Tarras Vineyards The Canyon Pinot Noir

Gob smackingly brilliant Central Pinot at its very best! Tarras is the name, Hayden Johnston is the man behind the name and The Canyon is the finest expression of Pinot they produce and only ever released in seriously exceptional vintages.

This single vineyard wine from The Canyon vineyard (it overlooks a canyon in case you were wondering) is all class and that’s backed by a stunning 95/100 score from Master of Wine Bob Campbell. Bob said “The Canyon vineyard is in the upper terraces of Bendigo. Only made in exceptional vintages. Elegant pinot noir with bright cherry, berry and spice flavours and an attractive floral influence. Purity and persistence. A stylish wine with cellaring potential (2026).”

Geez, we thought the wine was interesting enough…and then we read the story about the main restaurant building at Tarras Vineyards that overlooks The Canyon vineyard. And more importantly how it got there!

Originally a restaurant at Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell it was closed down and due to be bulldozed to pieces. Hayden stepped in, saved it and decided it’d be the centerpiece of Tarras Vineyards. Then came the mammoth task up loading the over size building on to a truck and carting it over 22km from Cromwell to the Canyon. Traffic had to be cleared, road signs were removed to make way, before finally Hayden had his new restaurant and tasting room perched on top of the hill over looking the Tarras vineyard.

No doubt a glass of bloody good Pinot was poured to celebrate at the end of that day!