Winestate Magazine September October 2015

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO WINE SINCE 1978 Over 10,000 tasted annually AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND WINE BUYING GUIDE AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND WINE BUYING GUIDE M A I N F R E I G H T WORLD’S GREATEST SYRAH & SHIRAZ OVER 500 TASTED Featuring Bird in Hand Penfolds Grange Paul Jaboulet Henschke Hill of Grace Torbreck The Laird Gralyn Estate JAPAN’S Emerging Wine Culture PINOT CENTRAL Otago’s claim to fame SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 WINESTATE VOL 38 ISSUE 5 World's greatest shiraz ChalleNge X seMilloN riVer regioNs Yarra YalleY & soUtherN ViCtoria otago, Nz September/October 2015 Vol 38 Issue 5 $12.00 AUS (inc GST) NZ $13.00 SGD $17.95 Life in the US $17.99 GBP £10.95 EUR 9.95 China RMB100 spirit world HKD $120 CHF 15.00 The evolution of Cognac plus Brandy, Cognac & Armagnac Semillon & Blends Yarra Valley & Southern Victoria River Regions Otago (NZ) PRINT POST APPROVEd 100003663





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For Hyatt Regency Perth, excellence in food and beverage paired with superior service is a key factor in providing guests with a memorable experience. As a three time winner of the AHA (WA) Hospitality Industry each dish is to the same quality the guest would receive in a Award for Best Conference and Function Venue in Western restaurant – the food is served fresh, the ingredients are tasty Australia, the hotel has now been placed in the Hall of Fame and innovative and the presentation is immaculate,” says Wining and Dining at Hyatt Regency Perth and has rightfully earned its reputation as Perth’s preferred Executive Chef, Mark Sainsbury. venue for conferences and events. With a number of chefs from all corners of the globe, Hyatt With a total of 16 event spaces including three ballrooms and Regency Perth continuously creates new dishes and various conference and boardrooms, Hyatt boasts some of updates banquet menus with innovative changes, taking into Fine cuisine is synonymous with the Hyatt Diner. Club at the Hyatt members are Diner serving up a fusion of South East brand, with a strong focus on sourcing also invited to exclusive events and Asian flavours all prepared in the lively the best event facilities in Perth. Whether it’s a small group of consideration multi-cultural tastes, dietary requirements and fresh, seasonal produce and preparing it promotions. The restaurant is also a open kitchen where guests can watch 10 or a large party of 1000, Hyatt has the ability to cater for themes. It is not uncommon for the team of chefs to work with in an innovative way for guests. keen supporter of Western Australian the chefs at work. With a choice of any occasion. With the latest in audio visual equipment, Hyatt clients or wedding guests to personally create a tailor-made At Hyatt Regency Perth, this approach wines, hosting Wine of the Month and preparation styles such as stir-fried, soup Regency Perth also has the creativity and flair to integrate a menu for their event. is carried out, not only for the large featuring a variety of WA wines on the based, braised, and steamed, each theme into any event from menus and music to lighting and The hotel’s range of event space and ability to cater for all number of events and conferences held beverage menu. dish will be cooked to the preference of decorations. occasions means clients can feel confident in knowing at the hotel every week, but also in room In the hotel’s impressive atrium is individual guest. Hyatt Regency Perth’s dedication to delivering excellence is their event will be a success, whether it’s a wedding, large service and at the hotel’s five restaurants Conservatory, where guests can enjoy Also on the lower lobby is La Strada also evident in the food and beverage it offers. conference or small team meeting. and bars. a cocktail while taking in the surrounds. coffee shop with access to Adelaide The hotel’s philosophy Food: Thoughtfully Sourced, Carefully And for those who also happen to be staying at the hotel Award winning restaurant, Cafe, During the weekend, Conservatory also Terrace, offering fresh pastries, Served, is upheld in its day to day operations with a strong there is a fitness centre, heated outdoor pool, tennis court offers guests an interactive dining offers a special Afternoon Tea, a popular sandwiches, cakes, tea and coffee; commitment to using fresh, seasonal, local produce wherever and business centre. Dining while on a business trip shouldn’t experience where they are able to choice for birthday celebrations, bridal and PSB (Plain Street Bar), the ideal possible and ensuring the attention and detail put into a be a problem either, with five food and beverage outlets as watch the Chefs at work in the kitchen. showers and baby showers, where place for a refreshing beverage or a dinner for 500 guests is the same as that for a table of two. well as evening drinks and canapés for guests staying on the For a yearly fee guests are able to guests can enjoy champagne, tea, tasty bite to eat. With fine crafted local “Even with large events in the Grand Ballroom, we ensure Regency Club levels. join Club at the Hyatt which entitles coffee and a selection of sweet and and international beers, Australian them to fantastic benefits and up to savoury treats. wines and Champagne cocktails, 50 percent off when dining with one or The lower lobby of the hotel provides guests are able to enjoy dining in a For event enquiries: Phone: 08 9225 1234 - Email: [email protected] - www.perth.regency.hyatt.com more guests at Cafe or Joe’s Oriental more dining options with Joe’s Oriental relaxed environment. facebook.com/perth.regency.hyatt - 99 Adelaide Terrace Perth Western Australia 6000 AD_Hyatt Regency Perth Advertorial DPS SO15.indd 1-2 20/07/2015 4:06:48 PM

For Hyatt Regency Perth, excellence in food and beverage paired with superior service is a key factor in providing guests with a memorable experience. As a three time winner of the AHA (WA) Hospitality Industry each dish is to the same quality the guest would receive in a Award for Best Conference and Function Venue in Western restaurant – the food is served fresh, the ingredients are tasty Australia, the hotel has now been placed in the Hall of Fame and innovative and the presentation is immaculate,” says Wining and Dining at Hyatt Regency Perth and has rightfully earned its reputation as Perth’s preferred Executive Chef, Mark Sainsbury. venue for conferences and events. With a number of chefs from all corners of the globe, Hyatt With a total of 16 event spaces including three ballrooms and Regency Perth continuously creates new dishes and various conference and boardrooms, Hyatt boasts some of updates banquet menus with innovative changes, taking into Fine cuisine is synonymous with the Hyatt Diner. Club at the Hyatt members are Diner serving up a fusion of South East brand, with a strong focus on sourcing also invited to exclusive events and Asian flavours all prepared in the lively the best event facilities in Perth. Whether it’s a small group of consideration multi-cultural tastes, dietary requirements and fresh, seasonal produce and preparing it promotions. The restaurant is also a open kitchen where guests can watch 10 or a large party of 1000, Hyatt has the ability to cater for themes. It is not uncommon for the team of chefs to work with in an innovative way for guests. keen supporter of Western Australian the chefs at work. With a choice of any occasion. With the latest in audio visual equipment, Hyatt clients or wedding guests to personally create a tailor-made At Hyatt Regency Perth, this approach wines, hosting Wine of the Month and preparation styles such as stir-fried, soup Regency Perth also has the creativity and flair to integrate a menu for their event. is carried out, not only for the large featuring a variety of WA wines on the based, braised, and steamed, each theme into any event from menus and music to lighting and The hotel’s range of event space and ability to cater for all number of events and conferences held beverage menu. dish will be cooked to the preference of decorations. occasions means clients can feel confident in knowing at the hotel every week, but also in room In the hotel’s impressive atrium is individual guest. Hyatt Regency Perth’s dedication to delivering excellence is their event will be a success, whether it’s a wedding, large service and at the hotel’s five restaurants Conservatory, where guests can enjoy Also on the lower lobby is La Strada also evident in the food and beverage it offers. conference or small team meeting. and bars. a cocktail while taking in the surrounds. coffee shop with access to Adelaide The hotel’s philosophy Food: Thoughtfully Sourced, Carefully And for those who also happen to be staying at the hotel Award winning restaurant, Cafe, During the weekend, Conservatory also Terrace, offering fresh pastries, Served, is upheld in its day to day operations with a strong there is a fitness centre, heated outdoor pool, tennis court offers guests an interactive dining offers a special Afternoon Tea, a popular sandwiches, cakes, tea and coffee; commitment to using fresh, seasonal, local produce wherever and business centre. Dining while on a business trip shouldn’t experience where they are able to choice for birthday celebrations, bridal and PSB (Plain Street Bar), the ideal possible and ensuring the attention and detail put into a be a problem either, with five food and beverage outlets as watch the Chefs at work in the kitchen. showers and baby showers, where place for a refreshing beverage or a dinner for 500 guests is the same as that for a table of two. well as evening drinks and canapés for guests staying on the For a yearly fee guests are able to guests can enjoy champagne, tea, tasty bite to eat. With fine crafted local “Even with large events in the Grand Ballroom, we ensure Regency Club levels. join Club at the Hyatt which entitles coffee and a selection of sweet and and international beers, Australian them to fantastic benefits and up to savoury treats. wines and Champagne cocktails, 50 percent off when dining with one or The lower lobby of the hotel provides guests are able to enjoy dining in a For event enquiries: Phone: 08 9225 1234 - Email: [email protected] - www.perth.regency.hyatt.com more guests at Cafe or Joe’s Oriental more dining options with Joe’s Oriental relaxed environment. facebook.com/perth.regency.hyatt - 99 Adelaide Terrace Perth Western Australia 6000 AD_Hyatt Regency Perth Advertorial DPS SO15.indd 1-2 20/07/2015 4:06:48 PM

Winner of Winestate Wine of the Year Award 2014

NO.271 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 Editor & Publisher Peter Simic E-mail: [email protected] Managing Editor Lara Simic E-mail: [email protected] NZ Editor Michael Cooper E-mail: [email protected] Sub-editor Michael Bates Administration Vicki Bozsoki E-mail: [email protected] Graphic Designer Lisa McPike E-mail: [email protected] Marketing Manager Peter Jackson E-mail: [email protected] Tasting Coordinator Madeline Willoughby E-mail: [email protected] Printing DAI Rubicon Winestate Web Site E-mail: [email protected] WINESTATE New Zealand Administration James Estate offers its Kay Morganty Phone: (09) 479 1253 E-mail: [email protected] visitors a unique and CoNTrIbuTorS memorable experience New South Wales Winsor Dobbin, Elisabeth King, Clive Hartley South Australia Skye Murtagh, Joy Walterfang, Valmai Hankel, Nigel Hopkins, Dan Traucki when visiting the Victoria Jeni Port, Hilary McNevin Hunter. Western Australia Mike Zekulich Queensland Peter Scudamore-Smith MW, Andrew Corrigan MW, Lizzie Loel New Zealand Michael Cooper, Jane Skilton MW WINERY - CELLAR DOOR National Travel Winsor Dobbin EuroPE André Pretorius, Giorgio Fragiacomo, Sally Easton MW ASIA Denis Gastin - BUSH WALKING - ADVErTISING SALES Australia & International MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS Peter Jackson, Winestate Publications Phone: (08) 8357 9277 E-mail: [email protected] Mike O’Reilly, Public Relations - [email protected] New South Wales Pearman Media Phone: (02) 9929 3966 Queensland Jaye Coley Phone: (07) 3839 4100 E-mail: [email protected] New Zealand Debbie Bowman – McKay & Bowman Phone: +64 9 419 0561 Email: [email protected] Italy & Eastern Europe James Estate is currently Fabio Potestà - Mediapoint & Communications Srl Phone: +39 010 5704948 E-mail: [email protected] seeking distribution France Cecile Nogier - Buenos Aires - France Phone: +33 4 8638 8019 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.buenos-aires.fr partners within Australia. DISTrIbuTorS Australia Gordon and Gotch Australia P/L International Winery, Vineyard & Cellar Door DAI Rubicon 951 Bylong Valley Way WINESTATE is published seven times a year by WINESTATE PUBLISHING PTY LTD, Baerami NSW 2333 81 King William Road, Unley SA 5061. Copyright 2015 by WINESTATE PUBLISHING PTY LTD. This publication may not, in whole Cellar Door or in part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form without the express permission of the publisher. 1210 Hermitage Rd Pokolbin NSW 2320 Every care is taken in compiling the contents of this publication, but the publisher assumes no responsibility for the effects arising therefrom. ABN 56 088 226 411 E-mail: [email protected] Winestate Telephone (08) 8357 9277 Facsimile (08) 8357 9212 Ph: 02 6547 5168 E-mail [email protected] Web Site www.winestate.com.au JAMESESTATEWINES.COM.AU September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 9

