Small Winemakers Tasting Dozens |
The Classic Spring Dozen | |
| ANGAS & BREMER LANGHORNE CREEK SHIRAZ 2015Winemaker Peter PollardWinemaker’s NotesA warm season benefiting from cooling afternoon breezes kept overnight temperatures down, enabling steady fruit ripening with vibrant flavour development. This wine is displaying lovely tension between tannin and acidity with great colour. The wine has lifted aromas of spice, dark cherry and plums with a rich, full-flavoured palate of dark forest fruits and vanilla, finishing with soft tannins and excellent length. Cellar“It tastes great now and will reward patient cellaring, up to five years +.” Additional NotesFruit sourced from Langhorne Creek was the hook here. And from Bacchus Wines Portfolio: “Nestled on the banks of the Angas and Bremer Rivers, this natural floodplain allows the vineyards to start the growing season with a root zone full of water. Collecting the run off from the hills east of Adelaide, the naturally occurring irrigation system of our vineyards contributes to the unique terroir of this region. Sheltered by the Mount Lofty Ranges and within close proximity to the large fresh body of water – Lake Alexandrina, this unique geographical position assists in the growing of premium quality grapes. Partnering with generational farming families, Angas and Bremer have singled out site specific blocks to provide the hand selected fruit used to craft our wines.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8537 0600 |
 | CAPE JAFFA EPIC DROP SHIRAZ 2015Winemakers Anna & Derek HooperWinemaker’s NotesA continuation of dry conditions throughout the season meant all vineyards were free from any disease issues. The slow steady finish to the season rewarded us, especially in our coastal vineyards of Mount Benson. Both Cabernet and Shiraz are looking incredibly strong with bright fruit, silky tannins and great intensity. Fermented in stainless steel where it sees seven days on skins. Aged in 15% new and 85% a mixture of older French oak for one year. A blend from our Mount Benson and Wrattonbully vineyards to create a well balanced wine. Rich and generous. Cellar“This wine is drinking well now, however over the next 10 years it will become softer and more savoury if you prefer an aged style.” Additional Notes“We have a great deal of faith in the ability of these cooler wine regions of the Limestone Coast to consistently deliver elegant and stylish Shiraz. It is not the massive blockbuster that Australians have come to expect from Shiraz (not all of us 'expect'), but it still packs a punch in density but without any over-ripe characters. We source and blend this wine from the best barrels of our grower's fruit, with a goal of uncovering the optimal balance between palate intensity and bright, vibrant fruit. Not over worked.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8768 5053 |
 | CHRISMONT LA ZONA BARBERA 2014Winemaker Warren ProftWinemaker’s NotesThe wine is fermented on skins for seven days before being drained into new and old French oak barrels to complete primary and malolactic fermentation. The wine is then further aged for another 12 months in barrel before being blended and bottled. The wine is released after an extra six to twelve months bottle age. The wine exhibits a rich purple with crimson edges and fragrant aromas of blackberries and spice. As a medium bodied wine, the La Zona Barbera has a great intensity in the glass. The palate is full, spicy plummy, with chocolate and blackberry notes, nicely rounded out by toasty vanilla oak, balanced by mouth-watering acidity and fine tannins. Cellar“Drink now or cellar until 2019+.” Additional Notes“Barbera is an ancient variety with its historical roots in Italy and widely planted in Piemonte. For decades Barbera wines have suffered under neglect and lack of attention, but the new styles are bringing out the richness in the fruit that in turn balances the grape's inherent acidity.” Also in the notes, food recommendations: “ideally paired with tomato based pasta dishes, slow cooked lamb shanks, braised veal or pizza.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 03 5729 8220 |
 | DELATITE ESTATE RIESLING 2016Winemaker Andy BrowningWinemaker’s NotesThe fruit was hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed to tank before being allowed to warm up and begin fermentation naturally. During fermentation 20% of the wine was transferred to old French oak puncheons and then matured in this oak for nine months prior to being blended back. The idea is to add complexity and roundness. Our 2016 Riesling has a tight nose of lemon and lime characters with a palate of zesty lemon flavours that combine well with the fresh acidity of the wine. The finish is long and offers some floral characters on the back palate. CellarAlready 'interesting' and enjoyable and will cellar for five + years. Additional Notes“Our Estate Riesling is made from fruit off our own vineyard in Mansfield. All our grapes are grown along biodynamic principles, so we use no synthetic sprays in the vineyard; no artificial additives or enzymes in the winery and fermentation is only by wild yeast. That is there is no inoculation by 'packaged' yeast. Biodynamic principles and sustainable agricultural practices were put into place in 2009.” Curiosity had me wondering how a Riesling would taste with, though small, a proportion of old oak treatment. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 03 5775 2922 |
