Small Winemakers Tasting Dozens |
The Classic Spring Dozen |
|
|
BLEASDALE BRIMMERVIEW SHIRAZ 2014Winemakers Paul Hotker and Matt LaubeWinemaker’s NotesDe-stemmed to open fermenters, approximately 15% whole berry, for a short soak. Fermentation peak at 30ºC with up to four pump overs per day. Drained and pressed after nine to twelve days on skins, settled for 24 hours before racking to oak for malolactic fermentation, (15% new and seasoned French oak puncheon and hogsheads). An expressive, medium to full bodied wine showing intense lifted dark berried fruits and spice. The palate is vibrant with dense blackberry and fresh plum flavours complemented by liquorice and pepper spice. Cellar“Drinking well now until 2026.” Additional NotesBleasdale, as stated on the label was established in 1850 and probably qualifies as a 'National Treasure.' Recent history has had me visiting Strathalbyn which lies south east of Adelaide, and every time I drive through Langhorne Creek, past Bleasdale, pressured by time, I promise myself, 'next time I will stop.' And so last month I did, and from the 'Land of Malbec' comes this marvellous Shiraz. I purchased a number of wines including a couple of Malbecs, but thought for this mix, a Shiraz other than a Hunter would be a good idea. Others to follow. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8537 3001 |
|
FIRST CREEK SHIRAZ 2014Winemaker Liz SilkmanWinemaker’s NotesThe 2014 produced some of the best Shiraz that we have ever bottled under the First Creek label. Small parcels of fruit were crushed and fermented in two to four tonne batches at 20ºC for seven days. After pressing, the wine was aged in French and American oak hogsheads for ten months. Colour is deep crimson ruby. The nose shows dark berry and cherry aromas backed by black pepper, anise and spicy oak characters. On the palate, elegant medium bodied Shiraz displaying concentrated mulberry and blackberry flavours, with spice and elegant fine tannins providing a long, satisfying finish. Cellar“Drinking window: 2022 to 2025.” Additional Notes“The Hunter Valley produces a soft Rhone Valley style, medium to full bodied Shiraz with ripe fruit flavours and alcohol between 13 and 14%. Mulberry spice and natural acid gives length and flavour. And now for the good news: The 2014 vintage has been widely acclaimed as one of the five greatest vintages of all time in the Hunter Valley. Ideal growing conditions allowed growers to harvest all fruit at optimum ripeness. The resulting wines are long, flavoursome and elegant, showing great promise for the future.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 02 4998 7293 |
 |
HAPPS MARGARET RIVER VP SEMILLON 2013: (VP Very Particular)Winemakers Erl Happ and Mark WarrenWinemaker’s Notes“Clear pale straw. A fruity aroma with fig and ripe grapefruit predominating over fresh cut straw, lemon butter and 'Granny Smith' characters. The palate is soft and textural rather crisp and acidic as is often seen with this variety. The flavours are citrus and fig with hints of almond meal, pastry and lemon rind. The flavour is long with a soft, slippery finish. The ripeness of this fruit and soft acidity make it a 'very particular' style. CellarNo information provided Additional Notes“The Very particular Semillon is a new style of full bodied table wine that will be completely unfamiliar to those who think they know 'Semillon.' It owes its character to the Three Hills Vineyard in the extreme south of the Margaret River that is pruned and picked by hand. The vineyard has a very high leaf area to fruit weight and the the trellis spreads the foliage reducing the density of leaves enabling them to function better. The fruit loses its green character, is golden and flavoursome at harvest, very different to vineyards designed for mechanisation. The soil is managed organically without herbicides, the vines are not irrigated and grape flavour is concentrated. The result is a full bodied flavoursome food wine, golden in colour, generous in its alcohol content, gutsy in its mid palate weight, intriguing in its composition and long lived.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 9755 9846 |
|
HEMERA BACCHUS CABERNET MERLOT 2014Winemaker Alex MacClellandWinemaker’s Notes79% Cabernet and 21% Merlot is sourced from selected blocks on the Hemera Estate. At optimum ripeness the parcels of Cabernet and Merlot are brought into the winery where they are gently crushed into open fermenters. Here they are manually pumped-over as required to provide softer tannin extraction. Near the conclusion of the primary fermentation the wine is drained and pressed off. The free run and pressings are combined based on the ideal flavour and structure before being transferred into new and seasoned oak barrels for maturation for 15 months. The nose has a distinctly spicy and earthy Cabernet character with the Merlot bringing sweet red fruits to the fore. The palate is medium bodied and is bright and fresh with beguiling red and black fruits balancing fine soft tannins, and the oak providing a gentle lick of mocha spice on the supple finish. Cellar“Potential up to five years.” Additional Notes“The wines in this, the 'Evolution Range,' are intended to be approachable styles on release. And while drinking well, they still have aging potential and follow the Hemera Estate principle of 'intensity, structure and elegance. Fruit driven and full of flavour these wines over deliver on quality.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8524 4033 |
 |
