Small Winemakers Tasting Dozens |
The Classic November Dozen | |
| CABLE BAY WAIHEKE ISLAND CHARDONNAY 2008Winemaker Neill CulleyWinemaker’s NotesThe grapes were hand harvested and whole bunch pressed. The settled juice was then run off to French oak barriques for fermentation. Approximately 20% underwent a natural fermentation with no intervention. The wine was matured on the yeast lees in barrel for 10 months, which gives the wine an additional dimension and texture. The final blend was a selection from 10 individual batches, reflecting the different clones and vineyard sites. A wine displaying layers of flavour and interest – the result of a range of vineyard sites combined with traditional winemaking techniques. Upfront tropical and stone fruit characters are complemented by a creamy, biscuity mid-palate. The lingering finish has a nutty complexity and traces of minerality. Restrained use of oak has maintained the elegance of this wine. Cellar“Best enjoyed on release and over the next three to five years.” Additional Notes“The wine is produced from a range of vineyards located in the Western end of Waiheke Island. The vines are managed using traditional techniques such as hand leaf plucking and shoot thinning. Within these vineyards we grow four different clones of Chardonnay, each contributing individual characters to the final blend, resulting in a more complex and appealing wine.” According to my handwritten notes the 2004 Chardonnay was in the August 2007 Dozen. The 'time line' in my mind is surprised with this five year gap. It argues three. Nevertheless, it is available now through a new local Distributor, and in either case it is 'time.' AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 09 372 5889 Cellar Door Open. |
| CANOBOLAS SMITH CHAMBOURCIN 2006Winemaker Murray SmithWinemaker’s NotesFruit was sourced from a neighbouring half acre dryland, organic vineyard. Grapes were crushed and fermented in stainless steel, with regular plunging being carried out. Fermentation complete, the wine spent time in old wood. Strong red, purple colour, typical of Chambourcin. Lifted nose of spiced plums. Lively palate with sweet mid palate fruit, bright acidity and integrated tannin. 15% Cabernet Sauvignon adds some blackcurrant notes. Judicious blending plus bottle age has produced this surprise packet. Just don't tell them it's Chambourcin! CellarDrinking well now. Additional Notes'A funny thing happened.' Greg, a 'friend' of the Dozens was in Orange, and was visiting a few Cellar Doors, as you should, and called into Canobolas Smith. He found a note next to a bottle of wine inviting him to taste it's contents. While taking up the offer, Murray arrived. The conversation at some stage included mention of the Dozens and Murray suggested that the Chambourcin would be a 'goodie' for a future Dozen. I had not had such a recommendation from Murray for years, and it was 'exciting' somehow to get the sample via Greg. After 25 or so years, Murray stepped back from winemaking and had a break. Talking to him last week, he said he's back as winemaker, but on a much smaller scale than before. Except with some help in the vineyard, he is doing everything. I think this is the best news, in wine, I've heard for some time. I don't know of too many Cellar Doors who would employ a 'note to try' a wine as a meet and greet arrangement, but that's very Murray. AvailabilityCellar Door or please contact me. Winery DetailsPhone/Fax: 02 6365 6113 |
 | CERETTO BLANGE LANGHE ARNEISWinemaker Dave Fletcher (Australian Italianophile)Winemaker’s NotesArneis is a native varietal producing a very fruity wine with hints of pear and apple. Its fragrance and flavour are enhanced by the small amount of CO2 maintained from the fermentation, which also helps to make up for the variety’s typically low acidity.” CellarDrink fresh on release, not a wine to age. Additional Notes“The White side of Piedmont wine. It was 1985, and Arneis was one of the first adventures undertaken by Bruno and Marcello Ceretto. The first vineyard was purchased on the hillsides of Vezza d'Alba. The challenge or vision was a white wine in the land of great reds. This famous white, fruity with a bit of effervescence, is appreciated worldwide” In the Notes there is a reference to 'low acidity' and that CO2 helps to 'make up for this.' The Notes went on to say: “A 40% cryoextraction (cold extraction), with different durations and temperatures depending on the condition of the grapes is carried out in stainless steel tanks, and with new cold pressing techniques. All this is controlled by a centralised computer system guaranteeing uniform development of the wine in its evolution.” After fermentation is complete the wine is held in tanks with no ullage (air space), just a CO2 cover. When the system needs new stocks, it is bottled fresh from these tanks with that desired effervescence via the 'cold extraction.' I was also told, if in Piedmont to ask not for a Ceretto Arneis, but rather Blange. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Web: www.ceretto.com |
