Payne’s Rise
Yarra Valley, Victoria
“This started as a no-frills offer. My notes have grown increasingly effusive. The wines warrant it. The more I think about it, the more I truly believe that these are the best-value wines currently on the market.*
Tim and Narelle Cullen are the owners and operators of Payne’s Rise. Tim is the viticulturist (and I mean the viticulturist, as he is a consultant across the Yarra Valley for many of the big players), while Narelle runs the cellar door and sales. The wines are as uncluttered by marketing fluff as they are by artifice in the cellar; the winemaker is the much-lauded Franco D’Anna of Hoddles Creek fame.
The vines lie on classic upper Yarra red soils. The exposition and siting is almost identical to the much more august Seville Estate, but the Cullens’ hill lies due South of the township. Tim is very proud of his vines, especially his old Cabernet block which is now at full maturity at twenty years of age.
Anyone looking for flashy designer labels, silly and hands-on winemaking, and overpriced wines trading on nothing more than the cache of the Yarra Valley will not find them here. In my humble opinion these wines transcend theur humble price point and no-frills aesthetic to be reflectiove of the serious mindset at work at this estate. We recently tried a 2018 Chardonnay that was just singing and had people shouting ‘Mount Mary!’ when looking at it blind.”
— David
* If I say this about another wine, you’re welcome to come back and query it to me. (Note: Nick attests to this)
I
Payne’s Rise 2021 Yarra Valley Chardonnay
Shelf price: $35.00
Offer: $29.00
“An enticing mid-yellow with green highlights in the glass, this 2021 Yarra Valley Chardonay presents gentle reduction on first pour allied to charming orchard fruit aromas. Aeration brings nougat and blanched almonds, wreathed in crushed citrus leaves with hints of zesty confiture. The palate is balanced, with bright acidity focusing the fruit flavours, and gentle phenolics on the close. Classic in the manner of old-school Burgundy. It is worth pointing out that this wine has ample breadth and plenitude that is simply astonishing at this price point. There is a tidal ebb to the wash of yellow and white stonefruit, confit lime, and almond paste, which all make their presence felt without crowding the palate out. Long and satiny before a gently mineral close.
I don’t know how to put it, but there is nothing mean; there is no lack of concentration here, there is no forced extraction, and there are certainly no oak chips. This wine has a quiet sense of beauty and poise, there is nothing quite like it in this range. Very fine.
— David
“There’s no way I’m spitting that mate.”
— Nick
Order here
(Link)
II
(Link)
Payne’s Rise 2023 Yarra Valley Pinot Noir ‘Mr Jed’
Shelf price: $39.00
Offer: $33.00
“Enticingly bright garnet, the 2023 Payne’s Rise Pinot Noir is likewise faintly reduced, and there is a slight hallmark of a new barrel in the mix. To my mind, this is not a problem, and is just redolent of quality at this level. With air, bright red cherries and some strawberry practically burst from the glass; supporting here is that toasty oak nuance — think being in the Arnott’s biscuit factory — together with sapid elements of orange rind and balsam. The palate is fresh and conveys a sense of youthful joie de vivre, the acidity keeping everything vibrant with faintly chalky tannins working harmoniously on the close. I get an overwhelming impression of cherries gently macerated with bay laurel, rhubarb; a dusting of cocoa; faint mineral nuances; and a burst of bright blood orange on the close. Unlike many other 2023 Pinot Noirs from Victoria, this wine never flags nor drops out in the middle palate. This impressive presence alone would justify this wine at the price, let alone its
delightfully moreish qualities outlined above.
— David
Order here
(Link)
II
(Link) I
Payne’s Rise 2019 Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Anniversary’
Shelf price: $58.00
Offer: $49.00
“Altogether more composed aromatically, this special release Cabernet from Payne’s Rise immediately has a sense of reserve and dignitas on first pour. After three minutes of attempting to compose this note, this wine has locked down. Escaping its structural event horizon: faint notes of bitter Greek black olive, marjoram, bush-garrigue, mineral and saline inflections, and a core of slightly glowering black fruit unready to be disturbed and this point. I am quite amazed at this aromatic about face executed by this wine; like serious Bordeaux it has gone from initial effusive burst to serious lockdown. Coming back to it again: sage, mint, cloves, blood orange, turned soil, and cigar leaf abound. I can’t wait to look at this wine again in twenty-four hours.”
— David
“David, you’ve spent the last half hour talking about the aromatics, can we get some notes on the palate?”
— Nick
“I should note, aromatically, that after this drawn out process, this is starting to open up with red fruits, esturarine and saline notes, and spice box. The palate is keenly sculpted and stays firmly in luncheon claret medium-bodied territory. The tannins are fine-grained, if firm at this stage, and the wine lingers well past its pay grade. (David pours another splash). Crushed red and black fruits, salt bush, and mineral nuances upfront; on pondering, sage, black olive, blood orange flesh and rind, and faint spice box characters on the finish. I can’t stop thinking about this wine.”
Order here
(Link)
I
(Link) urge anybody visiting the Yarra Valley to visit Tim and Narelle at their cellar door.
If you would like any of the above, would like to come by for a private appointment, or just have some questions — please let us know.