Winestate Magazine November December 2010

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010 WINESTATE VOL 33 ISSUE 6 CHAMPAGNE & SPARKLING PINOT NOIR CANTERBURY & CENTRAL OTAGO NORTH EAST VICTORIA LIMESTONE COAST PRINT POST APPROVED PP565001/00129 AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND WINE BUYING GUIDE Pinot Noir 372NEW RELEASES TASTED 252tasted A PURPLE PATCH IN COONAWARRA Rise of the Pinotphiles THE TROUBLE WITH TERROIR DISCIPLES’ QUEST FOR THE HOLY GRAIL OF GRAPES November/December 2010 THE GENESIS OF THE WHITE GRANGE Vol 33 Issue 6 $9.95 AUS (inc GST) NZ $10.95 SGD $14.95 US $9.95 UKP/EUR 7.95 plus Champagne & Sparkling North EastVictoria Summer Beers Limestone Coast Canterbury & Central Otago (NZ)

WINEMAKERS FLOAT THEIR VIEWS ABOUT WINE SHIELD.HBT/WPR073/W

Wine Shield keeps wine fresh by dramatically slowing the oxidation process that spoils opened wine. Because taste and aroma is retained, winemakers are among its biggest fans. “I’ve trialed Wine Shield on many Riesling’s, Pinot Noir’s and Grenache’s, varieties that traditionally oxidizes very easily. I found I could keep bottles opened for 5 to 8 days without any loss of fruit purity or palate structure. I even tested Wine Shield over 45 days on a bottle of California Syrah and the wine barely budged over the journey. Before I was pouring many bottles out and that was a real waste. We are even using them in our tasting room in Burgundy, France and the results have been amazing. We have seen an immediate lift in sales as we are able to taste our Premier and Grand Cru wines on a regular basis, which was previously not possible. It’s a truly brilliant invention that adds value to every bottle you open”. Michael Twelftree Proprietor, Two Hands Wines. “We always have about 14 wines available by the glass. Because Wine Shield is a single use device, it appealed to me. I know with gas you can’t be sure if it’s even been done. Wine Shield is such a simple solution and it works. Once it becomes part of your practise, wastage becomes virtually nil”. Anthony Jones Founder of The Deanery Restaurant and Wine Bar. “Previously we used argon gas to sparge the wines at the end of the day, but this was impractical between visitors and consequently the wine spoiled in a couple of days. About 18 months ago we discovered Wine Shield and thought it was a brilliant idea. Since then we have used it in all our wines in our tasting room and have found the device very effective. We are now able to keep wines in good condition for up to 4 days, despite repeated opening and closing of the bottles”. Aurum Wines Central Otago, New Zealand.www.wineshield.comOrder from our distributors or direct, visit our website and keep your wine tasting fresh – right to the last glass.

“ I am totally delighted with my VINTEC wine cabinet; it combines elegance and functionality of the highest order.” “ The ability to have wines stored at two temperatures is extraordinary, allowing me to keep reds at the optimum temperatures for service throughout the summer and of course whites at a much lower temperature. ” JAMES HALLIDAY Australian wine writer & judge Your Wine, Sublime. www.vintec.com.au

NO.237 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010Editor & Publisher Peter Simic E-mail: [email protected] Editor Lara Simic E-mail: [email protected] Editor Michael Cooper E-mail: [email protected] Mike JaenschAdministration Vicki Bozsoki E-mail: [email protected] Director Renate Klockner E-mail: [email protected] Manager Peter Jackson E-mail: [email protected] Coordinator Sue Lumb E-mail: [email protected] DAI RubiconWinestate Web Site Justin Martin E-mail: [email protected] Relations Mike O’Reilly E-mail: [email protected] Come and enjoy antipasti orNew South Wales Winsor Dobbin, Elisabeth King, Clive Hartley un piatto di pasta for lunchSouth Australia Skye Murtagh, Joy Walterfang, Graeme Andrews, Valmai Hankel or dinner in our new SpuntiniVictoria Jeni Port, Hilary McNevin Bar with a wide selection ofWestern Australia Mike Zekulich, Rod Properjohn imported Italian wines, beers,Queensland Peter Scudamore-Smith MW, Andrew Corrigan MW, Lizzie Loel cocktails and drinks.New Zealand Michael CooperNational Travel Winsor Dobbin Ristorante | Spuntini BarUSA Gerald D. BoydEUROPE André Pretorius, Giorgio Fragiacomo, Sally Easton MW Tues to Fri 12 - 3 & 6 - lateASIA Denis Gaston Sat 6 - late. Sunday afternoon trading in the Spuntini Bar startsADVERTISING SALES in October 2010, 4pm till lateAustralia, New Zealand & InternationalPeter Jackson, Winestate Publications Contact us on 8410 9332 orPhone: (08) 8357 9277 Mob: 0457 834 880 E-mail: [email protected] email [email protected] www.auge.com.auNSW, South Australia & VictoriaWinestate Magazine (08) 8357 9277E-mail: [email protected] Bradley Phone: (07) 3391 6633 E-mail: [email protected] AustraliaKym Burke - O’Keeffe Media Services (08) 9381 7766WINESTATE New Zealand AdministrationKay Morganty Phone: (09) 479 1253 E-mail: [email protected] and Gotch Australia P/LNew ZealandIndependent Magazine DistributorsInternationalDAI RubiconHong Kong & ChinaEverwise Wine LimitedBRAZILWalker DistributionWINESTATE is published seven times a year by WINESTATE PUBLISHING PTY LTD,81 King William Road, Unley SA 5061.Copyright 2010 by WINESTATE PUBLISHING PTY LTD. This publication may not, in wholeor in part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronicmedium or machine-readable form without the express permission of the publisher.Every care is taken in compiling the contents of this publication, but the publisher assumesno responsibility for the effects arising therefrom.ABN 56 088 226 411Winestate Telephone (08) 8357 9277 Facsimile (08) 8357 9212E-mail [email protected] Web Site www.winestate.com.au

contentsNOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010F E AT U R E S 50 An unlikely wine destination gets its foot in the door28 Winemaking’s different challenges It’s hard to imagine wine tourists at the southern frontier booking tours to Thailand, where The halcyon days might be history Singha beer has always been the for now in some respects but, as local beverage of choice. However, Michael Cooper discovers, there’s still writes Denis Gastin, there are Thai plenty to be optimistic about in the vineyards and wineries producing New Zealand South Island regions of remarkably good products. Canterbury and Otago. 54 Young and energetic, Koonara is30 Globetrotting winemaker recalls the heading in exciting directions Minus a winery and with insubstantialgenesis of the white Grange 30 vineyards, Koonara is defyingThe spark that created the burning convention by going from strength to strength with a sharp consumerdesire to make Penfolds Yattarna focus. D. Paul Hardy examines this small outfit’s brief history andchardonnay had less than glamorous 42 Brown Brothers’ bold venture into winning philosophy.origins. Joy Walterfang talks to Tassie pulp mill territory P A G E 1 3 9winemaker Linley Schultz about While the $32 million move was NEW subscription offerthat iconic white and about his surprising and bewildering, to Ross 50international adventures. Brown it made perfect sense. Jeni R E G U L A R S34 A worthy tradition, but terroir can Port reveals the story behind Brownbe confusing in the marketplace Brothers’ foray across Bass Strait toEven if you think you know what terroir buy the troubled Tamar Ridge Estates.is all about, Master of Wine Andrew 46 Disciples’ devotion rewarded asCorrigan helps you get to grips with pinot market begins to awaken Pinot noir isn’t the easiest grape tothe traditions and the terminology and tame and it’s taken a long time to win wide acceptance. But times areexplains its significance and relevanceto the New World as well as Europe.38 Magnetic attraction of the North changing, and David LeMire MWAmerican experience explains how persistence is payingFour Australians - two men and two off for winemakers willing to confrontwomen - are the focus of the second the challenges.instalment of Gerald D. Boyd’s lookat Antipodean winemakers spreadingtheir wings in North America.Three factors were common in the 67 Summer Beers, New Releases‘migration’ of all four Aussies. and Top 40 Best Buys under $20. W I N E TAST I N G S 10 Briefs Cooper’s Creed with Michael Cooper 100 Pinot Noir 19 European Report with Sally Easton Wine Tutor with Clive Hartley 108 Champagne & Sparkling 20 Wine Travel with Elisabeth King Wine History with Valmai Hankel 118 Limestone Coast 22 Wine Words Grapevine 128 North East Victoria 24 How We Judge What’s it Worth? 134 Canterbury & Central Otago, NZ 26 Wine Investment & Collecting Aftertaste 140 Michael Cooper’s Recent Releases 58 60 Winestate Magazine 91 Issue Number 237 92 November/December 2010 94 146 Cover photograph © Tarczas.

Hahndorf Hill Winery Adelaide HillsBlaufränkisch... quite the mouthful Trophy + Gold Medal – Australian Boutique Wine Awards 2010 Gold Medal – International Cool Climate Wine Show 2010 94 points – Philip White, The Independent Weekly Introducing Australia’s first Blaufränkisch. A seductive, new-wave red produced from a blueblooded, Austrian varietal. To discover more about our range of exciting, alternative wines, visit our website.www.hahndorfhillwinery.com.au

by Walter Clappiso7 Shiraz/Cabernet/MerlotTony Love ~ 4 starsBiodynamic wine...tastes invigorating“Long-time vales winemaker Walter Clappis, isan avid biodynamic practitioner and delivers abright and shiny example of what can beachieved through traditional winemaking.Lovely lifted fruit, juicy red berries supremelybalanced, softly structured for lively andinvigorating drinking.”VALUE: BrilliantDistributorsSA: Festival City Wines - 08 8268 8066QLD: AIWW - 0411 561 643NSW: AIWW - 0415 415 274NT: Oz North Food and Liquor - 08 8981 3386Vic: Festival City Wine and Spirit - 03 9361 1681ACT: Haymen Fine Spirits - 0421 937 856WA: Haymen Fine Spirits - 0417 227 032hedonistwines.com.auph: +61 8 8323 8818

editorialTHIS ISSUE OFFERS OUR ANNUAL,somewhat controversial, tasting of pinot noirs, and it ispleasing to see a range of quality and quantity winesavailable for review. What is particularly interesting is the result this year, whichfound a quality level at both low and high prices but problemsin the middle. It seems that at the commercial end the pinotsare vibrant and fresh, with little or no oak. They are built forcurrent drinking at a price, in what the French would call‘village’ wines. At the pointy end, where we see the mostexpensive wines, we have what the French would call ‘grandcru’ wines where, in general, the makers have achieved thefine balance of pristine fruit with appropriate oak, to offer acomplex, lingering aftertaste to their wines. Now the elephant in the room! At the middle price level ofabout $30-$50, which in the Australasian marketplace theFrench would call ‘premier cru’ wines, we saw a confusingline-up. Here many of the wines suffered from not havingthe depth of fruit to carry the oak involved, or were plumped up with pressings or additional oaktannins to build flavour, resulting in dry reds rather than varietal pinots. It appeared that winemakers,in their attempt to make the world’s greatest pinot, were in some cases trying to make a ‘silk purseout of a sow’s ear’. As one judge noted, some of the wines in this price range were valued on whatit cost the producer rather than what it was worth. But, as always, even here there were some greatexamples for the price; you just had to look a little harder! To round out our pinot feature we asked Master of Wine and noted pinotphile David LeMire MWto put into his own words what makes the making of this varietal the ‘holy grail’ of winemaking. Hisarticle begins on page 46. This is also that time of year when we are inundated with new releases, and this year was noexception. It does give us a good yardstick on what is in the pipeline and what to look forwardto. After the difficult years of 2007 and 2008, it was great to see vintages returning to ‘normal’,whatever that means. Although Australian sauvignon blanc by itself continues to bore (unlike the best Kiwi examples),the addition of semillon makes a fine match and the judges found a lot to like with this combination.The 2010 rieslings dazzled as well, either as vibrant offerings for now or to put away. The best reds were a surprise. The 2009 cabernets we saw were consistent but not outstanding, butthe 2008 cabernets were far better than we expected. Perhaps the better makers were releasing theolder wines, and maybe they picked their grapes before or after the heatwave. On the other hand,the 2009 shiraz wines were excellent, while the ’08s had very mixed results. A massive line-up of 30 rosés bodes well for summer, with a variety of dry to off-dry styles to pleaseany palate. Merlot is looking good and the Mediterranean varieties offer interest, with winemakersfinally getting a handle on them! Now is the time to stock up for summer (or winter in the northern hemisphere) and enjoy!Cheers!Peter SimicEditor/PublisherNovember/December 2010 W I N E S TAT E 9

