When Australian winemakers first started making Pinot Noir in the 1980s, there were many dry red wines that showed little varietal characters. Forty years later, there is a plethora of different styles and wading through them to find one that you want to drink at an affordable price can be a challenge.

 

Enter Martin Siebert – a young winemaker who has explored making wine in Burgundy, New Zealand and the Yarra Valley before setting on the Yarra Valley as his source of quality Pinot Noir and other grape varieties.

 

First Foot Forward 2018 Yarra Valley Pinot Noir is a lighter, elegant style of Pinot Noir. Classic pale garnet in colour with aromas and flavours of cooked plums and other red fruit, a light meaty character with hints of toast, vanilla and chocolate from the judicious use of good quality oak. I tasted it against a   village level Burgundian wine and …. dare I say …it was more Burgundian in character than the Burgundy!