Description
Bindi’, 50 kilometres north-west of Melbourne in the Macedon Ranges, is the family property of the Dhillon family. Originally purchased in the 1950s as part of the larger grazing farm ‘Bundaleer’, ‘Bindi’ is a 170 hectare farm of which 7 hectares are planted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Fifteen hectares are dedicated to managed plantation eucalypts for high grade furniture timber whilst the remainder of the land is maintained as remnant bush land and important indigenous grasslands.
The Bindi vineyard is the fundamental focus of our endeavors. Our vineyard and winemaking philosophy is to seek balance and purity in the expression of our various individual vineyard sites and this philosophy is applied to farming and conservation at ‘Bindi’; the preservation of the natural harmony.
Campbell Mattinson on Bindi “The Bindi farm spans 170ha but only 7ha is planted to vines. This simple fact is an insight into the care and respect the Dhillon family has for its land, its heritage and its future. There are only 2 varieties planted (pinot noir and chardonnay) on the home vineyard, with both long-established for their stellar quality. Bindi is without question among a select few at the top echelon of Australian wine and essentially has been ever since its 1988 plantings first hit their straps.”
Michael Dhillon – Halliday’s Winemaker of the Year 2022
About this wine from the winemaker: “In 1858 family founders Henry Dixon and Sarah Gardner settled in Gisborne. In 1958 our family purchased this land. In 1968 Michael Dhillon, great, great grandson, was born in Gisborne and helped his father Bill Darshan Dhillon (arriving in Australia 1958) establish Bindi in 1988. The winery was completed in 1998. Our 8th Block planted is 1.888 acres with 8,888 vines planted in 2016.
“The Block 8 vineyard is 3/4 of a hectare in size on a sheltered, north-west facing, and very quartz riddled site with some fertile volcanic soils. The eighth block planted at Bindi has a grandstand exposition sweeping down the mid slope. Here there are mostly 11,300 vines per hectare with a Crazy section at 22,600 vines per hectare featuring seven clones. The wines from this vineyard are compelling and delicious when young and as history has shown, going back to the 1992 Bindi Pinot Noir, the wines age exceptionally well from the beginning and drink beautifully for a long time.
The wine spends 15-17 months in French barrels of which about 50% are new. The Block 8 wine has exceptional fruit depth and earthiness and is intensely structured, very long and ageworthy.
“Block 8, the continuation and turning of the slope from Block 5, sees an increase in fruit depth and power. It is a very special close planted site (from 11,300 to 22,600 vines per hectare) that has been maximised with many clones and intensive farming. There have been a few wines over the years that have served as markers on our Pinot Noir journey. The 1994 Original Vineyard was a revelation; hedonism and finesse with ageworthiness. The 1997 Block 5 is another important marker, both these wines remain delicious today.
“The 2019 Block 8 sits with this group, it is a personal favourite that has the stamp of a special site in a special season.It is a wine guided by three decades of previous experience on this land with this variety. It has deep red and dark fruits, is dense and complex, has autumnal notes, some root vegetable earthiness, and dried flowers too. The palate is full and lavish, it is creamy and round then intense and driven and long. It will improve for another five years and be delicious for many years beyond.” Michael Dhillon
97 points, Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion “Bindi aficionados know the inaugural release of Block 8, off the high-density site planted in ’16, was vintage 2021 – a spectacular debut. Obviously the ’19 and ’20 wines were bottled; having tasted all a few years back, well ’21 was off-the-charts, the others very good but not in the same league or needed more time. However, I loved ’19 then and today. It is riper, fleshier by Bindi standards. It’s perfumed with savoury inputs some forest floor, cherries and pips, a little earthy. Fuller bodied, layers of flavour with plush tannins and decent structure. Aged 16 months in French barriques (50% new) – and the wood has imparted a cedary sweetness and slight green walnut note. Just a bit of seasoning, though.”
RRP $133 Our Special Price $184.99 – LAST OF THIS VINTAGE!
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