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Mac Forbes

YARRA VALLEY, VICTORIA

Four and a Half Stars - Excellent winery
James Halliday 2011 Australian Wine Companion.

What The critics are saying:

James Halliday, The Australian: “Mac Forbes is one of the young guns of the Yarra Valley; he was winemaker at Mount Mary for several years before heading to Europe, returning in time for the ’05 vintage.”

‘2010 Wineries to Watch’, Wine & Spirits Magazine: “[Mac Forbes] is a young leader of the movement toward bright, fresh Yarra wines from cool sites.”

Mike Bennie, The Wine Front, March 2011: “Mac Forbes, good dude and modern day Bourke and Wills for the ‘elusive sites’, has done much for sexing up the Yarra Valley region’s ability to do great things with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. He fiddles, he fossicks, he sources, he has nice hair. Who doesn’t like nice hair?  Meanwhile, the wine itself is notable for finding that tenuous balance between herbal/cool climate influence and the pure, ripe, expressive fruit component.”

Our Notes:

Mac is simply a perfect fit for Bibendum because of the quality and style of wines he produces and because we share very similar philosophies and attitudes to wine in general. We also believe that Mac’s 2008 releases, some of which are listed below, marked a watershed for this exciting and innovative producer. What we love about Mac most is that he is obsessed with growing wines that strongly reflect the personality of his vineyards. Today Mac works with his dedicated team and with eight small vineyards in the Yarra Valley and Strathbogie Ranges. They encourage life in their soils and seek to pick balanced fruit so that manipulation in the winery is rarely (ideally never) required. The winemaking is ‘hands off’ – it’s all about letting the fruit shine through. Mac is also one of the leading figures in the search for Australian sub-regionality (or terroir). He has produced no fewer than five single-vineyard Pinot Noir in 2008, each from different 'communes' of the Yarra Valley. Most significantly, Mac’s wines are fresh, pure and a pleasure to drink.

Mac’s broad international experience has clearly informed the philosophies above. He has done stints in France (mainly Burgundy), Italy, Portugal, Austria and of course Australia where he was winemaker for Mount Mary.  His main influences have been the late John Middleton (Mount Mary), Dirk Niepoort (Niepoort wines, Portugal) and what he has learned through his consultancy work with some 30 Austrian producers (2004-2008 in Carnuntum). These experiences have helped Mac define his own ‘Euro inspired’ style and discover philosophies and methods that he could translate to the Australian landscape.

Mac Forbes

Mac Forbes Riesling RS19 2011
Floral, green apple, perfumed - almost lavender. Sharp focus, gentle sweetness but spicy acidity and something else - another flavour - one that's a bit savoury and cheesy. Subtly dilute, but in a... read more
Product Code: 9572-750
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 32.00 Single bottle price
$ 28.80 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
Mac Forbes Gruner Veltliner 2009
Mac's Grüner is one of the most delicious examples we have tasted. Blended in two parts, one barrel fermented in large old oak, the other a wild ferment in tank at 11 degrees, the result is a... read more
Product Code: 8981-750
Only 3 left
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 33.00 Single bottle price
$ 29.70 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
Mac Forbes Gruner Veltliner 2010
This just vanished last year. Blended in two parts; one part barrel fermented in large old oak, the other a wild ferment in tank at 11 degrees, the result is a bright and personality rich wine with... read more
Product Code: 9720-750
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 35.00 Single bottle price
$ 31.50 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
Mac Forbes Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
A cabernet from the ever ascetic Mac Forbes.
"Blackcurrant, redcurrant, rolling tobacco, mint, subtle chocolate, vanilla and pencil oak - smells good. It's light to middle weight with crisp... read more
Product Code: 8845-750
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 35.00 Single bottle price
$ 31.50 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
Mac Forbes Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2011
Product Code: 9716-750
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 35.00 Single bottle price
$ 31.50 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
Mac Forbes Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2010
In 2010 Mac's Yarra Valley Pinot is a blend of fruit from Coldstream, Gruyere and Woori Yallock. A climatically 'uneventful' season resulted in fantastic fruit quality and character as seen across... read more
Product Code: 9568-750
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 35.00 Single bottle price
$ 31.50 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity

This wine is offered Pre-Arrival, i.e., it has not yet been shipped to our warehouse and is therefore not available for immediate delivery.
Estimated Arrival Date: May 2012
 

Why buy Pre Arrival?
Mac Forbes Tasmanian RS 20 Riesling 2010
The Riesling is back! Sadly the Strathbogie Riesling vineyard that Mac works with was wiped out in 2010 but he thankfully found an interesting parcel of Tasmanian Riesling to play with. The result... read more
Product Code: 8668-750
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 36.00 Single bottle price
$ 32.40 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
Mac Forbes Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2009
Bright medium red. High-pitched aromas of strawberry, raspberry, cinnamon, clove and potpourri. Sweet, focused and pure, offering energetic red berry flavors and an intense spiciness. Sweeter... read more
Product Code: 8821-750
Only 3 left
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 36.00 Single bottle price
$ 32.40 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
Mac Forbes Blaufrankisch 2009
Mac's Blau is bright, pure and a pleasure to drink. Foot stomped and matured in old wood, the 2009 is probably his best version of this wine. It's lifted and fragrant aromas are brassy and redolent... read more
Product Code: 8982-750
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 43.00 Single bottle price
$ 38.70 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
Mac Forbes Blaufrankisch 2010
Blaufränkisch was once evocatively described as being the existentialists' Pinot Noir. We're not quite sure what that means but one thing is clear; you certainly don't have to be a student of Satre... read more
Product Code: 9719-750
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 46.00 Single bottle price
$ 41.40 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
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