briefsTHE TEMPRANILLO TEAM GREAT WHITE HOPESTEMPRANILLO, the classic THE AUSSIE fightback to reclaim the tastebuds of wine drinkersSpanish red grape, is taking addicted to the smell of cut grass and the taste of passionfruithold in Australian soil with 386 has stalled. While sauvignon blanc still accounts for one third ofhectares planted. It’s up there all white wine sold in Australia, with 70 per cent of it produced inwith durif and malbec in size New Zealand, cracks are beginning to appear. The important $14-but not nearly as well known $19 price segment for sauvignon blanc, dominated by the Kiwis,or as understood, which is is showing signs of slowing down.why six tempranillo makershave banded together to But New Zealand Winegrowers believes sav blanc is merelypromote their wines. The approaching its peak in terms of market share in that pricegroup is called TempraNeo, segment. “The story is sauvignon blanc is growing,” saysa word that immediately Monty James, marketing manager (Australia) for New Zealandcuts to the heart of the main Winegrowers. “Chardonnay is still in decline.”problem with the grape. Itcan be difficult to pronounce. Aussie chardonnay appears to be holding its own at higher priceProducers in the collective - points. Both Dan Murphy’s and Vintage Cellars report that sales ofLa Linea, Tar & Roses, Running With Bulls, Gemtree Vineyards, chardonnay priced at $25 and more are healthy. “People who drinkMayford and Mount Majura - are setting out to help not only premium white wines have continued to drink chardonnay; theypromote the name but the style. “It’s not a million miles away from never left,” says Dan Murphy’s marketing manager, Steve Donohue.the consumer,” says Narelle King of Tar & Roses. “It’s one stepaway from shiraz.” PINOT’S WHITE BLENDS An Australian style is emerging that is as bold as shiraz but with TASMANIA, poised to host the 2012 International Cool Climatemore pronounced tannins and savouriness. For Louisa Rose, the Seminar, has some interesting winemaking techniques to showYalumba winemaker who makes Running With Bulls, the grape is attendees, including the addition of white wines to young pinot“one of the most food-friendly red wines we have in our stable.” noir. The work is being undertaken at Frogmore, outside Hobart. RATS FOILED Winemakers Alain Rousseau and Nick Glaezter believe pinot fruit off young vines can be out of balance. In 2010 they performed COLLECTORS are used to a number of trials, including the co-fermentation of pinot with mice nibbling on labels - but chardonnay skins and another parcel with the Alsatian aromatic rats attacking screw caps? white grape, gewurztraminer. Murrumbateman winemaker Ken Helm says they ruined 11 The pinot with chardonnay is destined for a place in the 2010 bottles over nine days. “They reserve. “The acid in the white skins combines with the tannins didn’t show a preference for in the red grapes,” says Alain. The gewurztraminer blend adds red or white, sweet or dry. a perfumed nose to the pinot and a touch of spice. Other trials So it was the foil they were include a carbonic maceration pinot, a wild ferment and even an interested in,” he said. He Amarone-style, which involves cutting the cordons and drying theurges collectors to be aware of the problem, especially those grapes for two weeks before processing.keeping wines in areas where mice or rats can get access. McLAREN VALE TERROIRS MAPPEDTAMAR RIDGE TAKEOVER IF YOU accept that the wines we drink are largely the creation ofBROWN Brothers has acquired Tasmania’s biggest wine the environment in which they are grown, then a new wine map,producer, Tamar Ridge Estates. The move is a strategic one for entitled The Geology of the McLaren Vale Wine Region, will appeal.the Victorian-based family-owned producer, giving it access to The map, created by a group of South Australian geologists headedplenty of cool-climate pinot noir and chardonnay for table and by William Fairburn, was more than 30 years in the making andsparkling wine production. discovered seven distinct rock forms in the region, the oldest formed 1.6 billion years ago. Tamar Ridge, owned by forestry company, Gunns Limited, issituated in the Tamar Valley, the proposed site of a planned pulp The map is part geology lesson and part viticulture lesson, withmill by Gunns. It is not known whether Brown Brothers was given the region’s wineries and wine styles explained according toany assurances about the future of the pulp mill from Gunns soil. Published by the McLaren Vale Grape, Wine and Tourismbut industry commentators did expect that a successful sale of Association, it has also been used to push for a controversialTamar Ridge would be dependent on Gunns not pursuing the new housing development, Seaford Heights, to be shelved.controversial mill in the sensitive viticultural site. The map’s creators say parts of the new suburb, on the entry to McLaren Vale, are prized viticultural land and the map should be used to plan housing (on poor soils) around possible vineyard land.10 W I N E S TAT E November/December 2010

briefsDEFINING A SCOTT’S LEARNING CURVEGREY AREA AFTER working for a Swedish wine importer, former Serafino chiefIN A world first, winemaker Scott Rawlinson has returned from stints in Italy - where heAustralian makers of made wine for Oenoforos in both Puglia and Sicily - and South Africa.pinot gris and pinot He says the experiences opened his eyes to Southern Europeangrigio wines will be able winemaking styles and the issues faced in South African winemaking.to use ‘fingerprinting’technology to objectively Having made highly successful wines in Australia, Scott founddefine and separate the his European experience reinforced the need for super-quality fruittwo styles. Wine drinkers and the best technology available. He also noted the difference inand many winemakers winemaking techniques, where the local winemakers were all aboutare confused by the structure and food-friendly wines, with more natural tannins andgrape with two personalities but now a Pinot G Spectrum, a simple mouthfeel, rather than up-front fruit. In South Africa he noted thatgraphic attached to a wine label, will tell drinkers what to expect winemakers were trying to get away from the earthy, green seedby way of taste. On the left of the graphic, ‘crisp’ represents the tannins and weedy varietiesgrigio style. On the right, ‘luscious’ represents the gris style. A small that produce the “Southscale numbered one to 10 runs underneath with an indicator to African stink”, by fermentingshow the style in the bottle. wines off skins, ironically in a more Australian style. Wines from Treasury Wine Estate (the wine arm of Foster’s) andCellarmasters, including T’Gallant and Seppelt, will be among Scott is back in Souththe first to display the graphic. The technology, developed Australia as a wine consultantby the Australian Wine Research Institute in Adelaide, uses a with Winescope, for customersblend of sensory, chemical and spectral analysis to compile a including J & J Wines ofwine’s ‘fingerprint.’ McLaren Vale and participating in other wine business activities. November/December 2010 W I N E S TAT E 11

briefsBIG PLANS FOR A CAPITAL IDEAPINOT PARTY CAPITAL Wines, one of theTHE MORNINGTON Peninsula huge success stories of theVignerons Association will host Canberra region, is gettingthe peninsula’s International a new cellar door, with plansPinot Noir Celebration from approved for a function roomJanuary 28-30, 2011 - a key at the Grazing restaurantevent for pinotphiles in Australia premises in Gundaroo andand New Zealand. The festivities the conversion of the historicat RACV Cape Schanck include Cobb & Co stables intotwo full days of tutored tasting a cellar door. The tastingsessions featuring pinot noirs rooms will include a regionalfrom around the world with Epicurean Centre to highlightnational and international wine local produce. Grazing hasmedia and producers from the been a leader in the promotionUS, France, New Zealand and Australia. The keynote speaker will be of local food and wine since it opened in 2003. Chef Tom Moore,renowned taster Allen Meadows from burghound.com, who is regarded recent winner of the young restaurateur of the year award at theas one of the world’s foremost authorities on Burgundy. One of the Appetite for Excellence awards, will oversee the Epicurean Centrehighlights of the event will be the grand banquet at the new winery menus. A range of educational programs will be on offer and visitorsand restaurant complex at Port Phillip Estate. will be able to book for cooking, wine and other masterclasses. An optional third-day event was successfully introduced in 2009 TASSIE WINERYand continues in 2011: the Pinot Garden Showcase on Sunday, GOES DUTCHJanuary 30, which gives wine and food enthusiasts the chanceto relax in an outdoor setting and enjoy a regional showcase of DUTCHMAN Frank HuismanMornington Peninsula pinot noir alongside regional food. Guests has travelled halfway aroundwill be given a tasting glass and can wander between wine the globe to chase his dreamstands, sampling the wines and chatting to the winemakers while of making fine cool-climateenjoying Mornington Peninsula produce prepared by local chefs. wines in Tasmania. AfterNumbers are strictly limited to 200 attendees and registration is looking at vineyard sites inonly confirmed on receipt of payment. Phone (03) 5989 2377. South Africa, Canada and New Zealand, as well as theWINERY EXPANDS Australian mainland, he decided on the Tamar Valley as the best spotTO FOOD to live and work. He and partner Nicole Morssink took over Winter Brook Vineyard at Loira in the West Tamar on July 1, after earlierTHE BAROSSA Valley giving consultant winemaker Shane Holloway some guidelines onhas a new wine and food what Frank wanted from the 2010 vintage - including investing indestination: the Sorby Adams new oak barrels from coopers Francois Freres for the pinot noir.Wine Room & Pantry at 51Murray St, Angaston, owned While the 2011 vintage will be the first in which the couple haveand run by Simon Adams, the complete control, they are enthused about the wines left behindone-time chief winemaker at by previous owners Phil and Debbie Veevers, saying the quality ofYalumba, and his wife Helen the fruit from the vineyard of just under a hectare, all facing north,and is a cellar door/cafe/ gives them plenty to work with.providore in one. From 8.30every morning, the Delaforte According to the blueprint, Winter Brook will eventually have four toespresso machine will fire up five hectares planted with pinot noir, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc,and the complete range of maybe riesling - all produced organically. “For the first few months itSorby Adams wines is available for tasting from 10am-5pm. Daily will just be about preparing the soil for the vines we have,” says Frank.blackboard specials for lunchtime dining are on offer, along withall-day antipasti plates and cheese boards. Phone (08) 8564 2993; “Tasmania has the best soils in the world for cool-climate viticulture.www.sorbyadamswines.com. Weather conditions are close to perfect, the scenery is beautiful, the people are friendly and the wines and food are superb.” Other new cellar doors are also in the pipeline for the Barossa,with Kalleske at Greenock and Te-Aro at Williamstown both A former Dutch Army officer, Frank worked as a viticulturist andopening for the summer and Damien Tscharke having put in a cellar hand at the Amsteltuin Vineyard outside Amsterdam - oneplanning application for both a cellar door and bed and breakfast of the few professional wineries in the Netherlands - to learn allat Tscharke Wines at Marananga. he could, as well as taking several courses. As a soil remediation engineer and former environmentalist, he has an empathy with the12 W I N E S TAT E November/December 2010 land. See www.winterbrookvineyard.com.au

briefsVETERAN COOL-CLIMATE CHOICEBOWS OUT SUE Bell has one of the most astute palates in the Australian wineVETERAN Rutherglen industry. The former Stonehaven winemaker, now making her own wineswinemaker George under the Bellwether label, had no hesitation in selecting TasmaniaSutherland Smith has retired when she decided to craft her own top-notch chardonnay.after 55 years in the industry.The Sutherland Smith family “I love making chardonnay and if I was going to do it Australiaowned and ran All Saints then it had to be in Tasmania,” she said on a recent visit. “TheWinery from the first planting cool climate here allows for expressions of intense aromatics,of vines in 1869 through to concentrated fruit purity and delicious mineral acidity.”1988, with George directlyinvolved from 1955 to 1988. Sue, dux of the prestigious Len Evans Tutorial in 2007 and a highlyFrom the early 1990s, he regarded wine judge, has just released her Bellwether 2009 Tamarmade wine as G Sutherland Valley Chardonnay with a price tag of $50, which lives up to herSmith & Sons at Emu Plains, ambition of making “top-notch, head-turning” wines.on the north-eastern side of Rutherglen. “The image of Rutherglenwine should be one of diversity,” says George. “We produce great Her first release was a 2006 Coonawarra cabernet sauvignon,sparkling, full-bodied whites and reds and fortified wines.” which also retails for $50, followed by the chardonnay. “These are two styles I have a lot of passion for, and proven expertise with,” she George’s son, Andrew, of Warrabilla Winery, will continue the says. “The concept is simple - good sites, meticulously managed,family’s involvement in the Rutherglen wine region into the future. hand-picked fruit, chardonnay whole-bunch-pressed; cabernet fermented in open-top fermenters, indigenous fermentation,STEVE GOES SOLO basket-pressed and subtle use of good French oak.”STEVE Wiblin spent 17 years as a wine marketer with major Not only does Sue make the wines, but she also did the artworkcompanies and 13 years as co-owner and winemaker at Neagles for the labels, which she says reflect “topography, terroir and line”.Rock in the Clare Valley. He’s now sold out of Neagles Rock “for See www.bellwetherwines.com.au.health and other personal reasons” and downsized to producewines under his own boutique label, named Erin Eyes in honour ofhis Irish ancestry, and opened a cellar door in an old cold store inAuburn. ‘I’m not leaving the Clare as I believe it’s one of the finerwine regions in the world,” he says. He will concentrate on thevarieties Clare does best: riesling, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon.The cellar door at 12 Main North Rd is open Thursday to Monday10am-5pm (11am-4pm on Sundays). Phone (08) 8849 2260. PROFESSIONAL WINE STORAGE FOR THE COST OF A CUP OF COFFEE A MONTH It’s true! It’s actually cheaper than you would think. Keep your drinking wine at home and professionally store those special bottles you’ve been nurturing for years. We would hate for you to open your special anniversary wine to find that it has been ravaged by fluctuating temperatures > managed cellarage > access to top wine tastings > private wine vaults > invitations to wine dinners > minimum storage one case > your own personal cellar advisor > highly secure climate > access to cult, collectable and controlled storage limited release wines Call us for our fantastic “Winter Switch & Save” offer. For more information please call us on 1300 946 327 or visit our web site Follow wine-ark on Twitter, join us on Facebook, visit our blog or even check out our youtube channel ADELAIDE | BRISBANE | MELBOURNE | PERTH | SYDNEY www.wine-ark.com.auwinestate-thirdpage-FV.indd 1 November/December 2010 W I N E6/2S3/2T01A0 T4:E08:04 PM 13

