Our Portfolio
Pinot NOW is a handcrafted portfolio specialising in pinot family wines – pinot noir, pinot gris and so on from the New & Old World. The range is based upon the famous, elusive pinots from Oregon and California in the United States – wines of wonderful poise, concentration and elegance. From this base, we are also dealing with great wines from pinot hot spots the world over; France, Australia, & New Zealand. Shipped in small volumes, these are exciting and exclusive wines.
Why specialise in pinot? Easy answer…
“Pinot noir is the wine they drink in heaven”. So contends James Halliday in his Weekend Australian article of December 12, 2015. We couldn’t agree more.
Pinot Noir is the most infatuating of grape varieties. Noted British wine authority Jancis Robinson (MW) has described Pinot as "a passionate wine - a wine of pure pleasure and hedonism, engaging all the senses; it is a wine we can wallow in."
Fanciers of great Burgundy and other Pinot Noir are the only group of wine aficionados to be assigned a collective noun (albeit a little dubious) - "Pinotphiles". To paraphrase another oft-cited quotation of Ms. Robinson's "If the appeal of Red Bordeaux (Cabernets) is strictly above the neck, that of Red Burgundy (Pinot Noir) is something completely different." We couldn't agree more.
Our portfolio is comprised of imported wines from Oregon and California in the USA, from Burgundy, Alsace and Champagne in France, from Central Otago in New Zealand and focussing on some of the most consistent regions in Australia; Tasmania and Macedon Ranges.
Oregon's Willamette Valley region is gaining ever increasing international attention and acclaim as a 'New World' direction setter for excellence in pinot noir and pinot gris production. Since 2000, Pinot NOW has been, and remains today, the major importer of Oregon wines to Australia.
In recent years we have forged relationships several outstanding Californian wineries who stand among an elite group who have built a track record of consistent success with the challenging pinot noir grape. The micro climates of Caneros, Sonoma County, Russian River and the Central Coast are producing outstanding examples of pinot noir.
New Zealand's representation on our list consists of two outstanding producers from Central Otago on the South Island who are having great success crafting their own expressions of the pinot grape. The rate of growth in the number of NZ's small, dedicated pinot producers is astonishing. So too is the ever increasing lift in quality of their wines.
Closer to home, we have been keeping our eyes on the Tasmanian scene in particular. In the words of James Halliday, “There has been as very real increase in the quality (and reliability) of Tasmanian wine, Tasmania has come of age. Pinot Noir is one of the hot varieties, and, as everyone knows, finding good ones isn’t easy. In Tasmania your chances are immeasurably improved.” We share James’ enthusiasm for Tasmanian pinot noir and see it as a standard bearer for Aussie pinot on the world stage in the years to come. We currently offer the wines from Providence Vineyard, Tasmania's first planted vineyard in 1956.
Oregon has been a starting point, but the passion does not stop there. As we build our portfolio, we are constantly seeking out (and being sought out by) small quality-driven producers of fine pinot in Australia and around the world. We currently represent producers in most of world's cool climate premium producing regions.