Small Winemakers Tasting Dozens |
The Classic May Dozen | |
| d'ARENBERG NOBLE BOTRYOTINIA FUCKELIANA 2015Winemakers Chester Osborne and Jack WaltonWinemaker’s Notes95% Semillon and 5% Sauvignon Blanc from the Adelaide Hills. Botrytis Cinerea, affectionately known as Noble Rot, weakens the grape skins causing water to evaporate which results in sweet, concentrated flavours. These shrivelled berries are basket pressed before a long fermentation, resulting in a luscious wine with intense richness and viscosity. Lemon curd and tropical fruits spring from the glass. A subtle cut hay character props up upon further inspection. The palate, while thick and luscious, has a beautifully racy line of acid adding freshness and ensuring balance. More lemon curd flavours are enhanced by a range of other fruits including gooseberry, cumquat, green apple and mixed peel. This wine is wonderfully complex and indulgent with a subtle edge. Our lasting impressions are again influenced by the bright acidity which ensures a clean, crisp finish with persistence of the delightful fruit characters minus any cloying sensation. CellarOutstanding now and will live and develop for several years. Additional NotesI will add anything to the 'Cellar' I receive from this Winery. This wine had a sibling debut with the 2010 version in May 2012. Time does fly as we all know. I don't usually look for wine show results, but here I was stopped by this one's performance, most of which is evidenced on the bottle. And it always nice to have a Desert wine handy. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8329 4888 |
| FLAXMAN BAROSSA VALLEY PALADIN SHIRAZ 2016Winemaker Colin SheppardWinemaker’s NotesSmall parcels of fruit for this vintage come from a number of different vineyards around the Valley. Seasoned in French oak for 18 months. Medium bodied wine with beautiful mix of blackberry and plum on the palate with lovely fine tannin. Will cellar well but drinking exceptionally well right now. CellarFive to eight years. Additional NotesThis is the third but not the least Shiraz in this Dozen, a traditional Barossa wine to accompany the Rutherglen and Margaret River cousins. From the Vinsight Portfolio: “The Flaxman Vineyard was planted out in 1929 with Shiraz, Riesling and Semillon, and they also source small parcels of Grenache, Mataro and some Eden Valley Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon to add to their Portfolio. The extremely low yielding vineyard is dry grown and hand picked each year by Col and Fi and friends who come in to lend a hand, a true labour of love.” In this instance: “the red wines are made in a traditional style, open fermenters, hand plunging and basket pressing.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 0411 668 949 |
 | FRATELLI NISTRI CHIANTI DOCG 2016Winemaker In HouseWinemaker’s Notes90% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Caniaolo. The wine shows classic Sangiovese dominance made in a relatively modern style – bright cherry fruits, light lifted and pure. The tannin is soft and integrated and there is a fantastic Sangiovese acidity keeping the wine fresh and making it a fantastic match with a variety of foods. The Cabernet and Merlot are only just evident in a bit of fruit density in the mid palate. Cellar“Drink now and enjoy and over the next three to five years.” Additional NotesNew packaging around a later vintage of a wine enjoyed previously, at least that's how I saw it. The reward comes from decanting and airing for an hour or so and the elegant visitor arrives in your glass. I looked up the heritage of the label and to repeat a little, the Nistri family have history in Tuscany going back to 1865. Vineyard and operations are now situated in the heart of Chianti Classico along the River Pesa at altitudes ranging from 290 to 320m. And the paragraph that got me: “DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Conrollata e Garantita), is the country's most prestigious designation. Seeing this on the label of your wine bottle means that the producers followed the strictest regulations possible to make this wine. Currently, there are only a handful of Italian wines that qualify for DOCG status.” (God Bless the Italians, sometimes they will ignore rules!). Not though for “the killer B's Barolo, Barbaresco (Piedmonte) and Brunello di Montalcino (Tuscany).” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. For information on Retail availability please contact me or Inglewood Wine Merchants on 02 9958 0466. |
