Category Archives: Australia

WOTM: Larry Cherubino ‘Apostrophe Possessive Red’, Great Southern 2019

Australia Day 2022 is fast approaching, providing us with an ideal opportunity to reflect on one of the jewels in our portfolio: Larry Cherubino. A world-renowned winemaker, based in Western Australia, Larry produces incredible wines that showcase their origin.
Our January Wine of the Month is Larry Cherubino’s  ‘Apostrophe Possessive Red’, Great Southern 2019, hailing from a vineyard located in the Frankland River area of the Great Southern, which is considered to be one of the most distinctive viticulture areas in Australia.

In a nutshell

Medium-bodied, this delicious and fleshy wine has flavours of fresh and juicy cranberry and blackberry with a herbal and smoky bacon tang. Rhône with a silky Australian twist.

The producer

Former ‘Winery of the Year’ by James Halliday and Matt Skinner, Larry Cherubino wants his wines to be distinctive and to speak clearly of their variety and vineyard site. He believes in paying meticulous attention to the vineyard, canopy and water management, picking at the right time and minimal intervention in the winery. Larry also makes wine under the Laissez Faire label, an exquisite range of natural wines which are the ultimate expression of site, made in small batches from hand harvested grapes. From delicate whites to opulent reds, all his wines have pure class and finesse.

The wine

The fruit was hand-picked and sorted, followed by fermentation in small lot fermenters. A moderate extraction was aimed for, thus ensuring vineyard characters were fully expressed. The wine was then aged in new and one year old oak, for six to eight months.

WOTM: Larry Cherubino ‘Laissez Faire’, Pemberton, Pinot Noir 2018

With Pinot Noir Day around the corner, on 18th August, and the imminent launch of Assemblage issue #3 focused on Sustainability, we felt now was the perfect time to take a closer look at Larry Cherubino’s ‘Laissez Faire’ Pinot Noir 2018. While inspiration has been taken from organics, biodynamics and natural winemaking practices, the Laissez Faire range could be called ‘natural wines’; Larry Cherubino likes to think of them as “post natural” wines. 

In a nutshell

An elegant Pinot Noir expression, showing black cherry and strawberry notes with savoury undertones and delicate hints of oak spice. Smooth, long and silky.

The producer

Named ‘Winery of the Year’ by James Halliday and Matt Skinner, Larry Cherubino wants his wines to be distinctive and to speak clearly of their variety and vineyard site. He believes in paying meticulous attention to the vineyard, canopy and water management, picking at the right time and minimal intervention in the winery. Larry also makes wine under the Laissez Faire label, an exquisite range of natural wines which are the ultimate expression of site, made in small batches from hand-harvested grapes. From delicate whites to opulent reds, all his wines have pure class and finesse.

The wine

Laissez Faire means “let it be” and this is reflected in the hands-off approach of winemaking. The grapes were hand-harvested, sorted and naturally fermented with indigenous yeasts. The wine spent eight months maturing in French oak foudres, offering optimal fruit expression and oak integration. As the name suggests, no additional acids, enzymes or yeasts were added during vinification and the wine was not fined. There was zero sulphur use throughout the winemaking and only minimal sulphur was added at bottling.

For more information on Larry Cherubino ‘Laissez Faire’, Pemberton, Pinot Noir 2018 and wines of Larry Cherubino, click here.

 

WOTM: Tahbilk, ‘1927 Vines’, Nagambie Lakes, Marsanne 2012

Recently described in The Buyer as ‘quite exquisite’ by restauranter, Roger Jones, our January Wine of the Month is Tahbilk, ‘1927 Vines’, Nagambie Lakes, Marsanne 2012. Produced from the Estate’s 1927 planted Marsanne vines – some of the oldest in the world – this 100% Marsanne will provide a real talking point with guests in 2020.

In a nutshell

Notes of lemon, grapefruit, toast and classic honeysuckle weave through the rich and textured palate culminating in a zesty, citrussy finish.

The producer

Established in 1860, Tahbilk is an historic family-owned winery,  renowned for their rare aged Marsanne. Tahbilk is known as ‘tabilk tabilk’ in the language of the Daungwurrung clans, which translates as the ‘place of many waterholes’. It perfectly describes this premium viticultural landscape, which is located in the Nagambie Lakes region of Central Victoria. The estate comprises 1,214 hectares, including a seven mile frontage to the Goulburn River. Environmental sustainability is paramount at Tahbilk and in 2013 they became carbon neutral. In 2016, Tahbilk was awarded ‘Winery of the Year’ by James Halliday.

