After a few years’ break, Hoddles Creek’s Blanc is back. The original Pinot Blanc plantings went into the ground at the Hoddles Creek estate in the upper Yarra back in 1997. The growing proved a learning curve for vigneron Franco D’Anna, but by 2006, he felt comfortable enough to add to the holdings and planted another block across the road. Hoddles Creek didn’t make a straight bottling of Pinot Blanc until 2008, when D’Anna felt he had fine-tuned things in the vineyard and the winery. Since then, it’s become something of a cult classic.
Franco plays things straight in the cellar. The fruit is picked and chilled overnight, then destemmed and pressed to tank for fermentation. D’Anna keeps the ferments warm (25 to 27 degrees) to avoid overt tropical aromas and flavours. The wine then matures on lees for a short spell before bottling without additions.