Varietal:Â Pinot Noir
Region:Â McLaren Vale, Australia
Cost:Â ~$15
Winemaker’s Notes:Â Born from the fertile red-brown earth of the McLaren Vale region of South Australia, Manikay Pinot Noir exudes a boundless joy and depth of character that sings on the palate. With bright fruit and a hint of violet perfume, Manikay Pinot Noir is ready to enjoy now and will continue to evolve for years to come.
My Review:Â So as you’ll recall, a few weeks back I was quite effusive in my praise of the Manikay Cabernet Sauvignon. It was a good budget wine that certainly showed better than the cost, and it didn’t hurt that the label was amusing to my wife and I, especially given her career in forensics. It also made us interested to try some of the other varietals available, which in this case meant the Pinot Noir.
The wine was light in the mouth, lighter than the color would have implied, which while not incredibly dark by any means, was still more on the opaque side than I would have guessed given the relative lightness of the wine. That’s not to say that it’s not a medium-bodied wine – simply that the visual lead me to believe it would be a heavier wine than it was.
In the mouth it showed good notes of fruit with a bit of vanilla and violet. The wine was smooth, very sippable, and very enjoyable. Paired up with some BBQ chicken off the grill the wine complemented the flavors of the sauce quite nicely, and it certainly is one to consider as we enjoy the last few grilling days before Fall (hopefully) makes its way here.
I’ve been impressed with the Manikay wines so far, with two others (a Chardonnay and a Syrah) still to try. They manage to balance budget, value, and quality in a nicely designed bottle that’s enjoyable by itself, with food, and of course with friends.