The wine

The hand-picked grapes were handled semi-oxidatively; controlled amounts of oxygen were allowed which helped impart secondary flavours and texture to the wine. Fermentation took place with selected neutral and aromatic yeasts at cool temperatures and lasted for 20 days in stainless steel fermenters to enhance the purity of fruit. Made with naturally high acidity to support serious long-term ageing, it was matured in bottle for seven years.

Australia, the End of the World and incredible Marsanne*

What do you call it, Global Warming or Climate Change? Either way, the globe is warming and the climate is changing. How worried we should be in the wine trade?

 

After all, we are endlessly hearing about the stumbling blocks in Europe. Diminishing yields might be pushing up fruit quality but it is definitely pushing up prices, and that’s before whatever is going to happen on October 31st does or doesn’t happen. Wines from traditional European countries will always be a fundamental part of our portfolio, but where can we turn to for alternatives? What about Australia?

 

I took advantage of the Australia Redefined tasting to learn a little about our historically important new partner in Central Victoria, Tahbilk, and also to take the temperature of the room (see what I did there?) to see how worried the Aussie winemakers are. Now, if the stupid lanyards would stop flicking the name tags around, I could stop harassing brand managers and students with questions WAY out of their comfort zone!

Harvest dates in Australia are traditionally between February and April, depending on where you are and how kind the weather is. Every winemaker I spoke to in the hall told me they are harvesting earlier now, consistently days or even weeks earlier, but this is not news. In June The Drinks Business quoted Geoff Merrill, owner and winemaker of his eponymous wine label in McLaren Vale; “over the past 20 years we have seen an average shift in harvest date by approximately two weeks earlier…”

 

Is this important?

 

Well, WSET quali’ holders, let’s revise.  Before you harvest, you are looking for the following: sugar ripeness, acidity and phenolic ripeness (flavours and tannins). Pick early and acidity is high, possible too high (antacid anyone?), your tannins will be as rough as old socks. Pick too late and your tannins will be silky smooth but your high sugar levels mean the alcohol will be through the roof (Plink Plink Fizz!). Compounded by having lost too much acidity, your wine is now out of balance and really not very nice. Chances of sugar, acid and phenolics ripening at the same time in a normal year? Pretty low. Chances of them ripening even vaguely in the same ball park as each other if everything is happening too fast? Zero.

 

This is where Alister Purbrick at Tahbilk, Bob Berton, Larry Cherubino and all the other New World producers have the advantage. No Appellation (PDO) rules! These are European regulations that define and restrict vineyard practices and winery processes. In the New World, if your vines are too vigorous and the fruit is ripening too quickly, create more competition for resources by upping plantings and yields. Allow a thicker leaf canopy to shade the fruit and – yes, this is true – use a sunscreen on the vines; I know, right? Pick when you like.

 

Now you are in the winery, feel free to acidify or de-acidify. Many wineries, especially in California, will water down the wines to a more accessible ABV (just 15 %!!!). In fact they can do whatever it takes to regain balance and make a consistently good wine.

 

This of course is all fine and good in the short term, what about long term? Australian farmers already have to buy their water on licence, even if the water runs through or the source is on their land! Harsh, but a really fair system for all and it stems wastage.

 

Specialist reports show which grape varieties will flourish in harsh, hot and dry conditions, so those companies with a long term plan will be ahead of the game. Bordeaux started planting experimental vineyards of Portuguese grapes years ago, but they will need a change in the appellation law to be able to use them. With no such restrictions it’s no coincidence we are seeing trends of Aussie Nero D’Avola and Fiano.

 

The Purbrick family at Tahbilk, now in their 5th generation, are about to have their family AGM.  The topic of debate?  Tahbilk in 150 years. Now that is planning.  Larry Cherubino told me he planted his Fiano a decade ago. Quite a gamble when it can take that long just to get cuttings through quarantine, planted and fruiting, and all for a variety most people have never heard of. All the more reason why we need to educate wine drinkers that there is more to wine than Chablis and Savvy B.

 

I feel I need to point out here that Australia is a pretty big place. I believe you can fit the UK into it 32 times, so we need to be careful not to generalise. I am sure we all over-use the odious word ‘terroir’ in our day jobs, especially the sales team and me, and we must not forget that as a rule Hallgarten & Novum Wines stock some pretty good wines, that come from really specialist terroir environments.

