Winestate Magazine Special Edition 2016

SPECIAL EDITION 2016 WINESTATE VOL 39 ISSUE 7 THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO WINE SINCE 1978 100% Independent Panel Reviews AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND WINE BUYING GUIDEWINE OF THE YEAR AWARDS RIESLING QUEENSLAND SAUVIGNON BLANC PINOT GRIS/PINOT GRIGIO 61-Page SPECIAL EDITION 2016 special feature The best wines, winemakers & wine companies of the year from Australia & New Zealand Special Edition 2016 176 Vol 39 Issue 7 $12.00 AUS (inc GST) QUEENSLAND NZ $13.00 SGD $17.95 WINES TASTED US $17.99 GBP £10.95PRINT POST APPROVED 100003663 EUR 9.95 China RMB100 HKD $120 CHF 15.00 plus Sauvignon Blanc & Blends • Riesling • Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio Queensland • Rosé • Best Value Buys Under $20

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NO.280 SPECIAL EDITION 2016Editor & Publisher Peter Simic E: [email protected] Editor Lara Simic E: [email protected] Editor Michael Cooper E: [email protected] Michael BatesAdministration Vicki Bozsoki E: [email protected] Designer Naomi Fry E: [email protected] Manager Peter Jackson E: [email protected] Coordinator E: [email protected] DAI Rubicon Winestate Web Site E: [email protected] New Zealand AdministrationKay Morganty Phone: (09) 479 1253 E: [email protected] South Wales Winsor Dobbin, Elisabeth King, Clive HartleySouth Australia Skye Murtagh, Joy Walterfang, Valmai Hankel, Nigel Hopkins,Dan TrauckiVictoria Jeni Port, Hilary McNevinWestern Australia Mike ZekulichQueensland Peter Scudamore-Smith MW, Andrew Corrigan MW, Lizzie LoelNew Zealand Michael Cooper, Jane Skilton MWNational Travel Winsor DobbinEUROPE André Pretorius, Giorgio Fragiacomo, Sally Easton MWASIA Denis GastinADVERTISING SALESAustralia & International 5 Star Winery - James Halliday Wine Companion 2015Peter Jackson, Winestate Publishing James Halliday Wine Companion - Top Ten Dark Horse Winery 2015Phone: (08) 8357 9277 E-mail: [email protected] O’Reilly, Public Relations - [email protected] Winery / Cellar DoorNew South Wales Jeanneret Road, Sevenhill, South Australia, Australia, 5453Pearman MediaPhone: (02) 9929 3966 T: (+61) 8 8843 4308 F: (+61) 8 8843 4251Queensland E: [email protected] Coley Phone: (07) 3839 4100 E-mail: [email protected] Zealand PO Box 61 Sevenhill, South Australia, 5453Debbie Bowman – McKay & BowmanPhone: +64 9 419 0561 Email: [email protected] www.jeanneretwines.comFranceMr Philippe Marquezy - Espace QuadriPhone: + 33 170 644 700 Fax: + 33 607 780 466Web: www.espacequadri.comDISTRIBUTORSAustraliaGordon and Gotch Australia P/LInternationalDAI RubiconWINESTATE is published seven times a year by WINESTATE PUBLISHING PTY LTD,81 King William Road, Unley SA 5061.Copyright2016byWINESTATEPUBLISHINGPTYLTD.Thispublicationmaynot,inwholeor in part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronicmedium or machine-readable form without the express permission of the publisher.Every care is taken in compiling the contents of this publication, but the publisherassumes no responsibility for the effects arising therefrom.ABN 56 088 226 411Winestate Telephone (08) 8357 9277 Facsimile (08) 8357 9212E-mail [email protected] Web Site www.winestate.com.au Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 7

contentsSPECIAL EDITION 201630 30 RIESLING ROYALTY W I N E TAST I N G S From the back blocks of Barmera 116 Sauvignon Blanc & BlendsFEATURES 122 Riesling on the South Australian side of 128 Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio28 RIESLING ON THE REBOUND the Murray River, Jane Hunter has 132 Rosé Riesling’s footprint on the Australian risen through the ranks and has 138 Queensland finally accepted the Wolf Blass AM and international wine market crown as one of the most influential 143 New Releases and continues to grow, writes Dan personalities in the Australian/New Best Value Buys under $20. Traucki, after the success of this Zealand riesling world. Michael year’s Canberra International Cooper reports that Hunter, who Riesling Challenge. With all the relocated to NZ in 1981, has major riesling producing nations dedicated her career to developing except Argentina involved, and growing the Hunter’s riesling challenge chairman Ken Helm, AM, empire. labelled it as the most successful in the event’s 16-year history. Even the 40 TWICE IS NICE Special Awards Feature 2016 international flavour was expanded Tucked away in the not-so- with the appointment of a German ~ STARTS PAGE 37 ~ expert to the judging panel. fashionable Langhorne Creek wine region south of Adelaide various After tasting some incredible wines during32 BLUSH WITH FAME members of the Follett family have 2016, the task of choosing just one to be Rosé, long a fringe wine on the toiled on grape blocks since the Winestate magazine’s Wine of the Year 1880s, so they should know a bit (WOTY) is a daunting task, but one we Australian market is finally winning about producing award winning relish, writes Winestate founder and Editor acceptance among both consumers wines, writes Joy Walterfang. And and Publisher Peter Simic. The process and producers, reports Denis they do! First in 2010 and again began with judging four-and-a-half and Gastin. But it’s been a rocky journey this year, the Follett family’s Lake five-star wines from Australia and New for the wine which has such a well- Breeze winery has walked away with Zealand in 13 categories throughout the established global following. In the Winestate’s Wine of the Year trophy, year, and then these 400 wines were early 2000s Australian sales of rosé on both occasions for its cabernet returned for a “final” blind tasting to select languished, but as more producers blend. It’s 2012 Arthur’s Reserve - a class winners and finally our WOTY. Our took a chance on developing blend of 86 per cent cabernet, 9 judging process is conducted without an Australian style and more per cent malbec and 5 per cent fear or favour and is among the toughest consumers were willing to give it a petit verdot - staggered our judging and most credible around in a climate try sales have doubled since 2006. panel with its depth, power and of increasingly “soft” high scores. And beautiful structure. this year’s winner, writes judging panel chairman Stephen John, was a “fantastic R E G U L A R S surprise”. “It was beautiful. It had the balance and elegance of a cool-climate 12 Briefs wine. We thought it was a fantastic wine and it surprised us that it came from 20 European Report Langhorne Creek because it had so much with Sally Easton MW depth and power, and was beautifully structured.” While the spotlight is rightly 22 Wine Tutor with Clive Hartley on our WOTY, we also use this occasion to announce Winestate’s Australian and New 24 Wine Travel with Elisabeth King Zealand Winemakers of the Year and Wine Companies of the Year awards. 26 Wine History with Valmai Hankel For a complete list of what we tasted for this 106 Winewords issue please refer to www.winestate.com.au 98 Grapevine 1 08 What’s it Worth? 110 Wine Investment & Collecting 1 61 Subscription Form 1 62 Aftertaste Winestate Magazine Issue Number 280 Special Edition 2016 Cover photograph Brendan Homan.8 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016