briefsKILGOUR CHANGES HANDS CHIC WITH CHAMPAGNEKILGOUR Estate, an iconic Bellarine Peninsula winery and WINE lovers can expect a particularly warm welcome atrestaurant, has been sold to David and Lyndsay Sharp of Leura Melbourne’s very chic The Lyall Hotel, Melbourne’s only privatelyPark Vineyard - who have big plans for the facility, which will be owned and managed five-star hotel. There are only 40 suites at therenamed Jack Rabbit Vineyard. “It’s one of the most brilliant sites on boutique property, all with terraces, a personal gourmet bar andthe Bellarine, with great food, wine and spectacular views spanning 24-hour room service. There’s a Champagne Bar and restaurantacross the bay from Geelong and the You Yangs to Melbourne,” with an excellent selection of bubbles, a bistro open throughoutsays David. “We are looking forward to extending the relationship the day and a spa. The hotel also has its own “insider access” tourwith existing staff and local suppliers and continue showcasing the guide who can put together bespoke, chauffeur-driven full-daymultitude of great produce from within this region.” The restaurant vineyard tours. Rates start from $525 a night. The hotel is at 14will continue to open seven days a week for lunch, plus dinner on Murphy St, South Yarra; phone (03) 9868 8222, www.thelyall.com.Friday and Saturday nights. Kilgour Estate is at 85 McAdams Lane,Bellarine; phone (03) 5251 2223, www.jackrabbitvineyard.com.au. ESTATE’S NEW ATTRACTIONBIMBADGEN RECRUIT PORT Philip Estate, the spectacular winery complex on the Mornington Peninsula, has just opened six new luxury apartmentsBIMBADGEN Estate in the Hunter Valley has a new winemaker, to go with its restaurant, cellar door and tasting room, outsideSarah Crowe, the former Brokenwood assistant winemaker who deck overlooking vineyards and Western Port Bay and state ofwon the Hunter Valley Wine Industry and Legends Awards 2009 the art winemaking facilities. All apartments boast king-sizedrising star award and has worked vintages in Oregon and the beds, living rooms, spacious en suites and views from both theRhone Valley. Earlier this year Bimbadgen appointed winemaker bedroom and living area across vines to the bay, as well asMike DeGaris as a consultant. Mike will continue in this role along outdoor terraces.with Kym Milne MW, who assists as a style and blending consultant. Five of the six apartments are named after Kooyong’s prestigiousDIVERTED single-vineyard wines (Haven, Faultline, Farrago, Meres andTO DUCKS Ferrous). The sixth and largest apartment has two bedrooms and a more expansive living room and is named the Morillon ApartmentGLEN James, after the oldest pinot noir block at Port Phillip Estate.formerly of TreasuryWine Estates (the Room rates are $500 a night for a studio apartment (Mondaynew name for to Thursday) and $700 (Friday to Sunday). The two-bedroomFoster’s), has left the apartment is $700 a night (Monday to Thursday) and $900company after 15 (Friday to Sunday). A two-night minimum stay is required.years of corporate Port Phillip Estate is at 263 Red Hill Rd, Red Hill South;winemaking to focus phone (03) 5989 4444, www.portphillipestate.com.au.on his own wine label, Ducks in a Row, which will release2010 vintage wines made from vermentino and fiano and willconcentrate heavily on mataro. “There are lots of things I’vewanted to do - not just with new varieties but with ways of lettingparticular varieties express themselves without winemakerintervention,” Glen says. “It’s a cliche, but it’s so true that we canlet regions speak without imposing stylistic boundaries.” Nextyear will bring new Heathcote releases from Ducks in a Row,including a 2011 nero d’avola, a native variety of Sicily, alongwith a Barossa mataro. See www.ducksinarow.com.au.14 W I N E S TAT E November/December 2010

briefsBIG PINOT ACTION AT AMBERLEYPLANTING CONSTELLATION Wines Australia has sold its Amberley EstateTHE FUTURE is bright for the vineyard at Margaret River to Perth businessman Stephen TobinTasmanian wine industry, and his wife Melissa, who are taking over the vineyard, cellar doorsays Steve Lubiana, owner and restaurant. Constellation will keep the Amberley Brand, andof Stefano Lubiana Wines, its president, Troy Christensen, says Steve and Melissa “havewho is preparing to plant a great vision for the place and it will remain a drawcard with30,000 pinot noir vines on a cellar door and restaurant facility”. Long-time Margaret Riverhis Granton vineyard, 20km winemaker Michael Kelly has been appointed general manager ofnorth of Hobart. “Sales are the estate. “Our plans for the estate are to rename, rebrand, expandvery good for pinot and we and develop the property into a premium tourism destination forcan see a strong growth in that market,” he says. “We’re in a Australian families and international visitors,” Troy says.different market [to many mainland producers]. We’re producinga higher-end product.” Steve says he will be converting the WINEMAKERS’ COAL ALARMnew vines to biodynamic production once they reach maturityafter four years. A PROPOSED coal mine in Margaret River has ruffled the feathers of local winemakers. The Vasse Coal Project atSIP TO FIGHT CANCER Osmington has been opposed by the Margaret River Wine Industry Association, which warned that the wine industry andSCARBOROUGH Wines in the Hunter Valley has produced “pink the region’s collective wine brand were at risk. “Our Margaretribbon” wines to help raise awareness of breast cancer in the River wine brand has been built in a little over 40 years by apast, but the release of the Scarborough 2009 Blue Ribbon clear and unrelenting focus on quality within a largely pristineChardonnay will help support the Prostate Cancer Foundation geographically isolated environment; in doing so it has grownof Australia. A contribution from every bottle sale will be to be world-renowned as a home of truly fine wines,” it said indonated to the PCFA, as it was with the 2008 release. The wine a statement.is available at the cellar door, or through Vintage Cellars storesand independent liquor outlets. Association president Nigel Gallop, of Fraser Gallop Estate, said: “Grapegrowing and wine production, followed by general agriculture and then tourism in that order are the key regional economic drivers, and while we all acknowledge wine and tourism in Margaret River region and the greater South West is growing more slowly due to the global financial crisis, it would be completely detrimental to the Margaret River wine brand should an event occur or be perceived to occur that spoilt our image as a clean and pristine environment and all that this encompasses.”SIMON HACKETTFourth generation, Barossa Valley born, TRADE ENQUIRIES:Winemaker Simon Hackett established his winery S.A. Chace Agencies 08 8363 7881 [email protected] a fertile hill overlooking McLaren Vale over VIC Working Wine 0407 053 663 [email protected] years ago. Simon Hackett produces a stunning NSW Estate Wine Distributors [email protected] of wines including the very popular limited QLD Estate Wine Distributors 0405 106 207 [email protected] Anthony's Reserve Shiraz and Foggo UK & Europe - ABS Wine Agencies [email protected] Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Drop into Hong Kong - Vins de France Corp (ABS Asia Ltd) [email protected] cellar door for a tasting and take in the Simon Hackett Wines, Budgens Road, McLaren Valestunning panoramic views. (08) 8323 7712 [email protected] November/December 2010 W I N E S TAT E 15

briefsFOCUS ON CHARDONNAY ALICANTE PUTS ON SOME MUSCLEJAMES Halliday is the “everywhere” man of the Australian wine MARGARET River producer Forester Estate believes it has made WAindustry. If he’s not writing books or judging shows around the and perhaps national winemaking history with the first commercialworld, he’s hosting keynote tastings. He was recently the focus at release of a full-bodied, dry red alicante. Estate principal Kevintwo very different events in the Yarra Valley in Victoria. McKay says he knows of no other example in the country. The first was the 20th anniversary of the hugely successful The 19th century French-bred, deep red-fleshed, red-juiceColdstream Hills winery that he founded with his wife Suzanne - and variety is a cross between grenache and petit bouschet andto which he still consults even though it is now owned by Treasury mainly used in Europe to add colour to paler wines and for roséWine Estates. The second was as the key speaker and guru at the and lighter wine production.first Chardonnay 10 tasting and seminar, put on by Gary and JulieHounsell of Toolangi Wines to mark the 10th anniversary of their label. In WA, Kevin’s grapegrowing neighbour at the northern end of the Margaret River strip liked the alicante name and took up James and a panel comprising several eminent experts found that vine material from an Agriculture Department research block tothe best chardonnays from Australia and New Zealand can be hard to investigate its commercial possibilities. Now he is grafting overseparate from their French rivals - and certainly offer stunning value shiraz to the variety to increase production.for money. Good news for Toolangi was that their wines looked verygood in comparison to several wines with much larger price tags. “We only made 60 dozen for the first commercial release - of the 2008 vintage (with a five per cent dash of cabernet) - and it went like The event also underlined the impact of screw caps on wine a flash,” Kevin said. “It was just not curiosity. We targeted top-endquality, with James describing the Italian and US wines selected restaurants and had fantastic feedback. Most people who tried itfor the tasting as having “catastrophic” cork taint problems. Of the bought it again. It offers something different and it’s pretty hardtop 20 wines chosen, six were from the Yarra Valley, three from New to find something different in Australia - especially a wine that’sZealand and 11 from Burgundy and Chablis, with James praising pleasant and enjoyable like this. We think we’ve found an excitingthe Yarra Valley wines for their “elegance, finesse and length”. match between variety and region.”In a nice piece of symmetry, one of the top-scoring wines was theColdstream Hills 2006 Reserve Chardonnay. Kevin says its palate warmth and generosity is rarely, if ever, seen in the established red varieties of Margaret River. But it was the The event was such a success it will now be held every two years, amazing vivid colour that attracted him. When picked straight fromwith the next being Toolangi Chardonnay 12 in 2012. the vine the grapes burst a bright scarlet when crushed and stain just about everything they come into contact with, like mulberries do.BUBBLES AND BLISS ON ISLAND RETREAT Forester Estate, quiet achiever of the WA industry and which takesFOR THOSE looking to combine their love of wine with a relaxing spa its name from pioneering timber workers and the local western greyexperience and island getaway in one, Hamilton Island’s premier kangaroo, had its inaugural vintage in 2001 and now producesresort, qualia, and its day spa, Spa qualia, offer an experience 20,000 cases a year.under their Signature Ceremonies range, aptly named Wine Lovers.Exclusively for couples, it is 150 minutes of literally being infused Its first alicante, or alicante bouschet, was made in 2006 aswith wine, starting with a luxurious chardonnay massage and then a an experiment. “We had the 2008 vintage in second-use Frenchvinotherapie body scrub, which is reported to be rich in antioxidants. barriques for 18 months and are doing the same with the 2009,Guests are then enveloped in the detoxifying properties of a pinot which we plan to release in January 2011,” Kevin said. “Basically,noir body mask, while a burgundy bath with a glass of champagne it’s thought of as an early-drinking red variety but I think it hasawaits. Singles aren’t forgotten, however; there are numerous the capacity to age for five years or so. I believe it’s done welltreatments that can be tailored to each client’s whim. And after the because of our slightly warmer Margaret River location, whichpampering, relax with another glass or two and a meal at qualia’s results in fullness of flavour while retaining good natural acidityPebble Beach Restaurant. For advanced reservations, email spa@ and good fruit tannin. We were cautious about releasing the 2008qualia.com.au or phone (07) 4948 9484. Flights to Hamilton Island because the variety has a bit of a history of dropping colour verydepart regularly through Virgin Airlines and Jetstar. quickly once bottled. But we’ve seen no evidence of that giving us the confidence to chase it a bit harder.” Henri Bouschet, who bred the variety, named it after a Spanish town but his reasons remain a viticultural mystery. By the end of the 19th century, alicante was widely planted in France and began spreading to Spain, Portugal and Italy and then to California, where it was very popular during prohibition. This was due to its naturally high-yielding tendency, thick skin and deep colour, which allowed for the movements by truck and rail of big crops as fresh fruit in good condition to New York. There the flesh was pressed and re-pressed to extract every bit of juice to make wine that could then be diluted with water without substantial loss of aroma or colour for clandestine sale in the ‘speakeasies’ of the big city.16 W I N E S TAT E November/December 2010