KRINKLEWOOD SHIRAZ 2014Winemakers Damien Stevens and Ron WindrumWinemaker’s NotesThis Shiraz was harvested in the cool of the morning and came into the winery in pristine condition. Fermentation was in a combination of small open fermenters which were plunged daily. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in tank before being racked into oak barrels. Maturation occurred for 12 months in French puncheon barrels. Deep plum in colour this medium bodied Shiraz has a nose of black cherry, mulberries and fresh spice with hints of mocha. It has ripe fruit tannins layered over flavours of vanillin and dark cherry. Well integrated oak gives the wine structure and persistence of length. Cellar“Six to 10 years.” Additional NotesKrinklewood Shiraz 2014 was a natural for this Dozen once the idea of celebrating the highly regarded Hunter Valley vintage of 2014 was to be part of the mix. Wines from this maker have been in several Dozens, and it was met with with some relief that this Shiraz was still available considering the release date, which according to their Notes was April 2015. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 02 9986 1644 |
 |
LIEBICH GRENACHE MATARO SHIRAZ (GMS) 2012Winemaker Ron LiebichWinemaker’s NotesGrenache 70%, Mataro 20% and Shiraz 10%. A spicy blend of classic Barossa varietals from an excellent vintage. Bush vine Grenache dominates the blend with lifted red berries and Mataro adds a spicy savoury backbone. The Shiraz component adds depth and suppleness to the wine. This GMS blend was hand plunged and basket pressed, then spent 15 months in seasoned American and French oak, before being bottled without fining or filtration to help encapsulate the fruit essences. Enjoy now particularly with game meats and pasta dishes. Cellar“Will develop in the bottle over the next 10 years.” Additional NotesThe Home Course was set via the Barossa this time, in mid August, mainly because of the recent Liebich E-Newsletter in which this 'Grenache' based blend was featured. The top end Premium wines from Liebich: The Darkie, Potters and Lofty, respectively Barossa Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are now realistically beyond the reach price wise of these Dozens, just like many others nowadays. Advertising? But I know Ron regards Grenache as 'part of the family.' And so here it is. While there, he brought out a laboratory flask with quite a bright looking red wine. Like Allan Dyson in McLaren Vale, Ron has made a Barossa Valley Pinot Noir. Both regions considerably warmer, to be polite, than is the norm, and Ron's is bright and perfumed as you would expect in the style. How interesting. I wonder how Allan's is going? AvailabilityCellar Door or please contact me. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8524 4543 |
 |
PANKHURST CHARDONNAY 2013Winemaker Sue Carpenter (Contract)Winemaker’s NotesThe Pankhurst Chardonnay displays the characteristics of the deep granite-based soils and sun-catching vineyard trellis system, in this cool climate vineyard just outside Canberra. It is known for its consistency in rich fruit characters and well balanced acid. Picked very ripe, it develops a white peach and gooseberry nose and a complex palate. This is supported by a firm structure after 10 months in quality French barriques. Cellar“Drink now or cellar for five years.” Additional Notes“Our vineyard site and management practices are designed to make optimum use of the local climatic conditions. Cold air drainage down into the Murrumbidgee valley ensures little concern over the possibility of frost damage at critical times. The warm dry conditions of summer provide an ideal environment for vigorous growth. The most important feature of the local climate is the long fruit ripening period. Warm days and cool nights during autumn result in high acid to sugar ratios in the grape juice. This provides the basis for production of high quality wines with good cellaring potential. Soils are of weathered granite origin and of good depth. The previous use of the land for grazing has built up the organic levels in the soils, giving them, good moisture holding characteristics. Although acid originally, soil treatments in preparation for planting have aimed at increasing pH levels towards the more optimum for high quality grape growing.” (Pankhurst Website). AvailabilityCellar Door or contact me. Limited Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 02 6230 2592 |
 |
PARACOMBE ADELAIDE HILLS PINOT GRIS 2015Winemakers Paul Drogemuller & James BarryWinemaker’s NotesParacombe Pinot Gris is made in a style which reflects the wonderful fruit character of the variety. Certainly Pinot Gris is well suited to the Adelaide Hills wine region showing off structure, flavour and finesse. Yields were low but quality, exceptionally high in 2015. Grapes for this vintage were harvested mid February to late March from Drogemuller family Paracombe vineyard and specialist Adelaide Hills growers. A delicate hint of colour in the glass, the wine shows lively pear and petal aromas, leading onto a fresh and gently structured flavour nicely balanced with natural acidity. Cellar“Made to enjoy now, a superb food wine.” Additional NotesI wasn't thinking of Paul and Kathy Drogemuller at the time of this Dozen, but when Jacki Osborne spoke highly of their Riesling, I listened. The sample she left to pick up, somehow became this Pinot Gris. I didn't notice at the time. Meanwhile, Jo Newton from Bacchus Wines said she'd just 'picked up' the Rolf Binder Portfolio and was 'very excited' about the Eden Valley Riesling in that lot. I was looking for a Riesling, and of course, just not any Riesling, and really the situation drove itself. A good thing. AvailabilityAvailable to Retailers. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8380 5058 |
