Category:Macedon Ranges

October 9
Meet The Maker Sessions – Michael Dhillon of Bindi Wines

The WINE STORE | WINE BAR is turning 4 on October 15th, so to mark this milestone of of the stores fave winemakers, and one of my best mates, Michael Dhillon of Bindi Wines in for a tasting. As many of you will know, Bindi Wines, and Michael who is effectively Bindi, have a very special place in my heart. And it is because of this Michael will be in the WINE STORE | WINE BAR on Saturday, October 13th from 1-4ish where he will pour his new release wines at the tasting bench.

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 the Dhillon family endeavors. The vineyard and winemaking philosophy is to seek balance and purity in the expression of the various individual vineyard sites and this philosophy is applied to farming and conservation at ‘Bindi’; the preservation of the natural harmony.

This tasting is going to be popular so the earlier the better we would advise. On tasting will be Bindi’s new releases which include all of the estate wines – Block 5, Original Vineyard and Dixon Pinot Noirs; Quartz and Kostas Rind Chardonnays and the Pyrette Shiraz from Heathcote. And what better way to celebrate our 4th anniversary then to have Michael pouring his wines. And there may also be a sausage sizzle out the back weather permitting.

June 22
Wine of Distinction – Bindi “Kaye” Pinot Noir 2009, 2010, 2011

kaye2Many of you will know my affinity with Bindi Wines up in the Macedon Ranges. Having worked up there off and on since 2005 where I have been privileged to see the wines being crafted from budburst and then almost 2 years later finding a home in a bottle.

Now the top block, Block K, has always been released about 15 months after vintage and because it is so TickitybooAce it is invariably consumed very soon after purchase. That wine is the Dixon Pinot Noir, formally known as the Composition Pinot Noir.

Over quite a few years Michael Dhillon, the winemaker/owner of Bindi Wines, had noticed that a certain part of Block K was producing ripping fruit, so in 2009 Michael held some fruit back that would have gone in to the Composition Pinot Noir and later bottled it under the “Block K” moniker. He has repeated this every subsequent year because that fruit just keeps getting better and better.k

So to really see what these wines could do, Michael held them back and held them back, and to make sure held them back just a little longer. The result are three wines that are quite simply amazing. No bias I assure you.

Three vintages have been release simultaneously; 2009, 2010 and 2011. All three delivering contrasting yet alluring results. The 2009 is very forward with funky and gamey notes throughout the wine; 2010 will last a long time with lovely perfume and minerality notes and the 2011 offers elegant and delicate aroma’s, and like the 2010 will last the distance.

All in all three stunning wines and here in at Brunswick East Wine Store until they all gone; these will not last long.

$92 for 2009, $85 for 2010 and $77 for 2011.

February 28
If a Wine was an Album

Bindi Macedon Ranges ‘Dixon’ Pinot Noir 2013 & Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born to Run’

Seeing this is the first post on the store blog I think it should be on two of my favourite things; Bindi and Springsteens ‘Born to Run’.

This particular Bindi is the newly labeled ‘Dixon’ (nee Composition) and tells the story of Michael Dhillon’s Mum’s family and how they settled in Gisborne back in the 1800’s. But it is the wine that we are here about. Possibly the best Pinot Noir I have had from the top block at Bindi (with exception on a new wine being released later this year). To say this wine complex is quite simply lazy. born to runThis wine is complex but it’s the way it flows from nose to palate. A beautiful mix of tart red and black fruit, and spice and perfumedixon pn on the nose, the wine opens up in the palate with more spice – subtle cardamom primary – and mouth watering texture that belies it’s youthfulness. Beautiful.

So if the Bindi Macedon Ranges ‘Dixon’ Pinot Noir 2013 was an album it would be ‘Born to Run’. Like the wine, the album tells a story. It’s a love story, a drama, a fight for your-life-get-out-of-dodge page turner, ‘I want to die with you Wendy on the streets tonight in an ever lasting kiss.’

Seriously, how awesome is that. $54