Display, store and serve yourfine wines in perfect condition Your choice of fine wines speaks volumes about you and your lifestyle. The range of wine cellars from Liebherr will display your good taste perfectly. You will also want the fine wines you so carefully select and offer to your guests to be kept in peak condition, ready for serving. For a fine wine to reach perfection all the aspects of its storage must be in harmony: ideal temperature, optimum air quality, precise positioning, ideal humidity, powerful UV protection and of course, low-vibration peace and quiet. Liebherr wine cellars can do all this for you; they allow you to store red wine, white wine, and even champagne, together in the same cellar, each in its own micro climate, between 5 ºC and 20 ºC, in ideal storage and serving conditions. With a range encompassing storage capabilities from 38 up to 312 bottles, one of the technologically advanced models from Liebherr will suit your requirements. We are so confident that Liebherr wine cellars are the only choice for wine storage that we offer a 90 day money back guarantee. For full terms and conditions of the Liebherr wine cellar 90 day money back guarantee please visit www.premiumapp.com.au or call 1800 685 899.www.premiumapp.com.au Design, Quality and Innovation

nzbriefswhat’s happening on the NZ wine sceneTURNING 30 HOW TO FIND THAT WINETWO New Zealand producers have passed 30-year milestones. THE WORLD’S biggest ‘wine search engine’ is based in Auckland.Neudorf, in Nelson, is acclaimed for its powerful, tight-knit, elegant Wine-Searcher, founded in 1999, now has a staff of over 30 andMoutere Chardonnay, but also produces other exceptional whites lists nearly four million wines, stocked by 17,500 retail stores,and savoury, complex pinot noirs. At a celebration lunch in Auckland, wineries and auction houses.proprietors Tim and Judy Finn, with winemaker John Kavanagh, openedvintages of their Moutere chardonnay, riesling, pinot gris and pinot noir, The site’s goal is to help wine lovers anywhere track down thestretching back over a decade. The lesson was clear: Neudorf wines location and price of a chosen wine. The key user base is in theage gracefully and the best - including the 2002 Moutere Chardonnay US, “the Americans being that much more technology-focusedand 2003 Moutere Pinot Noir in all areas, including wine retail and collection,” says Wine-- achieve greatness. Searcher’s Jonathan Reeve. “We’re working on developing other markets, including New Zealand and Australia. The UK is already Vidal, in Hawke’s Bay, very much on board.”recently celebrated the30th year of operation of Wine-Searcher offers two services. ‘Free-For-Use’ limits searchNew Zealand’s first winery results to retailers which ‘sponsor’ the site, provided they have therestaurant, which opened wine in stock. ‘Pro Version’, which costs $US29.95 a year, showsin mid-1979. all the potential suppliers of a selected wine.WINERIES IN RECEIVERSHIP SMALL OUTFITS STRUGGLETHE CURRENT wine glut and global economic recession are MOST New Zealand wineries are still making money, according toforcing some grapegrowers and wine producers to battle to survive. a recent annual survey by Deloitte, the international accounting andAucklander Barry Sutton’s Awatere Vineyard in June became the consulting firm. But the global economic recession, and bumperfirst major contract grower in Marlborough to go into receivership. 2008 and 2009 harvests, have led to “a clear downward profitability trend”. The survey also noted fast-rising debt levels. Most at risk Gravitas, based on a 22-hectare Marlborough vineyard, was are small - but not tiny - wineries, with an annual output of 20,000launched in 2002 by Martyn Nicholls, after a long career in business cases and turnover of $NZ1 million to $5 million. Last year, beforemanagement. The early sauvignon blancs and chardonnays tax, they averaged a 6.7 per cent loss.were highly acclaimed. Gravitas appointed an international salesmanager in 2007, planning to grow swiftly, but last year Martyn The crisis for small producers is described vividly by Deloitte.and his partner, Debbie Angus, were badly injured in a motorcycle “Translating total revenue into a 12-bottle case and tying this backaccident. Debbie, later diagnosed with cancer, has since died. In to profit per case, the two largest companies [in the survey] get toJune, Gravitas slid into receivership. keep approximately two of their 12 bottles as profit, the $0-$1 million and $5 million-$10 million categories can enjoy approximately one The failure of Cape Campbell in July was another blow to the of their 12 bottles as profit, while the $1 million-$5 million categoryregion’s wine community. Murray Brown and his wife, Daphne, has to go and buy an additional bottle and give it away.”arrived in Marlborough from Southland in 1979, intending tobuy a stock property, but in 1980 the couple became the first Smallish wineries are no longer ‘ma and pa’ outfits, but lack anygrapegrowers to sign up to supply Corbans. During the 1990s, major economies of scale. During the 2009 financial year, theirthe Browns sold wine under their own Cairnbrae label, and later average revenue per case plummeted from $153 to $99. Now,founded Cape Campbell, which has also recently marketed Cable with the value of wine stocks and vineyard land falling, bankersStation and Lobster Rock wines. are losing confidence in those producers who cannot pay their interest bills. LIGHT IN THE GLOOM PHILIP Gregan, CEO of New Zealand Winegrowers, believes the industry has the potential to double the value of its exports over the next decade, from $1 billion to $2 billion. He expects the current tough times to last for another two or three years, but from 2013 onwards, the outlook is rosier. The plan is to maintain the industry’s current production base of 33,000 hectares of vineyards, while stimulating greater demand for New Zealand wine in northern Europe, Asia and the US.18 W I N E S TAT E November/December 2010

c o o p e r ’s c r e e d WORDS MICHAEL COOPERPET HOBBY HORSE OF PASSIONATE WINEMAKERS SWEET SAUVIGNON BLANCA GRUMPY OLD WINE WRITER Many winemakers obviously don’t read Sauvignon blancs assumed to be dryWINE writers are spoiled brats. Bombarded their competitors’ PR, otherwise they are in fact often slightly sweet, especiallywith samples of expensive and mid-priced would not seize every opportunity to tell those with high acidity levels. Not longwines, we are also invited to lots of lunches us how ‘passionate’ they are. In wine ago, a top trophy-winning sauvignon blanc- with all that can entail for the unwary. But circles, claiming to be ‘passionate’ in New Zealand harboured over six gramsthat doesn’t stop us occasionally getting is now the ultimate cliche. The best per litre of residual sugar. Soon after, thea bit grumpy. The things discussed here nurses, cabinetmakers, politicians and trophy for champion sauvignon blanc atmight get under your skin. They definitely writers are ‘passionate’ about their another competition went to a wine thatget under mine. jobs, too. There is nothing special about harboured over seven grams per litre of winemakers - except how often they residual sugar. Don’t we expect sauvignonEXAGGERATED PRICES claim to be ‘passionate’. blanc to be dry?Samples of wines with ‘normal retail prices’, BEST OF FRIENDS MISLEADING BACK LABELSfar above what I often see them advertisedat in the paper, make for interesting Winemakers and writers sometimes develop ‘Product information sheets’ supplied bytastings. If a wine sells mostly on ‘special’, it close friendships. One commentator wineries to the trade and media often sayis surely made to sell profitably in that lower sprang to the defence of a winemaker a wine was fermented and/or maturedprice category. So a wine that supposedly under public scrutiny, proclaiming, “He’s in French and (cheaper) American oakretails at $25, but is invariably ‘discounted’ a friend of mine.” How do such writers barrels. It’s odd how frequently only theto $16.95, is generally only worth the lower review wines that don’t measure up, when French oak makes it to the back label.price anyway. they have been made by a close friend? Wines fermented in a mix of stainless Ignore them? steel tanks and barrels are often labelledTROPHY TRIUMPHS as ‘barrel fermented’. And the term NEW ZEALAND’S ‘boutique’, which suggests a wine wasEach year, hundreds of wine shows GREATEST WINEMAKER made by a small producer, is often usedare staged around the world. For the by giant wineries in reference to theirorganisers, they can be good money- Several people have been praised relatively small-volume wines, sold underspinners. Wineries which win international as being ‘New Zealand’s greatest ‘boutique’ brands.trophies at the top London competitions winemaker’, ‘Winemaker of the Year’ oroften claim ‘world champion’ status for ‘arguably greatest winemaker’. They EXAGGERATED BACK LABELStheir wine. Yet the biggest shows attract are typically part of a team that also10,000 entries, out of a potential field of involves senior viticulturists, other senior ‘Complex’ wines reflect the influencesmillions, so they are hardly some sort of winemakers and key management staff. of climate, soil, vintage, blending, oakvinous Olympics. The top wines in all the When the ‘greatest winemaker’ finally handling, bottle age, even winemakerinternational shows have been selected moves on to another job, the quality of age. However, some winemakers managefrom a relatively tiny field of entrants. the wines is usually unaffected. to describe their unoaked chardonnays (handled entirely in tanks and bottledVAGUE LABEL TERMS DON’T MENTION US young) as complex. Many modestly priced wines are also described as ‘concentrated’,New Zealand’s wine label laws are silent on When wineries launch second- or third-tier suggesting they have rich, rather thanthe use of such terms as ‘barrel-fermented’, brands, selling at lower prices than their dilute, flavour. Fingers crossed!‘oak-aged’, ‘late harvest’, ‘reserve’, ‘old main label, they often ask wine writers tovines’ and ‘aged in French oak barriques’. avoid mentioning the link. But when you WAX CAPSULESAny false or misleading claims would stumble across a good, new, bargain-breach the Food Act and the Fair Trading priced sauvignon blanc or pinot noir, Why do some winemakers go out of theirAct, but a law-school study concluded that bearing a label you’ve never heard of - and way to make their wines hard to open? Whothe lack of specific wine legislation on these hiding behind a company name you’ve wants to go through several minutes offrequently encountered terms “results in never heard of - why shouldn’t you know mess-making, spraying chips of hardenedinconsistency at best and fraud at worst”. who produced it? wax around? November/December 2010 W I N E S TAT E 19

europeanreport WORDS SALLY EASTONAVALANCHE OF APPELLATIONS AND COMPLICATIONSFRANCE has been busy creating new its own recognisance - Rasteau AOC be harvested and pressed immediately.appellations, which are scheduled for (Appellation d’Origine Controlee), for its The frozen water in the grapes staysapproval by the ministry of agriculture this red wines, which are GSM (grenache, as ice during the pressing, with just ayear. Appellations are vaguely similar to syrah, mourvedre/mataro) blends. It small portion of richly concentrated,Australia’s geographical indications, but joins the ranks of appellations such as very sweet juice being released. Longthey have extra rules and regulations such Vacqueyras and Vinsobres, which were fermentation usually ensues, leavingas permitted grape varieties, yields and elevated in 1990 and 2005 respectively. a golden liquid of intense sweetness,pruning methods, to name a few. One of freshness, high acidity and concentratedthe ideas is that wines from an appellation Rasteau is already an appellation for fruit flavours.should have some sense of similar identity the sweet fortified wine - vin doux natureland a sense of origin. - made mainly from grenache, and this Such cold winters do not happen every remains. Vin doux naturel appears on the year. Johannes Leitz of the Josef Leitz The Coteaux du Tricastin appellation, label, which allows consumers to identify estate in Germany’s Rheingau sayscovering about 2500 hectares, in the which wine they are buying. his 2009 Rudesheimer DrachensteinRhone valley, 50km north of Orange and Riesling Eiswein was “picked in theChateauneuf-du-Pape, has successfully Elsewhere, Burgundy has also been middle of the night on December 19thchanged its name to Grignon Les working on its appellations, aiming to at minus 14C”. His previous vintage ofAdhemar, after one of the area’s villages. get consumers drinking at the more eiswein was in 2001.Growers in the region have been trying affordable end of the region. A newto distance themselves from a semantic Bourgogne Cote d’Or appellation is There is little chance of freezingassociation with the nearby Tricastin being proposed from the 2012 harvest. grapes in the ambient temperature ofnuclear power plant, where there was a This would use fruit solely from the Cotes the Mediterranean, so artificial freezingradiation leak in 2008. After the leak sales de Nuits and Cotes de Beaune in wines is allowed for Catalonia’s ice wine, calledreportedly fell by 40 per cent. that previously have been labelled as ‘vino de dulce frio’, or in Catalan, ‘vi dolc de straightforward Bourgogne. It adds a fred’. Straightforward refrigeration and the use of dry ice are both permitted. Any sortAny one producer may have a couple of dozen different of artificial freezing is banned in Germany,wines in their portfolio. Finding again something you and in Canada, where ice wine is alsotried and liked can be an impossible mission. something of a speciality genre. Also in the Rhone valley, a number of cachet by association to wines from that Many different grape varieties arevillages are permitted to append their name famous strip of dirt, the Cote d’Or. grown in Penedes, and several can beto the Cotes du Rhone Villages appellation. used to produce ice wine; most areThis recognises some village territories Not to be outdone by the new spate aromatic and semi-aromatic whites suchthat are deemed to grow superior fruit than of appellations, Spain has joined in by, as chardonnay, gewurztraminer, muscatin the general Cotes du Rhone Villages intriguingly, creating a new appellation of Alexandria (muscat gordo blanco),appellation. Such practice is also regarded for ice wine, from Penedes in the north muscat a petit grains (brown muscat),as a precursor to possible future elevation east, a warm to hot Mediterranean climate riesling and sauvignon blanc, thoughto an individual appellation under only the on the shores of the eponymous sea. merlot is also to be allowed.village name. Ice wine is more commonly associated with the northern European country of Sticking with the appellation theme, Exactly the same has taken place for Germany, and occasionally Austria, Austria has been creating a whole loadRasteau, halfway between Chateauneuf- where parcels of healthy grapes are left of them from scratch. Austria was onedu-Pape and the newly renamed Grignon on the vine until, usually, December, of the few European countries withoutLes Adhemar. This 1000-hectare occasionally January. an appellation system, and as thevineyard area is being elevated from country’s viticulture has evolved over thea ‘named-village’ Cotes du Rhone At this time, in the midst of a cold winter, past half century and longer, it’s beenVillages to a ‘cru’ appellation under when temperatures reach at least minus observed that certain grape varieties do 8C for several hours, frozen grapes can particularly well in different regions. The new and evolving appellation system, called DAC (or Districtus Austriae Controllatus - controlled Austrian20 W I N E S TAT E November/December 2010

districts), effectively formalises what is $57.95actually happening on the ground. “CLASSIC LIGHT GOLDEN COLOUR WITH So gruner veltliner, Austria’s specialty DELICATE LIGHT GREEN REFLECTION -grape variety which comprises a third NICELY BALANCED. VERY FINE PERSISTENTof the vineyard area, is so far enshrined BEAD AND A DELIGHTFUL FRUIT AROMAin DAC for the vineyards along the river AND BRIOCHE. EXCELLENT LONG LASTINGDanube west of Vienna, in places such FINISH ON THE PALATE! OUTSTANDINGas Kamptal, Kremstal and Traisental. And VALUE UNDER $60.”the country’s specialty black grape variety,blaufrankisch, is cited for the DACs in Peter Jackson, Winestate MagazineBurgenland, south of Vienna. Exclusive to David Jones. Product available while Just these two grape varieties alone stocks last from - NSW/ACT: Market Street Foodhall,account for 40 per cent of all Austria’s vine Bondi Junction Foodhall, Newcastle City & Wodenplantings. But 35 different grape varieties VIC: Bourke Street Foodhall & Chadstone Foodhallare allowed in Austria for the production SA: Rundle Mall Foodhall WA: Hay Street Foodhallof what the European Union calls ‘qualitywine’ - AoC in France, DOC/G in Italy, DO/Ca in Spain etc - all the top levels of wineproduction. This creates a very confusingpicture for anyone new to wine and newto Austrian wine. The DAC aims to simplify things.As well as varietal, there are styleparameters for DAC, so someone pickingup a Kamptal DAC gruner veltliner shouldexpect something refreshing, citrus,with peppery spice notes, no new oakinfluence and not too heavy. The simplification is also importantbecause Austria’s vineyard structure isenormously fragmented. The total vineyardarea is less than one-third that of Australia,but the number of properties which bottletheir own wines is nearly three times thatof Australia. A permutation of 35 grapevarieties with over 6000 properties creates amicroscopic scale of production, even moreso because any one producer may havea couple of dozen different wines in theirportfolio. Finding again something you triedand liked can be an impossible mission. As well as aiming to clarify and definethings, appellations are fundamentallyabout regions and regionality. In a worldthat continues to globalise, what’s localis becoming increasingly important as apoint of differentiation. Appellation is theviticultural face of local. November/December 2010 W I N E S TAT E 21