c o n t e n t s 42 WINE IN THE LAND OF THE 52 OUR NUMBER 3 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 RISING SUN FOLLOWING A PATH LESS As Japan continues to embrace TRAVELLED. Forty years ago an the culture of wine, the Australian unlikely Western Australian couple F E A T u r E S industry faces a growing challenge launched their wine journey and of how to compete in the potentially now they’ve walked off with third 34 PINOT CENTRAL lucrative market, reports Dan place in this year’s challenge, While Otago might be New Traucki. reports Mike Zekulich. Zealand’s third largest winegrowing region, it is among the smallest 54 PRICE IS RIGHT when it comes to wine production, M A I N F R E I G H T If there was a sweet spot for quality writes Michael Cooper in his WORLD’S GREATEST SYRAH & SHIRAZ and value in this year’s challenge, regional profile. In 2014 it only it was among the 2013s, reports produced 2.5 per cent of the Peter Simic. From the $25-plus nation’s wine output, but what it did 76 MAINFREIGHT WORLD’S up to the $50 bracket there was a produce was special. More than 77 GREATEST SYRAH & SHIRAZ “great consistency from a fabulous per cent of the region’s 2000ha of CHALLENGE red wine vintage”. But no matter producing vineyards are dominated We needed all of the five days set what your budget, our judges by mighty grape of Burgundy - aside for tasting to work through uncovered a red for you. Read their pinot noir. And it is this grape which more than 500 wines entered in comments covering price brackets has captured the local industry’s Winestate’s 10th annual challenge. ranging from $15 to $20 all the way imagination. This year a shock was in store up to the money-is-no-object $200- plus labels. when judges Bill Hardy, Accolade’s 36 LIFE IN THE SPIRIT WORLD Way back in the 17th century it was chief oenologist, Ian McKenzie discovered on the long voyages former chairman of Capital City r E G u L A r S between Europe and the Americas wine shows and former chief 14 Briefs base wine characteristics changed winemaker Penfolds and Master of for the better, and so began the Wine, Phil Reedman selected two 24 Cooper’s Creed with Michael Cooper evolving story of cognac, writes of Bird In Hand’s reds as their best, 26 European Report with Sally Easton Dan Traucki. That evolution writes Peter Simic. 28 Wine Tutor with Clive Hartley continues today as our taste for this 46 HOME-GROWN HEROES French masterpiece continues to After the 500 reds had been 30 Wine Travel with Elisabeth King mature. tasted, the five-star field was 32 Wine History with Valmai Hankel re-tasted to reveal the Final Top 58 Grapevine 38 SHARING THE FUTURE WITH THE PAST Ten contenders. The blind tasting 65 Wine Words It might have been a bit hit and continued until only our top three 68 What’s it Worth? miss when Peter McMahon planted remained. And what a triumphant out his Seville Estate vineyard trio they are - two from the Adelaide 70 Wine Investment & Collecting in the Yarra Valley in the 1970s, Hills and one from Western 154 Aftertaste explains Michael Hince. But the Australia’s Margaret River region. work he accomplished has laid the We visit the winning wineries and groundwork for his winemaking look at how they developed their W I N E T A S T I N G S grandson Dylan to continue the winning edge. 100 Semillon & Blends development of the vineyard and 48 OUR NUMBER 1 & NUMBER 2 the valley. A HAND, PLEASE, FOR OUR 106 Yarra Valley & Southern Victoria TOP TWO. It was a show of sheer 112 River Regions dominance, after Adelaide Hills 118 Central Otago & Waitaki Valley winery Bird In Hand walked away 122 Michael Cooper’s Recent Releases with the top two spots in this year’s challenge, writes Nigel Hopkins. 128 Brandy, Cognac & Armagnac, New Releases and Best Value Buys under $20. Winestate Magazine Issue Number 271 September/October 2015 For a complete list of what we tasted for this Cover photograph issue please refer to www.winestate.com.au Brendan Homan. 10 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015

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e d i t o r i a l MET AN IRISH MAN the other day in a cellar door. True Torbreck Laird. For the first story! He told me he was an avid reader of Winestate and I was time we can remember all most appreciative. Then the cellar door manager told me he also of these came out as five- read the magazine and had copies going back 30 years in his star wines, judged blind. shed. Not sure that his wife appreciated that but it certainly touched A credit to their makers. me. It is because of people like these two gentlemen that gets me But it is not just about the up in the morning. big guns. Across all price I wish I could say the same about the current lemming-like push categories there were to have all wines receive super high ratings, which makes critical gems to be applauded. reviews like we produce controversial to say the least. If every Lots to check out. winery is a five-star winery and every wine is over 90 points what From this tasting and is the point? Pun intended! earlier new release If you are a regular reader of this magazine you will know by tastings I would like to now know my distaste for the 100-point system, which implies an announce here and now accuracy in scoring that simply doesn’t exist, no matter how much that I believe that 2013 we wish it so. With our Winestate star rating based on the 20-point is the vintage of this International Wine Show judging system we would average one century and could well wine out of 100 where all three peer winemaker judges would have be a contender for the the same scores. Two wines would be unusual, three a miracle! century past! That’s not to say that in general the judges won’t be close on rating Also in this issue we are pleased to present to you some lovely the top wines and recognise the faulty wines at their worst, just not wines from the Yarra Valley and the cooler regions of southern that sublimely accurate. Everyone is guilty in the affirmative action Victoria, while in the centre the river regions are finding an that is happening in raising scores at the moment; the wineries exciting angle with Mediterranean varieties and fortifieds. Semillon which want to sell their wines, the stores which stock the wines continues to impress as our number one white variety to age, or and the consumers who buy their wines. We are all guilty. I prefer to drink early in combination with sauvignon blanc. New Zealand Market your wines to the world! the tough Michelin style system where you would be happy to go is well served with the fine wines from Central Otago in the South to a one-star Michelin restaurant, let alone a rare three-star one. Island, surprisingly the sunniest part of New Zealand, which no In the same way I like to think that a Winestate three-star wine is doubt accounts for the depth of fruit they can achieve in their pinots. Join the Australian Wine Industry Export and Buyers eminently drinkable, let alone a five-star wine. Against the tide that Finally, to showcase the spirit of the vine we have our annual mission to Verona in 2015 is our persuasion. Brandy, Cognac & Armagnac review – a contradiction of alcohol Vinitaly 2015 – Verona, Italy, 22-25 March 2015 While individual judges who evaluate labelled wines have an and finesse. advantage, the problem with the three judges system is that a As always lots to look through and lots to like! The world’s premier Wine Exhibition and the ideal forum for export-ready companies and for buyers sourcing international wines. lot less wines get recommended and the scores are not as high, Now, have I told you the story about the tree fellers? since no one gets to see the label. We are emotional beings and Market your wines and spirits to around 50,000 international buyers I have seen the most respected highly qualified judges doing Cheers! sourcing new suppliers from all over the world - buyers from Western and complete back flips of justification when a famous brand is not Eastern Europe and the UK, Asia, the US and South America. recommended. But we are not swayed.try (ICCI) in Melbourne is The Italian Chamber of Commerce and Indus In this issue our panels are hard at work again with a full list of the Australian representative office of Vinitaly and provides assistance to tastings for your evaluation. First, our annual Winestate World’s Australian wine industry professionals attending the show: Greatest Shiraz & Syrah Challenge tasting, this year with naming Your wine, - Space and stand bookings at preferential rates rights sponsor Mainfreight, where over 500 wines were judged, - Flight bookings and confirmed accommodation in Verona including the biggest names in the Australian portfolio such as our ports. Peter Simic - Logistics - Visitor registration Penfolds Grange, Henschke Hill of Grace, Bird in Hand MAC and Editor/Publisher ICCI Melbourne also actively promotes and facilitates contact between Australia the Italian and Australian wine industries and provides trade services for Export Customer Service the wine industry: market research, business listings, business matching and 1300 134 096 Major Sponsors and Supporters Equipment and Logistics appointment agendas. 1300 135 801 Import Customer Service 1300 132 813 For more information contact: Level 1, 185 Faraday Street, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia New Zealand Tel: 03 9866 5433 Outbound - 0508 222 444 E: [email protected] Inbound - 0508 333 666 www.italcham.com.au No matter what. WINE PRESERVATION TECHNOLOGY www.hamburgsud-line.com September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 13

b r i e f s planted some malvasia, an incredible variety from Slovenia and Italy, quite uncommonly grown here in our cool-climate regions. It will be another three years before we get to see how the variety performs in our vineyard.” Quealy Winemakers’ Cellar Door is open daily 10am-5pm, at Balnarring Vineyard, 62 Bittern-Dromana Rd, Balnarring. MACAU MAKES THE MOST OF ITS PORTUGUESE HISTORY THERE are several good reasons for visiting Macau. Its many luxury casinos and resorts are a major drawcard and the food, calling on mainly Portuguese and Chinese influences, is outstanding. But you would not expect wine to have a high profile. You’d be wrong. Macau lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta across from Hong Kong and is, at first glance, an unlikely place to stumble upon a fascinating wine museum, but its presence is explained by Macau’s history as a Portuguese colony. Portuguese traders first settled in Macau in the 1550s and it was administered by Portugal from the mid-16th century until late 1999, when it was the last remaining European colony in Asia. Most of the wines seen in Macau are still Portuguese and anyone wanting to know about wine BACK TOGETHER from the Iberian Peninsula has come to the right place. The museum HUSBAND-and-wife team Kevin McCarthy and Kathleen Quealy includes information on how wine is made, with displays of wine- are revelling in being back working together at Quealy Winemakers making implements and barrels. There are different sections for on the Mornington Peninsula. each region of Portugal, featuring not only fascinating background The couple, who introduced pinot gris and pinot grigio styles information but quaint traditional costumes. The 1400sqm space is to Australia, established T’Gallant Wines in 1990. After leaving divided into a number of areas (historical information/wine cellar/ T’Gallant in 2006, Quealy formed her own wine business, Quealy museum and exhibitions), using maps, texts, photos, tiles and Winemakers, on their family property in Balnarring. McCarthy videos to relate the story of wine and information is provided in stayed on at T’Gallant to help pay the bills but rejoined his wife Chinese, Portuguese and English. The aim of each section is not late last year. only to provide information regarding wine and grapevines, but Quealy’s range includes the field blend Pobblebonk, Turbul also to recreate the atmosphere of the production of wine, showing Friulano - a natural white wine fermented on skins for 10 days the visitor the modern and traditional tools connected to wine and aged in a mixture of barrel and amphora, as well as two production. There is, of course, also a shop where you can buy a single vineyard pinot gris and pinot noir. Quealy said: “Quealy bottle or two. The Macau Wine Museum is located at the Tourism Winemakers now makes 10,000 cases annually, with most grapes Activities Centre, 431, Rua Luis Gonzaga Gomes, Macau. It is from our own vineyards. We have grown carefully over the last open from 10am-8pm daily except on Tuesdays, when it is closed. eight vintages and we are now confident we have a solid business www.macau.com/en/Wine-Museum-2-22-151.html. For details to stand on our own feet.” The team includes the couple’s son on visiting Macau: www.macautourism.gov.mo. Interestingly, Tom McCarthy, who is specifically interested in the natural wine Wine Australia is focusing on Macau as one of its major export movement. “Getting back into the family working dynamic after markets. Regional director Aaron Brasher and regional manager being apart for almost a decade has been an extraordinary Hiro Tejima recently presented an Australian wine master class journey and I’m pleased to say the creative energy and palpable to the Sommeliers Association. “Macau is an emerging growth craziness is still very much alive and well here at Quealy Wines,” market and presents some exciting opportunities for Australian says McCarthy. “On the back of an incredible 2015 vintage, I wine,” Brasher said. recently made my annual pilgrimage back to north-east Italy and Slovenia, as I’ve been doing for the past 20 years. If you want to STOKING A NEW LOOK witness real energy and creativity before your eyes, this is where it’s at for us. The winemakers demonstrate absolutely no fear, no THE van Haandel Group has relaunched its downstairs offering at rules and continually push boundaries, which always reminds me its Stokehouse City in Melbourne. Called Stoke Bar + Kitchen, the of how Kathleen approaches things. Tom worked with Edi Keber new venue aims to offer a relaxed bar and eating experience where there (Collio on the Italy-Slovenia border) for two years and between guests can catch up for a quick drink, enjoy a few bar nibbles, or us we keep the region’s attitude to winemaking close to our heart, stay for a substantial meal. “We saw a gap in this area for a relaxed constantly inspiring how we shape our future. For instance, we’ve offering, and when it came to the downstairs bar it really didn’t have 14 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015

b r i e f s its own identity, so we have launched a whole new separate venue Yalumba.com has a strong focus on showcasing the beauty of with its very own personality, look and offering,” said Frank van Yalumba’s home and wines via photography and video, and Haandel. “We want Stoke Bar + Kitchen to be somewhere where concentrates on the Hill-Smith family-owned company’s wines, you can pop by to have a quick drink with a friend or stay around winemakers, cooperage, nursery and Wine Room. for a more substantial casual meal, any time of the day.” The bar It also incorporates the new Yalumba blog, featuring a diverse offers a selection of wines from $8 a glass from Shadowfax and range of stories. Phase two will expand on Yalumba’s 166 years Michael Hall, and an emphasis on craft beers, including Furphy, of history and will also include a virtual Wine Room. Yalumba a Kolsch-style refreshing ale. managing director Nick Waterman said the revamp was in response to consumer demand for an innovative online presence and reflected the competitive nature of the global wine industry. “We launched Yalumba.com more than a decade ago, with the aim of providing consumers with information on our history, family and our wines,” Waterman said. “While a cutting edge website then, 10 years is a long time in the ever-evolving technological landscape. Here at Yalumba we pride ourselves on blending contemporary thinking while respecting our 166 years of history and I feel our online presence now reflects that philosophy.” STEPPING UP AWARD-winning Barossa Valley winery restaurant Hentley Farm has become the latest member of the elite Relais & Chateaux hospitality network. The genre-hopping vineyard dining room is only the second member chosen from South Australia. The other is Appellation restaurant at The Louise, another Barossan culinary superstar. Established in 1954, Relais & Chateaux consists of 530 of the world’s finest hotels and restaurants. The association’s international president, Philippe Gombert, praised the youthful team NEW LOOK ONLINE at Hentley Farm for “creating a leading example of contemporary regional dining” in SA and said executive chef Lachlan Colwill’s YALUMBA Wines, which celebrated its 165th birthday last year, sophisticated menus “meld surprise with a delicious sense of has launched a completely reworked online presence to showcase place”. The restaurant is open for lunch Thursday to Sunday and its wines, people and home, and to share its stories with its loyal dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. Bookings are essential and customers from around the globe. The first phase of the rebooted can be made at www.hentleyfarm.com.au. wine-ark FOR COLLECTORS OF FINE WINE Wine Ark Provenance Program Bottles of aged wine that are transacted in Australia rarely have an irrefutable climate controlled storage history. Buyers of vintage wine generally haven’t had a reliable means by which to verify the storage conditions of a wine..until now. Visit our site for more details on Wine Ark’s Provenance Program. 11 SITES NATIONALLY ○ CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE ○ BUY VINTAGE WINE www.wine-ark.com.au 1300 946 327 September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 15