| HAMELIN BAY RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2013Winemaker Julian ScottWinemaker’s Notes100% Chardonnay from the Five Ashes Vineyard in Margaret River. Whole bunch pressed and barrel fermented. The wine was then matured for nine months with fortnightly battonage in 40% new and one year old French oak barriques. Pale straw tinged with green (now a lovely gold colour). White peach and nougat, with flint in the background. Seamless, long and with finesse. This wine has a moderate weight and a long line and length, with balanced natural acidity, offering a dry mineral finish. The French oak is well integrated, providing support but not being obvious. CellarProbably close to peaking, but there's probably a couple of years work left in that acid. Additional NotesNot for the first time I've wanted to do something along these lines. The 'regular' Hamelin Bay Chardonnay, a bit of a favourite over the years, has always been a wine of outstanding value, but I wondered again recently, when speaking to someone about it's inclusion, not for the first time in the last, February Dozen, what is the point of difference between it and the 'Reserve.' Ideally, it would be preferable to have them alongside each other, and from the same vintage. What's in the cut and what do you look for as per weather conditions and geography as in site variations in the 'same' vineyard? This wine is three years older, obviously so, gold in colour, richer and very interesting AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 9758 6779 |
 | HUBER GRUNER VELTLINER 2018Winemaker Markus HuberWinemaker’s NotesSelection of the best physiological ripe grapes; crushed, cooled and left in skin contact for eight hours. Pressed and fermented in stainless steel at 19°C. And four months on lees in stainless steel. Medium green yellow, pure pepper on the nose hinting at typical Gruner spiciness, aromatic herbs and yellow fruit. Dense and complex on the palate, showing great promise for the future. Cellar“Enjoy now and up to 2029.” Additional Notes“Old vines (25 to 50 year old) from the village appellation Nussdorf. Sandy loam top soil with limestone layers at the bottom soil combined with a special micro climate due to micro terraces. The Huber family has wine growing roots going back more than 220 years. Today the winery in Reichersdorf is in its 10th generation and is run by Marcus Huber. He has the outstanding ability to manage the winery with sensitivity and consistency. With this ability, both in the vineyards and the cellars, he has ensured that in a very short space of time Huber wines is an internationally acclaimed leading producer of the region of Traisental. The Huber family is also a member of the 'traditional vineyards of Austria.' (Traditionsweinguter Osterreich).” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. For information on Retail availability, please contact me or Bacchus Wines Merchants |
 | JUNIPER MARGARET RIVER SINGLE VINEYARD SHIRAZ 2015Winemaker Mark MessengerWinemaker’s Notes100% Shiraz from our Estate's Single Vineyard. Hand picked in batches and cold soaked for four days, hand plunged in one tonne open fermenters and open top barrels. 5% whole bunch. Malo Lactic Fermentation in barrel. Maturation in French Oak hogsheads for 18 months (33% new wood). The cooler conditions of 2015 have contributed to producing a Shiraz with vibrant fruit and spice aromas with wonderful depth of blackberry, mulberry, black cherry, plum, black pepper, anise and smoky vanilla pod. Silky smooth on the palate, it is full of lively fleshy fruit, bramble berry compote with a creamy chocolate texture complemented and balanced by a mineral savouriness. Cellar“Enjoy now or age worthy to at least 2028.” Additional Notes“Made from old dry grown Shiraz vines and picked in two small batches. I have been working on building more texture into the wine with extended maceration and ageing on fine lees with stirring. The cooling season resulted in some lovely blue/black fruits. The grapes were hand picked in batches, destemmed, sorted and cold soaked for four days prior to fermentation, and left 14 to 17 days on skins. Following barrel maturation in batches for 18 months, individual barrels were selected to create the final blend. Structure, complexity and depth of quality fruit are the key goals for good cellaring potential.” It's been six years since the last Shiraz and after the prompting from Jo Newton via very impressive all-round write ups on all Juniper wines I thought we could re-connect here. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 9755 9000 |
