Small Winemakers Tasting Dozens |
The Classic February Dozen | |
| AQUITANIA RESERVE SYRAH MAIPO VALLEY 2011Winemakers Bruno Prats, Paul Pontellier, Felipe de Solminihac & Ghislain de MontgolfierWinemaker’s Notes100% Syrah hand harvested off their Maipo Valley vineyard situated at 750 metres above sea level. Grapes were then hand sorted on a conveyor belt. Four days of cold soaking at 5ºC in temperature controlled 21,700 litre stainless steel tanks. Seven days of fermenting at 24ºC with three pump overs per day. Ten days post fermentation maceration at 23ºC. Ageing of 100% of wine in stainless steel vats with no oak ageing. Bottled without filtration. Intense ruby-violet colour with hints of purple. On the nose you can find intense off-ripe wild fruits, spices and some meat notes. In the mouth, soft tannins and pleasant fruitiness makes this wine perfect to pair with red meats. Cellar"Now to 2015." Additional NotesAs I get these Notes together, this is the third Shiraz of the Dozen. But actually, it is this very wine made by the 'Four Musketeers,' as they describe themselves on their Web Page, that was the source of these three Shiraz wines. There was a lone surviving bottle of their Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from last August Dozen in the 'lock-up.' It was just before Christmas. I took it home and really without thinking about it, I opened it and poured a glass. I was completely captivated by it and slept very well that night. So what else can these guys do? AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery Web (English version): www.aquitania.cl/inicioing.html Australian Wholesaler |
| FABER VINEYARD DWELLINGUP MOURVEDRE 2013Winemaker John GriffithsWinemaker’s NotesA small parcel of Mourvedre (Mataro) was sourced from Orondo Farm in Dwellingup approx. 100Km south east of Perth. Fermented in a one tonne fermenter, pumped over by hand and then aged in old hogsheads for nine months. Bright purple red, this wine has intense aroma of blueberry with complex earthy meaty notes. The palate is initially delicious with a hit of sweet juicy fruit. The wine is soft and round with a light yet lengthy sweet fruit finish. We have always called Mourvedre "poor man's Shiraz" because it makes a sweet fruited soft wine. This is exactly what we have here. A delicious wine with quite intense flavour but light and savoury on the palate. Cellar"Absolutely beautiful with food, its soft tannins make it an ideal drink as a young wine." Additional NotesMichael from Tendril Liquor sent an E-mail mid February to say he had a very small amount of Mourvedre coming over from Faber, was I interested? Of course, it is perfect. “We also select fruit from further afield (Faber Vineyard is in the Swan Valley), where the quality allows us to make excellent wines. The winemaker should preserve and highlight the fruit from which the wine is made, not disguise it. We don't believe in muddy or earthy or funky wine – these wines could come from anywhere and be made from anything. Wines driven by fruit are fresh and appealing with great drinkability. Complexity comes from age – allowing the flavours and balance of the wine to integrate and evolve into new richer, deeper flavours.” Taken from Faber Vineyard Website under “What We Are About.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Extremely limited. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 9296 0619 |
 | HAREWOOD ESTATE CABERNET MERLOT 2011Winemakers James Kellie & Luke HipperWinemaker’s NotesThis wine is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc sourced from specialist vineyards in the Frankland River Porongurup and Denmark sub regions of the Great Southern Wine Region of Western Australia. The individual batches were fermented in small open fermenters and then matured in a mixture of new and older French and American barriques. Following nine months in oak, the wines were carefully blended and returned to barrel for a further nine months prior to bottling. The wine is dense, inky red with some youthful purple hues. The nose is complex, perfumed and spicy with blackcurrant, mint and tobacco leaf. The palate is full, seamless and textured with blackberry, plums and spicy vanillin French oak complemented by a long finish of chocolate mint, raspberry and fine tannins. Cellar"The wine's balance and structure, combined with the use of screw cap technology suggest that it will improve with up to 10 years careful cellaring." Additional NotesEvery Dozen needs wines that represent good value, something that is there to be found. Looking at this wine I was reminded of the depth of enthusiasm some makers had for Merlot 10 to 15 years ago. It’s been in blends for a hell of a lot longer than that of course, and here again, I wonder, is this where it is at its best? AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 9840 9078 |