 | FABER VINEYARD SHIRAZ CABERNET 2013Winemaker John GriffithsWinemaker’s NotesThe Shiraz grapes were picked from the Faber Vineyard in the Swan Valley on the 8th February and the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were picked on the 11th April from Orondo Farm in Dwellingup. Fermentation took place in open vats and the wine was pressed off into old oak where it matured for 10 months. It has a deep medium red colour. The nose displays sweet plummy fruit aromas with a hint of leather. On the palate are very rounded deliciously soft sweet fruit – plum and berry flavours. A gorgeous drink! Soft tannins provide gentle support to the fruit. Cellar“Enjoy now and over the next few years.” Additional NotesFrom the Web Page: “Orondo Farm Vineyard is located in Dwellingup, in the Peel wine region of Western Australia's Greater Perth area. The vineyards are set on a former apple orchard on slopes rolling down in a southerly direction to the Murray River. The soils range from rocky weathered granite at the highest points above the creek line and deeper alluvial soils close to the creek line. Only 100 kilometres from the Faber Vineyard as the crow flies, the climate is considerably milder, in particular wetter. Thus with different soils and climate the fruit grown is very different to the Swan Valley – resulting in more firm and austere red wines.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Extremely limited. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 9296 0619 |
 | FLAXMAN ESTATE GMS 2012Winemaker Colin SheppardWinemaker’s NotesAll Barossa Valley fruit: 60% Grenache from Tanunda, 21% Mataro from Bethany and 19% from Gommersal. Made as three separate wines and then blended. The Grenache is made in a low alcohol style (12.5%) and then Shiraz and Mataro are used to add depth and complexity. All three components are open top fermented and basket pressed with minimal sulphur added prior to bottling. Lovely spice and floral notes from Grenache and some meatiness from the Mataro and red fruit from the Shiraz. A subtle yet driving tannin finish. CellarEnjoy right now but will hang on in the medium term. Additional NotesFlaxman Estate is one of Nicholas Gibson's new 'charges' in Sydney. He mentioned this wine, the Drone Blend with great enthusiasm last October. This was among many other wines new to him. At the time their Eden Valley Riesling was far more useful and in it went. However, I remembered not only the fervour of the recommendation, but also the vintage year. 2012 has drawn ongoing applause in many write-ups and was always going to be part of reuniting with Flaxman Estate. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 0411 668 949 |
 | FORREST MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR 2012Winemaker John ForrestWinemaker’s NotesDeep ruby red with berry fruit flavours. On the nose, some lovely peppery Moroccan spice notes, raspberry, strawberry, red cherry, an earthy 'forest floor' leaf note and just a hint of sweet spicy oak. The fresh berry fruit aromas continue through onto the palate, together with a rich underlay of Christmas fruitcake, long savoury after taste. Cellar“A very good example of Marlborough Pinot Noir that will reward three to five years cellaring.” Additional NotesFive years would be now, 2017. I take it, to 2019, being released as a two year old. Under “Pinot Noir Profile,” John wrote: “The Pinot Noir grape is one of Marlborough's stars; the cool climate queen of red wine is a natural match for Marlborough's reliable cool dry vintage climate. The grapes typically show ripe berry fruit flavours – raspberry and strawberry; that distinctive 'forest floor' earthen aroma and fresh acidity. Our Pinot Noir grape is a complex amalgam of four different terroirs: classic Wairau River valley stony soils, southern valleys' Brancott aged clays, Northbank young stone / clay mix and Awatere Valley complex seabed soils. Each plot was hand harvested, fermented in two to three tonne lots with hand plunging, skin contacted post fermentation, gently pressed and then aged in 20/80 blend of new / old French oak barriques for 10 months.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 03 572 9084 (Local) |
 | PALAZZO del MARE CATARRATTO 2016Winemaker In-HouseWinemaker’s Notes100% Catarratto. Harvested in the cool of the morning for maximum preservation of fresh fruit flavours. Gentle pressing in the pneumatic press followed by overnight cold maceration in order to extract all the aromatics from the grapes. Fermented at 14°C in stainless steel temperature controlled tanks. Left on lees with occasional battonage to enhance the texture and complexity of the wine. The wine does not undergo malolactic fermentation in order to ensure it is bright, fresh and zippy. No oak treatment. A riot of tropical peach and pineapple aromas leap out of the glass. These flavours continue onto the palate joined by lovely ripe pear and a lick of acidity to balance the ripe fruit. CellarDrink on release. Additional Notes“Sicily's geography and climate is perfectly suited for the production of healthy, ripe grapes and quality wines. Palazzo del Mare's vineyard sites are situated at an altitude of 200 to 300m, ensuing cooler night time temperature which preserves crucial acidity in the grapes. Yields are naturally limited by the winds and the grapes tend to be harvested earlier than many of their neighbours and consequently are bright and fresh. The Catarratto particularly displays that signature crisp, citrus laced fruit filled style. The average age of the vineyards is 15 years. Yields as noted, naturally limited by the winds and climatic conditions on the island to around seven tonnes per hectare.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. |
