A Preference For Pure Pinot Noir

YARRA VALLEY, Australia - April 8, 2014 - PRLog -- Yarra Valley, VIC – Having spent many years working in various wineries in several regions, 2012 was the year chance met opportunity and finally, husband and wife team, Adrian and Rebecca Santolin were able to step out independently and do things their way. A relatively young duo in an age-old practice, both 33 years old, Adrian is the head winemaker while wife Rebecca manages the business and creative. Their first three wines released under the Santolin family name are a 2012 pinot noir, 2013 pinot noir and a 2013 chardonnay.

Playing on tradition, Adrian Santolin’s approach to winemaking sits on the rim of minimal intervention, allowing the fruit to take centre stage. Pure and simple in technique, and elegant and complex in taste. Small batch and hand crafted, all three wines were made from select single vineyard sites, fermented wild and kept for up to 12 months in a selection of French oak barrels.

The son of Italian migrants, Adrian was raised in Griffith, NSW and started working in wine at the local wineries from the age of 15. Over the years he has honed his skills with experience in the Hunter Valley, NSW and Northern Italy but his winemaking future was fortified when he moved to the Yarra Valley in 2007. Since then, he has worked at high profile wineries and vineyards including Wedgetail Estate, Rochford Wines, De Bortoli, Sticks and in his current role as winemaker at Rob Dolan Wines, who was recently awarded the James Halliday’s 2014 Newcomer Winery of the Year.These experiences have given Adrian an intimate knowledge with the terroir that is the Yarra Valley and a deep interest in the nuances of the pinot noir varietal.

Their first batch of wine was from 2012 and made using two tonnes of pinot noir. While none were released to the public, the bottle picked up 94 points and earned them a 5 star rating in the James Halliday’s 2014 Wine Companion. In 2013 they have produced another pinot noir from the same location, a single block in the Syme on Yarra vineyard in Seville East, Yarra Valley. Made in a similar style to the 2012, it has had minimal winemaking intervention, was fermented wild utilising 50% whole bunches and 50% whole berries, and aged for 10 months in a selection of French oak.

In addition, a minimally handled 2013 chardonnay has been added with fruit sourced from a single block in the Yarraland vineyard, in the Yarra Valley.  A Nero d’Avola from Heathcote will be added from 2014.

§  2012 Santolin Wines Pinot Noir $45

§  2013 Santolin Wines Pinot Noir $45

§  2013 Santolin Wines Chardonnay $42