b r i e f s WALL OF FAME TAYLORS IN THE GAME IT IS all change at the Wolf Blass cellar door in the Barossa Valley CLARE Valley-based family winery Taylors has announced a after a recent redesign. Paying homage to Wolf Blass’ iconic Black sponsorship deal with the Australian national rugby union team, Label wine, the most famous red blend in the Wolf Blass stable, the Qantas Wallabies. Taylors will be the official wine partner for the the cellar door has recently created an impressive Black Label team. Third-generation Taylors managing director Mitchell Taylor Wall, showcasing what is believed to be the world’s only collection said he was excited by the partnership. “The Taylor family have of every Black Label vintage since the winery’s inception in 1973. always been rugby union fans,” he said. “My brothers and I spent The wall is a tribute to the Black Label’s unprecedented Jimmy many of our school days playing on the rugby field and we are Watson success, Australia’s most publicised wine award. Black thrilled to show our support for the Wallabies.” The partnership will see Taylors as the official wine supplier and sponsor for all major Label is the only wine in the country to win the coveted trophy four Wallabies events and matches for the next three years. Australian times and has collected over 230 show gold medals. For those Rugby Union CEO Bill Pulver said: “We are delighted to welcome who fancy themselves as amateur winemakers, the cellar door is a brand with the prestige of Taylors Wines into Australian rugby’s offering two educational and interactive wine experiences. Guests family of partners.” can “Blend it like Blass” by taking the Black Label’s regional components and then using them to blend their own version of LANEWAY LUXURY the wine. The experience is available for $40 per person for a minimum six guests. If a more rustic tasting experience appeals, LOOKING for somewhere to stay in the heart of Melbourne’s guests can taste “Black from the Barrel”. They taste the two food and wine precincts? Ovolo Laneways is a quirky apartment hotel in downtown Melbourne that is inspired by the city’s individual components directly from the barrels, alongside the eclectic sub-cultures. Think graffiti art on the walls, bright lights, current vintage Black Label cabernet shiraz. This is available for space, no hidden charges. And you are right in the centre of the $20 per person. Adding to the cellar door’s offerings, visitors can action on Little Bourke St with Chinatown on your doorstep and check out a new installation of a life-sized artwork titled Wolfie. Federation Square and Spring St’s restaurants and wine bars just The oil and acrylic work is by one of Australia’s most recognised a short stroll away. Ovolo Laneways’ new Penthouse and Terrace artists and fellow South Australian, David Bromley. The painting, suites pay tribute to inner-city creativity - and the laneway which which hangs proudly on the Black Label Wall, was created as the apartments overlook is itself decorated with street art. The a celebration of Wolfgang Blass’ 80th birthday. The artwork, apartments are comfortable and clean, with free wifi, plenty of depicting him wearing his trademark bow tie, was entered in this power points, and a free mini bar with a load of Coopers beers, year’s Archibald Prize. Wolf Blass cellar door, 97 Sturt Highway, soft drinks and waters, as well as complimentary crisps, peanuts is open daily between 10am-4.30pm. and chocolates. There is plenty of kitchen space, enough room 16 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015

b r i e f s (and the equipment) to whip up some cocktails and enough funky space to hold a party. Both the Penthouse and Terrace suites include two-bedrooms, ensuite and second bathroom, spacious lounge and dining areas, three flat-screen TVs, state-of-the-art sound systems and chic little private balconies perfect for a late afternoon cocktail. The 43-room boutique hotel is close to the theatre district, shopping precincts, an abundance of renowned eateries and bars and iconic Melbourne laneways, and was the first international property to be acquired by Hong Kong brand Ovolo Group in 2012. Room prices start from $260 for a studio (and can be found cheaper online) and there is flexible 24-hour checkout on offer – a huge bonus for anyone with a flight to catch. Ovolo Laneways is at 19 Little Bourke St, Melbourne; phone (03) 8692 0777. www. ovolohotels.com. along with Ghost Rock head chef Phil Piper. The Arnold family planted the first vines at Ghost Rock in 1985 and they now have 15ha with another 5ha soon to come on line. The first wines were made on site this year with input from consultant Natalie Fryar, previously of Jansz. The Arnolds are calling their new offering a “soil-to-bottle and paddock-to-plate” experience. While a proposed partnership with chef Ben Milbourne fell through, there will be guest chefs hosting classes during the year, including Ian Curley from The European in Melbourne. The new facilities complement the already very popular Ghost Rock cellar door, which is open all year Wednesday-Sunday and public holidays, and daily in January and February. Hundred Acres at Ghost Rock, 1055 Port Sorell Rd, Northdown; phone (03) 6428 4005. www.hundredacres. com.au. www.ghostrock.com.au. QUIET ACHIEVERS MAKE A SPLASH RECOGNISING HISTORY ONE of the most significant new wine tourism experiences in WYNDHAM Estate has been formally renamed as George Tasmania has been launched in the state’s north-west. The Wyndham Wines in recognition of its founding father. The new-look Arnold family, quiet achievers with its Ghost Rock wines, recently packaging and branding will be completed by mid-2016. Chief unveiled the Hundred Acres wine and food interpretation centre winemaker Steve Meyer said the change was a nod to history. at Northdown, just outside Port Sorell. It is adjacent to the family’s “George Wyndham achieved everything he did by being bold,” new winery, the first commercial facility on the north-west coast of Meyer said. “He knew about wine and he knew his own mind. We the island state. The $1 million centre is designed to host cooking want this brand to be about the man, rather than the place.” That workshops that will be matched with the vineyard’s wines, as well makes sense as the brand is now a multi-regional one. Wyndham is as wine master classes. Ghost Rock owners Cate and Colin Arnold recognised as the father of Australian shiraz. He planted Australia’s have been joined by their son Justin Arnold, who will be making the first commercial shiraz vineyard more than 185 years ago at wines from now on, while his partner Alicia Peardon (who used to Dalwood in the Hunter Valley in 1830. Dalwood Wines operated work with Jamie Oliver) will oversee the running of the new centre, until 1970 when the winery was renamed Wyndham Estate. September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 17

b r i e f s EXCEPTION TO THE RULE FOOD and wine are very rarely a priority with hotels in Bali, but Luna2 Studiotel is an exception to that rule. The design is a beguiling mix of cutting-edge modernism paired with ’60s pop art; SAILING TO SUCCESS check out the dramatic mosaic of the swimming pool, Andy Warhol prints and suites that feature both free wifi and wide-screen TVs SAILOR Seeks Horse is a new name on the Tasmania wine scene along with retro portable TVs. Luna2 Studiotel features 14 open- but the young couple behind the label has already enjoyed plan studios (meaning the staff know all the guests by name) along considerable success. Paul and Gilli Lipscombe (he’s English; with the brilliant white Orbit restaurant and Lunafood&bar, both led she’s a Queenslander) have worked at wineries in the Languedoc, by executive chef Errol Defoe, newly flown in from London, where Margaret River, Oregon and New Zealand and have day jobs he worked for Michelin stars Tom Aiken and Gordon Ramsay. There at Home Hill, where they work both in the vineyards and as is also that rarity in Bali - an award-winning wine list. There are all winemakers. They settled in the Huon Valley after a nationwide the little extras - a luxury private cinema free for guests (recliners, search for the region they felt would make the best pinot noir and popcorn and food and drinks service), the Space rooftop bar for bought a derelict vineyard at Cradoc, which had been planted cocktails, a private nightclub and a poolside lounge for chilling in 2005 and then abandoned. “We looked all over Tasmania for out. During the day guests can relax on daybeds by the pool, the place to produce the best pinot noir and chardonnay; and we enjoy sunset cocktails with great ocean views or a range of in- decided on the Huon,” they said. “Neither too dry nor too wet, too house and out-of-house activities ranging from boxfit to yoga. warm nor too cold and with two of the most-awarded vineyards in It is hard to fault Luna2 on position; it is just a short stroll to the Tasmania (Elsewhere and Home Hill) nearby. Within a few weeks beach, with popular restaurants and bars close by, including the of arriving we stumbled upon a dilapidated north-east facing 6.5ha famous Ku De Ta, a must for an afternoon tipple. The rooms are all over-sized and based on a colour palette of primary yellow, red, vineyard. Opportunity beckoned. Half the vines were dead; there blue and green, inspired by Lego, Monopoly and Rubik’s Cube, were blackberry bushes above our heads and trees growing all as well as renowned Mondrian artworks. All studios have three the way through; not so perfect. But it wouldn’t be satisfying if it TVs - flatscreens in the lounge area and bathroom (essential for wasn’t challenging. That was one of the reasons we decided to watching TV from the tub), and ultra-cute Brionvega TVs at the change our lives.” workstation with wireless headphones. Other mod-cons include a The first release of Sailor Seeks Horse has attracted a lot of pre-loaded iPod and sound dock, iPad and a universal charging attention. It is being poured at high-end restaurants, including station, and in-room shopping offering everything from peanuts to Vue de Monde in Melbourne and the Bentley in Sydney, and is condoms. All have king beds, large private balconies with views to on sale at Prince Wine Stores in both Sydney and Melbourne. the pool, Nespresso machine and tea-making facilities. A member The reaction to the release of the 2013 Sailor Seeks Horse Pinot of both Mr and Mrs Smith and Design Hotels, Luna2 Studiotel is at Noir has been a relief and a vindication of the Lipscombe’s hopes Jalan Sarinande No 20, Seminyak, Bali; phone +62 361 730 402. and dreams. “When you make a wine you hope that people will Book through Mr and Mrs Smith for an exclusive offer of three enjoy it, so having it on so many top lists straight away has been nights for the price of two or an “in-flight” dining experience for extremely rewarding,” says Paul. And what of the name? “There two, including a glass of wine each. www.mrandmrssmith.com/ was a handwritten sign on the wall at the Red Velvet Lounge in luxury-hotels/luna2-studiotel. Cygnet, our local cafe. It said: ‘Sailor Seeks Horse’ and went on 18 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015

b r i e f s to explain that the author had sailed solo around the world and Visitors will have access to a number of private tours and tastings ridden across the US from coast to coast and back again…on a conducted in a series of private tastings suites where a sommelier mule. He’d then decided he wanted to travel around Tasmania by will pour vintages of Grange, or back vintages/bin wines and horse but didn’t have one. So, was there anyone who would lend Yattarna chardonnay. In the nearby kitchen, co-chefs Scott Huggins him one?” See www.sailorseekshorse.com.au. and Emma McCaskill, from the award-winning Magill Restaurant, present scaled down informal cooking. RIESLING TRIUMPH THE 2015 vintage has been declared “nulli secundus” (second to none) by Canberra winemaker Ken Helm. The riesling specialist is over the moon with the quality from this year’s harvest. “All vineyards produced excellent, near perfect fruit,” he says. The year also produced the biggest grape crush in the company’s 40-year history - 40 tonnes. “December was wet and warm providing perfect foliage growth,” reports Helm. “January was cool and wet but then dry and warm right up to a very early harvest in late February, early March.” Up until the 2015 vintage, Helm had regarded the 2013 his best yet. Not any more. Helm’s winemaker and daughter Stephanie and her husband, Helm Wines vineyard manager Ben Osbourne, are spreading their wings within the Canberra wine region, having recently purchased Yass Valley Wines, a neighbor to Clonakilla. Their first releases are due later this year. AIMING FOR A NEW FUTURE ON THE RICH LIST WINE and tourism bodies and councils in the Hunter Valley have SUCCESSFUL Melbourne wine retailer Philip Rich and his family are agreed to come together after years of discord. The Hunter set to release their first wine, a 2013 pinot noir from South Gippsland. Valley Wine and Tourism Alliance will bring together Cessnock The co-owner of The Prince Wine Stores in Melbourne and Sydney, and Singleton councils, as well as the Hunter Valley Wine and Rich has turned his talents to wine production, employing well- Tourism Association. Both councils have agreed in principle to known Mornington Peninsula winemaker Sandro Mosele to make the the formation of the alliance that aims to promote a “more holistic first vintage. The wine will be released under the name Walkerville and harmonic collaboration” between members. The aim is to Vineyard, a reference to its location, a fishing village on Waratah Bay. work together to strengthen the local wine industry and draw Its location proved to be a reality check for the Rich family as they in visitors. Cessnock Council has had a fractured relationship started out. “With no neighbor to ask how they dealt with the different with the Wine and Tourism Association in the past that saw it (weather) conditions, it’s been a steep learning curve,” says Rich. slash funding to the body in 2013. There are more than 150 wineries in the Cessnock and UNLOCKING THE SECRETS Singleton areas. PEPPERY character in wine is generally associated with one grape - shiraz - but how does it get into the wine? Melbourne MILLION-DOLLAR MAKEOVER University viticulture student Pangzhen Zhang has been working VISITORS to Penfolds Magill Estate will notice a few changes. with Grampians wine producer Mount Langi Ghiran for two years Indeed, quite a few million of them, following a multi-million dollar seeking to unlock the secrets of pepper in shiraz. His findings have makeover to bring the famous winery and cellar door complex into now been revealed. Called rotundone, he found the pepper flavour the 21st century. Included in the redevelopment is an enlarged compound is contained in grape skins as well as the leaves and cellar door area, private tasting rooms, underground cellar tasting stems of the plant. In fact, leaves and stems contained the highest areas and a modern, airy kitchen restaurant. A central feature levels, leading Zhang to predict that whole bunch fermentation would of the cellar door is a lineup - under strengthened glass - of an produce higher amounts in the finished wine. Zhang looked at 15 entire set of Penfolds Grange, the company’s most famous wine vintages of Mount Langi Ghiran shiraz, analysed the concentration and the creation of the late Max Schubert. The set 1951-2010 is of rotundone and compared the results with weather and vineyard complete with every bottle up to 1988 signed by the winemaker. The data. Good water balance in the soil, cooler temperatures within the secret hiding place for the celebrated “Hidden Granges,” made grape bunches and medium levels of sunlight all had a role to play on the quiet from 1957 to 1959, is also open for public viewing, in the production of rotundone. And generally, wetter and cooler a Penfolds first. vintages produced more rotundone than hotter vintages. September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 19

