Hoddles Creek Estate was established in 1997 when the D'Anna family decided to establish a vineyard on the property that has been in the family since 1960. The vineyard sits astride Gembrook road and adjacent Hoddles Creek. Its steeply sloping blocks prohibit mechanical harvesting, with both vineyards being hand pruned and harvested. All our wines, which are single vineyard, estate grown, are made in our 300 tonne winery, constructed for the 2003 vintage. The split-level winery has a barrel store located three meters underground. Hoddles Creek Estate is planted with 10ha of pinot noir (five clones), 6 ha of chardonnay, 1ha each of sauvignon blanc, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, and 1.5ha of pinot gris.

Essentially we are treating this like a red wine. We make it this way to try get a balance between aroma and tannin ripeness. The stalks from the first treatment add some fine tannins and obviously you get a lot more tannin from the second treatment. We try and find a balance in between depending on the year. Franco D'Anna

A golden amber hue in the glass. It’s like a beautiful tonic to drink. Red apple, faint cranberry, peach, green pear, a skittish rub of talc-like tannin, a pure, bright, invigorating and botanical-laced finish. Fine tuned, so frisky, and almost has a non-wine taste, an exotic beverage with so much character, and good for it. Refreshing and thirst-quenching too. Wonderful stuff, though I reckon it fleshing out a little with time in bottle is ideal. Alcohol: 12.5%; Drink: 2025-2029; Rated: 93+ Points; The Wine Front

70% fermented on skins for three days with the balance on skins for 14 days. A bright and enticing pale salmon. Aromatic with its bouquet of poached white pear, red apple and jasmine. Gently textured with just the right amount of grip to balance. A beautifully made and interesting pinot gris to pair with everything from cheese to grilled fish and chicken. Date: Sep 2024; Alcohol: 12.5%; Price: $26.00; Drink by: 2027; Rating: 96 Points & Special Value Star; James Halliday Wine Companion