 |
ROLF BINDER EDEN VALLEY RIESLING 2016Winemaker Christa DeansWinemaker’s NotesVineyards were harvested early March and the batches of fruit were processed and fermented separately in the winery. The resulting wines were blended together and then bottled in early July. A more floral and aromatic style this vintage. Fresh, crisp and vibrant, this 2016 Riesling release displays delicate rose floral and musk aromas with a zesty lime citrus core that lingers on the palate. Cellar“Vibrant and fresh now, it will also reward those who are able to wait. Drink now to 2030.” Additional Notes“Eden Valley Riesling is prized for its vibrancy and longevity and has produced many of Australia's great Rieslings. The fruit for this Riesling is sourced from two Eden Valley vineyards – Christa's own vineyard on the western side of the valley, with supplemental fruit from a select grower in the township of Eden Valley. Warm days and cool nights in this higher altitude, sub region of the Barossa ensure that the grapes develop ripe, intense fruit flavours while still retaining appealing acidity. The 2015/16 growing season started in the middle of a dry year in the Barossa. Rainfall was down and the resulting drier soils, combined with a warmer than average spring and early summer meant the vines got away at a cracking pace. January was less extreme than in previous years and with no rain for most of the month the grapes kept ripening quickly. Up to 30mm of rain fell in the last days of the month, providing welcome refreshment for the vines. Despite the challenges of the dry season, most vineyards ripened out evenly and completely.” Nice story. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8562 3300 |
 |
STEVENS MT GRENACHE BRUT 2014Winemakers Graham and Carolyn StevensWinemaker’s NotesFree-run juice only, was taken a few hours after the harvest and chilled to zeroºC for clarification before fermentation. Inoculating was with a premium yeast to commence a slow, temperature controlled fermentation. Fermentation to total dryness, the base wine for this fantastic sparkling is salmon in colour. Tirage filled four months after harvest, and bottle fermented using the traditional French methods. Matured on lees in the bottle and disgorged after 18 months to reveal a fruit driven, dry Methode Traditionelle with a lovely yeasty complexity. CellarFill your glass now! Additional NotesGraham made the first wine of this style back in 2011 and released in 2013. I heard that they had 'done' another one a year ago in July, and so I kept in touch via Carolyn as to it's release. As was the case last time, the labelling of the bottles held it up. I was hoping to get it in the last Dozen, but just missed. It speaks for itself. AvailabilityCellar Door or please contact me. Winery DetailsPhone/Fax: 08 8383 0997 |
 |
TWO RIVERS RESERVE SHIRAZ 2014Winemakers Greg Silkman and Liz JacksonWinemaker’s NotesThis wine was fermented at a temperature range of 18 to 25ºC for seven days on skins. The juice was then pumped over skins every six hours to impart rich colour and flavour from the skins. 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 with savoury elements and a long elegant finish. Cellar“This wine will cellar well for up to eight years.” Additional Notes“The philosophy behind our Reserve label is simple – select and isolate the best blocks in the vineyard and work with the terroir to produce wines that display distinct varietal and true regional character. Our Reserve Shiraz is a well balanced, medium bodied wine made in the classic Hunter style that shows the rich diversity of the region.” Previous vintages of this wine have included small parcels from other grape growing / winemaking regions, for example the 2013 included Orange fruit. Not so the 2014. Testimony to the claim that the 2014 Vintage is worthy of our attention. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 02 6547 2556 |
 |
ZEMA ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012Winemaker Greg ClayfieldWinemaker’s NotesThis wine was made from fruit which was harvested at its optimum maturity. The wine was fermented for seven days under controlled temperatures in a combination of rotary and static fermenters. Maturation for 14 months in small French and American oak barrels has assisted in the development of a wine that shows vibrancy and richness. Good dark medium colour with a purple hue. The nose shows hints of mulberry, black currant, violet and crushed dried autumn leaf. The palate displays cassis and dark cherry fruit, ripe berry and stylish nutty mocha oak generating attractive bright polished tannins. Having spent 14 months in French oak of selected ages the subsequent texture is both elegant and complex. Cellar“Well-structured with outstanding depth of fruit, this wine while drinking well now will continue to gain complexity and offers excellent cellaring potential, 10 years.” Additional Notes“The Zema family is proudly traditional in its approach to vineyard practices, favouring hand pruning and limited irrigation to maximise fruit quality. These practices are enhanced by the family's three strategically selected prime vineyard locations, capitalising on the region's subtle dramatic variations.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8736 3219 |
|
[Main] [About SWTD] [Current Dozen] [Profiles] [Links] Copyright ) 2004 SWTD All Rights Reserved. All prices on this web site are in $AUD Liquor Licence LIQP24009748 Trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. |
