I remember meeting Timo Mayer for the first time two years ago at the Yarra Valley Wine Program. The room had been discussing the term ‘funk’ in relation to Chardonnay, an exercise which proved particularly amusing when MC Andrew Caillard – in his precise English accent – asked me something along the lines of “where does the funk come from and what does it mean?”. Timo approached me after that session and completely unaware that I was in fact a Mighty Boosh fan, proceeded to lift an imaginary kilt and utter the words “I got a mangina”. That’s Timo for you. Confident in his memes. I laughed, given that Old Gregg – the intersexual merman with female genitalia, drinker of Bailey’s Irish Cream, painter of water-colour self portraits and keeper of The Funk – was one of my favourite comedy characters.
The Bloody Hill Vineyard is just a short distance south of Healesville and is so named due to the effort involved in walking up and down it each vintage. This is a nimble, unaffected Yarra Valley Pinot whose sheer drinkability belies its quality, composure and ageworthiness. No overt oak influence leaves raspberry, cranberry and cherry fruits to do their thang. Sap and forest leaf chime in along with a fair amount of spice. The acidity sweeps it along beautifully but there’s quite enough flesh on its bones all the same. Predominately savoury. Fine smudgy, mineral tannin wraps it up. A steal at the price. 94 Excellent
Region: Yarra Valley
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Diam
Price: $34
Tasted: April 2013
I opened a bottle of this & whoosh! It was gone!
There are plenty of wine where I have trouble finishing one glass.
Not this one!