b r i e f s GONGS GALORE ADELAIDE Hills based Sidewood Estate’s 2013 Mappinga Reserve Shiraz, featuring original label artwork by well-known South Australian Artist, Tom Gleghorn, has recently been named Best International Rhone Varietal over £15, at the Decanter World Wine Awards. The trophy, an Adelaide Hill’s first in this prestigious category cements Sidewood’s reputation for its Mappinga Reserve Shiraz range, with the label’s 2012 vintage also winning a number of national and international awards including Winestate’s Bang Packaging Trophy for Top 5 Australian and New Zealand Shiraz of 2013. Best Red Wine Exhibit from the American Wine and Spirits Wholesaler Association 2015 (Florida USA) and a Double Blue Gold from The Sydney International Wine Competition 2013. Sidewood Estate range 2013 Shiraz has also taken 5 gold medals to date including, the Royal Adelaide, Royal Melbourne and the New Zealand International shows. In 2013, Sidewood purchased its own 500 tonne winery ALDI Liquor aldiliquor.com.au Australias Best Value ’ LIQUOR RETAILER * Over 200 wine, beer and spirits are available at your fingertips from our every day range and exciting special buys. Order now on your smartphone, tablet or desktop for quality liquor delivered straight to your door. free delivery when you spend over $200 † Delivery charges are on a per case basis. †Excludes Beer, Cider and RTDs. This offer is valid for selected Eastern Seaboard Delivery locations only. ALDI supports the responsible service of alcohol. It is illegal to purchase alcohol for people under 18. On line sales made pursuant to the Authority of packaged liquor licence no: LIQP770010278. *Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia), January 2013 – December 2013. n=8,460. Base: Australians 18+ who specified the store they usually purchase alcohol. 20 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015 ALC6870_WINESTATE_AD_178x135.indd 1 6/05/2015 4:30 pm

b r i e f s which is currently being expanded ASIAN INFLUENCE with state of the art equipment. MACEDON Ranges winemaker Phillip Moraghan believes there The winery maestro, manager is a bright future for Japanese grape varieties in his wine region. and winemaker is Darryl Catlin, Next year, he and his partner Dr Rika Shimo will have their first formerly senior winemaker of Shaw grapes out of quarantine and ready to plant. They have chosen and Smith for 13 years. a popular Japanese white grape koshu, which is a member of Sidewood’s cellar door is located the European vitis vinifera family and muscat bailey A, a hybrid at Maximilian’s Restaurant in marriage of vitis vinifera and the native American vine labrusca. Verdun, which is considered a The grapes were sourced from producer Katsanuma Jozo in the top 5 regional restaurant of South Yamanashi prefecture west of Tokyo, where both Moraghan and Australia and features the state’s Dr Shimo worked vintage last year. “The owner (of Katsanuma only floating golf green. Jozo) wants a diaspora of koshu, to have it spread across the Cellar door opening hours are world,” explains Moraghan. “I got to taste some koshu from the Wednesday to Sunday 11.00 am south of France, north-east Italy and Germany, and the German to 5.00 pm. wine was almost riesling-like and really pure. I thought, if they can Sidewood wines are available do it in Germany, I might be able to do it in Macedon.” at their cellar door or at www. The couple is also planning to import the Japanese wine they sidewood.com.au. made last year. It will appear under the name Shimora. September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 21

n z b r i e f s what’s happening on the NZ wine scene SAUVIGNON 16 OVER 85 per cent of New Zealand’s wine exports are based on a single grape variety. For consumers in many countries, NZ wine is synonymous with sauvignon blanc, but NZ has never geared itself up to host a significant international conference devoted to sauvignon blanc - until now. The first World Sauvignon Blanc Congress was held in 2008 in Graz, Austria. An annual International Sauvignon Blanc Day has also been staged since 2010 - earlier this year, NZ Winegrowers presented events in Melbourne, Hong Kong, Germany, London, Toronto, New York and San Francisco. Now comes Sauvignon 16 - The International Sauvignon Blanc Celebration, the first event of its kind ever to be staged in NZ. To be held in Marlborough from February 1-3, the event has been designed to demonstrate, ‘the complexity of sauvignon blanc, emerging styles, vineyard practices RIDDIFORD RETIRES and winemaking influences’. Patrick Materman, Pernod Ricard PIP GOODWIN, who joined Palliser Estate 10 years ago, has been NZ chief winemaker, chairs the organising committee. Those who appointed as the company’s new chief executive officer, replacing attend will be addressed by scientists and food and wine experts, the founding managing director, Richard Riddiford, who has retired and enjoy the opportunity to taste over 200 sauvignon blancs from after 25 years in the role. Riddiford, a member of a prominent around the world. Wairarapa farming family, who is now in his mid-60s, has led many wine industry initiatives. “I’m not a wine person,” he says. CLOUDY BAY DROPS AROMATIC WHITES “My background is in marketing.” In 1999, Riddiford was made SAUVIGNON blanc is still “the engine room” at Cloudy Bay, reports an MNZM (Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit) for his estate director Ian Morden, based entirely on grapes grown within contributions to the deer and wine industries. Goodwin, previously the Wairau Valley of Marlborough. The company’s core offering Palliser Estate’s associate winemaker and marketing manager, also includes pinot noirs from Marlborough and, more recently, has worked mostly in winemaking, but also has a background in Central Otago. The Cloudy Bay range has also long included a accounting. “Richard has been a great mentor to me,” she said. trickle of perfumed, nectareous, late harvest riesling; an Alsace- “I consider myself lucky to have worked so closely with him and like, intense, softly structured gewurztraminer; a citrusy, minerally, chief winemaker and viticulturist Allan Johnson.” dryish riesling, showing lovely lightness and depth; and a pinot gris, first made commercially in 2007 after a decade of trials. Riesling, WINE BOSS CONVICTED OF KICKBACKS gewurztraminer and pinot gris have now been phased out of the FROM AUSTRALIA Cloudy Bay range, reflecting the long-term focus on sauvignon PETER SCUTTS, a well-known executive in the NZ wine industry blanc and pinot noir. According to the winery’s website, the latest (also in advertising and rugby circles) since the 1980s, was found vintages of these “limited release” wines, often sold after a long guilty in May in the High Court of Auckland of taking kickbacks, in period of bottle ageing, are Pinot Gris 2012, Gewurztraminer 2011, direct conflict with his management role. In a case brought by the Riesling 2010 and Late Harvest Riesling 2008. Serious Fraud Office, Scutts was charged with dishonestly using VILLA MARIA’S CHIEF WINEMAKER a document and receiving secret reward for procuring contracts. DEPARTS Crown prosecutor Rachael Reed claimed that Scutts, while working for the New Zealand Wine Company, received kickbacks from ALISTAIR MALING, Villa Maria winemaking and viticulture general Australian wine wholesaler LMG (Liquor Marketing Group) totalling manager since 2011, is leaving to join American-owned Foley $53,000. Scutts allegedly invoiced LMG under the name of his Family Wines, which has major investments in Marlborough and family-owned Rochfort Rees Wine Co for “marketing services” Martinborough. described by Reed as “thinly disguised brokerage payments”. New Maling, who grew up in Hawke’s Bay, spent six years managing Zealand Wine Company brands included Grove Mill, Sanctuary wine projects in Europe and South America, before qualifying as and Frog Haven. Scutts was chief executive of the New Zealand a Master of Wine in 2000. In 2002, he returned to New Zealand Wine Company for over a year, until in 2012 it merged with Foley as group winemaker at Villa Maria. “We are excited by the Family Wines, owned by California magnate Bill Foley. In 2013, opportunities change will bring for him and us,” said Villa Maria’s Foley Family Wines lodged a complaint with the Serious Fraud founder and owner, Sir George Fistonich. Office. Scutts, released on bail, is due for sentencing later this year. 22 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015

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c o o p e r ’ s c r e e d WORDS michael cooper PRICING AND PREJUDICE A COUPLE of bottles of wine are open. The respond to the wine. Those with particular whether they like new wines.” first is a seductively rich, smooth $20 red personality traits (classified as “reward The wines are served blind. But when made for early enjoyment, while the second seekers”) are the most likely to be positively students are asked to rate them using is a concentrated, firmly structured $75 influenced by prices, but we are all capable quality criteria that Campbell explains - wine designed for cellaring up to a decade. of being swayed. intensity, complexity, softness of texture, Which of these two young reds would you At a Waiheke Island vineyard recently I body, length – “they always identify the pour a glass of? was told that its customers in China are more expensive wine as being best”. For sheer pleasure, it would probably pay definitely swayed by price, in terms of The average price of a bottle of wine is to go for the cheaper wine. The high-priced what they purchase. At tastings they tend $NZ15, says the owner of a supermarket model will probably mature a lot better, but to prefer the lower-priced red, designed in one of Auckland’s swankiest suburbs, few of us cellar wine, and the price of a wine for earlier consumption, but when told which each week sells 700 cases. But offers no guide to how much we will enjoy it. that other, more ageworthy wines in the price is no longer the key influence on Or does it? In a famous study by Robin selection are more expensive, that’s what consumers’ buying decisions, argues Goldstein participants tasted wines from they order. Brendon Lawry, merchandise manager for $US1.65 to $US150, without knowing their Foodstuffs North Island (which operates prices. The tasters were asked to rate each Consumers tell the New World and Pak ‘N Save grocery wine as “bad”, “ok, “good” or “great”. chains). The results were clear-cut. If you don’t researchers their “Consumers are more discerning,” says know its price, you probably won’t find Lawry. “They are wanting better quality an expensive wine more enjoyable than preferences include wines rather than cheaper ones. Our something cheaper. The correlation research suggests the enthusiasm for between the wines’ prices and ratings wines with green being a home chef – motivated by TV was small and slightly negative, meaning shows – is driving that. People want higher you are actually less likely to enjoy an credentials, but their quality wines to go with the great food they expensive wine. are creating.” However, for tasters with some wine behaviour at the point of That trend hasn’t stop imports of wine training, the study found a positive into New Zealand soaring by over 50 per relationship between price and pleasure. purchase is dominated by cent between 2011 and 2014, when the Which raises a key issue: if most of us prefer discounts and medals. different styles of wines to those preferred surging Kiwi dollar made European wines by experts, the prices of wines and the more affordable. Last year, overseas wines recommendations of the experts must be Bob Campbell, the NZ wine writer, lecturer captured about 45 per cent of the market, of limited value as buying guides. and Master of Wine, says his students “like with Australia (especially), Chile and South Show us a price, though, and everything what they know”, rather than “know what Africa dominating the low-priced end. changes. In another study referred to by they like”. In his courses, Campbell always In the UK, consumers tell researchers Goldstein, tasters were given identical offers a pair of chardonnays, from the same their preferences include wines with green wines presented with different prices. The producer and vintage, but at different price credentials, but their behaviour at the point higher each wine’s “price” the more the levels. of purchase is dominated by discounts and tasters enjoyed it. If he invites students to take “a hedonistic medals. Among consumers who say they Why is this? You can blame “price sip” and pick the wine they prefer, they trust leading brands to deliver consistently prejudice”, according to a study by Hilke go for the cheaper wine. Why? “I believe good wine, most admit they will switch to Plassmann and others, published recently that most drinkers quaff cheaper wines on another brand if it is on “promotion”. As a in Journal of Marketing Research. When a regular basis. Those wines establish a result, supermarkets inflate prices before tasting, your knowledge influences how you pleasure template which is used to decide slashing them. 24 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015