winetutor WORDS CLIVE HARTLEYTHE SCIENCE AND SUBTLETY OF SNIFFING OUT A GOOD WINEFLICKING through the pages of Winestate stone, tropical, dried, red or black fruit), shiraz have higher tannin levels than, say,is one good way of determining what to go oak, vegetal, kernel, dairy, minerals, floral, pinot noir. That dry, astringent feeling fromout to buy. The ratings are an indication of herbs and spices. Some are bizarre, such tannins comes about when the natural grapequality, awarded by the members of the as animal aromas, which include leather, tannins attach themselves to your saliva andtasting panel. But what do they look for in meaty and wet wool. A good-quality wine are swallowed, leaving your mouth withoutdeciding the attributes of a quality wine? should have complexity on the nose, with any saliva protection. The more tannins inCan you test their results and play the role many aromas vying for your attention. The the wine the more your mouth will be lockedof judge and jury? The answer is yes, as oak should not dominate but be integrated up. However, this is counter-balanced by thelong as you know what to look for when with the other aromas. Wines change as acidity, which will create saliva.tasting a wine. they spend time in the glass, and these should be pleasant changes. Detecting acidity in red wines is harder Obviously, we consider sight, smell and due to the action of tannins and moretaste. To observe the colour you look down When you smell a wine you are also on the concentrated fruit, but if you find there ison the wine, tilting the glass at a 45-degree lookout for faulty wines. Oxidised white wines a juicy taste then the acids are workingangle, and analyse the colour against a will be darker in colour, dull, and may have a overtime as it is the increased saliva thatwhite background. White wines often range bruised apple, rotting fruit aroma - or a cooked, has caused that sensation.in colour from water-white through to lemon ‘maderised’ aroma if it is a red wine. A wineand finally gold. The darker colours may infected by brettanomyces, or simply ‘brett’, Full-bodied wines are no better than light-indicate some ageing or oak maturation. can be identified by a Band-aid, medicine bodied wines, and neither is high alcoholRed wines can be dark, intensely coloured cabinet aroma, or occasionally mouse cage an indication of quality. It is the balance ofor light and transparent. A purple or ruby or horse hair! It is caused by a asporogenic its constituents and length of palate thatcolour indicates a youngish red, while wild yeast that is found in wineries and infects is critical in determining quality, as well asgarnet reveals lengthy oak or bottle ageing. oak barrels. Occasionally present in Australian flavour intensity. ‘Length’ is a combinationThe intensity will generally give you an idea wines, it is more commonly encountered in of the perception of how a wine travelswhether they are full-bodied (deeper colour) some traditional imported wines. Cork taint along the palate and how long it lingers in the mouth after it has been consumed.A wine infected by brettanomyces, or simply ‘brett’, Flavours on the palate can run along thecan be identified by a Band-aid, medicine cabinet same lines as the aromas or can be quite different. This is often due to the effects ofaroma, or occasionally mouse cage or horse hair! the other constituents on the palate. A wine might smell of flowers or stone-fruits butor light-bodied, which means you will be - with aromas of wet newspaper, cardboard due to its high acidity its flavours are moreable to see the writing on a page through or, my favourite, hessian bag - is again more citrus-driven on the palate.the wine. You can note other aspects, such common with imported wines due to our massas legs or tears that run down the side of uptake of screw caps as a closure. Other UK-based Master of Wine Michael Palijthe glass which indicates its viscosity, either faults and some key aroma indicators include, from Winetraders specialises in Italianthrough high alcohol or sugar content. sulphur (strong burnt match), volatile acidity wines, measuring quality according to four (nail polish) and acetification (vinegar). parameters: “Balance, length, intensity and I’m a firm believer in ‘calibrating’ your complexity, known affectionately as BLIC!palate. It’s advantageous to taste a number of When drinking the wine you need to assess Italian wines tend to score very highly onlike wines together. In this way you can return the levels of sweetness, acidity, tannins, intensity and balance and this is whatto that first wine and try it again, once your weight or body, as well as the effects of the makes them compatible with food. All thatnose and palate are attuned to tasting wines. alcohol and flavours you perceive. These tannin, acidity and alcohol makes themOften you will appreciate that first wine more again should be in balance or be at the structured and big in the mouth - just whatonce you have tasted other wines. right level for the style of a wine. You would you need when partnering fatty salami or normally expect crisp acidity in a riesling a rare bistecca fiorentina.” Now swirl the wine around the glass and and less in a chardonnay. Italian red wines,take a deep smell of the aromas. Wine falls like barbera, have higher than normal The joy in tasting and assessing wines isunder numerous aroma categories which acidity, while cabernet sauvignon and to discover a bargain that delivers qualitycan be as diverse as fruit (citrus, green, beyond its price point, and there are plenty of wines out there in this category - if you know what to look for.22 W I N E S TAT E November/December 2010

high speed laser guided cutting tool HAVE YOU MET OUR NEW ROBOT? The 2nd static unit commissioned August 2010 has: • decreased scan and cut time, these time savings lead to decreased costs which are passed onto our clients • increased cut accuracy and increased ability to deal with blistered barrels • increased barrel and head toast options OVER 5,500 BARRELS PHOENIXED AUSTRALIA WIDE TO DATE. Want to learn more about Phoenix and the increased cost savings that the process can bring to your oak budget? Contact: Nick Wickham +61 (0) 407 97 67 59 [email protected] Michael Woollard +61 (0) 408 82 38 77 [email protected] www.diversebarrelsolutions.com

winetravel WORDS ELISABETH KINGWARSAW SPRUCES UP TO LURE THE TOURIST TRADEWARSAW has always been the Cinderella was a flurry of luxury hotel openings, War II, the first section of the city to beof Polish tourism in comparison to its including the Hotel Rialto, Warsaw’s first rebuilt was the Old Town market square,more glamorous rivals - Krakow, Gdansk member of the Design Hotels group, Rynek Starego Miasta. Whatever theand Wroclaw. Yet sitting in the Belvedere and the InterContinental Warszawa, time of day, you find yourself wendingRestaurant, tucked into the Orangerie Poland’s tallest hotel. But I love Le your way back to the Rynek with itsof the Royal Bath Gardens and easily Regina, a boutique hotel located in a Renaissance facades, coffee shops andthe city’s most sumptuous restaurant, former aristocrat’s palace. The exterior bistros. At night, the ochre facades areyou could easily imagine yourself in is Old World but the decor is chic lit up by art-directed lighting and youFrance or Germany. Until the food contemporary. It’s also home to one of can almost feel the spirit of Chopin as aarrives, of course. You can choose from the city’s most celebrated and expensive street musician strikes up a waltz.the international menu, but don’t or you restaurants - La Rotisserie - and eatingwill regret it. The Polish menu sizzles langoustines on the patio in summer is Fukier is a centrally located restaurantfrom entrees such as beef loin tartare a rare treat. that rates a Michelin recommendation,with marinated milk cap and boletus features a celebrity list that includesmushrooms to mains of roasted royal Most visitors come to Warsaw with Margaret Thatcher, Jacques Chirac andsturgeon with buckwheat blinis, sour some knowledge of its tragic past. Claudia Schiffer and is famous throughoutcream and red caviar. Warsaw was pulverised by the retreating Poland for its wine cellar, lavish decor German army in 1944, following the and modern Polish cuisine. I dined like a Food isn’t the only lure of the Polish Warsaw Uprising - two months of bitter queen on foie gras on chola bread andcapital; culture has also become a street fighting by Polish resistance duck roasted Polish style with Antonovmagnet in attracting visitors. Warsaw fighters. This heart-rending story is apples. Reservations are mandatory.has hitched its wagon to its most famous movingly told at the Warsaw Risingson - Chopin. Over 100 million zlotys ($36 Museum, which added a new 3D film in The remodelled Royal Castle is a triumphmillion) was allocated to celebrate the of Italian Renaissance architecture.bicentennial of the composer’s birth thisyear. A large chunk of the funds was sunk The sumptuous apartments offer a centuries-longinto lasting legacies, such as buildingprojects near Chopin’s birthplace at look at Polish rulers, from fur-clad warlords withZelazowa Wola and the new ChopinMuseum, which opened in February and Asiatic features to westward-looking aristocrats.claims to be the world’s most advancedmusical museum. early August to commemorate the 66th All visitors gasp at the restored white and anniversary of the city’s doomed attempt gold ballroom and then gasp again in the There’s still plenty of Soviet-style to liberate itself. Canaletto Room, where 23 paintings byarchitecture in Warsaw but there’s no Bellotto, the nephew of Canaletto, depictneed to give more than a passing glance The Communists rebuilt the city’s Royal the gardens, landscapes and cityscapesto these grey reminders of the grim era of Way, which runs for several kilometres of 18th century Poland.Communist rule. Another major change from the Royal Castle in the Old Townsince the Russians left is that it’s also much to Wilanow Palace, but not splendidly Wilanow - the palace at the other end ofeasier to get to the Polish capital these enough for today’s more affluent Polish the Royal Way - offers even more insightdays, thanks to the dramatic increase tastes. Warsaw’s civic authorities are into Poland’s heyday as a great Europeanin the number of flights from other major constantly lavishing more money on this power. Built for King John III Sobieski,European capitals. grand boulevard, which is now almost who led the army that defeated the Turks Western European in look and feel, with at the gates of Vienna in 1683, the palace Many new hotels have sprung up boutiques, cafes and an eclectic people was the only major historic building thatto fulfill Warsaw’s desire to become mix of casual students and business survived World War II intact. The ornatea leading player in the EU economy, people holding the latest model mobiles gardens and parks border the Vistula and,even though Poland has yet to adopt to their ears. inside, the sumptuous apartments offer athe euro. That’s a good thing, too, as centuries-long look at Polish rulers, fromit keeps prices lower for locals and The Royal Castle forms the nucleus of fur-clad warlords with Asiatic featurestourists. About seven years ago there the Old Town, which dates back to the to westward-looking aristocrats such as 13th century. Immediately after World24 W I N E S TAT E November/December 2010

Stanislas Augustus, who built the dream- Rated in South Australia’s Top 10 Restaurantslike Palace Upon the Water in Warsaw’s - Gourmet Traveller magazine Sept ‘10Lazienki Park, the largest in the city at amassive 76 hectares. Refurbished Summer Courtyard, undercover & heated for those chilly evenings U Kucharzy means ‘the chefs’ and therethey are churning out Warsaw’s best Over 180 boutique wines from around thesteak tartare in the converted former globe including more than a dozenhotel kitchen of the Europejski Hotel. It’sa delight to watch them strain, stir and Pinot Noir/Burgundy & Champagne/Sparkling,chop other dishes, too, from duck with many of which are Winestate’s top picksred cabbage to rabbit in cream sauce.The food is modern-with-heritage but the Irvine Wine Degustationdecor has been left distinctly shabby in Tuesday 30th Novemberthis most trendy of eateries. Nice touch. 7 course degustation hosted by Jim Irvine There are plenty of restaurants in bookings essentialWarsaw that serve the sort of fusionfood you can get around the corner in Mantra on King Williamany Australian city. But I prefer to stickwith Polish food all the way. Restauracja (08) 8377 7201Polska Tradycja is a revitalised historic 36 King William Road Goodwood SAmanor lit by candelabras where youfeel like a Polish noble of yesteryear Lunch: Tuesday - Fridayas you tuck into roast duck, roast carp, Dinner: Tuesday - Saturdaywild boar and other traditional Polish Breakfast: Sunday morningsrib-stickers. Another expensive byPolish standards (about $70 a headwith wine) restaurant is the RestaurantWilanow, adjacent to the palace, whereyou can enjoy chilled borscht or Polishpancakes on the terrace and the sameview that enticed King Zygmunt III tomake Warsaw the Polish capital in 1596. Wine drinking has become trendyamong younger Poles. I spent a lot oftime - for fashion and food reasons - atthe ultra-trendy Likus Concept Store,which sells designer labels from JohnGalliano to Viktor & Rolf. A major featureis the Vinoteka 13 Wine Bar, which serveswines from all over the world, includingAustralia. The emphasis is on Italianbottlings, so I went for a Sicilian wine,not least because not only had the suncome out but it was fairly beating down.“It’s global warming,” said the barman.Whatever. The vino from sunny Italyand the pasta from the bar menu madeWarsaw feel positively Mediterranean. November/December 2010 W I N E S TAT E 25