Unlike classic regions such as Bordeaux and Burgundy that were planted just because the location was convenient for trade or passing Roman legions, the New World is generally planted intelligently. Tahbilk has the triple cooling of coastal influence, being surrounded by rivers and waterways, and a lot of green stuff the family have made a point of planting (they are also completely carbon neutral and don’t need to off-set). Western Australia has the benefit of being quite wet in relation to the rest of Australia, not to mention getting the brunt of unobstructed cool winds from the Antarctic. Coonawarra was planted in 1890, not for its location to habitation or rivers, but based on scientific guidelines, a first for Australia. And as for Barossa, Clare and Eden VALLEYs, well, the clue’s in the name.

 

In conclusion? I teach WSET, so my instinct is to hugely over-simplify everything, but here’s what I think. Thanks to the ingenuity of humankind, the love Australians feel for their country and the climate protests happening around the word as I write this, the industry will probably be okay for a while yet. HOWEVER, it’s important that we help our customers, and our customer’s customers, really understand what else is out there, be it English, Croatian or Australian. (Contact an Educator and Trainer near you).

 

*You’ve GOT to try the Tahbilk Marsanne!

 

WOTM: Larry Cherubino ‘Laissez Faire’, Pemberton, Pinot Noir 2018

A wine new to our portfolio from the world-renowned winemaker, Larry Cherubino. This elegant Pinot Noir is part of the Laissez Faire range, which takes inspiration from organics, biodynamics and natural winemaking practices. Whilst they could be called ‘natural wines’; Larry Cherubino likes to think of them as “post natural” wines.

In a nutshell:

An elegant Pinot Noir expression, showing black cherry and strawberry notes with savoury undertones and delicate hints of oak spice. Smooth, long and silky.

The producer:

Named ‘Winery of the Year’ by James Halliday and Matt Skinner, Larry Cherubino wants his wines to be distinctive and to speak clearly of their variety and vineyard site. He believes in paying meticulous attention to the vineyard, canopy and water management, picking at the right time and minimal intervention in the winery. Larry also makes wine under the Laissez Faire label, an exquisite range of natural wines which are the ultimate expression of site, made in small batches from hand harvested grapes. From delicate whites to opulent reds, all his wines have pure class and finesse.

The wine:

Laissez Faire means “let it be” and this is reflected in the hands-off approach of winemaking. The grapes were hand-harvested, sorted and naturally fermented with indigenous yeasts. The wine spent eight months maturing in French oak foudres, offering optimal fruit expression and oak integration. As the name suggests, no additional acids, enzymes or yeasts were added during vinification and the wine was not fined. There was zero sulphur use throughout the winemaking and only minimal sulphur was added at bottling.

Best served with:

The perfect accompaniment to pan-seared duck or roast vegetable tagine.

 

WOTM: Paringa Estate ‘Peninsula’, Mornington Peninsula, Shiraz 2016

In the words of James Halliday in the Wine Companion on the 97 point winning Paringa Estate ‘Peninsula’, Mornington Peninsula, Shiraz 2016; “Absolutely classic Paringa, one of the best – if not the best – of the early starters, with full-on cool climate Shiraz thrust. Likewise, classic blackberry, blood plum and liquorice flavours are supported by fine tannins and subtle oak.”

In a nutshell:

A subtle hint of violets laces the warm mint chocolate
and pepper core. A wonderfully enticing and silky cool
climate Shiraz.

The producer:

Located in the heart of Victoria’s beautiful Mornington Peninsula, Paringa Estate was founded in 1984 by Lindsay McCall when he purchased a derelict orchard. Lindsay’s passion and fascination with wine began in the mid 1970s and by the mid 1980s he decided to follow his dream by establishing Paringa Estate. The first vintage was in 1988 with just three tonnes of fruit and over the years it has grown considerably, with production now at 16,000 cases. Paringa Estate is one of the most highly awarded boutique wineries in Australia, regularly winning trophies for its Shiraz, Pinot Noir and
Chardonnay. The collection includes a stunning and precise Pinot Gris, as Lindsay says anywhere capable of growing great Pinot Noir should be capable of growing great Pinot Gris. The wines pay homage to Burgundy in style and James Halliday says Paringa Estate is “one of the best, if not the best, wineries on the Peninsula”.