| HEMERA ESTATE SHIRAZ 2012Winemaker Alex PeelWinemaker’s Notes2012 saw consistent rainfall throughout spring that provided excellent canopy development and uniform bunch maturation. A relatively cool ripening period saw good natural acidity development and pristine flavours in the fruit due to extended ripening time. Once the grapes had been identified to be of optimum ripeness the parcels were brought into the winery where they were gently crushed into open fermenters. Here they are manually pumped-over twice daily to provide softer tannin extraction. Near conclusion of the primary fermentation the wine is drained and the skins transferred to the Air-bag press. The free-run and the pressed wine are combined before being transferred into a combination of new and seasoned French and American oak barrels for 18 months maturation. Careful barrel selection takes place before the wine is blended. This individual wine is crafted to create a seamless balance between intensity, structure and elegance. The nose has abundant plums, blueberries and sweet spiced anise with floral lift. The tannins are rich and silky giving mid palate weight and enhancing the dark red cherries and mulberry characters. The oak maturation is integrated and adds toast and dark chocolate to the palate. Cellar“The wine is very elegant and tightly structured in style and will provide excellent cellaring potential, 10 years+.” Additional NotesFormerly known as Ross Estate, this wine is from the 'Southern Foothills' of the Barossa Valley. Considering its origin and the power of the wines from the Valley over the years, sometimes beyond 'consideration,' I think 'elegance' describes this wine well. It’s no wimp, but a serious Barossa statement. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8524 4033 |
 | HOLM OAK ARNEIS 2012Winemaker Rebecca DuffyWinemaker’s NotesThis is the third vintage of Arneis that we have made at Holm Oak, and it is the only Arneis made in Tasmania. The fruit was picked at around 12 Be. The fruit was destemmed and then pressed to tank and two old oak barrels. The juice in the tank was racked and then the juice in both tank and barrel underwent natural fermentation, separately, to give the wine more palate weight and complexity. The wine was left on primary lees for about three months prior to bottling. The wine shows some interesting peach, honeydew and almond characters on the nose, which is supported by some soft spice aromatics. The palate is fresh and vibrant and finishes with preserved lemon characters. Cellar"This is a wine that is great with lighter dishes and salads and is best drunk within three years of production." Additional Notes“Holm Oak in the Tamer Valley, approx. 40km north of Launceston is family owned and managed by winemaker Rebecca Duffy and viticulturist Tim Duffy. All wine produced and bottled on site. Tasmanian whites have beautiful fruit purity and acid structure, and generally our aim with these varieties (Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris) is to express these characters as best we can. With Arneis we try to make a more savoury, textural wine and is why we ferment about 70% in tank and 30% older oak.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 03 6394 7577 |
 | KILIKANOON KILLERMAN'S RUN GSM 2012Winemaker Kevin MitchellWinemaker’s NotesA sensational season for 2012 reds, each individual parcel was vinified and matured in small, older French oak casks. Coming together later, to be bottled, without fining and unfiltered, ready to be enjoyed now upon release or allowed added complexity if carefully cellared. Brick red in colour with crimson hues. On the nose, the perfect package, spicy notes, dark cherries, cloves and a hint of older French oak come together seductively. A classic Rhone styled palate, one that brings together all the complementary nuances and flavours of the three noble varieties in a refined and long palate experience. CellarPotential of at least 12 to 15 years." Additional Notes"The 2012 vintage saw the introduction of 10% Mataro into the mix. Now a bona fide GSM blend, it combines the savoury, meaty notes of the Mataro, the perfumed cherry and dark chocolate from the Grenache and the robust backbone and riper plum characters of the Shiraz in a truly textural and beguiling regional wine." Still simmering with good memory of the Sevenhill St Aloysius from November, another Clare Valley blend was a most attractive thought. After asking Jo Newton from Bacchus Wines about another similar blend from the Valley, she, with high enthusiasm recommended this wine, and it was done. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8843 4206 |
