Cockatoo Ridge is headquartered in the Barossa Valley on the principal road between the two main Barossa towns of Tanunda and Nuriootpa. This high profile site was once the old Hardy's Siegersdorf winery, built in 1930. Cockatoo Ridge NV is blended between two or three years harvest to provide consistency, reliability and a rounded flavour. An internationally recognizable Aussie Sparkler, it carries a trademark pink hue which delivers a broad palate, flavoursome and fruit driven. A deliciously reliable Sparkling wine with complexity and depth of flavour.

Anyone who's enjoyed the plum and apricot hued Cockatoo Ridge Sparkling knows just how good these guys are at bubbly. They're a formidable player at sparklers that look and taste gorgeous, and they're also a cinch at the premium end of the market. Cuvee Eleanora draws grapes from the august inventory of estate vineyards, the winemakers have turned out small parcels of generously flavoured grapes and created an exciting wine that fuses the holy trinity of Chardonnay with Pinot Meunier, as dominated by the masculinity of Pinot Noir.

Tasmania is paradise for Pinot, a very special place which yields a quality of wine that's highly evocative of the eminent and renowned old world styles. Todd Goebel and Gill Christian are vignerons in the truest sense, taking a sojourn from careers in biology and engineering, to cane prune vines and lay down organic fertilizer. The fruit of their enthusiastic efforts is a remarkably complex Pinot Noir of excellence and refinement, presenting a unique pallet of discernible pastoral characters within each sip.

One of Australia's principal Pinot Chardonnay Meuniere Cuvée, from fruit grown to superior vineyards at Pipers Brook, an area acknowledged as the premiere source of sparkling wine in Australia. Ever since debut, Clover Hill has impressed both the local and international industry press with its uncompromising quality and distinguished styling. Rich autolysis and wonderful biscuit characters, structure and finesse, creamy layers of Chardonnay fruit are integrated beautifully with the sherbet, bread and cherry Pinot characters.

A multi vintage cuvee of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier, assembled exclusively from parcels picked off Clover Hill's estate vineyards at Pipers Brook. Fermented in it's own bottle and aged on yeast lees for at least two years, infusing the intensity of an extravagant elevage while capturing the vivacity of Pipers River fruit, a masterful construct of remarkable structure and finesse. Subtly complex, Cuvee Tasmania is characterised by rich, creamy layers of Chardonnay opulence, integrating beautifully with the cherry sherbet chic of Pinot Noir.

A rich cépage of Pinot Noir and Meuniere, sourced exclusively from the elite Clover Hill Vineyard at Pipers River, the nation's most prestigious sparkling wine. In 1986, on the site of an old dairy farm, the magnificent Clover Hill property was planted to vine by the Goelet family, with a view to articulating the final word in Australian sparkling. Since inaugural vintage in 1991, Clover Hill has earned an international reputation for its uncompromising elegance, finesse and eloquent Tasmanian styling.

Pinot Noir thrives throughout the favourable precincts of Marlborough, where Cloudy Bay have planted the best clones on the choicest sites, to realize harvests of the finest fruit. Crop levels are carefully controlled to ensure the grapes are brimming wth great concentration of flavour, selectively picked and treated to a regimen of old fashioned, tried and true, minimalist vinification techniques. Cloudy Bay are always richly layered with complexity, fruit driven yet exquisitely dry, finely structured and supported by ripe, licorice textured tannins.

The tradition dates back to 1770 when Cloudy Bay was charted by Captain Cook. Made in limited quantities and released at four years of age, Pelorus is one of New Zealand's flagship wines. Harvests of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are sourced from distinguished Wairau Valley vineyards to be fashioned into a sophisticated wine with tempting bouquets, exciting mousse and exquisite, lasting finish.

Innovation and meticulous attention to detail are the guiding principles of Cloudy Bay. The team is committed to producing wines of region, striving to enhance the pure, bracing flavours and stunning vibrancy, naturally afforded by the climate and soils of Marlborough. Cloudy Bay was a founding member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. From their, intensively husbanded, holistically managed vineyards comes Pelorus, a deluxe Cuvee in collaboration with elite parcels of fruit, grown to the best vineyards in Marlborough's Wairau Valley.