The wine:

The berries were destemmed and 5% Viognier was co fermented in two tonne open stainless steel fermenters. This was followed by 11 months ageing in French oak barriques, of which approximately 10% were new.

Serving suggestion:

This works well with a Morrocan influenced tagine or a traditional shepherd’s pie.

 

For further information on the Paringa Estate, ‘Peninsula’ Shiraz 2016 or any other Paringa Estate wines, please contact your account manager. 

50 years of The Armagh

Certain names resonate strongly within Australian wine history and Jim Barry is one of them. It was Jim Barry’s drive that helped shape South Australia’s Clare Valley as a benchmark producer of world class Riesling, iconic Shiraz and cemented it as one of Australia’s premier wine regions. Here we take a look at the story of the Armagh vineyard.

 

2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the planting of the iconic Armagh vineyard, a wine that has achieved extraordinary success and is regarded as one of Australia’s highest quality wines (check out Robert Parker’s point scores below).

 

The vineyard was named after the adjoining hamlet of Armagh, established by Irish settlers in 1849 and named after the lush rolling hills of their homeland. Jim Barry planted the 3.3 hectare vineyard in 1968 with Shiraz grapes.

 

20 years later South Australia had a glut of red wine – mainly Shiraz – and a Vine Pull Scheme was taking hold, however the Barry family decided the Armagh block of Shiraz should remain and become the icon red for Jim Barry Wines akin to Grange and Hill of Grace.

 

The vineyard is planted on its own roots on grey sandy abrasive topsoil over clay subsoil and receives an average rainfall of 600 millimetres per year. Such is The Armagh vineyards suitability that minimal intervention is needed to maintain yields below 4 tonnes per hectare, which produce rich and concentrated fruit of the rare quality required to produce wines with ageing potential.

 

The vineyard lies on a northwest facing slope which acts as a natural sun trap, ensuring the fruit is always fully ripened at harvest time, resulting in low-yielding vines that produce less than 27 hectolitres per hectare.

 

Awards

2013: 96 Pts; Robert Parker, 2016

2012: 98 Pts; Robert Parker, 2018

2010: 99 Pts; Robert Parker, 2016

2009: 96 Pts; Robert Parker, 2013

2008: 94 Pts; Robert Parker, 2013

2007: 96 Pts; Robert Parker, 2011

2006: 97 Pts; Robert Parker, 2016

2005: 96 Pts; Robert Parker, 2013

 

Speak to your account manager for more details of any of The Armagh wines in stock.

 

I Scream, You Scream, What do you serve with ice cream?

The scorching hot UK summer has seen temperatures exceed 30C sending customers into bars and restaurants in search of ice cream, with some retailers reporting a sales increase of over 100 per cent compared to July 2017.

We’ve taken a closer look at a question hospitality venues are hearing more and more this summer – which wines you should pair with which flavours of ice cream?

Pistachio Ice Cream

Pair this Mediterranean classic ice cream with another classic – Cava. It’s made in the same style as a Champagne, without the slightly larger price tag. The Pinord, Cava ‘+ & + Seleccion’ Brut NV is ideally suited to this ice cream, named because the winemaker’s family that first tasted the wine always wanted a little bit more, and a little bit more, and a bit more… ‘More’ in Spanish is ‘plus’ – and so the name was born.

Blood Orange Sorbet

Moscato d’Asti is your match. Almost any sorbet tastes great with this bubbly, semi-sweet dessert wine – you could even pour the Moscato over the sorbet for a refreshing sorbet float. The Michele Chiarlo ‘Nivole’, Moscato d’Asti 2017 is the wine for the job here, with its floral aromas, which are seamlessly complemented by peach and apricot notes on the fragrant bouquet. The gently sparkling palate is delicate, light and creamy.

Strawberry Ice Cream

When serving a dessert with strawberry ice cream, we would always suggest recommending a glass of off-dry rosé, such as the New Hall Vineyards, Pinot Noir Rosé 2017 from Essex. The wine has notes of ripe cassis and wild raspberry on the finish, which is perfect for cutting the richness of ice cream.

 

Vanilla Ice Cream

Vanilla ice cream is a simple classic, so often overlooked, but it is also a blank canvas for whatever toppings you’d like to serve. If you are topping with nuts or chocolate, you can’t go wrong with the Barros 10 Year Old Tawny Port, with its soft and silky texture, and subtle nuances of wood which are balanced by a fresh acidity and impetus tannin.