winehistory WORDS VALMAI HANKELBEYOND THE JOSEPHS, THE OTHER GILLARDSMY PREVIOUS two articles have in operating the two wineries. Inevitably, of his daughters had wine links: Inezconcentrated on Joseph Gillard Snr and the Norwood property was sold and taken Macpherson, the ninth of his 10 children,on one of his sons, Joseph Jnr, who had over for housing - as recently as 1927. was a close friend of Eileen Hardy, andan illustrious but today little-known career Clarendon was sold eight years later, not daughter Gladys married Albert Francis,at Penfolds. for housing but because of the depressed who worked at Reynella. state of the economy. In 1882 the busy and productive William Malcolm (Bill) Gillard, whoJoseph Snr, aged 62, bought the run- William Henry Gillard was a regular worked with his father at both Sylvaniadown Clarendon Vineyard in the hills judge at the South Australian pruning and Clarendon, fell out with him when,south of Adelaide, paying £3790 for its matches between 1895 and 1921, while his father was interstate, heapproximately 40 acres. As we have seen, with the Sylvania vineyard being the purchased an expensive piece ofhe already owned the Sylvania Vineyard competition venue in 1898. Like his father winery equipment. It seems that thisat Norwood. The Clarendon Vineyard and stepbrother, he gave sterling service contretemps prompted Bill Gillardwas planted in 1850 by John Morphett for to the Royal Adelaide Wine Show’s wine to move to Berri, in South Australia’sWilliam Leigh of Staffordshire, who sold the committee, of which he was a member Riverland, where he was one of the firstproperty to Edward John Peake in 1858. for 38 years. Continuing in the family to take up a block. Meanwhile, in 1918,The Clarendon Vineyard in Peake’s time tradition, Bill Gillard was a member for a distillation plant was established inwill be the subject of a future article. 24 years, with the four Gillards serving on Berri to produce fortifying spirit from the the committee for a total of 107 years, an surplus of dried fruit left after packing The neglected vineyard still managed to unrivalled record. operations were finished.produce 3500 gallons of wine in JosephSnr’s first vintage. Within five years Joseph Jnr’s first two sons, William After the end of World War I, grapethis had increased to 23,000 gallons. George (1869-1949) and Frederick production dramatically increased withJoseph Snr’s second son, Joseph Jnr’s Charles (1871-1950) began their working the impact of the Soldier Settlementstepbrother William Henry Gillard (1858- lives at Penfolds as vignerons. Third son Scheme. Bill Gillard was instrumentalInterestingly, all three sons of Joseph Jnr began their working lives at Penfoldsand all three left to pursue other careers.1934), who was born on the recently Alfred Ernest, usually called Ern (1873- in initiating moves which led to theplanted Sylvania Vineyard estate, took 1936) had a deeper connection with establishment of the Berri Co-operativecontrol of the two Gillard properties after Penfolds: his birth certificate notes that Distillery, and became the foundationhis father died in 1897. He especially he was born at ‘The Grange’. This sounds chairman of the Berri Co-operative Winery.concentrated on improving the Clarendon unlikely, unless the family occupied the Later he became manager of the StanleyVineyard. The vineyards were between cottage while Mary Penfold was away. But Wine Company at Clare before he was700 and 800 feet above sea level and were a testimonial letter from Penfolds dated appointed managing director of Walterplanted mainly with cabernet, malbec and January 1907 clearly states that Ern had Reynell and Sons at Reynella in 1937, notshiraz. The cellars, four storeys high, were worked there for 18 years and ‘as a matter long before Colin and Ron Haselgrovedescribed in 1907 as ‘lofty’, and were of fact was born on the Penfold estate’. took over Reynella.‘picturesquely built into the side of the Ern started work at Penfolds in 1889 ashill’. Storage capacity at Clarendon was a mailboy and then became an engineer Joseph Snr, Joseph Jnr, William Henryabout 200,000 gallons, and each year before leaving the company. Interestingly, and William Malcolm (Bill) Gillard are allabout 16,000 gallons were produced. all three sons of Joseph Jnr began their but forgotten today. They deserve to beW.H. Gillard also maintained an orchard working lives at Penfolds and all three left remembered for their major contribution toat Clarendon which was especially noted to pursue other careers. the wine industry over many years.for its fine export-quality apples, and alsofor its apricots. One of William Henry Gillard’s sons, * It has been some challenge to sort out Kenneth Roydon Gillard (usually known this large family’s history. I am grateful to William Henry’s son, William Malcolm as Dick), worked at McWilliam’s Winery one of Joseph Snr’s great-great-grandsons,(Bill) Gillard (1889-1982), joined his father at Corowa, New South Wales. Two Bruce Martin, for access to the as-yet- unpublished Gillard family history.26 W I N E S TAT E November/December 2010

‘Barrel &oak alternativesto the stars’ 1b Oldsmobile Terrace, Dudley Park, SA 5008 Phone: (08) 8340 5480 Fax: (08) 8340 5481Email: [email protected] Mobile: 0418 832 967 (Nigel Catt) RADOUX DISTRIBUTORSNSW (Hunter Valley) – Cameron Webster – 0415 406 596NSW – Vinitech (MIA) – (02) 6962 9217 VIC – Williams & Jackson (03) 5278 7888QLD – Tony Zanata – 0407 912 550 WA – Castle Rock Logistics (08) 9759 1888

MICHAEL COOPERM A R L B O R O U G H dominateswinegrowing in the South Island, but for upto 800km further south, across Canterburyand Otago, grapevines are sprouting.Classic cool-climate varieties, such as pinotnoir, riesling and pinot gris, flourish in someof the world’s southernmost vineyard sites. In the deep south, Central Otago isrenowned for its enticingly perfumed, fruit-crammed and supple pinot noirs. Otagoboasts 111 wine producers - almost doublethe 59 based in Canterbury. Yet Canterbury,where most of the vineyards are clusteredat Waipara, north of Christchurch, has moreextensive plantings - 1779 hectares of bearingvines in 2010, compared to Otago’s 1540. The two southern regions differ markedlyin the varietal composition of their vineyards.At Waipara - where the top names includePegasus Bay, Muddy Water and Greystone -sauvignon blanc is the most common variety,with over 45 per cent of total plantings,followed by the two grapes for which the sub-region is much better known - pinot noir (21per cent) and riesling (20 per cent). By contrast, in Otago - which includesCentral Otago and the emerging vineyardsof the Waitaki Valley of North Otago - pinotnoir rules, accounting for 78 per cent of allplantings. Pinot gris is the dominant white winevariety, ahead of chardonnay and riesling. In North Canterbury, vineyards are nowstarting to spread well beyond Waipara- inland to Waikari, north to Cheviot andfurther afield. Mt Beautiful, at Cheviot, 70kmnorth of Waipara, is North Canterbury’smajor new producer. Expat Kiwi DavidTeece, professor of global business atthe University of California, and his wife,Leigh, planted their first vines in 2004. The

WINEMAKING AT THESOUTHERN FRONTIER Latitudes like this bring a different set of challengessweeping, 70-hectare vineyard is devoted early projections. But Pasquale Waitaki Above: Peregrine, based atprincipally to sauvignon blanc, with smaller Valley Pinot Noir 2008 recently won the sub- Gibbston but drawing most of itsplots of pinot noir, pinot gris and riesling. region’s first gold medal. “I’m as delighted by grapes from the Cromwell Basin. this award as any I’ve received,” enthused Even further north, at Kaikoura Winery, winemaker Grant Taylor, who was born in Opposite: Greystone viticulturistNeroli Gould says it is hard to pin down the valley. Formerly winemaker at Gibbston Nick Gill (left) and winemakerwhether the winery is in Canterbury or Valley, Grant now has his own range of wines Dom Maxwell have fashionedMarlborough. “For tourism-related issues, under the Valli brand (including Valli Waitaki one of the finest chardonnayswe are in North Canterbury; for rugby, it’s Vineyard Pinot Noir). “The Waitaki wines are yet produced in Waipara,Marlborough; for cricket it’s Canterbury.” about finesse with length of flavour, rather Canterbury’s premier sub-region.Grown locally, Kaikoura Pinot Noir 2009 than power - a style which can often beis light-bodied and smooth, with gentle overshadowed in competitions.”strawberry and spice flavours. In Central Otago, despite the runaway Planted in limestone soils, 270 to 300m popularity of the area’s pinot noir, theabove sea level at Waikari, the tiny Bell Hill easy times are over. Gibbston Valley, thevineyard yields a gorgeously scented pinot pioneering, highly respected producer, wasnoir and intense, minerally chardonnay. Not “loss-making and cash-strapped” in May,far away, draped over limestone scarps, according to the Otago Daily Times. After aPyramid Valley produces extremely rare, $NZ1.36 million loss in 2009, the company’slithe, graceful pinot noirs. smaller shareholders were being asked to contribute a further $NZ2.5 million to stave South of Waipara, on the relatively cool plains off liquidation. “Every year, there seems toof Central Canterbury, the wineries have yet be more vines either being managed onto build a strong profile. Frosts have been the cheap or simply abandoned,” reporteda constant hazard, disrupting production, Phil Handford, of Grasshopper Rock - aand promotional budgets are small. Still, the top-performing, recent arrival at AlexandraChristchurch market lies within easy reach and - after driving around Central Otago duringthe slow-ripening conditions are believed to the 2010 harvest.favour aromatic white wines, such as rieslingand pinot gris, with firm acid spine. Widespread discounting has forced many producers to launch second- and third-tier In the Waitaki Valley of North Otago, pinot noir labels, to protect their main brands.limestone soils - different from Central But the glowing international reputation ofOtago’s slate and schist - help to create pinot noir from Central Otago should help thea distinctive terroir. But the climate has key producers survive the current wine glutreal hazards, including frosts at the start and the recession. And countless wineriesand end of the growing season, and cool outside the region are eager to strengtheneasterlies that funnel up the valley from their portfolio with a pinot noir from ‘Central’the coast during flowering, threatening the (as the locals call it).prospects of a normal crop. CANTERBURY & CENTRAL OTAGO TASTING STARTS PAGE 134. Since the first plantings in 2001, about 110hectares of vineyards have been establishedin the Waitaki Valley - much less than the November/December 2010 W I N E S TAT E 29

cT HhEarCdAoR nPnAaRyK Globetrotting winemaker recalls the genesis of the white GrangeJOY WALTERFANGT H E T H I N G S T H AT happen in to catch up with family and friends. “It was a fabulous conference,” recalled Linley.unlikely places. Take Penfolds Yattarna “I don’t know of any other conference inchardonnay, dubbed the white Grange - the world as good as this one.”apparently it was conceived in a car parkduring smoko! The man who lays claim to But back to that car park. It was the ’93the tarmac epiphany told me so. vintage, Linley had been making wine at Penfolds for 13 years and had this Linley Schultz is not a name I was idea nagging at the back of his mind.familiar with despite the fact he had just Why not make a real blockbuster of acelebrated three decades of winemaking. chardonnay that would create the sameBut then the industry is full of people sort of hullabaloo as Grange; and usewho slip under the media radar and, similar winemaking processes.besides, Linley has been making wine inSouth Africa for 10 years. In 2006 Linley He shared his thoughts with the chiefwas named as one of 10 most influential white winemaker as they headed forpeople in the South African wine industry the weighbridge across the car park.by that country’s Wine magazine. Others “Everyone thought I was a nutcase,” saidon this exclusive list included Nelson Linley. But soon he was the one doing theMandela! The magazine stated “… Schultz laughing. “A couple of years later a briefis the man ultimately responsible for the came from marketing saying they would likebiggest range of South African wine … he us to produce an icon white wine.”manages the processing of 150 millionlitres of wine every year.” These were the halcyon days of the Australian wine industry. As Linley Winestate caught up with him during reminisced, “It was very exciting times,the 2010 Wine Tech conference in everything was positive, everything wasAdelaide in July. He had come over to growing and expanding because ofkeep up with the latest trends and do the wholesale buy-outs and mergers ofa bit of networking, plus it was a good wine companies. We were given a freeopportunity for the ex-Hamley Bridge boy range to work on the whites. We could30 W I N E S TAT E November/December 2010

source our grapes from a huge choice ofvineyards, had squillions of oak barrelsfrom any country we wanted and a bigbudget to go with it. “There were also plenty of opportunitiesto do vintages in different wine regions.I did a vintage in the Hunter at Tullochs,and the next year I was looking afterwhite wine for the Kaiser Stuhl side of thebusiness and then ended up back whereI started as a 17-year-old - at Tollana -running the premium white side of thebusiness. Fantastic times!” This coupling of major wine companiesalso meant a coming together ofAustralia’s elite winemakers. “I workedwith some damn good winemakers,”said Linley, “like Pat Tocaciu, NevilleFalkenberg, Philip John, John Duval, IanMackenzie, John Vickery, Wendy Stuckey- I learnt such a lot from them all.” Back then Penfolds had a schemewhereby it sent one or two staff membersoverseas each year so they could checkout what was happening in other wineregions. Linley put in a proposal to visit thefull-bodied white wine production centresof Europe, and it was accepted.