in Lilian Carter in Tiansai vineyard September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 25

e u r o p e a n r e p o r t WORDS sally easton mW SINGLES TAKE ON A NEW STATUS HAVING espoused terroir for seeming effectively embedded within the appellation expositions and altitudes (170m to 540m generations, European wine producers structure of that region - in the premier crus above sea level), all of which are argued to are taking ever more seriously the and grand crus appellation levels. Each add nuance and individuality. Wines come notion of single vineyard wines and the individual appellation - and there are 33 from 11 communes (broadly equivalent communication of single vineyard status. grand crus appellations (including the to Burgundy’s “village” level), including It’s a bit circular because, by definition, a sole Chablis grand cru appellation, with its Serralunga d’Alba, La Morra and Monforte single vineyard site/wine can really only seven named single vineyards within the d’Alba. And within those communes, crus represent the patch of dirt, climate and appellation, just to add a further nuance wines such as Bussia (Monforte), Brunate weather conditions that it experiences. of complexity) and 684 premier crus - the (La Morra) and Vigna Rionda (Serralunga) However, given how keen European wine likes of Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Les are increasingly identified and prized. legislation is on defining and delimiting Cazetiers, Meursault 1er cru Les Goutte In Tuscany’s Brunello di Montalcino viticultural and winemaking parameters, d’Or, to name a couple. DOCG (appellation), single vineyard wines one might be surprised to learn that there is no strict definition of “single The single vineyard wine - a particular plot of vineyard”. The implication seems to be of something small, artisanal, contiguous, of pedological parameters - looks set to become a superior quality than something “non single vineyard”. Without an agreed definition, growing feature of the European wine scene. single vineyard could be applied to almost any wine coming from a single patch of ground. In Australia, Henschke’s Hill of Recently, Burgundian communication, are a slightly more recent phenomenon, Grace is a great example, but Penfolds however, has been all about “climats” (not with the first being labelled in the 1970s Grange clearly would be excluded. “climate”, but “climat”). Climats are defined - Altesino’s Montesoli, and Caparzo’s La In Europe single vineyards are often as “geographical areas that benefit from Casa. Both these come from the same known as crus (singular cru), and it is specific and identifiable natural conditions favoured hill, just north of Montalcino town, nothing new. However, the suggestion (giving) each Burgundy appellation unique which is classically a bit cooler than the of small scale isn’t necessarily a given. and remarkable organoleptic personality”. territory to the south of the town. Since Burgundy’s Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru Indeed, the BIVB (the interprofessional then, other crus have followed, and with is nearly 50ha in size (with acknowledged trade and promotional body for Burgundy) an increasing attention to detail and small- differences in soils between the top and emphasises that terroir and climats are scale that appears to be a wider trend in bottom of the slope). Alsace has an even indeed “inseparable notions”. To be fair the 21 century, there is much discussion st bigger grand cru appellation - Schlossberg these named bits of land have been about sub-zoning this modestly-sized - at 80ha and there are compositional around for many hundreds of years and appellation - it’s only just over 2000ha in differences across this single vineyard, too. Benedictine monks were codifying them size, with around 200 producers. The quality insinuation isn’t necessarily a in the 10 century; there is a bit of a track “Cru” doesn’t always mean single vineyard. th given either. At least, arguably, not until a record in Burgundy. Beware Bordeaux’ 1855 classification, track record of consistent quality has been Single vineyard communication in Italy is grading from first (premier) cru to fifth proven. To say nothing of proven stylistic a bit more recent. In Piedmont, the Barolo (cinquieme) cru. In Bordeaux “cru” typically individuality in a wine. DOCG (appellation) has been steadily means “growth” or ranking and it applies Herein lies a winning formula in Europe. identifying and communicating its crus over to whole properties whose vineyards may In some regions single vineyard wines have the past couple of generations since the not necessarily be contiguous (assuming been made in Europe for generations. Just 1960s. Here, smallness of scale has always we use contiguity as a definition of single called other things sometimes. Burgundy been part of the landscape. The entire vineyard). And the resulting wines are may well lay a claim for some of the Barolo appellation is less than 2000ha. typically blended across vineyard parcels earliest use and communication about Its convoluted series of concertinaed and grape varieties. single vineyards. Single vineyard wines are hills create innumerable aspects and In such an historic region, “house style” 26 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015

is an integral part of a property’s wine. Yet, in some other European regions, where house style - and blending wines from different grape varieties and different sub- regions - has also long been the raison d’etre, such as Rioja and Champagne, even these regions are making more of single vineyards. In Rioja, CVNE founded the single estate Vinedos de Contino in 1974, in the Alavesa sub-region. More recently it has been followed by Bodega Artadi’s Vina El Pison, from the same sub-region, plus Calvario from Finca Allende (Alta sub-region); and Alvaro Palacios is releasing Valmira from a 3ha single vineyard in Rioja’s third sub- region of Baja. Such wines are at the polar opposite of Rioja’s founding fortunes. Another caveat: in 2003 Spain introduced a new level of appellation into its wine hierarchy - Vinos de Pago. While Pago translates as “vineyard” the designation is actually for single estates, so Vinos de Pago may or may not be single vineyard wines. Even Champagne is getting in on the act. From the quintessential multi-regional, multi-vintage, multi-cultivar wine is coming a renewed interest in the microscopy of terroir. While growers’ champagnes, with vineyards around the home, are likely to be, by default, wines of terroir, even they may not be single vineyards (under the contiguity rule). But some of the bigger houses are producing single vineyard champagnes such as Pommery’s Les Clos Pompadour, first released in 2011. The more well-known Krug’s Clos de Mesnil dates from the 1979 vintage. The single vineyard wine - a particular plot of pedological parameters - looks set to become a growing feature of the European wine scene. No one can argue it is the ultimate in offering a point of differentiation from all the other bottles of wine on the market. September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 27

w i n e t u t o r WORDS clive hartley STATE OF AFFAIRS DELIVERING wine courses over a semester, on until 2012 and some would argue it is top five companies - Accolade Wines, I often run a session on general information still going on. Treasury Wine Estate (TWE), Casella about the Australian wine industry. Just a In production terms, it’s approximately Wines, Australian Vintage and Pernod simple summary of what I consider general a 50/50 spread between red and white Ricard account for a staggering 50 per knowledge, but it always surprises me that grapes, with red grapes slightly ahead at cent of the national production. The top wine professionals actually don’t often know 52 per cent. Each year we see spikes in 10, which includes the likes of De Bortoli the size and shape of their industry, and one variety or another, often due to new and McWilliams, produces 80 per cent of that unawareness goes for the general wine vineyards coming on line and producing our entire wine production, which doesn’t lover as well. its first crop. In 2014 for instance, we saw a leave much left for the remaining 2381 So, this is a summary of the industry and dramatic increase in marsanne production. companies. Inside the top 10 you find some comments on the facts and figures. It is more interesting to compare the varietal unfamiliar names such as Qualia Wine The information comes from various production over a longer period of say Services, sitting at number nine in tonnage sources, including the Australian Bureau of and larger in grape intake than more familiar Statistics (ABS), Winemakers’ Federation of names like Brown Brothers or Yalumba. Australia (WFA), Australian Grape and Wine We drink 23.7 litres Qualia was founded in 2009 after acquiring Authority and the annual Wine Industry Neqtar Wines and specialises in made-to- Directory published by Winetitles. of wine per person per order wines for supermarket chains. It is The size of the industry can be looked an export-driven company doing business at in different ways. The total area of year; this has hardly in over 25 different countries. It produces productive vineyards currently sits around wine brands such as Little Eden, Calder 133,000ha. This has declined rapidly since changed in the past Grove and Spee’wah, and is based in the 2008 when it stood at 172,626ha. So what 10 years. Murray Darling. this simply means is that while there are Accolade Wines came into existence with still some vineyards being planted we the purchase of US-owned Constellation are pulling out unwanted or unproductive five years. We see pinot gris/grigio rise in Australia by Champ Private Equity ones. In comparison, France has over popularity soaring from 39,000 tonnes in Company in 2011. It owns brands such 800,000ha and Australia’s vineyards 2010 to 61,500 in 2014 and over the same as Hardys, Leasingham, Houghtons, are about equivalent to Bordeaux and period tempranillo production has doubled. Banrock Station, House of Arras, Bay of Burgundy (Chablis, Cote de Nuit/Cote de The average price paid per tonne of grapes Fires and Berri Brothers. In the same year Beaune) put together, which is 118,800ha is $441; this has fluctuated over the past 15 Accolade was born, Treasure Wine Estate and 14,000ha respectively. years but the trend has been downwards (TWE) came about when it broke away The annual production is another way of from a high of $933 in 2001. If only other from the Foster’s Group. Initially it was looking at the size of the industry. In 2014 operating costs had also gone down it rumoured that this was to allow a takeover Australia crushed 1.7 million tonnes of wouldn’t have been so bad for profitability, or a way of selling off brands, but nothing grapes, which was a 7 per cent decrease which is at an all-time low. has materialised and TWE remains with from the previous year. The figures have Company and brand names get confused an impressive portfolio of labels, including remained fairly static since 2008, despite all the time. Currently there are about Penfolds, Coldstream Hills, Great Western, the fall in the number of vineyards. Why? 2481 wine companies. This year saw Heemskerk, Leo Buring, Saltrams, Seppelt, Well it is due to fluctuations in the yield a fall in the numbers compared to the T’Gallant, Wolf Blass, Wynns Coonawarra, and in 2008 we were in the grips of the previous year, with 195 wine companies Yellowglen, Rosemount Estate and Annie’s millennium drought, which officially ended either going out of business, being taken Lane. Australian Vintage is probably a in 2009, although in many regions it went over, or not registering their details. The mystery to most, but some of its brands 28 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015

are well known - McGuigan, Tempus Two, Nepenthe and Miranda. Originally called McGuigan Simeon, it was publicly listed on the stock market in 2008. Casella is the family behind the brand Yellow Tail from the Riverina, and finally Pernod Ricard is the Australia arm of the global French spirit company that controls one of the most iconic Australian labels - Jacob’s Creek. It also sells Wyndham Estate, St Hugo, Orlando and Morris, as well as providing some well-known New Zealand wines such as Deutz, Stoneleigh and Brancott Estate. We drink 23.7 litres of wine per person per year; this has hardly changed in the past 10 years. But some countries are facing a crisis. Consider Italy for instance. It has seen a 25 per cent drop in consumption over the same period. France doesn’t fare much better with an 8-litre drop per person. Health concerns, a slide in disposable income and a failure perhaps of the younger generations to take up the habits of the old folks are some of the causes. Finally, to complete our state of play on the wine industry let’s look at the retail scene. A whopping 77 per cent of wine is purchased through our two main supermarket chains - Woolworths and Coles (Westfarmers). Dan Murphy’s and BWS stores belong to Woolworths and Coles has Vintage Cellars, Liquorland and First Choice. If you are Yorke Peninsula’s thinking of avoiding these players and award winning purchase through the likes of Cellarmasters vineyard or Langton’s, think again, as both are owned by Woolworths. September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 29

w i n e t r a v e l WORDS elisaBeth KinG PRETTY SPECTACULAR LUxURY beach hideaways are magnets for Beach and a 90-minute drive from Central central building. Even more impressive honeymooners, illicit lovers and those who Sydney, a two-and-a-half year labour of love than the huge bathroom are the fabulous have just secured a massive divorce pay after fire gutted the original property has views from the plunge pool over the out such as Paul McCartney’s former wife, produced the plushest of boltholes oozing nearby escarpment. There are no rules Heather Mills. Following a $43.5 million charm and class. and regulations at Pretty Beach House; settlement the ex Mrs Macca flew 25 of her News has spread fast about this stunning you are treated as a welcome guest in the closest friends to Necker Island, Richard addition to the Central Coast’s luxury true sense. Technology is very evident, too Branson’s Caribbean beach property travel scene. And I don’t employ that over- - from the on-demand movies to the curated costing tens of thousands of dollars a night used adjective lightly. It’s really hard to music collection of soul, blues, rock, Italian to hire. Ms Mills was insistent she wanted steer clear of superlatives after you have opera singers, world and surf music. somewhere she couldn’t be photographed, driven up the steep pathway to the main Hand-crafted 19th century railway one of her gal pals confided to a British entrance. Sydney designer Michelle Leslie timber pylons form the structure of the tabloid. High-class jaunts that offer the Main House. Karina and Brian Barry, the same level of privacy don’t have to cost proprietors of nationally renowned Bells at that much. A holiday getaway on the beach There are no rules Killcare, and famed restaurateurs, Stefano has long been a linchpin of the Australian and Julie Manfredi Hughes, also hold dream but the fantasy has become a and regulations at sway here. Five-star touches range from lot more expensive to obtain. Building the open plan Ambach kitchen to the in- standards are more rigorous, by-laws now Pretty Beach House; house spa offering treatments by Li’Tya, regulate the use of coastal properties and you are treated as a the internationally recognised Australian the price of waterfront land within a short skincare brand centred on the restorative drive from any state capital, especially welcome guest. power of native ingredients and Aboriginal Sydney, has sky-rocketed. healing techniques. There’s still a faint echo of the days when A fitting nod to the fact that the property fibro fishing shacks dotted Hardy’s Bay has crafted impeccably stylish interiors, was a meeting place for the local indigenous on the New South Wales Central Coast, peppered with local materials and original community, the Darkinjung people. Close and their inhabitants thought nothing of artworks by Arthur Boyd, Sidney Nolan and to the imposing Porte Cochere entrance, wearing a jumper inside. Even teardowns John Olsen. flanked by sandstone pylons, is one of go for close to $1 million and are wedged Located on a 3-ha promontory overlooking three Aboriginal petroglyphs (rock art), between luxury spreads selling for up to Bouddi National Park and Broken Bay, it’s dating back 8000 to 10,000 years. One $2 million. The area’s transformation from nigh on impossible not to enjoy a full night’s of the highlights of the immersive Pretty sparsely populated seasonal vacation spot sleep. Bouddi is an indigenous word for Beach House experience is the welcoming to a community of year-round, architect- “heart” but “dramatic” best describes the smoking ceremony with a local elder which designed homes is complete. Only first- views from the floor-to-ceiling windows easily rates as one of the best Aboriginal time visitors express surprise at the lack of the four evocatively named pavilions cultural programs in the country. of the old-style suburban houses that once - Treetops, Bayview, Hideaway and The The wine list lives up to its promise as “a dotted the inlets on the Central Coast. Retreat. Only eight guests are permitted list of hand-selected premium wines from The pricey enclave surrounding Pretty at any one time and each pavilion boasts Australia and some of the world’s greatest Beach House, billed as Australia’s most a king-size bedroom, separate dressing wine-producing regions”. Adam Lambeth, intimate and luxurious guesthouse, is room and open-sitting area. who worked at Tetsuya’s, is the sommelier almost like NSW’s version of the Hamptons. We were lucky enough to stay in The at Bells at Killcare and Pretty Beach House. Only a 20-minute ferry ride from chic Palm Retreat, a double-storey addition to the “Essentially we’ve compiled a list with 30 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015

