Pinot Noir
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2025
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, wild mushroom risotto, seared salmon
✨ Technical Specifications
The Scotchmans Hill Pinot Noir is a benchmark expression of the cool-climate Bellarine Peninsula, where the vines are cradled by the moderating maritime breezes of Port Phillip Bay and Bass Strait. Grown on self-rooted vines in the estate's signature black volcanic soils over limestone, this wine reflects the pioneering spirit of the Geelong wine region. Traditional winemaking techniques, including fermentation in small open-top fermenters and maturation in select French oak barriques, yield a Pinot Noir of exceptional depth. It is celebrated for its complex profile of dark cherries, gamey undertones, and savory spices, framed by fine, structured tannins that speak directly to its unique coastal terroir.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1982 by David and Vivienne Browne on an erstwhile dairy farm, Scotchmans Hill stands as the pioneer and quintessential benchmark estate of Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula within the Geelong wine region. Perched atop the peninsula's extinct volcanic outcrop, the vineyards benefit from fertile black basaltic clays over limestone subsoils, complemented by maritime microclimates moderated by Port Phillip Bay and the Southern Ocean. Under the stewardship of long-tenured Chief Winemaker Robin Brockett, who joined the fold in 1988, the estate champions low-intervention viticulture certified under Sustainable Winegrowing Australia. Brockett's cellar philosophy prioritizes site-driven purity, native fermentations, sensitive French oak integration, and extended lees maturation. Scotchmans Hill produces distinguished cold-climate expressions, most notably its flagship Estate and Cornelius Chardonnay, tactile Pinot Gris, and estate Sauvignon Blanc, alongside celebrated regional ventures like the Henry Frost Riesling and approachable Jack & Jill tiers.
🍇 Grapes
Pinot Noir
🍷 ABV
13.5%