Piano del Cerro, Riserva Aglianico del Vulture 2006, Italy ($39)

Pronounced nose with the dominant aroma being a pure vanilla extract flavour. Long finish, very fine tannin, smooth. Whatever the fruit, it's that pure vanilla extract thing that is so alluring, even reminds me of that thickness of texture coming from drinking an bit of neat extract from a bottle. This wine was delightful and very good value at $39. Match with a loved one.

Giant Steps, Applejack Pinot Noir 2010, Yarra Valley ($40)

The Applejack vineyard is at lower altitude than the Tarraford one yielding the Pinot Noir that made the previous glass. the vineyard is 2-3C cooler on average. This wine was again clean on the nose, with more intensity than Tarraford being on the more pronounced side of medium. A more complex nose including tobacco, sweet spice, and a hint of green capsicum - the latter probably reflecting the cooler vineyard location. On the palate cherry and sweet spice. Medium bodied, fine medium tannins, dry, medium acidity. Clearly more going on than with he earlier Tarraford in terms of complexity. A good wine to be matched with duck. I do note that even though this was more complex and longer in finish than the 2010 Giant Steps Tarraford pinot, I preferred the Tarraford, as it was lighter bodied and purer in flavour, though the finish wasn't as long, and was less mouth filling. My family disagreed.

Giant Steps, Tarraford Pinot Noir 2010, Yarra Valley ($40)

Clean nose of medium intense aromas of sweet spice and slightly stewed black cherry. On the palate a light bodied , medium tannin, medium acidity, dry wine with a medium length finish. Although not complex flavours, pleasant. Good wine, to be consumed with food such as prosciutto. can be aged up to two or three years.

Hurley Vineyard, Lodestone Pinot Noir, 2005, Mornington Peninsula ($45)

Clear, clean and pronounced nose dominated by barnyard / earth smells, with a hint of something medicinal. Dry,medium soft tannins, long finish. Light to medium bodied. again dominated by farmyard. Objectively good, however I'm not sure myself whether I find the flavours appealing. Hurley's Garamond Pinot is much better in my opinion. Match with pâté.

Kumkani, Pinotage 2006, Stellenbosch, South Africa ($20)

Clear, medium intensity garnet. Clean, pronounced, Candied cherry, hint of menthol, and some earthier tones. medium tannin and medium/high acidity, medium length, plum, candied cherry, black pepper on the mid palate, ending in (peppermint?). A good wine. Match with roast pork.

Tahbilk, Malbec 2002, Nagambie ($15 auction)

Clear, medium tawny in colour. Nose: clean, medium intensity. Evolving nose initially hinting at strawberry and dark fruit, letting the dark fruit prevail with time. Roast meat aromas develop to add chocolate. A bit of white pepper too. On the palate, dry, medium
acidity, short to medium length, medium body. Late picked blackberries , tar, white pepper, spice. A good wine, to be consumed with roast beef. Did lack those classic Malbec blueberry flavours. could easily be thought to be a cab sauv.

Faustino I Gran Reserva, Rioja 1982, Spain ($55 at auction)

Clear, pale, garnet, with a clean, medium intensity nose of sweet spices. Hints of red fruits remain. On the palate, dry, medium tannin, medium acidity, light body. Earthy, tar and black pepper, with a small amount of strawberry. Overall, very good. Match with prosciutto.

Weingut Bernhardt Huber, Pinot Noir 2009, Baden ($40),

Clear, medium ruby colour. Nose is clean and pronounced, with thick aromas of pure black cherries and a feint strawberry, slight perfumed, candied as well as allspice. On the palate, medium to high acidity - though lower amounts than many 3 year old pinots. Low tannin, medium body, short to medium length. Smooth and mouth filling with dark cherry and allspice coming through at times with the candied effect present in the background. Although not complex, a good well made wine. Drink by itself or with duck.

Trentham Estate, Pinot Noir 2006, Mornington Peninsula ($23)

Clear, pale tawny colour. Clear nose of medium intensity still showing some primary red fruit in the form of glacier cherries and strawberry, and Turkish delight, along with feint hints of smoke, farmyard and cedar. On the palate dry, medium acidity, light-medium bodied, medium fine tannins and short-medium length. Fruit flavours again dominate resonant of toffee apples or candied cherries. A little bit of heat left on the palate after swallowing, but not so much as to prevent enjoyment. At $24 for six year old pinot this is good wine. can be drunk by itself, or with mushroom based or lighter style duck dishes.