 

Plain Greek Frozen Yogurt

The sour notes of plain Greek frozen yogurt pair perfectly with the similar tart flavour profile of a Santorini Vin Santo. The extended barrel aging of the Gaia Wines, Vin Santo, Santorini 2006 provides richness, as well as acidity, resulting in a wine that is deep honey in colour, complex and full-flavoured, with notes of toffee and caramel. For the ultimate pairing experience, serve with baked spiced apples or pears.

 

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Here’s where Australian Shiraz comes into its element. The rich, red raspberry fruits, chocolate nuances, and subtle eucalyptus notes are cross-complementary with a scoop of mint and chocolate ice cream. A wine that is perfectly suited to this task is the ‘Eight Uncles’, Barossa Valley, Shiraz 2015 from family run winery, Fox Gordon, which specialises in contemporary and premium wines from the Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills.

 

WOTM: Ocean Eight, Mornington Peninsula, Pinot Noir 2015

In his 2018-19 100 Best Australian Wines report, Matthew Jukes, describes how the Ocean Eight, Pinot Noir 2015 manages to; ‘capture the most evocative and aromatic vanguard of fruit and launch it at you with such accuracy that it takes your breath away.’

In a nutshell:

A modern style Pinot Noir full of summer pudding and cranberry flavours, vibrant and peppery on the finish.

The producer:Ocean Eight Pinot Noir

Owned by the Aylward family – founders of the renowned Kooyong winery- Ocean Eight was established in 2004 in the southern and cooler side of Mornington Peninsula. In their state-of-the-art, temperature controlled, gravity fed winery, winemaker Mike Aylward produces stunning cool climate Chardonnay and Pinot
Noir, taking influence from the great old world wine regions of Alsace, Burgundy and Champagne. All the grapes for the Ocean Eight wines are sourced from the family’s 17 hectares of vineyard and their total production each year is just 5,000 cases.

The wine:

The grapes were hand-picked, meticulously hand sorted and destemmed. A cold soak took place for three to four days, prior to fermentation which took place in an open vat, using natural yeasts. Fermentation lasted for a period of four to six weeks, to maximise the aromatics. The wine was pressed to old oak puncheons of three to four years and matured in oak for 12 months. This wine was not filtered or fined prior to being bottled.

Serving suggestion:

Crispy duck pancakes or coq au vin. Also accompanies tuna and is ideal for sharing platters.

Winemaker profile: Larry Cherubino

Larry Cherubino has been making wine around the world as a flying winemaker (no, that doesn’t mean he whizzes around the vineyards on a jet pack) for over 20 years.  

 

His passion for wine can be traced back to an early age, after being brought up by a family who pressed grapes on their farms and in a small family vineyard. He then went on to work as a cellar hand in Australia and Europe during his time as a student. In fact, Larry enjoyed being around winemaking so much he postponed his degree to experience even more vintages!

 

After graduating in Agribusiness and Horticulture, and with his passion for winemaking now fully ignited, he went on to study further, this time in the field of Oenology at the prestigious Roseworthy College, Adelaide.

 

Following many years travelling the world, designing wineries and vineyards New Zealand, USA, France, Italy and South Africa, and a stint as head winemaker at Houghton, finally, in 2004, Larry bought a vineyard of his own. Investing in the little known, but geographically large region of, Great Southern.

 

In the first year Larry released only one wine and the business was run on a tiny scale. A few years later he had the opportunity to buy the neighbouring vineyard and acres of prime river and vineyard country. The business then took off, growing quickly, with the estate now boasting over 120 hectares.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Larry’s eponymous winery produces a number of ranges, Cherubino, The Yard, Pedestal and Ad Hoc, all with one thing in common -the wines are made with minimal intervention to demonstrate the true quality of the grapes and grape growing.

 

Larry has won numerous plaudits for his wines, in 2011 it was Halliday’s Winery of the Year and in 2017, Best Value Winery, recognising the quality and value of the whole portfolio – 25 out of 35 wines received a prestigious value rosette.

Wines from the whole range constantly win critical acclaim, with nearly every wine he makes getting 90+ Halliday points and several featuring in Matthew Jukes Top 100.

 

Veganuary

Over the past ten years, the number of vegans has increased by a staggering 360%, rising to 542,000 in the UK (according to the Vegan Society). For many, the inspiration to go vegan stems from completing the popular ‘Veganuary’ challenge. The Veganuary trend is growing more and more every year, with 2018 proving to be a record-breaking year with more than 120,000 people signing up to follow a fully plant-based diet for a month.