 | PARACOMBE ADELAIDE HILLS MALBEC 2015Winemakers Paul Drogemuller & James BarryWinemaker’s NotesRich and deep in colour this wine has a bountiful bouquet of violets and plums with a palate packed full of flavour. Enjoy rich dark cherries, earthy notes and cinnamon spice. Cellar“Maturation in French Oak barrels has given subtle influence and the fine tannins will ensure this wine will age for many years to come.” Additional Notes“Paul decided to back his judgement and release the Malbec as a stand alone straight varietal wine. His decision paid off with this wine gaining interest and favourable attention from wine lovers looking for something different and enjoyable. The Waugh family vineyard at Paracombe was chosen as the specialist site for growing Malbec, certainly not a common variety in Australia. Now discover for yourself Paracombe Malbec's generosity and intense flavours.” I homed in on this wine only a couple of weeks ago on Jacki Osborne's Inglewood Wine Merchants Portfolio and straight away asked what the alcohol content was. I knew Paul would do a god job of the winemaking, and so at just over 14%, it adds interest to this Dozen. AvailabilityAvailable to Retailers. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8380 5058 |
 | 3 DROPS GREAT SOUTHERN CHARDONNAY 2015Winemaker Rob Diletti (Contract)Winemaker’s NotesThe wine is light straw in colour. Straight away to the nose, a great example of cool climate Chardonnay from the Great Southern. Ripe fruit notes of nectarine and peach, along with pink grapefruit characters are complemented by complex mealy aromas and subtle French oak that are fresh and balanced. A full flavoured wine that is rich and complex yet also fresh and lively on the palate. Nectarine fruits fill the front palate and are backed immediately by the silky and rich texture of the wine. The quality French oak sits quietly in the background adding to the flavour and complexity both of which carry the length of the wine. Long and powerful, the wine has great length and the flavours linger in the mouth. Cellar“Enjoy with a wide range of meals, including pasta and white meat dishes, over the next five years.” (That's a different and creative Cellaring Recommendation). Additional NotesMy personal view is that the Chardonnay standard this year, both with good advice and good findings otherwise, has been pretty good and the wines most enjoyable. The modern 'interpretation' of this extraordinary variety is such a pleasure. I went for 'safety in numbers' and so, after many conversations I decided on a recommendation from Jo at Bacchus Wines. After a second 'look,' I was still very happy with the result. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 9315 4721 |
 | TINPOT HUT MARLBOROUGH GRÜNER VELTLINER 2015Winemaker Fiona TurnerWinemaker’s NotesColour is pale straw. On the nose delicate aromas of orange blossom, citrus and stone fruit blend with hints of sweet floral honeysuckle. Gruner Veltliner is a very textural wine. Flavours of white peach mingle well with the subtle peppery spice notes. Mineral complexity, which is so reflective of the Blind River sub region, gives this wine a clean crisp appeal. The balance of the fruit, acidity and phenolics work very well together and lead to a long dry finish. Cellar“Perfect for enjoying now, the structure and weight of this wine will gain complexity for the next four years.” Additional Notes“Lower yields due to cooler weather during flowering have produced wonderful fruit intensity. The grapes for this single vineyard wine were grown by the McKee family in the Blind River sub-region of the Awatere Valley. Careful vineyard management during the growing season ensured the grapes were kept in balance to allow even and optimal ripening. Once the flavours of the grapes reached their peak whole bunches were hand-picked to minimise phenolics from their skins. A press cut was made early and the free run juice was fermented in tank to retain fruit character and freshness.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 03 579 2024 |
 | ZEMA ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013Winemaker Greg ClayfieldWinemaker’s Notes100% Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine was made from fruit which was picked at its optimum maturity. It was fermented for seven days under controlled temperatures in combination of rotary and static fermenters. Maturation for 14 months in small French and American barrels has assisted in the development of a wine that shows vibrancy and richness. The colour is deep red with purple edges. The nose shows generous aromas of blackberries and dark black currant. The palate displays dark cherry and mulberry fruit with attractive well integrated stylish oak flavours from the wine having spent 14 months in oak. A well structured wine with abundant soft tannins and good palate length. Cellar“Well structured with outstanding depth of fruit, this wine while drinking well now will continue to gain complexity and offer excellent cellaring potential.” Additional NotesThere should be a Cabernet Sauvignon in every Dozen and this Coonawarra wine couldn't represent it's 'tribe' and place of origin more emphatically. 'Ride on' you paragon of place. Long live Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon! AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8736 3219 |
| [Main] [About SWTD] [Other Dozens] [Profiles] [Links] Copyright 2014 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. |