 | LIEBICHWEIN 'DANDY' BAROSSA VALLEY PINOT NOIR 2014Winemaker Ron LiebichWinemaker’s NotesOptimally ripened MU6 clone fruit, grown on 30 year old vines. Was hand picked, traditionally crushed, fermented on skins and hand pressed, then matured for six months in two previously used French oak barriques. A soft wood almost jammy strawberry fruit nose, leads to a seamless balanced palate with a clean acid finish. An excellent wine with lighter meats and fish. Cellar“Should continue to develop as the wood becomes more integrated with the fruit.” Additional NotesWow, in Ron's hands, and he's driving. Four or five years ago at their Cellar Door, Ron went away and came back with three 'jam jars' of a new red he'd made, and a poker face. With another outsider or recent Barossa instalment, we both agreed it was a Pinot Noir wine: 'strawberry, sappy feel and noticeably fresh and lifted on the nose.” What's it all about? I asked Ron where it came from and his reply was: “here, I planted it in the 80s.” Totally unexpected. The next time I saw it, he'd made some sparkling wine from it and it was selling well at Cellar Door. And finally an e-mail from Janet telling the world that the “Dandy' had arrived, had me eager to get to it. There is a 'sibling' also, an unwooded version. Early in Australia's Pinot Noir career, there were Barossa Pinots about this 'weight,' but I can't remember them as interesting and down to earth as this. No doubt there are a number of questions to be asked. Over the years we have all been slowly shaped in expectations to style. For small makers, I reckon vote one to their creativity. AvailabilityCellar Door or please contact me. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8524 4543 |
 | NOMADS GARDEN DOLCETTO 2018Winemakers Paul and Ben DahlenburgWinemaker’s Notes“To really get funky we put a layer of fresh pressed Sangiovese skins on the bottom of the fermenter before filling it up with the Dolcetto whole berries, mainly because we could, but also to give it a lick of tannin. A huge 40% of the free run juice was run off to ensure the wine had intensity of flavour and colour. We had learned that Australian Dolcetto had often in the past lacked backbone. The grapes were protected under CO2 prior to the natural wild yeast fermentation commencing 48 hours later. The ferment was allowed to rise to 30°C then held. Left on skins for three weeks before gentle basket pressing to seasoned French Oak Puncheons and Barriques between four and six years old. The wine was then lightly filtered, bottled and then given three months to settle before release. The wine was a complete surprise packet: a super perfumed wine with plenty of attractive fleshy bright red fruit and silky tannins.” CellarDrink and enjoy now. Additional Notes“Sourced from uppermost vineyard in the King Valley, the Eurangie Park Vineyard. Grower, Richard Carlson, long time friend of Paul, was keen for him to look at his Dolcetto. The fruit looked great and it was decided to be the experimental red for 2018.Plenty of scope to have some fun. Will not be made ongoing.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 03 5725 1698 |
 | PARACOMBE ADELAIDE HILLS CABENET SAUVIGNON 2013Winemakers Paul Drogemuller and James BarryWinemaker’s NotesSingle Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon harvested exclusively from the Drogemuller Family Vineyard planted in 1992. Vinification was in open fermenters with hand plunging. Maturation for 20 months in French oak: Barriques and Hogsheads. Then further maturation in bottle in winery estate underground cellars for 40 months. The bouquet is lifted with fragrant aromas of blackberry, soft leather, floral and hints of oak and spice. The palate is packed with flavour. Dark cherry and plum with hints of herbs and long fine, spicy tannins. Cellar“An elegant smooth wine drinking well now. Will reward even more with age, 12+ years.” Additional NotesA short history of Paracombe taken from the Inglewood Portfolio: “It all started in 1983 when Paul and Kathy Drogemuller bought a burnt out dairy farm after the Ash Wednesday bushfires and planted a vineyard. With no background or experience we started making wine in a tin shed with a home made basket press, second hand milk tanks and a crusher. Today, second generation Ben and our team share and grow the family business. Yields are low, vines hand pruned, every step is taken with care to be sustainable with nature.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8380 5058 |