A flagship Pinot Noir from a heritage Sunbury vineyard established during colonial times. The fortuitous confluence of elevated aspects and favourable terroirs, rejuvenating maritime climes and limited yields of hand picked grapes, translate into a profoundly structured Pinot wine of layered intensity and stately cool climate elegance. A small amount of this splendid effort is currently on offer, bottled in cleanskin and sealed under good old fashioned cork, for a third the price of its otherwise labelled siblings. Indulge.

Always mindful of the eloquence that defines Pinot Noir as the most articulate of varietals, Clarence House set aside their most exceptional parcels for an estate Reserve. Assembled from a palette of clones 777, 114 and MV6, Pommard and Abel, Clarence place their finest rows of harvest into a variety of oak barrels, designed to polish the excellence of each precious parcel of fruit. The final accord is designed to coalesce the complexity into a seamless expression of a truly wonderful wine, all the stalky cherryness, barnyard and nutty apple characters of a magnificent Pinot Noir mesoclime.

Pinot Noir was uppermost in mind when the Kilpatricks established vines at Clarence House in 1993. There are few places in the world, so predisposed to this most fickle of varietals, as the languid, temperate climes of southern Tasmania. The foothills of Meehan Ranges near Hobart are a place of garrulous soils and exhilerating ripening seasons. A mixture of clones 114, 115, 667, 777, MV6, Abel and Pommard are treated to a Burgundian style of vinification, its rich cherry flavours, pretty florals and savoury rhubarb characters, draped in a gentle robe of plush, velvetine tannins.

The Messrs Buckle and Drummond source parcels from a neighbouring vineyard that's planted to warmer climes. Whinstone yields a Pinot of structure, clarity and length, it shares a remarkable kinship with its estate sibling's, brightly lit translucence of fruit.

The winemaking at Circe is all about excellence, about maintaining the healthiest vineyards, all things are done according to best practice, with an uncompromising respect for nature. As a Mornington grower, it's not easy to get your fruit selected for Circe, the Messrs Buckle and Drummond will only consider the most outstanding parcels and there are never any quotas. Assembled from the pick of Red Hill fruit and treated to the full regimen of Burgundian traditions, a dulcetly perfumed Pinot Noir of seamless complexity and textural whole bunch richness.

Dan Buckle and Aaron Drummond are Mornington born and bred. They work at the illustrious Mt Langi Ghiran but find time to share the husbandry on a precious three acre vineyard on an elevated northeast ridge at Red Hill South. The Messrs Drummond and Buckle take a decidedly Burgundian approach to processing their Pinot Noir, ferments of exclusively whole bunches are foot stomped over the course of a week before filling to small oak casks. Structured and eloquent, pastoral and intense, small batch, superior vineyard Mornington Pinot at its finest.

Circe is a metaphor for the challenges presented by Pinot Noir, a capricious grape to grow and often fickle as a wine. Very like the temptress of ancient myth, Pinot Noir remains irresistible to contemplative winemakers for its rare mutability, as no other grape can capture and articulate the uniqueness of provenance.

Charles Heidsieck crossed the Atlantic four times in the 1850s, heading to the new world in search of new markets. His personality and charisma made him famous under the name of Champagne Charlie. Charles Heidsieck is today among the most prestigious Champagne brands. The Charles Heidsieck artificer of today lay down exceptional wines beneath the estate Gallo-roman cellars. Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve has been carefully matured before sediment removal and an additional repose of several years.

Central Otago's seminal winemaking estate, Chard Farm's magnificent storage cellar employs the old world technique of sitting barrels on bare earth pits that have been filled with gravel. This lets the cellar breath but more importantly keeps the humidity high, thereby preventing a lot of wine evaporation, known to those who are well abreast of things wine as the angels share. This is particularly important in the naturally low humidity climes of Central Otago.

Chanson Pere et Fils was founded in 1750 during the reign of Louis XV. The cellars are still located in the Bastion de L'Oratoire, a lookout and defensive tower built at the end of the 15th century. The Chanson family already owned a large Domaine located across Beaune, Savigny les Beaune and Pernand Vergelesses. Chanson survived the tribulations of the phylloxera epidemic and remain one of the most distinguished Maison in Le Bourgogne. An elegant wine, very pure and soft with good lively fruit of raspberry, cherry and a touch of licorice.

The holy trinity of sparkling grapes in consumate Methode traditionelle. A cepage of Chardonnay for elegance, Pinot Noir and Meunier for palate weight and depth. Vintage Brut derives great complexity through a judicious selection of fruit from Chandon's rich endowment of cool climate vineyards, crafted to a diversity of extravagant handling techniques. Perfumes ranging from florals and yeast, to cashew and savoury, a measured elegance which continues alongside the rich and creamy textures of this flagship Cuvee.