 | LORCA FANTASIA CHARDONNAY 2012Winemaker Mauricio LorcaWinemaker’s NotesHand harvested off their Mendoza vineyard situated at 1050 metres above sea level. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation was in stainless steel vats. This wine has not been aged in oak barrels in order to achieve maximum expression of terroir. This is a filtered wine. Deep greenish yellow in colour. Maximum expression of fruit on the nose. Notes of white flowers, citrus and tropical fruits. Freshness, elegance and a long finish. CellarDrink best now. Additional NotesLast Dozen, as mentioned, I asked Glen from Untapped Wines for a South American Chardonnay, and what did he recommend as a start. The Loma Larga was the result, and there have been good comments about it. Amongst those he came up with was this Lorca wine. I still get nervous at the thought of unwooded Chardonnays as a result of earlier local offerings which in many cases were 'duds.' I respect Hugh Hamilton's comment that to make them 'work' you have to have the right Clone of Chardonnay to begin with. The marketers won and had their way and we consumers were forced to drink very ordinary wines. There is always choice and Chardonnay lost a lot of prestige. But what about unwooded Chardonnays abroad? AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery Web (English version): www.mauriciolorca.com/eng/index.html Australian Wholesaler |
 | MITCHELTON AIRSTRIP 2011Winemaker Toby BarlowWinemaker’s Notes58% Marsanne, 27% Rousanne and 14% Viognier. Careful monitoring of fruit ripening ensures harvesting occurs at optimum maturity. The juice is cold settled and racked ahead of inoculation in barrel with selected yeasts. Some of the lime green 'yogurty' textured lees are retained at racking, adding complexity and depth to the Airstrip blend. Marsanne and Rousanne are fermented and matured for nine months in 20% new French oak while the Viognier component is fermented in four year old barrels to promote purity of fruit expression. The final blend is a careful selection of individual barrels that ensures harmony of oak coupled with complexity and texture. Pale straw in colour with vivid green hues. Inviting aromas of peach and apricot blossom draw the taster in while hints of pistachio meld with spicy oak notes. The palate is a showcase of delicacy, with a medley of white apricot, white peach and crisp apple to the fore. Secondary layers of cumquat combine with a complex spiciness in the well rounded and medium bodied palate. CellarDrink best at three to five years. Additional Notes"This aromatic white blend is an amalgam of our favourite Rhone Valley varietals. With their origins in France: Marsanne was planted on the estate in the early 1970s, whilst both Rousanne and Viognier were established in the early nineties. Due to record wet, the 2011 vintage commenced three to four weeks later than normal. Primary fruit expression is typically characteristic of a cooler season with aromatic vibrancy and crisp natural acid a feature." AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 03 5736 2222 |
 | RALPH FOWLER VIOGNIER 2010Winemaker Ralph FowlerWinemaker’s NotesThe fruit is gently whole bunch pressed in a basket press. The juice is fermented in a large 35 Hectolitre (4000 litre) French oak cask and matured on yeast lees until bottling in late spring. The wine is only handled once to bottles. Cool climate, complex and rich with good quality. The gentle pressing avoids the bitterness to which the variety is prone. The aromas are intriguing with characters of honeysuckle, citrus blossom, ginger, musk and apricot. The flavour is rich and full with a textural quality from the firmness of the variety and the creamy or biscuity character of the yeast autolysis from the yeast work. Cellar"The wine will advance quickly over the first two to three years, developing a more golden colour and the characteristic lavender and apricot of Viognier. The acidity and the fine tannins should hold the wine together for up to six years." Additional Notes“After 30 years on the Industry, Ralph and his wife Deborah bought a property in the Mount Benson region, and planted Shiraz and Viognier, and finally decided to release wines of their own emphasising terroir, structure, elegance and finesse. He focuses on Shiraz and Viognier but also produces a small amount of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and has released limited quantities of Barrel Fermented dessert wines.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8768 5000 |