Photos of vineyard views in the Stellenbosch region courtesy of the WOSA website and photographer Charmaine Greiger. Below: Winemaker Linley Schultz with his wifeJacqui and their children Scarlett, Dexter and Jack. THERE’S AN IMPORTANT “Seguin Moreau, the oak barrel producers DISTINCTION BETWEEN based in Cognac, organised the trip for us. HAVING 10 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE At that time Penfolds were their biggest AND HAVING ONE YEAR’S customer; they bought more barrels from EXPERIENCE 10 TIMES OVER. them than the whole of Burgundy. We had a car and a driver put at our disposal and32 W I N E S TAT E November/December 2010 Steve Chapman and I toured Burgundy, Chablis, Rhone, across the bottom of France and up to Bordeaux. Doors were opened for us. We visited amazing places like Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Chateau Margaux, Cheval Blanc - you name it, we went there. It was a real mind- opener. And every night we diligently wrote up our notes from the day’s experiences. By the end of the trip we had developed a comprehensive report on how to make full-bodied whites.” In 1995, working under Neville Falkenberg, the pair made a chardonnay from Adelaide

Hills fruit that won a trophy at the 1998 Eventually tiring of living out of a suitcase, Come 2009 and Linley was eager to try hisRoyal Adelaide Wine Show for the most Linley returned to Australia to make hand at something different. “I was lookingoutstanding table wine of the show. This premium wines for Hardys at its Renmano to form a joint venture with someone whowas to be the forerunner of Yattarna. facility. “I had been there for about two had a winery and grapes but no brands years when I got a phone call from an so I could develop a range of wines from By then Linley was ready for new American recruiting company asking if I scratch; this sort of opportunity doesn’t existexperiences. “There’s an important would be interested in working in South in Australia at the moment. He found thatdistinction between having 10 years’ Africa. Initially I said no way, I had had company, left his comfortable job with Distellexperience and having one year’s enough of suitcases, but when they told me and formed Alvi’s Drift Wines International,experience 10 times over,” he said. “So I they were the biggest recruitment company producing the Ten Passes range of winestook some holiday pay and leave without in the world and had placed the CEO of and the higher-priced brand, Alfie’s Drift.pay and through a UK wine importer did a BHP I got a bit interested!”vintage in Spain, working with five different Linley, Jacqui and their three South African-cooperatives in the Valencia region. That Six months later, after various phone and born children Scarlett, Dexter and Jackled to my leaving Penfolds and spending video interviews and a trip to South Africa, plan to eventually come back to Australia,the next three and half years working as a Linley and his wife Jacqui made the move but for now are happy living in the beautifulwinemaking consultant to wine importers. and Linley spent the next eight years as Stellenbosch wine region in the CapeI was based in the UK and did vintages in group general manager of winemaking for Province, developing their own wine business.Germany, Hungary, Argentina, Italy and a major wine conglomerate, Distell, during Maybe some serious headhunting needs toPortugal and visited winemaking areas in some very exciting times in the South be done to bring this very experienced andRomania, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Chile.” African wine industry. talented winemaker back into the fold! November/December 2010 W I N E S TAT E 33

THE TROUBLE WITH TERROIR

It might be believe that, while soil is important, the by Australia and doing it at a cheapera worthy climate plays a larger role. price - and so many consumers don’t seetradition, a need to stay with Australia. There is abut it can be The European attitude to the sense of new campaign called “Regional Heroes”confusing in place as the major factor has led to laws, to educate consumers on Australianthe marketplace particularly in France, where the label regions. It obviously mirrors the concept must designate the region in a defined of European wine labels and principles,ANDREW CORRIGAN MW way (known as the “appellation”) and is where the region is a more important not permitted to reveal the grape variety. message than the grape variety. It is aT E R R O I R I S T H E French term that Hence, a consumer will buy a Chablis and great marketing concept if your wines have not a Chardonnay - and probably not realise a unique flavor because others cannotdescribes the location and aspect of a (or care) that Chablis is made from the duplicate the character and you canvineyard and the concept that this location chardonnay grape. The traditional Australian develop a dedicated following.will impart the character to the wine. There (and other New World) label names theisn’t a direct single-word translation into grape variety(ies) and also the region. The thrust by Australians to educateEnglish, but “provenance”, meaning the consumers about the unique flavours ofculture and history of a wine, comes close. This has meant that consumers need to our regions will cause plenty of discussionThink of the components of a grape - the recognise an appellation name when they and passion in coming years aboutjuice and skins that will turn into the wine buy European wine. At the lower-priced part of regional uniqueness and the “terroir” of- and the influence of the environment on the market the New World labels that state the Australian wines.the composition of the grapes - the climate, variety have grown to be more popular, andweather, the slope of the ground and angle from 2009 France has allowed a low-priced There are plenty of debates about terroir.of the sun, the soil type and so on. These category of wine that sits underneath the Consider these typical questions.factors will profoundly influence the way appellations to state the variety. At the higher · How much can a taster rely on the tastethe grapes develop and ripen. prices, consumers will still need to recognise an appellation name on a French wine. to determine the location? Europeans are very keen on the concept · What about great wines that are blendedthat the location will determine the The grape variety names on Australiancharacteristics of the wine. They tend to wine have been very successful to date, across several regions (such as Grange).believe that the soil type is the dominant however the Australian wine industry They presumably lose their terroirfactor in wine flavor, whereas Australian did not educate consumers to look for character. In Australia it is quite commonand other New World enthusiasts tend to particular Australian regions (and pay to blend across regions and to vary the a bit more). The message that there are blend each year to achieve a consistency longstanding and unique regional flavours of taste. Is this an abandonment of from Australia has not caught on. Maybe terroir? Surely a unique terroir means the Europeans got it right after all on their there will be vintage variations? laws for labels on premium wines. · Can the “flavor of location” be altered or dominated by winemaking? Can The problem for Australia is that other a winemaker change the flavor, for countries are exporting chardonnay, example, making a wine that will appeal shiraz and other varieties made popular to American critic Robert Parker?THE THRUST BY AUSTRALIANS TO EDUCATE CONSUMERS ABOUT THE UNIQUE FLAVOURSOF OUR REGIONS WILL CAUSE PLENTY OF DISCUSSION AND PASSION IN COMING YEARSABOUT REGIONAL UNIQUENESS AND THE “TERROIR” OF AUSTRALIAN WINES.

A tour of Australia in July by Vincent time is a common topic and Faiveley wines Vincent Avenel explained that a newAvenel, export director of famous Burgundy were often the example used to illustrate this. managing director had been recruited toproducer Domaine Faiveley, brought into Faiveley wines were known for their steeliness the company - Bernard Hervet from anotherfocus the terroir argument. Faiveley wines in the whites and dry, tough tannins in the well-known Chablis/Burgundy producer,have been imported into Australia for a long reds, and the cry, “They need time”, was William Fevre/Bouchard. Bernard movedtime. The new releases have dramatically often heard. Bottle age does soften both quickly on the belief that despite Faiveleychanged in style to a softer, fleshier, more steeliness and tannin. However, Faiveley having excellently located vineyards thedrinkable style when young. The whites of wines traditionally followed a development, wines were not enjoyable and easy to drink.Burgundy are made of chardonnay and the in my view, where the time needed to soften A change of winemaking followed, withreds of pinot noir. the steeliness or tannin was such that any measures such as lowering the fermentation fruity elegance had disappeared and the temperatures, less grape skin contact by the The debate itself about whether it is older wines still tasted hard. fermenting juice and softer handling (lessimportant to age Burgundy wines for a long36 W I N E S TAT E November/December 2010

pumping and transfers from tank to tank). world. The Faiveley Meursault 2008 ($81) vintage conditions and make wine with the Faiveley is a domaine producer - it particularly had quite forward, clean, white same technique, often quite a rustic one, peach aroma typical for the chardonnay are ignoring their terroir.has its own vineyards. This contrasts variety but had more underlying steelywith Negociants, who buy grapes and acidity than a New World example. The A question that follows the last is: “Ifmake wines and are often described as Puligny-Montrachet ($116) had great terroir revolves around the flavor of theNegociant-Eleveurs in the sense that they complexity of flavor, including an intriguing grapes due to the vineyard location, then“elevate” a wine. Faiveley showed whites soft cheesy element on the nose, followed surely the best winemaking is to conveyfrom Mercurey (a lesser vineyard in the by great palate length with steely power. the grape flavour to the bottle as purelysouthern part of Burgundy), Meursault and as possible? This philosophy is bestPuligny-Montrachet. The latter two regions, The first red was Clos des Myglands from practised by New World winemakers andalong with Corton and Chablis, are the Mercurey ($40) which showed a very juicy therefore a great terroir wine can be mademost famous chardonnay regions in the style not unlike New World pinot noirs. This in Europe by using New World flavor- wine has long been available in Australia as preserving principles!” The argument an affordable red Burgundy and famously could go on to propose that some famous has been tough, hard and dry - but not regional European wines have a flavor due this new 2008 release, which had juicy to winemaking and not the region in which cherry flavours and would be great in any the grapes were grown - examples include line-up of New World pinots. Volnay ($89), Chianti (where chestnut barrels impart Gevrey-Chambertin ($101) and Clos des the distinctive flavor), Chablis (where Cortons ($154) followed. I was particularly pronounced malolactic fermentation impressed with the Gevrey-Chambertin, produces a milky aroma) and white with a wonderful aroma of soft, rich pate Bordeaux (where the nuttiness is caused and wildflowers. by pronounced maturation in oak barrels with stirring of the lees sediment). The obvious question concerning terroir to be considered when tasting the new The reply is similar to the previous reply: wines from the famous Faiveley domaine that winemaking techniques that enhance is: “If the domaines are so famous and the and complement the raw material flavor wines have been historically an expression are part of the terroir - because terroir of their origin, how can the wines change so includes the culture and practices of the much (for the better) in a short time and just region. This last reply goes part of the way by changing winemaking technique? Does to answering the question about whether this not make a mockery of the vineyard winemaking to suit Robert Parker (with expression?” The answer can only be that overripe grapes, high, juicy alcohol levels winemaking that is sympathetic to the flavor and pronounced oakiness) is abandonment of the raw material is itself part of the terroir. of terroir. It is a question of the degree to Arguably, Faiveley had not been respecting which the winemaking affects the flavor - its own terroir for all those decades it made too much artefact of flavor from winemaking tough, unfriendly wines. passes through the barrier inside which the winemaking is part of the terroir. A follow-up question is: “If much winemaking in Europe follows tradition and The consideration of premium Australian this aspect is seen as part of terroir, how wines that are blended across regions important is it to alter procedures from year acknowledges that the wines are high to year in order to match the parameters quality but tend to have a character of of the grapes delivered that vintage?” the corporate producer. For example, The answer is that intelligent winemaking Grange has briary dark fruit and sweet should be part of terroir - and this is where aromas; Wolf Blass Platinum has incredible winemaking can be considered an art concentration and a huge though seamless rather than a science because the “feel” of oak character. The wines tend to show the grapes can be more important than the these characters in most vintages. They laboratory analysis. The resulting criticism are great Australian wines but tend not to is that winemakers in Europe who ignore show a specific region. November/December 2010 W I N E S TAT E 37

T H E F A C T O R S that prompted MATATRGANCETTIIOCNAustralian winemakers Susan Doyle, Ben GERALD D. BOYDCane, Phil McGahan and Wendy Stuckey toleave home for a life experience in another MORE STORIES BEHIND ANTIPODEANcountry vary, but travel, adventure and new WINEMAKERS’ NORTH AMERICAN MIGRATIONwinemaking experiences were primaryreasons for all four. PART 2 OF A THREE-PART SERIES Susan, who works at MacMurray Ranch Quail’s Gate Winery and (opposite) spectacular HAVINGin Sonoma County, was attracted by the vineyard scenery in the north west of North America. TRAVELLED TO“fantastic terroir and pinot noir” in California MANY COUNTRIES,and the “opportunity to make your mark I DEVELOPED Aboth at the corporate and family level BURNING DESIREwineries”. Ben, from Napa Valley’s Twomey TO MAKE WINE INCellars, and Phil, from Williams Selyem in ANOTHER PARTSonoma County, also couldn’t resist the lure OF THE WORLD.of California pinot. “The pinot industry hereis more advanced than in Australia, with She also fashions an “Aussie-style” riesling her colleagues in California do not have.older vineyards planted in more diverse from Washington grapes called the “Waussie” Ste Michelle’s main winery is in coolerareas,” says Ben. Phil agrees, saying, (Washington + Aussie) Riesling. western Washington, while the vineyards“The quality of the fruit, the care taken in are in mostly arid eastern Washington.the vineyard, the attention to detail in order Some winemakers say climate and “The day/night temperature differencesto minimise the work that has to be done weather patterns are the key differences can be 20-25C on a consistent basisand the high quality of the end product between making wine in California or during the ripening period, thus some of theare what attracted me to California. And Washington and Australia. For Wendy, techniques utilised in Australia, like mustthe market is much larger here and there dealing with a unique grape supply chilling grapes, is not necessary here.”is much more excitement for pinot here.” problem is an experience that most ofThen, pausing, he adds, “I’m also attractedby the American entrepreneurial spirit,which values passion, experience andfocus even when one doesn’t come from awinemaking family.” Making wine outside the Barossa Valleyhad long been a dream for Wendy Stuckey,but she was not looking to North Americafor fulfillment. “I developed a passion forriesling during my time at Wolf Blass,” shesays. “Having travelled to many countries,I developed a burning desire to make winein another part of the world. Although theUnited States wasn’t on my list, I think it’salways important to keep an open mind.Then, in 2007, an opportunity came upat Chateau Ste Michelle to be their whitewinemaker. Today, Wendy makes no fewerthan nine different styles of riesling, includingthe highly rated Eroica, a joint project of SteMichelle and Mosel winemaker Ernst Loosen.38 W I N E S TAT E November/December 2010