| CRUICKSHANK CALLATOOTA ESTATE SHIRAZ 2009Winemakers John Cruickshank and Laurie NichollsWinemaker’s NotesThis is a fruit driven style of Shiraz. The lifted spicy berry fruit is enhanced with very subtle oak. The palate has great length of fruit with a long dry finish. This wine was made in our new winery at Denman solely from grapes off our Denman vineyard. CellarMedium term five to eight years. Additional NotesI am pleased to have been able to include this wine in this Dozen, and it was very much last minute. My first memory of Cruickshank goes back to the 1970s when I was working at Spofforth Street Cellars (the name now changed to generic suburbia) and I was confronted by a woman selling Cruickshank Callatoota Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (The Cabernet Specialists). I can't remember if any was bought. Over the years I would see it around, but somehow I never got to know it. Bits and pieces of Cruickshank information was subconsciously gathered nevertheless. Then late last year I saw the Shiraz 2009 in a local Independent Shop and bought a bottle. On that same trip back from Brisbane I decided to drop into the Cellar Door at Denman where I found John Cruickshank, to whom I admitted some confusion to not only their Shiraz, but a few other varietals. He told me he sold the Wybong property to the mine next door and bought the new property and vineyard in 2007. One penny hit the floor. I spoke to him about the Dozens, but being elderly he told me to contact his son, Andrew. The money bag was jingling. I spoke to Andrew once, he delivered the wine and I haven't been able to contact him since. He is working on a new vineyard at Peats Ridge. I'd heard of this activity from the bottlo purchase, but I didn't know then, there were two Cruickshank wine men. I do now, and there's wine research afoot! AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 02 6547 1088 |
 | d'ARENBERG THE DRY DAM RIESLING 2011Winemakers Chester Osborn and Jack WaltonWinemaker’s NotesOnce picked the grapes were passsed through the gentle Demoisey rubber toothed crusher with individual batches kept separate. The must was then basket pressed with only the free run juice used for the Dry Dam Riesling. The juice was inoculated with a neutral yeast to ensure the retention of the delicate varietal characters. The fermentation was long and cool. It was stopped before reaching total dryness to ensure that the residual sugar is maintained to highlight the delicate fruit chartacters. It's a rich aroma of exotic tropical fruits with notes of guava, white peach and preserved lime with subtle orange blossom in the background. The palate is off dry, with residual sugar highlighting the juicy red apple and zesty citrus characters. The racy acid brings the palate back into focus for a refreshingly dry finish which lingers with notes of lemon and lime. Cellar"Fresh and zesty this wine is very approachable on release. The natural acidity will see it age gracefully in the bottle for up to a decade." Additional Notes"A dry dam is bad news for our neighbouring farmers, but promises good results for our Riesling. Dry-grown, old vine, low-yielding vines picked with great mineral acidity. In 1992 our neighbours built a dam in which no water lay, as it was a dry winter. The next year it rained but the dam was jinxed and didn't hold water. We still hold the blame. Some people mix the name around, calling the wine 'The Dam Dry Riesling,' which in some years is truer than others! AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8329 4888 Web: www.darenberg.com.au |
 | DEETSWOOD SPARKLING SHIRAZ 2009Winemaker Deanne EatonWinemaker’s NotesInhale the aromas of raspberry and cherry with dark chocolate overtones while tasting the flavours and berries and plums. This rich, lively and intense wine is created in the traditional methode champenoise and has a seamless acid finish. CellarReleased to enjoy. Additional NotesAbout a year ago, another friend of the Dozens, and 'local' in that part of the world made mention of a Semillon from a winery near Tenterfield. Finally, driving from Brisbane back to Sydney, I had a chance to drop in. I bought Semillon, which I will get back to at some stage, and amongst a few wines in all, was this Sparkling Shiraz. I felt there was something fanciful in such a wine from Tenterfield. “Deetswood cool climate vineyard was established in 1996 by Deanne's parents: Barbara and Perry Condrick. Following a 10+ year engineering and project management career, Deanne felt the pull, and returned home with her family in 2005. Over the next five years, she returned to Uni to study winemaking, built a winery and now is doing all Deetswood winemaking on site.” AvailabilityCellar Door or please contact me. Winery DetailsPhone: 02 6736 1322 |