A family owned and operated boutique winery with rustic charm and personality, consistently producing award winning wines in a range of styles. Come and relax on the verandah or in the gardens with a grazing board with one of Burnbrae’s finest. very low mark-ups for the quality on offer,” he says. “Because of Stefano’s Italian heritage, we have a great selection of Italian Open 7 days, 10am-4pm. vintages. But we also offer biodynamic Why not stay in our Winemakers cottage and wines through Australian boutique bottlings escape the hustle and bustle of the city. and prestige international wines. Our aim is to introduce guests to a world of wines Call us on 02 6373 3504 and emphasise the message that it is their Visit us at 548 Hill End Road Mudgee NSW house - not ours.” Or www.burnbraewines.com.au If only most cellars boasted such a collection. Champagnes range from Krug Grande Cuvee to Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose. A 2011 Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru Domain Dujac sits alongside a 1998 Brokenwood Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz. White wine fans have the choice of 2012 Mount Mary Chardonnay or 2007 Chateau Grillet Viognier. Highlights of the edited spirits list include Normandin Mercier Grands Champagne Cognac xO 20 Years and 1962 Delord Bas Armagnac. One of the joys of staying at a luxury escape property is breakfast and Pretty Beach House excels in providing fuel for the day ahead from home-made muesli, a lavish bread basket and fresh juices to eggs cooked anyway you prefer. After breakfast we ventured into Bouddi National Park, which possesses the wow factor for rugged coastal scenery, deserted beaches and luxuriant native bush. Relaxing and dining on gourmet cuisine provides enough enjoyment for many guests. But exploring the surrounding Angophora forests, sailing in the property’s private cruiser or setting off on a mountain bike ride, literally and figuratively, pushes a stay at Pretty Beach House to a whole new level. All-inclusive rates from $1000 per person, per night, www.prettybeachhouse. com.au. September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 31

w i n e h i s t o r y WORDS valmai hanKel ANDRE SImON RETURNS TO SYDNEY VISITING French octogenarian gastronome hilarious”, which is not surprising to our friends - host Arthur Sutton, a senior and writer Andre Simon must have been 21st-century sensibilities when we read member of the NSW Wine and Food pleased to return to his “home away from the menu: “oysters. kangaroo tail soup, Society, Rudy Komon MBE, art connoisseur home”, the Belvedere Hotel in Sydney, baked sand whiting, barbecued steaks, and society cellarmaster for almost 20 on February 1, 1964. He had just spent a no vegetables but different kinds of salads, years and wine and food expert Neville hectic eight days in South Australia, most local cheeses and Henry Lawson cup”. Baker, who was the society’s foodmaster of them when the temperature hovered This consisted of a small pineapple cut from 1960 to 1970. (A favourite place for around the old century mark, reaching in half, scooped out and used as a little Sydney’s turf personalities, the Normandie over 104F on one day. Back in Sydney, boat, “filled with its own cut up substance was in Elizabeth St and was run by he was given no rest. As we saw last and grenadilla, mango and other fruits Vincent Fourcade from just before World time, he attended lunches on February 2 salad-wise”. We can be pretty certain that War II until the 1960s.) It was the sort of and 3 when, as always, he was plied with Henry Lawson never tasted this eponymous meal and company Simon enjoyed, with wine and food. Unusually he had Sunday beverage. possibly the only thing lacking, at least evening to himself and probably took the to Simon’s eyes, being the presence of opportunity to catch up with his notes for women. The fare consisted of a dozen the book he was writing on Australian In an exhibition of oysters, “a perfect cut of roast beef, a dish wine. Or he may, unusually, have had an of fresh and buttered French beans as an early night. His stamina and his apparent parochialism, all of the Entremets de Legumes, a well-dressed ability to thrive on very little sleep must salad, and some ripe camembert”. The have amazed his hosts. But on February wines were from New four diners polished off two bottles of Extra 3 it was back to two large meals a day for Sec Pommery, then a bottle of pinot from Simon. He was the guest of the Australian South Wales. “little Luxembourg”, which was Neville Wine Consumers’ Cooperative Ltd for lunch Baker’s contribution to the evening. This of Barramundi and Noisettes d’Agneau In an exhibition of parochialism, all of was probably a pinot gris. (Luxembourg (lamb chops), washed down with eight the wines were from New South Wales: wines are scarcely known outside their wines. For dinner he was the guest of the “Tulloch’s Sparkling Riesling; 1963 Ben country of origin, although wine has been Southern District Wine and Food Society Ean Chablis, Bin 1750; 1962 Ben Ean made there for some 2000 years. The at Sid’s Restaurant on the Hume Highway Riesling, Bin 1930; 1957 Dry Red Mount approximately 50 growers see no need to at Lansdowne Bridge, some 35km from Pleasant Pinot Hermitage; 1961 Kassel’s push exports. Certainly very few bottles if Sydney. New South Wales Wine and Cabernet-cum-Shiraz Molong; Penfold’s any make it to Australia for sale. Among Food Society president Keith Philipps Old Liqueur Brandy 1914”. Simon made no the classic varieties grown are riesling, and his wife collected Simon at 7pm and judgment on any of the food or wines. He pinot gris, pinot blanc and gewurtztraminer, delivered him back to the Belvedere only while muller thurgau and eibling are also three and three-quarter hours later. Simon did, however, rather puzzlingly comment grown, with much of the fruit going into was pleased to note that there were many that all the wines were served unmasked, bottles of Cremant de Luxembourg.) Simon more young people present than was usual “so that there was no guessing and no did not comment on this wine but did note at these dinners. But he was not pleased post-mortem nonsense”, which seems a that “the three remarkably good Australian to record, yet again, that there was “far little strange after his earlier remarks about dry reds served with the meat course and too much oratory for sound gastronomy”, oratory and gastronomy. the cheese came from Rudy Komon”. which was “the usual pattern for the February 4 was a much quieter day. Annoyingly, we are not told what they are. Wine and Food Societies in Australia”. Simon enjoyed lunch alone in his room at The following day, February 5, Simon flew He acknowledged that “everybody was the Belvedere and in the evening dined to Auckland for his eagerly anticipated visit happy and the atmosphere was pleasantly at the Normandie Restaurant with three to New Zealand. 32 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015

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PINOT CENTRAL Growing great pinot noir grapes is far from easy here, due to the extreme winds, frosts, snow, heat blasts, hail and high levels of ultraviolet light. MICHAEL COOPER THINK Central Otago - or Otago, if you gris is the major white-wine variety in the include the Waitaki Valley in North Otago - region’s majestic inland valleys, followed and the great red wine grape of Burgundy by riesling, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc springs instantly to mind. That’s no surprise and gewurztraminer. - this year pinot noir accounted for 77.5 per Richly scented, with fresh, vibrant flavours cent of the region’s total area of bearing of cherries, plums and dried herbs, Otago’s vineyards. pinot noirs can be delightful within a year No other region in NZ is quite so dominated or two of the harvest. As the region’s vines by a single grape variety, although mature - to say nothing of winemaker age - they are yielding better-structured, Marlborough is extremely close, with 77.3 ageworthy wines, more complex and per cent of its total bearing vineyard area savoury. planted in sauvignon blanc. With 2000ha The runaway success of Central Otago of producing vines, Otago ranks as the pinot noir has not been without some country’s third-largest winegrowing region, criticism. “There has been a backlash well behind Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay, against the jamminess of Central Otago but ahead of Gisborne, Canterbury, Nelson pinots,” says Roger Jones, owner of a and Wairarapa. highly regarded UK restaurant, The Harrow. The majority of Otago’s producers are “People will come to my restaurant and tiny. The region is home to 132 producers say they are happy with a pinot, but they (almost 20 per cent of all NZ producers), don’t want a Central Otago. Generally they but in 2014 it was the source of less than say they will settle for a Martinborough or 2.5 per cent of New Zealand wine. Pinot Mornington Peninsula.” 34 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015

Overall, however, Otago’s reds are going At Bannockburn, temperatures during from strength to strength. Particularly February and March are usually over 25˚c noticeable is a drop in the number of wines and often exceeding 30˚c. Harvest dates showing excessive herbal characters. are up to a month ahead of the older, more While most of the wines exhibit attractive elevated, cooler Gibbston sub-region, to aromas and flavours of dried herbs, gone the west and closer to Queenstown. are the days when many were markedly There is a greater degree of soil variability leafy and green. at Bannockburn than elsewhere in the From Lake Wanaka in the north to Cromwell Basin. Vineyards on the upper Alexandra in the south, the vineyards side of Felton Road are cultivated in loess are draped over 100km of mountains over schist gravels, while those on the lower and gorges. Have any of the six sub- side are grown in heavier soils, with more regions identified by Central Otago’s clay. At the acclaimed Felton Road winery, winegrowers carved out a particularly pinot noir is planted on the heavier, more illustrious reputation? clay-based soils; chardonnay and riesling Bannockburn, where the first vines on lighter, stonier, schist-based soils. Growing great pinot noir grapes is far from were planted in 1991 at Olssen’s (now easy here, due to the extreme winds, frosts, Terra Sancta), is the name most often snow, heat blasts, hail and high levels of highlighted on labels. “The sub-region ultraviolet light. “We are gradually learning of Bannockburn is now widely regarded in Central Otago that it’s not the average as the ‘grand cru’ site of Central Otago,” of climatic factors in a particular season says Matt Connell, general manager and that’s important, but how they arrive and winemaker at Akarua. how they affect particular pinot noir clones The first winegrowers in the Cromwell on particular sites,” says James Dicey, of Basin, where most of Otago’s vines are Mt Difficulty. planted, were attracted to the old gold The region’s winegrowers are focused mining town of Bannockburn by its right now on the issue of balance, which relative warmth and lower frost risk. The Dicey views as the “holy grail of growing vineyards - spread over a north-facing pinot noir”. The challenge is to manage Top: Akarua’s 50-hectare vineyard, up to 340 metres crescent up to 370m above sea level the vines to produce grapes that are above sea level at Bannockburn, is devoted to pinot noir (70 per cent), chardonnay, pinot gris and riesling. on the south side of the Kawarau River physiologically ripe, without excessive - include such prestigious, well-known sugar ripeness. Rather than obvious, Below: With temperatures in February and March producers as Felton Road, Mt Difficulty, fruity wines, the goal is precise, elegant usually over 25˚C and often exceeding 30˚C, harvest dates at Bannockburn are up to a full month ahead of Akarua and Carrick. pinot noirs. Central Otago’s cooler sub-regions. September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 35

