Grape: Pinot Noir

Barney Flanders and his Garagiste label fly a bit under the radar on the Peninsula. He doesn't have a big, fancy cellar door flooded with Melbourne day-trippers and tourists, he just has a small private winery pumping out some of the most honest and interesting wines of the region.

The project is designed to reflect the different sub-regions of the Peninsula, with the Merricks Pinot Noir coming from slightly more elevated volcanic soils of the eponymous small town.

Think of a bold, fruit-forward style with subtle tannins and a hint of spice and you have a wine that is as well placed on the dinner table as it is in the backyard on a sunny day.