Tucks ridge has always been one of our favourite wineries in the Mornington Peninsula. Perennially one of our top five in the region for Pinot Noir. For Australia’s wine region that does Pinot best, that’s a fairly significant statement. Established in 1985, Tuck’s has until now been a relatively small, very intimate affair. Perhaps because of their size and not having to worry about fanfare, the place has always been able to make Pinot Noir sing a most glorious song. “The Buckle”, their premier bottle, has reached stratospheric heights, as in top 1% of all AUS Pinots. But even their mainline (and quite affordable) Mornington Pinot Noir doesn’t fall very short of that, regularly rating top 3%. In addition to the wines, we have also always loved the quaint cellar door experience – where no frills were more than compensated by genuine personal service. It was one of those places where a ml of interest got a litre of reward.
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At the end of 2017, Tuck’s Ridge was purchased by Montalto. Normally, the sale of one of our favourite establishments would be cause for great consternation. But in this instance, we have hope yet. While the tasting experience at Mont Alto veers heavily touristy, winemaker Simon Black is a clear talent with a Midas touch for making Chardonnay gold. And he’s pretty damn good with Pinot Noir as well. We can’t wait to see what he can achieve with Tuck Ridge’s fruit.
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Get into Tuck’s Ridge while you can. There is still a bit of the old world left, so you can get a feel for how things were and where they’re going. The concurrent offer of the splashy “Now Pinot” and restrained “Tuck’s Ridge 2016 Pinot Noir” capture it perfectly. Though quite different, both wines drink wonderfully. It seems clear the cellar door experience will be more commercial, but if they can keep characterful talent like Libby, it will hopefully still be fun.
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We recently loved:
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* 2017 Savagnin – They’ve achieved a perfectly balanced white in this less usual varietal. Hints of Sauv B and Pinot Gris – mouth-filling with deep fruit.
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* 2016 Chardonnay – Quite floral and light. Lean, but not austere. A modern AUS take on Chardonnay but offering a little more in flavour complexity and breadth.
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* 2016 Now Pinot Noir – A well balanced “drink now” Pinot. Fruit is at prime expression in this drop.
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*2016 Tuck’s Ridge Pinot Noir – A glorious send-off to the old world. Stunning depth of nose. Tantalising savoury up front. Full-bodied mid-palate with suggestions of cherry, cardamom and dark forest. While deep and complex, the wine retains a fresh liveliness. A Tuck’s Ridge classic.