 | LIEBICHWEIN BAROSSA VALLEY VIOGNIER 2012Winemaker Ron LiebichWinemaker’s NotesThe wine is pale to medium straw in colour. A lifted perfumed nose of pear, apricot, musk stick and honey. The palate is fleshy, a little oily with generous alcohol that carries the fruit salad flavours of pineapple, pear and apricot with just a touch of spice. The finish is firm and long with a touch of tannin. Cellar“Viognier wines should be drunk young” Additional NotesA home bottling, from a small batch fermented in a stainless steel tank. Two rows only of Viognier were grafted over Pinot Noir giving only 50 cases of the first of this variety. I hadn't been to the Liebich's Cellar Door for a few years, but it was just 'like yesterday' as I walked in and Janet gave me a glass of this Viognier. She didn't let me miss the fact that it made the 'Adelaide Review Hot 100 South Australian Wines' in the 'Aromatic light to medium bodied white wine with texture.' I had a really good catch up and was pleased to be able to use the Viognier for this Dozen. Also, I left thinking that I will order some of Ron's fortified wines next winter. It has always been a keen distraction and love, he admits, since his early days in the family winery, Rovalley. AvailabilityCellar Door or pleas contact me. Winery DetailsPhone/Fax: 08 8524 4543 |
 | MINNOW CREEK THE BLACK MINNOW 2009Winemaker Tony WalkerWinemaker’s Notes80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec. The colour is bright red ruby with crimson edges. The nose is a mix of dark cherry, rhubarb and French herbs, complemented by touches of light charry oak and savoury elements. The palate is vibrant red berry fruits with an earthy twist from the Sangiovese, darker berries and a touch of structure from the Cabernet, completed with a hint of blueberry from the Malbec. The finish is both long and complex. This wine was matured for 14 months in second use French and American oak. Cellar“Cellar through to 2014 and beyond.” Additional NotesFor me, a visit to Adelaide isn't complete without catching up with Tony Walker an old College friend, and seeing what he has sourced lately. Disarmingly charming, but intense in many ways, particularly in wine, I left with a few samples of his 'projects.' I was interested in the Black Minnow mainly because it has been here twice before and I thought it a good idea to have another look. We spoke of his Rose (also here twice, five plus years ago), and how, with his small production is selling very well in Melbourne where it seems the Rose Revolution is 'hotting up.' A Shiraz, yet to be looked at, that has an almost daily request of 'when?' And a Sauvignon Blanc similar to the Down to Earth wine in the August Dozen. A nice wine that made me stop and think 'again' about this variety and how it can be. A good visit. AvailabilityCall Tony direct or call me. Winery DetailsTony Walker (m) 0404 288 108 |
 | MOUNT MAJURA TSG 2011Winemaker Frank van de LooWinemaker’s Notes43% Tempranillo, 41% Shiraz and 16% Graciano. By blending, we take the spotlight off the variety and put it back on the vineyard where it belongs. The fruit was hand picked throughout April, and fermented in open vats with hand plunging. Matured in French oak (approx. 10% new), blended and bottled unfined and lightly filtered under screw cap in January 2012. Our 2011 reds generally show the character of the vintage, being lighter but superbly aromatic and fine. The TSG leads with enticing black plum and cherry fruit from the Tempranillo, while Shiraz adds juice and softness to the palate, and Graciano brings spice and vitality. We're really pleased with this one: not only complex and intriguing, but truly delicious. There is tremendous fruit purity and minerality that make for great drinkability now, yet it is likely to age very well too. Cellar“Drink now to 2022.” Additional Notes“Our goal is to find the varieties that best suite our site, because we believe that when the right combinations are found, the wines gain an extra level of quality and character. Based on our experience so far, Tempranillo and Shiraz are clearly the leading red varieties for our vineyard and climate, with Graciano 'still' more experimental.” ('Still' not bad). A long drive in September really started by meeting Fergus McGhie (Sales & Marketing) at Mount Majura. We went for a walk through the vineyard where he explained the changing dynamic of varieties to their location on the various slopes. Along the way we met up with Winemaker Frank van de Loo and Viticulturist Andrew Butler who were inspecting new plantings and various stages after the previous week's heavy rain. There is as true sense of purpose and a touch of varietal adventure at Mount Majura that is exciting. They're also more than pleased at wines for future release, especially a Sparkling wine on lees. AvailabilityCellar Door or please contact me. Winery DetailsPhone: 02 6262 3070 |