 | SEVENHILL INIGO BARBERA 2010Winemaker Liz Heidenreich (Br John May)Winemaker’s NotesThe Barbera was one of the later picked varieties of the vintage. It was crushed into a stainless steel fermenter and cold soaked for three days prior to yeast inoculation. The ferment is monitored carefully to assess the rate, temperature and extraction of flavour. The wine was then pressed to tank where malolactic fermentation took place before being racked to barrels for maturation. The wine is highly aromatic, with varietal herbal notes of sage, cinnamon and nutmeg on the nose; even a hint of chocolate. The variety's high natural acidity is apparent on the palate, balanced by soft, natural tannins. Blackberries and ripe, red berry fruits are evident underpinned by layers of violets and spice. With a soft and lingering finish, this is a medium-bodied wine that is certainly easy to drink. CellarMedium term 5 to 8 years. Additional NotesIn my mind there was a very strong 'return to the fold' in November with the St Aloysius 2010. I had to have another look at it at Christmas, and was totally charmed again. I'll have to keep more of the J's wines in mind for future Dozens. I was brought straight back here after I had an inexpensive Italian Barbera purchased at a nearby “Irish” Corporate outlet. They seem to taking over! And then I remembered this wine, and why not? AvailabilityContact me. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8843 4222 |
 | SHUT THE GATE ROSIE'S PATCH WATERVALE RIESLING 2012Winemakers Rasa Fabian & Richard WoodsWinemaker’s NotesSourced from “Rosie's Patch” vineyard in Watervale. Rich loam soils over a solid limestone base result in good water retention and healthy Riesling vines on this block. Mature vines deliver solid fruit flavours and good natural acid in the Riesling wines. 2012 is regarded as the best Clare Valley Riesling in the last 10 years. An exceptional year. This is a fresh, easy drinking Watervale Riesling. It is crystal clear with tinges of green. The nose is of light scented orange blossoms and intense rose petals. The palate: lifted limes, citrus lemon flavours with crunchy, crisp and refreshing finish. Cellar“Designed for early drinking now to five years.” Additional NotesAlso in the Shut The Gate Notes: “Clare Valley Riesling is usually produced in a pure dry style, and are renowned for their clean lemon and lime flavours and longevity. Watervale is the most well known of the seven sub regions of the Clare Valley. Ranging in altitude from 390 to 460 metres with loam over limestone soils, cool summer nights and good water retention produces consistently clean fruit flavours and high natural acid in the resulting wines.” Shut The Gate and Hemera Estate (Barossa Shiraz) are new to Jacki Osborne's Portfolio. With the Riesling she commented amongst other points that it is 'really dry.' And at <2.0g/L it is, and 'refreshing' to see. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone/Fax: 08 8843 0111 Facebook: www.facebook.com/ShutTheGateWines |
 | TWO RIVERS RESERVE SHIRAZ 2011Winemakers Greg Silkman & Jim ChattoWinemaker’s NotesMade from 100% Hunter Valley Shiraz from the 'spectacular' Inglewood Vineyard located in the upper reaches of the Hunter River near its confluence with the Goulburn River. This wine was fermented between 18 to 25ºC for seven days on skins. It was pumped over every six hours to extract colour and flavour. The wine was racked several times, clarified and transferred to selected French and American oak barrels for 18 months prior to final blending and bottling. This wine is deep ruby red in colour with a concentrated aroma of plum and dark berries with classic spice and integrated savoury oak. A classic Hunter Shiraz showing medium bodied ripe fruits and savoury elements and a long elegant finish. Cellar“This wine will cellar well for up to eight years.” Additional NotesWhile getting the November 2013 Dozen together, the inclusion of the Renacer Malbec AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 02 6547 2556 |
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