spirit the Champagne wine district that is so well Life in the known for its sparkling wines. Cognac is produced by making still wine from colombard, ugni blanc (trebbiano) and/or folle blanch grapes. This wine is then double distilled in a copper still known as a “Charente Still”. Double distillation means world that only the “heart” of the distillate - the best and purest part is used in the final product. The resultant product is called aux- de-vie and is then matured in oak barrels. So far this is all pretty straight forward, however this is where the real skill of the cognac maker starts. It is the decisions that they make on how long to store each particular aux-de-vie and how they go about assembling a blend from the various aux-de-vie that they have, that reveals their real skill. It is similar to the way that master DAN TRAUCKI winemakers here, such as Wolf Blass, put COUNTLESS people around the world in barrel for longer before reaching its a wine blend together, but the assemblage enjoy an occasional glass of cognac as consumer and therefore it matured more. of cognac is much more complex. part of their drinking repertoire, but the Over time it became recognised that the It takes a lot of time, skill and effort to question is: how did this magnificent drink longer the cognac was aged in barrel, make the final cognac blend that we see come into existence? the smoother and better it became. Thus in the bottle. The cognac story starts sometime cognac houses such as Camus started to The cellar master of House of Camus uses during the 15th century when some of the deliberately age the freshly made cognac his skill to blend aux-de-vie from different producers of charente wine distilled their in barrels for extended periods of time. crus as well as of different ages so as to wine in order to preserve it while being Along the way the cognac houses started ensure that the resultant cognac is as silky, shipped long distance to customers. Over to blend different barrels of cognac and smooth and delicious as possible. While this time, Dutch customers began to call this eventually a system was established so that sounds like a great job, it is a herculean fortified wine “brandwjin” which literally consumers could ascertain approximately task, which is not for the faint hearted. translates to burnt wine. After a while it how old the cognac they were buying He has to sample a great number of aux- became known as brandy. Cognac is the was. To have a level playing field, the de-vie and make decisions on selecting name for brandy made in the Cognac age designation of cognac is based on various parcels so as to maintain the “house region of France, in the same way that the youngest material in the blend. In style” that regular consumers have become armagnac is the name for brandy made a Cognac labelled as VS the youngest accustomed to and love. At the same time in that region. material must be at least two years old, in he must manage the stocks in the vast The cognac story is one of gradual a VSOP the youngest material must be at storehouse of aux-de-vie the company has. evolution, as in the 17th century it was least four years old and in an xO it must For example, for such fine old cognac as discovered that the base wine changed be at least six years old. The veracity of Elegance xO or Extra Elegance, he would somewhat during the long, slow Atlantic this labelling comes under the purview of most likely select barrels from the damper crossings to the Americas. The resultant the Bureau National Interprofessionel du storage cellars as this gives the aux-de- wine was more enjoyable and so maturation Cognac (BNIC). vie a wonderfully mellow character. For gradually became an integral part of the In typical French fashion, an Appellation the younger cognac like VS and VSOP, process. The next step in the development d’Origine Controllee (AOC) was set up he would most likely select barrels that of cognac came in the 18th century when in 1938 which divides the region into are lower in tannins so as to ensure the the colonial British set up trading ventures six distinctive crus: Grand Champagne, smoothness of the cognac. in the new markets so that the consumers Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fin Bois, So why not pour yourself a snifter (cognac no longer bought their cognac directly Bois and Bois a Terroirs. The reference glass) of Camus Cognac and reflect on from the producers. The addition of a to champagne in two of the crus has the time, effort and skill that has gone into middleman meant that the cognac was caused consumers some confusion with making this exquisite wine. Cheers. 36 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015

Like a fine cognac, our taste for this french master piece continues to mature. It takes a lot of time, skill and effort to make the final cognac blend that we see in the bottle. September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 37

SHARING THE FUTURE WITH THE PAST The next generation continues to build Seville Estate’s reputation for producing fine wines. 38 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015

Wisely they focus on MICHAEL HINCE doing what Seville THE YARRA Valley’s renaissance as a Estate does best, that premium, cool-climate producer in the early 1970s owes much to the likes of Peter is making consistently McMahon (Seville Estate), Bailey Carrodus (Yarra Yering) and Murray Middleton fine vintages from the (Mount Mary). About the same time as Max Lake founded Lakes Folly in the Hunter, vines and varietals the entrepreneurial Reg Eagan planted Wantirna Estate’s first vines and helped they inherited. usher in a new generation of Yarra Valley vignerons. Some of whom made very un- Australian style wines and most of whom saw a future for pinot noir and chardonnay - both now famously synonymous with the local Harvest Goon band while Bridgeman Yarra Valley. is a Beasty Boy band member. Though cool climate may have been Dylan is personable, open-minded and a prerequisite in the mid to late 1960s, acutely aware that “there’s always more criteria like terroir and clonal selection to be done as a wine maker; you never were not nearly as top-of-mind as they stop learning”. From Peter he inherited are today. Nor was viticultural expertise passion, creativity and a rigorous attention as readily accessible or of the quality as to detail, while from Iain Riggs, with whom it is presently. he worked when the Van Der Meulen’s took Indeed the self-effacing Peter McMahon’s over ownership from Brokenwood in 2005, choice of Seville Estate was driven as he learned the pragmatic, business-side much by its picturesque location as it was of the industry. by its viticultural potential. However that He vividly recalls Rob Hawkins, Riggs’ did not stop him making some exquisite compatriot at Brokenwood, saying: pinot noir, of which the 1977 and 1980 “There’s not much point making wine stand out, some fine cabernet and a unless you can sell it”. So it’s a matter of memorable chardonnay or two, especially balancing the idealism and passion he the 1980. inherited from Peter with the business nous McMahon’s forte was crafting wines that, he learned from Riggs that is required to above all, reflected the site and variety, a keep Seville Estate ahead of the game in trait that has endured over four decades today’s competitive market. and continues to typify today’s Seville “As a small producer you cannot afford Estate vintages. to make a bad wine,” says Dylan, not that “Back in my grandfather’s day he and he has made many, apart from his 2012 his contemporaries shared a certain attempt to replicate Peter’s stunningly innocence and were, to an extent, idolised eccentric, but magnificent, one-off, 1980 by the wine media; now winemakers are Trockenbeerenauslese Riesling. much more scrutinized,” says winemaker “In 2012 four of us spent all day picking Dylan McMahon. 62kg of botrytised berries and pressed Like his grandfather Peter, Dylan prefers them for 48 hours to get 18 litres. I to let his wines do the talking. He is fermented it in a glass demijohn and once conscious of having a balance in life I thought the ferment had stopped I added outside of wine and for him, his young a lot of sulphur and pressed the bung family and surfing keep him sane. As down firmly - big mistake! A week later does his music, a passion he shares with I walk into the cellar to find no demijohn his contemporary Paul Bridgeman at but thousands of pieces of glass spread Levantine Hill - Dylan plays base with the all over the cellar.” September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 39

Dylan thinks “it’s a typical Seville cabernet with lots of spice, dark cherry/plum fruits, cassis, cigar box, earthy, with great tannin, refreshingly different ... a fantastic wine and a real sleeper”. Dylan has put his own stamp on Seville Estate wines and like his grandfather Peter, has an engaging sense of humour, a propensity to cut though the bullshit and the ability not to take himself, or his wines, too seriously. Likewise, Seville’s hands-on owners Graham and Margaret Van Der Meulen continue to work assiduously at improving both the vineyard, especially the soil’s biota, the winery and the estate’s reputation. Wisely they focus on doing what Seville Estate does best, that is making consistently fine vintages from the vines and varietals they inherited and have since enhanced. Even more wisely they see themselves as custodians of the McMahon legacy, of which Dylan plays Today visitors are more likely to hear As for cabernet sauvignon, Seville’s an integral part. some Alabama Shakes, Damien Jurado, temperamental old vines are hard work, Etched in Dylan’s memory is something or Radiohead tunes emanating from the however excel in good years, though his grandfather often told him: “at the end winery rather than the sounds of popping production is often limited to fewer than of the day wine is just a drink”. glass. 100 cases which invariably sell quickly. Ah, but what a wonderful drink from a Riesling and Radiohead aside, Dylan I recall some excellent dark, chocolaty wonderful vineyard! continues to do what Seville Eatate has cabernets of the late 1970s, which always done well, make wines that are true benefited from a bit of bottle age, with Opposite page: Dylan McMahon with his grandfather to variety, style and site - as exemplified the pick of the crop among recent Dr Peter McMahon. A by the 2004, 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2014 vintages being the Reserve Range 2012 Above left: Graham and Margaret Van Der Meulen - A chardonnays - all of which show vintage Old Vine Cabernet. Owners and Betty the dog. Below right: Seville Estate. conditions at their best, especially the fragrant, juicy 2014 vintage. Add to these the 1980 chardonnay, which I recall drinking on more than one occasion, though Seville Estate chardonnay was a bit more hit and miss back then, but when it was on-song it was exceptional. “I opened a 1980 chardonnay (my birth year) a few years ago for a historic tasting and it was really interesting; golden, slightly salty, oyster shells, fresh apricots and waxy; it had a lot going on for a wine I thought would be stuffed,” says Dylan. For Dylan, Yarra Valley chardonnay is about purity and focus, with more emphasis on acidity than fruit. As for pinot, vintages like 2002, 2010, 2012 and 2013 (all from milder years with low crops) produced balanced wines, which had great perfume and texture, akin to some of those of the late 1970s. Not surprisingly Dylan thinks the essence Artwine Cellar Door of Yarra Valley pinot noir revolves around A A perfume and elegance. Seville Estate also 72 Bird in Hand Road, Woodside South Australia 08 8389 9399 make shiraz well, none more so than the young 2013, with its abundant ripe fruit, www.artwine.com.au Artwine firm tannin and cedary oak.

refreshingly different ... A Artwine Cellar Door A A A 72 Bird in Hand Road, Woodside South Australia 08 8389 9399 www.artwine.com.au Artwine September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 41

42 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015

Wine rising sun I N T H E L A N D O F T H E Australian reds and whites face a challenge to build market share in the expanding japanese wine market. DAN TRAUCKI TO PUT things into context, geographically in front of Algeria. This level of consumption the fact that the Japanese are enamoured of Japan is a small country at around only 5 is rising as the economy comes out of its all things French and European, especially per cent the size of Australia but with a recent doldrums and recovers from the their wines. French wines, especially population about five and half times larger effects of the 2011 tsunami. bordeaux and burgundy, are considered at 127 million, leading to an incredibly Despite being Australia’s second largest to be the epitome of fine wines by many urban population. The capital Tokyo has trading partner (previously number one), Japanese wine drinkers. a population bigger than that of the whole Japan is the only major market in which As far as Australian wine goes, in the fine of Australia. It is a very ordered society Australian wine has not fared well. In just wine stores I visited, and in discussion with where things run smoothly. For example, about every market Australia has tackled, members of the trade, it would seem that Japan Rail (JR) moves 40.6 million people Australian wine is in the top three imported Australia’s representation is rather sparse a day across the country. In Tokyo there wine countries, usually number two behind and erratic. Even the flagship Penfolds is a 10-carriage train every three minutes, the French. However in Japan, Australia is Grange was in some stores but not others. on every line and for simplicity, the train languishing at number six behind France, However, in almost all the convenience carriages are colour coded to the lines that Chile, Italy, Spain and the US. Australia licensed grocers I saw Yellow Tail and in the they run on. Even the Shinkansen (bullet has only 7 per cent of the imported wine more upmarket ones, Jacobs Creek, as well. trains) runs once every nine minutes. market, which is less than half of what the All in all not an encouraging report card for When one thinks of Japanese drinking, fifth-placed US has. The Japanese import Australian wine. one thinks of sake and perhaps plum wine 20 times more French wine than Australian According to Akira Fujimaki, chief or whisky. One hardly thinks of wine in this wine. In 2009 Chile used to be in the number sommelier at Tokyu department store’s context, however Japan has a rising wine five spot, but since it signed a free trade flagship wine store in Shinjuku, Tokyo, who consumption. In 2012 it was 2.7 litres per agreement (FTA) with Japan, it has rocketed is also the principal wine educator for the annum, per person (Australia is 23.68 litres), to the number two position. The situation is Japanese Academie du Vin, “the majority which ranks it 47th highest in the world - just made even more challenging for Australia by of premium wine drinkers in Japan prefer September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 43

