Pinot Noir homegrown and from France to usher in cooler weather

Wines to savour as autumn brings the need for mid-weight reds.

Four wines with autumnal appeal.

It is the time of year when vinous thoughts start shifting from white wine to red. It may not be cold enough just yet for full-blown Barossa shiraz but there is certainly something in the air that has one moving into red grape territory.

The transition often commences with pinot noir, that delicate, difficult (if you talk to some winemakers) and often most entrancing of wines. The best known and most ­expensive come from Burgundy in east-central France but Australian pinot noir should not be overlooked.

If the prospect of tasting fine burgundy excites you, there may still be some tickets available for master sommelier Franck Mor­eau’s Burgundy Celebration in Sydney and Melbourne this weekend (burgundycelebration.com). Alternatively, you will get plenty of enjoyment from these four wines.

Tolpuddle Vineyard pinot noir 2015 ($78). Martin Shaw and Mich­ael Hill Smith bought the Tolpuddle Vineyard in southeast Tasmania’s Coal River Valley in 2011 with the intention of having it recognised as “one of Australia’s great single vineyards”. Certainly, the wines released to date have ­received very high ratings across the board but the 2015 pinot noir could be the best wine yet. The nose is incredibly appealing, with almost sweet dark cherry fruit ­intertwined with stemmy herbs. If you can bear to leave those aromas behind, your first taste mixes smooth sweet berry fruit with sour cherry, with slightly spicy, slightly smoky tannins leading through to a long, long finish. Delicious and irresistible. tolpuddlevineyard.com

Mac Forbes Woori Yallock pinot noir 2015 ($75). There is a certain something about Mac Forbes Woori Yallock pinot noir that is difficult to put a finger on. As I have always considered it his most Burgundian pinot, perhaps I should call it a certain je ne sais quoi. Whatever it is, you’ll find it lurking in this 2015 version some time after you have enjoyed a perfumed nose, red berry fruits and maybe cherry on the palate, and perfectly poised acid and tannin. There is a nod to whole bunch ­inclusion and some stemmy tones, and there are some spices too. It manages to be a deep, serious wine while never really stepping too far over the medium-bodied marker. Drink one or two now and cellar the rest. macforbes.com

Domaine Chevrot Maranges 1er Cru Les Clos Roussots 2006 ($85). While red wines from Burgundy’s 2006 vintage have always loitered in the shadows of their illustrious predecessors (the 2005 red burgundy vintage is a 10/10 in any ­serious wine writer’s book), they should not be underestimated. Take this 2006 1er Cru Les Clos Roussots from Domaine Chevrot. At over 10 years old, it really is coming into its own. ­Immediately upon pouring there is bright red fruit in the cranberry spectrum, both in taste and in the acid and tannin performance. As the wine opens up delicate and ­intricate layers of flavour play across the palate while the deeper and darker fruits just get smoother and smoother. Decant for at least one hour; ­savour over at least two. barriquefinewines.com.au

Benjamin Leroux Bourgogne Rouge 2014 ($66). While Mac Forbes has previously been referred to as a “young gun” of the Yarra Valley, Benjamin ­Leroux is definitely considered one of Burgundy’s bright young things, and his entry-level wines are often better than many of his competitors’ 1er crus. His 2014 Bourgogne Rouge has more body weight and meatiness than one can demand at this level. There is more “forest floor” and, in the first pour, even a little bit of French funk. However, the fruit that sits above this is clean and clear with fragrant red fruits on top of dark berries, while there is also good depth and complexity. The interplay between all of these component parts delivers much satisfaction now and promises more for the future too. bibendum.com.au

Daniel Hanna is an independent wine merchant based in Sydney. [e-mail]