 | MR. MICK TEMPRANILLO 2009Winemaker Tim AdamsWinemaker’s NotesTempranillo, fermented for a week on skins, was then gently pressed, with part of the pressings incorporated in this blend for added texture. The wine was then matured in French oak for over two years before bottling in June 2012. Crafted in typical Mr. Mick style, this wine has subtle French oak, smooth tannins, strawberries, a hint of spice and a long lingering finish. Cellar“Any time now and up to ten years.” Additional Notes“Mr. Mick would have been extremely proud of this wine. Mirroring the central areas of Spain, which Tempranillo calls home, the warm dry growing conditions of the Clare Valley is the ideal climate to make this variety shine. Take it from us when we say this wine will go well with just about any food.” Now to the label. “Named after K.H. (Mr. Mick) Knappstein, a legend within the Australian winemaking industry. One of Mr. Mick's passions in life was to make wines for everyone to enjoy, a tradition his last apprentice, local winemaker Tim Adams continues in his name. Today, Tim and his wife Pam are proud custodians of the landmark Leasingham property. Mr. Mick once said there were two types of people in the world: those who were born in Clare and those who wish they had been!” Some people put anything in their notes. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8842 2555 Web: WWW.MRMICK.COM.AU |
 | ROUTE DU VAN GIOIA BIANCO 2011Winemaker Tod DexterWinemaker’s Notes54% Sauvignon Blanc, 22% Pinot Grigio, 18% Viognier and 6% Chardonnay, all from the Yarra Valley. We've asked our friends and families to help us describe our wines. Here is their response: The colour is light straw with bright green hues. Smell: passion fruit, pear, grassy, herbal, fresh, floral, blossom, fruit, spicy, mineral, citrus, zingy, ginger, white peach, complex, refreshing, hint musky. Taste: Lively mid palate 'sweetness,' crisp, passion fruit, fruity & dry, medium body, good texture, hint smoky, fingers where are the nibbles, spices, granny smith apples, fresh acid finish, pear, clean, more please, quaffable, complex, minerally, chalky, nice balance. CellarDrink now. Additional NotesWhen I asked Paul Stenmark of Winestock about the Route Du Van Dolcetto Shiraz 2010 after reading about this troupe of wine lovers / makers wandering around doing their thing, he provided a sample, and that was good for the purpose in August. He added 'you should try the white.' These comments always stick. Talking again to Winestock recently,I asked how the 'road trip white,' was going and was told it always shows up very well at tastings. Interesting tasting notes! AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsWeb: www.routeduvan.com |
 | SACREBLEU CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2011Winemaker Xavier BizotWinemaker’s Notes2011 was a very cool vintage in Wrattonbully and the only Cabernet Sauvignon grapes harvested were ripe and clean, but without the depth of flavours of the 2009 or the 2010. Everything had been done in the vineyard and the winery to make the best wine possible, and Sacrebleu (By Jove!) we made a good wine! The 2011 Cabernet is released under the Sacrebleu label. It is very savoury, great primary fruit flavours, medium length, great French Bistro style. CellarDrink now. Additional Notes“The fruit for this Cabernet came off the Terre a Terre vineyard, one of close spaced vines in Wrattonbully, South Australia, on the Terra Rossa topsoil, characteristic of the area. The fruit was transported back to Tiers winery in the Piccadilly Valley (Adelaide Hills) where it was crushed and destemmed. The must was cold settled for two days in small open fermenters, then hand plunged at least once a day for flavour and tannin extraction and temperature control. The wine was then left to cold macerate on skins. After three weeks it was pressed off skins and racked to French barriques where it went through malolactic fermentation.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. |
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