 | ROLF BINDER 'HEINRICH' SHIRAZ MATARO GRENACHE 2014Winemaker Rolf BinderWinemaker's NotesFruit for this wine was harvested by hand. The Shiraz, Mataro and Grenache were crushed separately, fermented and aged until final blending and bottling. Vinification occurred in open fermenters with pump over twice daily. The fermentation was completed in tank; the wines were then racked to barrel. Oak used for Shiraz was 15% new oak, 45% shaven American and 40% two year old American; for the Grenache, 50% shaven French, 30% shaven American and 20% two year old French and the Mataro was aged in 50% shaven French and 50% shaven American oak. The wine was blended to taste and style, utilising the body and strength of the Shiraz (50%), the ripe confectionery of the Grenache (20%) and the fine earthy tannins of the old vine Mataro (30%). Brilliant crimson in colour, very bright, almost glowing and pales a little at the rim; pure, fragrant aroma at times floral and violets come to mind but also showing warm climate richness and ripeness; the palate is much more delicate than that of single variety of Shiraz and builds gradually in the mouth and finishes with satisfying, delicious fruit and fine tannins. Cellar“This is a wine that ages well and could be enjoyed until 2028.” Additional Notes“Fruit for this wine is sourced from various Binder Estate vineyards in different areas of the Barossa. The major component, Shiraz, is a vineyard selection including some fruit from the Eden Valley. The Grenache is grown on the Western Ridge and the Mataro is from wonderful old bush vines planted in the 1880s,..the pressings of which are used in our Bull's Blood wine.” AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 8562 3300 |
 | 3 DROPS GREAT SOUTHERN RIESLING 2017Winemaker Rob Diletti (Contract)Winemaker’s NotesPale straw in colour. The bouquet is lime juice and orange blossom, with aromas filling the glass and backed up by hints of lavender. Generous and succulent entry to the palate, with lime juice and grape fruit characters giving that richness. The tight acid structure provides great focus to the wine and fantastic length. Cellar“Enjoy this wine now (with fresh seafood) or cellar for at least 15 years.” Additional NotesFrom Bacchus Wine's Portfolio: “3 Drops began with a family farm and a vision – a vision to produce premium wines and extra virgin olive oil whilst maintaining the integrity of the land for generations to come. South west of Mt Barker in the heart of the acclaimed Great Southern wine region of Western Australia, vine and olive oil trees flourish side by side in the cool pristine climate. The 3 Drops vineyard comprises 15 fertile hectares planted with Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Shiraz. (Italian, Greek and Spanish varieties of olive trees thrive alongside these vines).” And Rob Diletti of Castle Rock makes the wine, which is pretty good. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 08 9315 4721 |
 | STANTON AND KILLEEN MOODEMERE SHIRAZ 2016Winemaker Andrew DrummWinemaker’s Notes100% Shiraz from the Moodemere Vineyard planted by Norm Killeen in 1968. Our Shiraz grapes were picked at night to preserve fruit flavours, and transferred immediately to a mixture of open top and rotary fermenters. Fermenters were hand plunged daily to extract tannin and colour. The wine was then transferred to a mixture of new and old hogsheads, both French and American. Oak was carefully selected to bring out the flavours and tannins in the wine while adding a touch of complexity and length to the palate. The wine was matured for 11 months. Vibrant brick red in colour, the nose shows an enticing blue fruit profile wrapped in licorice and spice notes. A fruit driven, medium weight wine with aromatic blue fruits, bright blackberry and charry oak notes. Grippy tannins gives the punchy yet elegant palate length and depth. A touch of vanilla and spice from the barrel maturation rounds off the palate.” Cellar“Until 2021.” Additional NotesAmazing. We all know that S&K 'Traditional' Fortifieds are brilliant. And with The Late Chris Killeen's work with red Portuguese varieties, breathing new life into their Vintage Fortified, they all remain so. Over the last several years I have been charmed by recent Moodemere Shiraz wines, well away from my mindset of those going back to the early 1980s, when my employer, a friend of Norm, had adequate stock and we were charged to sell it. Plainly labelled, they were very determined wines, with tannin levels more than I could deal with. Clearly, I was inexperienced with this style, probably not uncommon at the time, in warmer areas. I'll bet Norm would be pleased with this one, more like his gentle personality. AvailabilityAvailable to Retail. Winery DetailsPhone: 02 6032 9457 |
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