Established by mother company Moet Chandon in the 1980s, with a view to setting the standard for Australia's finest sparkling, Domaine Chandon can now draw fruit from a host of vineyards to make the most exquisitely balanced, satisfying and approachable effervescent wines. Enter a limited edition of Summer Brut to delight all five senses, crafted in full Methode traditionnelle, to drink beautifully throughout the year, chicly attired in her festive season best.

Chandon is the progeny of an old world winemaker who has recognized the microclimes of Victoria as being akin to the native vineyards of Champagne. Sparkling reds are a style that Australia has made it's own, Chandon have fashioned one with unique character and charm. Pinot Noir forms the backbone and supports the palate. Shiraz contributes complexity and length, structure and richness. The wine is aged in seasoned oak barrels and assembled to yield a palate of layered chocolate, ripe dark cherry and cinnamon spice flavours.

From some of Australia's finest sparkling wine vineyards, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are harvested and pressed through techniques very similiar to parent company Moët Chandon. The batches are vinified separately to maintain purity. A minimum of eighteen months on it's sedimentery lees as per Methode Traditionelle, to enhance the complexity of the wine and to emulsify the mousse with all the vibrant expressions of fruit. All of Chandon's releases are aged in their own bottle, prior to disgorgement, treatment to liqueur doseage and the final tirage.

So confident are the directors at Chandon, in the skill and dedication of their winemaking and viticultural teams, they have granted license for their artisanal staff to assume the initiative and to construct special editions, to be crafted in limited quantities and treated to an extended term of age. Les Trois Rosé was made in vintage 2010, from superior harvests of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, grown to elite sites in Tasmania, Upper Yarra Valley and the Whitlands Plateau. At once delicate and powerful, endowed with the allure and irresistible charm of sparkling Rosé.

Fashioned to the French Doux style, a cépage of Chardonnay which brings creamyness to the palate and contributes structure. Pinot Noir adds middle palate dimension with hints of cherry and spice. A richly cake textured palate, warm and fruit driven, with a tingling acidity that cleans and refreshes. Superb as a richer style of aperitif, an accompaniment to canapes, a splendid dessert wine, it mates perfectly to quince tart or wet ripe cheeses, the perfect every occassion wine for those who appreciate the sweeter things in life.

An elite Victorian Sparkler from some of the most superior sites, all over 500 metres above sea level, in King Valley, Macedon and Strathbogie Ranges. A multi dimensional wine, dominated by a slightly larger component of Pinot Noir, tightly woven from a tapestry of hand chosen parcels, the auspiciously high altitudes and regional diversity yields harvests of intensely flavoured fruit, with refined natural acidity and stylish balance. A wine of great persistence and integrity, character and charm, to be savoured at every opportune occasion.

Chandon are the people who brought fine Sparkling wine to Australia and superior Australian sparkling wines to the world. The most auspicious Yarra Valley vineyards were consolidated in the 1990s with a view to establishing a marque in Australian sparkling wine which is second to none. The refined elegance, exquisite balance and generosity of Chandon Rosé are the fruit of these precious vineyards, husbanded for decades by the nation's leading viticulturalists. A vibrant, refreshing aperitif style, extravagantly crafted to full Methode Traditionnelle.

From deciding which rows to pick on what day, right through to the ferments, pressing and aging in oak, Catalina Sounds are meticulous in their pursuit of an exuberantly wild fermented, complex and structured wine. All the while keeping in mind that minimal intervention is the best approach to handling the noble but capricious Pinot Noir. Sounds of White demands Leading with its ripe red nose of forest berries, raspberry and cola notes, her palate is silken and elegant, such powerful fruit notes, all framed by ripe tannins and flattering oak, resolving on a long, technicolor, peacock tail finish.

Catalina Sounds prefer to allow Pinot Noir to express itself, for a wine that's structured and elegant, approachable and food friendly. Working to principles of sustainable land management and good governance of the environment, Pinot Noir grapes are de-stemmed into a mix of open fermenters and French oak to create an interesting, more savoury style. Strawberries, nutmeg and white pepper florals, lovely Pinot flavours of sour cherry and spice over a length of velvet tannins. Fresh and vibrant, the perfect food lovers Pinot, ideally alongside rillettes of duck or game bird cassoulet.