops — although you might not find it for this price elsewhere. It’s part of the holiday wine selection at Lidl, so it’s only available there for a limited time.

Like many wine varieties, pinot noir comes in different styles. Sometimes it’s really big and fruit forward, sometimes it is lighter and sometimes it’s in between. It can be quite fruity and can be more earthy. It can be produced with high alcohol or lower alcohol. I’ve grown to become a big fan of Sancerre rouge, which is a pinot noir from the Loire Valley that tends to be a lighter style that is quite food friendly. The style of this Mac Forbes pinot noir reminds me of those Sancerre rouge wines. It’s light, fresh, bright and food friendly.

The nose of this pinot noir is quite spicy, delivering black pepper, toasted oak, cinnamon and violet aromatics. There’s some fruit on the nose too, particularly cherry and raspberry. Aromatics like these are one of the things that make pinot noir so delightful. This one is quite and fruity light on the palate, offering cherry, strawberry and raspberry with a touch of spice. The acidity is great. The mouthfeel is nice, although light as I mentioned. Berry flavors and spice linger on the finish. Overall, it’s a very nice pinot noir.

Wine: Mac Forbes, Yarra Valley Pinot Noir
Varieties: Pinot noir
Vintage: 2016
Alcohol: 12%
Rating: 88
Price: $19.99
Disclosure: This wine was provided as a media sample.