200 wineries in Japan growing a mixture of Wine is certainly on the rise in classical European grape varieties, hybrids and native varieties such as the white grape Japan, the only question is will koshu. Many of these wineries are located in the Yamanashi Prefecture, a fertile valley Australian wine be a part of this. nestled between some of Japan’s highest mountains, including Mount Fuji. The other main region is centred around the town of Ikeda on Hokkaido Island. In all there are French wine, although within that there is white wine and softer reds occurring. He 11 prefectures with vines, however the two a shift occurring from bordeaux towards said: “the overall buoyancy in the wine mentioned are the predominant ones. As burgundy. Japanese wine drinkers look for category will continue to bolster future in Australia, the Japanese wine industry is subtlety in wine, to go with the subtle and growth of Australian wine in Japan dominated by the large liquor companies graceful flavours of our food”. at higher price points and in multiple such as Suntory, Sapporo and Kirin. Among He also said: “we can get quality wine from channels, especially in e-commerce, where the small independent wineries the better most places around the world, so we select Australia’s potential to flaunt its wine-making known ones include Grace Vineyards (which those wines which complement our food”. credentials, innovation and varietal depth is export) Katsunuma Jozo, Tsuno and Takeda. In his store there were wines from Israel, only just beginning”. Today Pernod Ricard’s I visited the Chateau Mercian winery Austria, Lebanon and Canada as well as number-one selling wine is a white rather (founded in 1877) in Katsunuma, about an from the usual suspects in Europe, the US, than a red. This is encouraging, especially hour-and-a-half train ride westwards out of South Africa, Australia and Chile. given the position that we are currently in of Tokyo. There, former chief winemaker and The Australian representation there was being seen as almost irrelevant by many in now planning group manager, Katsuhisa very small and mainly from cooler-climate the wine trade. Fujino, showed me through its vineyards wines. Australian wine, especially shiraz, At the same time, most people do not nestled in a lovely little nook on the side has a poor image of being big, high alcohol realise that grape wine (as opposed to of the mountain. He explained how in a wines with brawny, muscular structure that rice wine - sake) is made in Japan. While radical move in 1984 planting the bordeaux does not suit the Japanese cuisine, which legend has it that grape growing began red varietals they began using European is full of subtle and complex flavours - from around 720AD, it wasn’t until the arrival of trellising rather than the traditional Japanese the land that gave us the concept of “umami” Portuguese Jesuit monks in the 16th century pergola trellising, which is used for growing (pleasant savoury taste), the fifth of the that wine drinking was first recorded. In the native and hybrid varieties. Pergola senses of taste. the mid-1800s the country was opened trellising is where the vine is trellised up to According to Paul Summers, of Pernod up to Western culture and wine making a height of about 2m and then spread out Ricard Japan, there is a subtle shift towards began in earnest. Today there are around over a pergola style set of wires. One vine 44 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015

and Chateau Mercian that are producing excellent wines from the native varieties as well as from the classical European varieties. Wine is certainly on the rise in Japan, the only question is will Australian wine be a part of this. The recently signed FTA will certainly help to sell more commercial and semi- premium wine in Japan as the relative price of Australian wine reduces compared to that of other non FTA countries, as has happened over recent years to Chilean wine. However, I believe that the future of sustainable Australian premium wine sales in Japan will depend on the willingness of winemakers to adapt to the market rather than trying to flog the “same old, same old” wines or the “shiraz-is-best” attitude that many have been offering this market in the past. I can see a great future for softer and/or lighter style Australian wines, with more restraint and flavour balance made from what we call “alternative” varieties whose flavour profiles fit much better with Japanese cuisine than what our big, bold Aussie reds do. While I am not suggesting that everybody go to the lengths that Jacobs Creek has gone to in consulting with Japanese chefs when creating its WAH range specifically made so that the white Yamanashi Katsunuma Japan Wine Country wine matches dishes like sushi and sashimi, and the red matching yakitori, there are a covers around 10 to 15sqm. The trunks on wine was to me a world-class, cool-climate number of varieties whose flavour profile fits some of the older vines trellised in this way red. Some of the earlier picked European the Japanese requirements. In the whites, can be as thick as a tree trunk. These vines variety reds had a hint of the green, I could see varieties like fiano, savagnin, make a very impressive sight. stalky character that can be seen in some vermentino, marsanne and especially Over lunch in a French-style restaurant we Australian reds, especially merlot, in cooler verdelho doing well in Japan if properly enjoyed the best sparkling wine I have tasted vintages. However, the higher alcohol (riper) promoted by Australia. Verdelho and this year. Chateau Mercian Katsunuma no wines were very good examples of cool- savagnin have the potential to become Awa is a superb sparkling wine made from climate red wines, well and truly fit for the known generically as “Australian” whites the koshu native white grape. It had a international wine stage. because almost nobody else in the world magnificent bead, lovely, tight, crisp, dry Muscat bailey A is a Japanese hybrid makes dry whites of this quality from koshu flavours, which really lingered without variety created by Zenbei Kawakami in these varieties. it being overly acidic as some sparkling the early part of last century by crossing With the reds the most likely candidates wines can be - just sensational. muscat of hamburg grape with the ‘bailey’ are tempranillo, barbera, cabernet franc, In the afternoon we were joined by current variety. It was developed in order to better lighter style grenache, aglianico, graciano, chief winemaker Mitsuhiro Anzo and tasted suit the harsh Japanese climate and as well as cool-climate pinot noir and the range of premium wines, which consists growing conditions. Most of the vineyards quality merlot. mainly of white wines made from koshu in Japan are buried under a thick blanket So as wine rises in demand and stature (flagship), sauvignon blanc, chardonnay of snow during the long, cold winter. Well- in Japan, the real question is not whether and one riesling. Chateau Mercian Hokusin made examples of this variety have similar the recently signed FTA will help improve 2013 Chardonnay had lovely hints of toasty characters to pinot noir and the Austrian Australian wine sales in Japan, but rather will butteryness on the bouquet and on the variety zweigelt, making it a very suitable it help improve the perception and standing long, lingering palate, like a smooth, mature, match for the more elegant Japanese of premium Australian wines in this growing classy Hunter chardonnay. cuisine. market. Will AGWA et al help promote the In the reds was a muscat bailey A (which Therefore, despite the occasional stories style of wines that suit this sophisticated had won a gold medal in last year’s Japan of Japanese wineries importing bulk wine, market or are they going to keep on “flogging Wine Competition), merlot, pinot noir, blending it and bottling it as Japanese a dead horse” that is big, bold, Aussie cabernet sauvignon and an excellent wine, I firmly believe that the true Japanese shiraz? Only time will tell if Australia can get bordeaux blend called Chateau Mercian wine industry is set for a very bright future, its act together and get it right in this exciting Mariko Vineyard OMNIS 2011. This last led by wineries such as Grace Vineyards and dynamic market. September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 45

HOME-GROWNHeroes PETER SIMIC EACH year the Winestate Shiraz & Syrah they excelled with the release of their new Winestate Final Top Ten of the tasting. Challenge, this year with naming rights Mac label adding to their standard shiraz. Here we were pleased to have our trophy sponsor Mainfreight, throws up new Here’s how it works. panel of Bill Hardy, Accolade’s chief surprises and this tasting was no exception. Over four days we had panels of three oenologist, Ian McKenzie former chairman This year the final top 10 wines judged by winemaker judges and one Master of of Capital City wine shows and former chief our trophy panel were predominantly from Wine each judge blind a series of wines winemaker Penfolds and Master of Wine, Australia, with one Kiwi exception making in various price categories and vintages. Phil Reedman. At this level there were its presence known. In the past we have Following their decisions each wine was many superb wines and personal choice had first place winners from France from the then rated (with no fear or favour and no is a factor, however the judges did a great Guigal and Clape stables, and even a NZ correspondence entered into). What they job in sorting out our Winestate Final Top winner, by Craggy Range’s Le Sol; a shock determined is featured in the following Ten wines. (I should also mention that we to us all, no less for the company involved. pages. Our thanks go to all those judges sourced over 20 imports from France, This year the shock came from winery Bird and you can see them in the judging report. South America and South Africa, but as is in Hand producing both first and second Following this we reassembled all those our policy, if the judges don’t recommend placegetters; an amazing effort from over wines that were awarded five stars by them they are not included in the tasting). 500 wines involved, judged blind. We are the various panels and placed them into We have also included a ‘top in price used to seeing the former winner do well vintage categories (irregardless of price) category’ award with equal top in class in this judging over the years, but this year to be re-judged in order to get our overall awards received for the $30-$35 and $75- THE JUDGES (left to right): Alex Trescowthick, Dave Matthews, Greg Fitzsimmons, Nick Haselgrove, Peter Simic, Andy La Nauze, Bill Hardy, Ian McKenzie, Phil Reedman, Craig Viney and Shane Harris. 46 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015

M A I N F R E I G H T WORLD’S GREATEST SYRAH & SHIRAZ $100 bracket showing how competitive great consistency from a fabulous red winemakers are pushing for stronger fruit these price ranges are. wine vintage! If there was a sweet spot and tannins, said the judges. Sadly, even Overall there were many interesting for quality and value this was it. But the at this higher price, the 2011s let the team observations made by the judges. For the good news went further with the 2012s down in the older vintage categories and under $15 category there were some nice also performing well in these categories. we will be pleased to see these become a “lunch wines” showing vibrant primary fruit Sadly, with exceptions, the remaining 2011s distant memory. rather than complexity, with a touch more continued to disappoint. One observation From the $75 plus, $100 plus and concentration in the next flight nudging was that through bracket creep some of $200 plus categories we saw the great up to $20. Here we also began to see that these wines would have been in a lower confluence of power and finesse where it young wines were the key, with winemakers price range just a couple of years ago. was not enough to just have a blockbuster, not expecting these to age and we saw However, with this quality of a lifetime, who’s but the wine needed to have fruit vibrancy, the correlation between value pricing and complaining? with beguiling complex characters and ageing with some wines fading fast, with Moving on to the $50s to $70s we tannins and acids in check. the older vintages at around the $25 or fortunately saw similar quality to the This tasting was a great pleasure to be less level. previous flights but with more full-bodied, involved in and I hope that you also find But then, like a tidal wave, came the warm-climate wines coming to the fore, some treasures yourself in this line-up. 2013s, from $25 plus, all the way through perhaps for those who are looking for more the next three categories, up to $50. What “bang for their buck”. At this price more September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 47

1 S T 2 N D P E P E L A C L A C A hand, please, for our TOP TWO The cool-climate focus has shifted to the Adelaide Hills after a show of dominance by Bird in Hand winery. NIGEL HOPKINS WINNING prestigious wine awards has a tenth the price) in second place. become such a commonplace event at the Both wines knocked off a star-studded Nugent family’s Bird in Hand winery, based line-up of 510 shiraz wines in the just outside Woodside in the Adelaide Hills, competition, of which 375 were awarded that you’d easily expect a certain amount and only 34 received 5-star honours in what of complacency to be creeping in. Winestate publisher Peter Simic believes is But it’s clear that neither executive director Australia’s and possibly the world’s most Andrew Nugent, nor his chief winemaker comprehensive shiraz assessment: “We go Kym Milne MW, are ever going to be out and source the best,” he says. satisfied – even when they’ve won the Significantly, Simic adds: “This is the first Winestate World’s Greatest Shiraz & Syrah time no French wine has made it into the Challenge, this year with naming rights top 10 - and none of the two dozen or so sponsor Mainfreight, for the third time in the cheaper French wines (under $50) were past four years - 2012 with the 2010 Nest awarded.” Egg Shiraz, 2014 with the same wine (also It is a considerable feat for two cool- the year that Milne was named Australian climate Adelaide Hills shiraz wines, Winemaker of the Year) and now 2015. cleaning up revered Barossa labels such as The difference this year is that Bird in the much-lauded 2008 Penfold’s Grange, Hand came in first and second, and with the 2010 Henschke Hill of Grace, Torbrek’s two shiraz wines that hadn’t featured 2010 The Laird (all costing at least $800) previously - its ultra prestige 2010 MAC plus several highly respected French wines Shiraz (with a cellar door price of $350), that included the 2007 Paul Jaboulet – and perhaps more surprisingly its core Hermitage La Chapelle ($400). range 2013 Bird in Hand Estate Shiraz (at “The trend now is clearly to vibrant mid- 48 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015

M A I N F R E I G H T WORLD’S GREATEST SYRAH & SHIRAZ BIRD IN HAND MAC SHIRAZ 2010 weight shiraz rather than blockbusters,” exclusively, young people to better achieve Simic says, “and that’s how Bird in Hand their potential. is showing the way with such extraordinary It’s just one of the many ways Bird in Hand results.” has expanded and broadened its footprint Once again, and especially with the in the Adelaide Hills, including significant The trend now success of the mid-range 2013 Bird in olive oil production, the launch of a range Hand Estate Shiraz, it has added new of luxury goods under its Bird in Hand is clearly to strength to the view that the Adelaide Luxury Brands umbrella, its emergence as Hills is now a prime source of premium a significant event venue featuring artists cool-climate shiraz. For many years the such as Kate Cerebrano, James Morrison vibrant mid-weight conventional wisdom was that sauvignon and Teddy Tahu Rhodes, and the more blanc and pinot noir would be the Hills’ recent opening of a restaurant offering mainstay wines, but increasingly it’s shiraz lunch Friday to Sunday. shiraz rather than and chardonnay that get star billing. “It all ties in the Bird in Hand being an Neither grape variety featured on experience,” Nugent says. “It’s not just blockbusters. Nugent’s radar when he and his family about wine. Wine is to be enjoyed like food, purchased land near Woodside in 1997. art and music, and here we’re putting it all Nugent drifted into the wine industry after together. We’re creating a whole package, a a period working as a jackeroo and at one complete experience, and the fundamental point he seriously considered a career in guiding philosophy is that it’s high quality. social work. That’s a career option he now I’ve always loved quality things, beautiful satisfies through the work of the Bird in things, whether it be gardens or art or Hand Foundation, which sets out to provide wine. The wine industry has given us the opportunities for predominantly, though not opportunity to be aspirational, to aim for September/October 2015 W I N E S TAT E 49

the best. We’re fanatical about quality and continual improvement, which makes this a very difficult place in which to work.” Which ultimately comes back to the wine: “Our goal,” Nugent says, “is not to be the biggest but the best quality.” He found the ideal accomplice in his quest for quality in chief winemaker Kym Milne, who had followed Michael Hill Smith to be Australia’s second Master of Wine, then worked in New Zealand as chief winemaker for Villa Maria and later as a flying winemaker based in London before returning to Australia. “Kym brought a global perspective to our business and he helped us to understand very early on that if we wanted to compete at the top echelon, it had to be all about shiraz and chardonnay,” Nugent says. “The Hills can do many varieties to a high level, depending on their sites, but these are the two. The other varieties can be amazing, 50 W I N E S TAT E September/October 2015