Seen as a few of the Hallgarten team have signed up and are well on their way to completing Veganuary, we thought we would help them out with a few vegan wine pairing suggestions (and help them also complete Tryanuary – see previous blog).

Each of these wines are suitable for vegans, having been made using alternative filtration methods.

Wild Mushroom Risotto x Santa Maria La Nave, Sicilia Bianco ‘Millesulmare’ 2014

A bright and fine example of Grecanico Dorato, with a distinctive minerality combined with wild mountain fruits, citrus characters and a hint of pineapple. Dry, with a balanced acidity, this elegant and harmonious wine has a lovely lingering finish.

This wine from a small, boutique winery on the north-western slopes of Mount Etna is a perfect pairing for all vegan food, including a wild mushroom risotto.

Thai Salad with Chickpea Carrot Peanut Crumble & Garlic Soy Dressing x Eden Road, Canberra Riesling 2016

A dry Riesling with hints of lime blossom and elderflower. Steely with an uplifting peppery finish. This New World style is from Murrumbateman in the Canberra Wine District, where they make refined wines that are produced from some of Australia’s highest vineyards. The unique combination of altitude and some of the world’s oldest soils, which were formed over 400 million years ago.

The dry style of this Riesling with good acidity makes it a perfect pairing to cut through the spice of a vegan Thai salad. The small amount of residual sugar (0.8g) in the wine is ideal for when you eat something spicy as the sugar goes to the background and the fruit comes forward.

Chana Masala, Indian curry x Fratelli, Maharashtra, Sangiovese 2016

What better pairing that a vegan Indian wine, with a vegan Indian curry? This light, but elegantly oaky wine provides the perfect fusion of acidity, with a natural impression of fruit sweetness and elegant tannins. Perfect to cut through a spicy dish.

The viticultural and winemaking expertise has been provided by Piero Masi, a master winemaker from Tuscany and creator of the famous ‘Chianti Classico Casa Sola’. The modern winery located in Akluj, in the Solapur district follows Italian traditions to showcase the team’s passion.

Quinoa Stuffed peppers x Johann Donabaum, Grüner Veltliner ‘Johann’ Federspiel 2015

A fabulous, restrained Grüner Veltliner with apple and lime characters combined with white pepper, cardamom and spicy minerality. This balanced and refreshing wine makes it a perfect combination with a simple vegan dish packed full of flavour.

Johann is carving out a formidable reputation for concentrated, mineral laden white wines. The production from his five hectares of hillside vineyard in the Spitzer Valley is miniscule, but despite this his prices remain really competitive.

 

For a full list of our vegan wines, contact your account manager.

 

WOTM: Larry Cherubino, Laissez Faire, Porongorup, Riesling 2015

 Laissez Faire Riesling 2015 is a James Halliday 95 point wine, from one of the most decorated winemakers in the world, Larry Cherubino, with a tight knit acidity lingering in the background, this is guaranteed to add zip to your January.

In a nutshell:

A beautiful lemon and lime sherbet style classic Riesling. Very fresh and crisp with layers of waxy stone fruit and floral notes finishing on a lovely almost toasty note.

The producer:

Named ‘Winery of the Year’ by James Halliday and Matt Skinner, Larry Cherubino wants his wines to be distinctive and to speak clearly of their variety and vineyard site. He believes in paying meticulous attention to the vineyard, canopy and water management, picking at the right time and minimal intervention in the winery. Larry also makes wine under the Laissez Faire label, an exquisite range of natural wines which are the ultimate expression of site, made in small batches from hand harvested grapes. From delicate whites to opulent reds, all his wines have pure class and finesse.

 

The wine:

The grapes are grown in a south facing vineyard in the Porongorup sub region, which was planted in 1998 to a density of 1800 vines per hectare. The vines’ clones are unknown, but they are on their own rootstocks. The vineyard is irrigated to achieve the optimal amount of moisture required.

With a focus on natural winemaking, this is made in small batches from hand harvested grapes. The fruit was whole bunch pressed. The juice was then settled without the addition of enzymes, sulphur or acid. Once settled, it was allowed to ferment naturally at a low temperature for six weeks.

 

Serving suggestion:

Stunning with Proscuitto-wrapped tiger prawns with pickled vegetable slaw.