A lovely pale golden pink in the glass, this entices the eyes as much as the nose and mouth! Lifted and floral, it is utterly charming right from the get go, with a mixture of peach, raspberry and some gentle dough and pastry-like aromas. Despite being a fresh, zesty wine, the palate is round and rich and carries plenty of weight. Very moreish.

The Pyren Vineyard is a winery and vineyard project established in 1999 by brothers Brian and Kevyn Joy on, in their own words, "an isolated patch of earth surrounded by state forest, farmland and the ever changing sky." The vineyard sits in the Pyrenees region in central western Victoria, and is planted to Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. The house style is an attempt to blend their high quality cool climate fruit with free thinking artistry, and the years have seen a few variations, though these days the quality is sky high. Brian’s son Leighton is the Pyren General Manager, overseeing all the operations as well as making the wine, as he has since 2012. His cousin Andy is also involved in wine, being part owner and sommelier at the Carlton Wine Room in Melbourne. Together they focus the style on expressing the quartz-laden soils of the estate, with the various red blends probably the most compelling and complex wines they produce. All in all, it's an impressive suite of wines that is worth keeping an eye on.