November/December 2010 W I N E S TAT E 39

Photos courtesy of Chateau Ste Michelle. For a number of transplanted Australian And while Ben, Susan, Wendy and Phil had extensive international experience,winemakers, grape sourcing and are enjoying life in North America, they including work in Burgundy.vineyard diversity, as well as innovation share a bit of understandable nostalgia Phil McGahan, another pinot noir fan,and a preference for certain winemaking about home - a nostalgia reflected in became the assistant winemaker attechniques, are the key differences between Wendy’s words: “Eventually I would love to Williams Selyem in the Russian Riverworking in Australia and the US. “The unique return to Australia, to not only make wine Valley of Sonoma County in 2007. Philmicro- and meso-climates of the different there, but for my family to have and hold grew up on a grain farm in the Darlingvineyards is important here,” says Phil that free Aussie spirit.” Downs region of Queensland, thenMcGahan. “Climates change dramaticallyin small distances in and around Sonoma WHERE THEY ARECounty. And the emphasis on single-vineyard wines, rather than blends, has also Susan Doyle has been making wine atbeen a major difference here.” MacMurray Ranch in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley since 2003. Before Ben Cane cites the abundance of clones settling in California, Susan made award-and vineyard sites, saying, “The diverse winning pinot noir and other cool-climateviticulture and access to hand labour allows wines in the Yarra Valley and in Tasmania,us to do more fine-tuned viticulture here, where she was raised.with more research and experimentation Ben Cane was employed by variouswith pinot noir.” Susan Doyle agrees, Californian wineries from 1999, beforeadding, “The Californian wine industry, heading the pinot noir and sauvignonwhich is very market-savvy, can adapt blanc programs at Napa Valley’s Twomeyquickly to changes in the popular and Cellars as assistant winemaker in 2007.premium markets.” As well as working in Australia, Ben has40 W I N E S TAT E November/December 2010

studied law and practised as a solicitor worked in the Russian River Valley during Barossa before spending 15 years at Wolfin Brisbane before gaining a Bachelor of the 2005 vintage. Blass, where she was responsible for someApplied Science (Wine Science) degree Wendy Stuckey moved to Washington in of the company’s iconic white wines, mostfrom Charles Sturt University, where he 2007 to become white winemaker at Chateau notably the Gold Label Riesling.was dux of his graduating class. Working Ste Michelle and spearhead an ambitiousmainly in the Hunter Valley, he began in riesling program. After working as a cellar * Part 3 of this series will look at four New2003 as a winery intern before advancing hand and graduating from Roseworthy Zealand winemakers who are now workingto the position of winemaker. He first College, Wendy worked at Seppelt in the in California. November/December 2010 W I N E S TAT E 41

le$a32pmof faith Brown Brothers’ bold venture into Tassie pulp mill territory42 W I N E S TAT E November/December 2010

Brown Brothers’ Milawa vineyard.JENI PORTI T C A M E A S A B O L T out of Victoria’s North East who could trace their Rosevears, Notley Gorge, Coombend, familial wine ties back four generations. Pirie, Devil’s Corner, South and, ofthe blue. On August 16, Brown Brothers To say they are in wine for the long haul is course, Tamar Ridge, coming togetherannounced it had reached an agreement clearly no exaggeration. under the one umbrella.to purchase the troubled Tamar RidgeEstates, the biggest wine producer in And then there was Tamar Ridge Just seven years later, Gunns was inAustralia’s smallest wine state, Tasmania, Estates, the winemaking arm of forestry deep financial trouble and put Tamarfor a cool $32.5 million. giant Gunns. The wine/forest match Ridge Estates on the market. Some always appeared an unusual one, with industry pundits suggested a buyer would The fact that the two companies could Gunns buying Tamar Ridge in 2003 and not easily be found because Gunns hadnot have been less alike baffled many wine then setting out to collect vineyards a controversial pulp mill on the drawingindustry commentators. There was Brown and brands, presumably in the same board in the same region as its majorBrothers, the stable one, the family-owned way it acquired forestry land with vineyard holdings.winemakers from Milawa in the heart of November/December 2010 W I N E S TAT E 43 © Terrance Emerson,

Right: Brown Brothers’ Whitlands vineyard. Below: Ross Brown. Photos courtesy of Brown Brothers.The vineyards really do So the purchase of the entire Gunns wine of the boxes for us. They (the vineyards)look drought-proof and assets by Brown Brothers was all the more really do look drought-proof and all theall the environmental surprising. And no one, it seems, was more environmental stuff that we have beenstuff that we have been surprised than Brown Brothers CEO Ross getting suggests Tasmania will be lessgetting suggests Tasmania Brown. “Eighteen months ago, following impacted on by global warming.”will be less impacted on the impact of drought on our North Eastby global warming. vineyard sites, our viti team was given Equally as tempting was the fact that the brief to go find a cooler, better water- Tamar Ridge Estates vineyards are around sourced vineyard site,” Ross explains. The 50 per cent pinot noir or chardonnay and viticultural team travelled through southern Brown Brothers, despite years of trying with Victoria and eventually found themselves in North East fruit, doesn’t make pinot noir. Tasmania, where news that the Gunns wine assets were up for sale reached their ears. With little debt and following three years of strong trading, despite a global financial “At that stage we had no idea of the crisis, Brown Brothers stepped up and took investment and care they (Gunns) had the $32.5 million plunge. By September put into their assets and when the viti 1, the family was the new owner of Tamar guys came back all fired up, it ticked all Ridge Estates. “You get a longer settlement buying a house,” laughs Ross Brown,44 W I N E S TAT E November/December 2010

a little shell-shocked by the settlement wines in protest over the planned pulp mill. surviving brothers. Roger, the masterterms requested by Gunns. “Within days we had calls from sommeliers viticulturist who helped found the first saying that now Brown Brothers had vineyards at Whitlands, high in the King And what of the planned pulp mill for bought Tamar Ridge they would stock the Valley, died in 1990. Peter, the vineyardthe Tamar Valley? Ross believes Gunns wines again,” says Ross. manager, was responsible for bringingintends to push ahead with the mill. Mystic Park in the Murray Valley into the“We have to take that on board as one That might be called the Brown family and was also the owner of All Saintsof the risk factors. We’ve had to make a Brothers effect. The company is warmly at the time of his death in 2005.decision and we feel the rigour that has regarded within the wine and foodgone into giving them (Gunns) permission industries for its strong core values: John Jnr is now retired, leaving Rossto go ahead has been the best you honesty, quality, innovation. and a new generation of Browns comingcan have with environmental issues. In through to lead into the future.terms of effluent going into the Tamar or While the dynasty was founded by Johncontaminants in the air, we could not find a F. Brown in 1885, it was the following two Innovation and the fearless explorationstrong enough argument not to go ahead.” generations that cemented their place of new areas and new wine styles was the in the North East under family patriarch Brown Brothers mantra in the 20th century. The news that Brown Brothers had bought John C. Brown and his four sons - the It looks set to continue well into the 21st.Tamar Ridge Estates had an immediate Brown ‘brothers’. Ross and his oldereffect on those who had boycotted the brother, John G. Brown, are the only two NORTH EAST VICTORIA TASTING STARTS PAGE 128. November/December 2010 W I N E S TAT E 45



Rise of thePinotphiles DISCIPLES’ DEVOTION REWARDED AS THE MARKET BEGINS TO AWAKEN DAVID LeMIRE MWP I N O T N O I R seems to inspire It has eventually turned out that there the fruit in the winery, pinot noir hasn’t is a market, but a look at recent Nielsen given up its secrets quickly or easily.emotion in its devotees in the way few other figures shows it is still a small segment. Thevarieties do. It is only recently, though, combination of shiraz and shiraz blends, Apart from time, regions that have beenthat the love of pinot noir has started to cabernet and cabernet blends, and merlot successful with pinot noir tend to havecatch on with consumers in a significant still accounts for more than 80 per cent of had a core group of obsessive peopleway, even though it still lags well behind the value of the red wine market. Pinot noir competing, collaborating, and driving eachvarieties like cabernet sauvignon, shiraz is just over 5 per cent. On the plus side, other to greater heights. Martinboroughand grenache. Decades of toil by vignerons though, pinot noir is the fastest-growing in New Zealand is one example, whereand winemakers who knew that pinot’s day segment of the Australian red wine market Neil McCallum at Dry River, Clive Patonwould come have finally started to pay off. in percentage terms, rising 17.9 per cent at Ata Rangi and Larry McKenna at in value in the financial year to June 2010. Martinborough Vineyard set the region on The variety that inner-city Melburnians its pinot-centric course.embraced 15 years ago, when drinking While that growth is off a small base, itpinot was as much an act of faith as a is still a shining light in a tough domestic The other pertinent factor in the successpursuit of pleasure, has now reached a market. Fortunately, there is no shortage of this varietal is the extent to which a regionpoint where there is half a chance that half of producers keen, and ready, to fulfil is willing and able to declare its hand, andthe money spent by half the pinot pioneers the growing demand for pinot noir. In throw its energies and resources into makingmight be half returned to them. But of Australia, Victoria leads the charge with good pinot noir. In this respect, Macedoncourse, for many that was never the point. established regions like the Mornington Ranges, Mornington and Gippsland in Peninsula, Macedon Ranges, Gippsland, Australia and Martinborough and Otago The search for the holy grail of making Geelong and the Yarra Valley all able in New Zealand would seem to have angood New World pinot noir (experienced to draw on at least three decades of edge over the likes of the Yarra Valley,pinotphiles will understand that referring to pinot noir growing experience. This time the Adelaide Hills or Tasmania. The latterpinot as the ‘holy grail’ is mandatory) has factor seems to be a crucial part of the regions all have other varieties or styles thatbeen more of a calling for its disciples than equation when it comes to making good take attention away from attention-seekingan occupation. The lure of capturing pinot pinot. Whether it is the need for vine pinot noir (chardonnay and shiraz in thenoir’s elusive fragrance, silky mouthfeel, age, which is significant, or the time Yarra Valley and the Adelaide Hills, andand complex fruit flavours was inspiring needed to match the right clones to the sparkling wines in Tasmania). The formerthe likes of David Lance at Diamond Valley, right sites, or simply the time required to have more firmly nailed their colours to theGary Farr at Bannockburn and Nat White understand and exploit the potential of mast, acknowledging pinot noir as the starat Main Ridge to make top-end pinot well by which they are setting their course.before there was a market for it. November/December 2010 W I N E S TAT E 47



So many physical barriers have been breached. The moreimportant barriers are also falling, as pinot producers embracethe challenge with more confidence than ever before. The great opportunity for producers of pinot What all this ushers in is a period that Regions like the southern end of thenoir now is that in addition to a receptive could well be a golden age for Australian Fleurieu, where Brian Croser has located hismarket, many vineyards have some maturity, and New Zealand pinot noir. So many close-planted pinot noir at Foggy Hill, areand the mix of clones is better than ever. To physical barriers have been breached. The showing that the search for pinot countrycapitalise on this there is more and more more important barriers are also falling, as is far from over. The Canberra district isexperience and expertise with pinot among pinot producers embrace the challenge also one to watch, and the Adelaide Hills,winemakers. All those pinot ‘workshops’ and with more confidence than ever before. often looked down on as a pinot region of‘celebrations’ might have been worth it after How this manifests itself is as yet unknown. note, can still surprise. Ashton Hills Reserveall. Equipment has also improved, with sorting For some it might be whole bunches in the 2008 blew away a highly credentialledtables, destemmers that leave berries intact, ferment; for most it will mean wild yeast field at a recent challenge tasting heldautomatic plungers, wooden fermenting vats, ferments. Lighter extraction and earlier by Australian Gourmet Pages in Sydney.and gravity feeding of fruit all common. It’s picking are high on the agenda for others, Of the 11 judges, seven rated the Ashtonamazing to think that it wasn’t that long ago with Mac Forbes already leading the Hills Reserve their top wine out of a line-upthat the Domaine de la Romanee Conti was the way. Others still will seek out cooler sites, of 12 benchmark Australian pinots in theonly producer in Burgundy with a sorting table. spooked by the warmth of the past decade. ‘without food’ tasting, and an eighth judge rated it second. So there is a lot to look forward to, but as always with pinot, vintage comes into play. Of recent years, 2009 was a terrific vintage for a number of regions, including Macedon Ranges, Geelong and the Adelaide Hills, while 2008 presented some challenges with the heat in early March in a number of regions, but was very strong, and stronger than 2009, in the Yarra Valley, Otago, and Martinborough. *David LeMire MW is a wine industry consultant, wine judge, and writer. He has recently contributed to pinosity.com, a resource for pinot noir lovers that includes a collation of more than 140 vintage reports for pinot noir regions around the world. PINOT NOIR TASTING STARTS PAGE 100. November/December 2010 W I N E S TAT E 49

LIKE ASIP OFTHAI An unlikely wine destination gets its foot in the marketing doorSHIRAZ? DENIS GASTIN A W I N E H O L I DAY is an increasingly popular choice for wine- savvy Thais to ‘escape’ and enjoy the finer side of life. But not in France, or Australia - on their own doorstep in Thailand. So imagine a Thailand holiday with a difference, combining luxurious resort accommodation, classic Thai food and quality local wines that will occasionally astound, in the ambience of surprisingly large and attractive vineyards - with the appearance of an occasional elephant. It is even possible to combine popular Thai beach attractions with pleasurable wine experiences. Unlike in China and Japan, there is no historical backdrop to viticulture and winemaking in Thailand: it has all happened since the early 1990s. It began when the late Dr Chaijudh Karnasuta, founder of the giant Italthai construction group, decided he would provide a local dimension to his abiding interest in wine by setting up a vineyard and winery in the Phurua Highlands of far north-eastern Thailand. His 1995 vintage Chateau de Loei chenin blanc and syrah became the first commercially produced Thai wines to hit the market.50 W I N E S TAT E November/December 2010