Our PassionBurns Within.The embers of history burn brightly at Yalumba.Which is why, despite the temptations ofmodernity, we continue to handcraft oak barrelsto age our Old Vine Barossa Shiraz wines such asThe Octavius. Our precious grapes are handpickedfrom a patchwork of small, highly prizedvineyards that are among the oldest in the world.Using fire, iron and imported oak, our coopersensure each octave barrel is specially seasonedto enhance the delicate nuances of the fruit.The result is an exceptionally fine shiraz that isa testimony to the passion and dedication ofAustralia’s oldest family owned winery.One family. Many stories. YA LU M B A .CO M

ENTRIES CRICNHTIAAEENRLSNBLALEETINIRONGNRGAEALOPEN1 JUNE 20179-14 OCT2017P: +61 2 6286 7515 | F: +61 2 6290 1580 | E: [email protected] www.rieslingchallenge.com

editorial“AND THE WINNER OF THE Aldi Trophy for Best Value 2016 Wine goes to the JamesBusby (Coles) Big & Bold Australia 2015 Shiraz.” You couldn’t make it up if you tried. These twogiant supermarket chains came together in this amazing co-incidence. To their credit both saw theamusement in this result judged by Winestate’s peer panels of winemaker judges and both were verygracious in not trying to pull out. It just goes to show again that Winestate judgings are held withoutfear or favour and are among the toughest and most credible around in a climate of increasingly“soft” high scores. This year marks the 17th year we have held this trans-Tasman judging. While it could be said thattimes are tough for many local producers, as there is a generational change occurring with older buyersholding the fort, while younger drinkers are not yet quite on board. Many newbies are preferring cider,craft beers, cocktails, coffee, spirits or other choices - anything but wine. However the Asian marketis booming and will help to shore up finances for wineries until the local market discovers wine, whichI predict will occur in the next five years (as it did in the early eighties). Meanwhile existing wine lovers have never had it so good with the quality presented across theboard this year being nothing less than outstanding. There is nothing like tough times to concentratethe focus. While times may be difficult now for some it will augur well for the future. Our experience this year in including yardstick wines from the old countries of Europe in our blindtastings has shown that Australian and New Zealand wineries have nothing to fear in competition with these wines. Quality is not a problemwhere competitive evaluation has the Aussies and Kiwis always ahead. Marketing is! Unless you are willing to pay big bucks, the Down Underwines are streets ahead in quality terms. Maybe we just don’t want to tell anyone and keep these wines to ourselves? In this issue we are truly blessed to present to you our Top Five Winestate Wines of the Year across 13 categories along with the trophy winnersin each category. This has been drilled down from 400 wines that achieved either five or four-and-a-half-star ratings during the year. (We includethe latter in the taste off as wine judging is an inexact science and judging results do differ, some wines improve over the year and some fadeslightly.) These are all superb wines and ones we should be very proud of. A full report occurs later in this magazine. Our thanks to the many winemaker peer judges, trade experts and Masters of Wine who judged on our panels throughout the year, and ofcourse the brave wineries who put forward their wines for critical evaluation. We don’t give away awards easily. As we like to say: “ If you havereceived an award from Winestate you have earned it.” Please enjoy these wines as great examples of the winemakers craft from Australia and New Zealand. We also have a great competition foryou to enter to win one of the ‘wine vines’ featured on our cover by feature artist Leeza Peters, see profile below.Cheers!Peter SimicEditor/Publisher Leeza Peters is a sculptor and businesswoman from Adelaide, South Australia. She works predominately with copper and is passionate about creating representations of grape vines, flowers and animals out of copper shim, wire & tubing. A 2016 SALA OZ Minerals Copper sculpture award finalist for her submission to create a life size grape vine, including bunches of grapes, completely out of copper. Each one is individually handcrafted. Leeza’s artworks are for sale through Artisan Custom Framing and Gallery. www.artisanframingandgallery.com.au. To win one of Leeza’s ‘wine vines’ email [email protected], with the subject line: Wine Vine, to go into the draw to win. *Please note Winestate, its staff, and its owners reserve sole and final judgment as to all matters concerning contests and interpretation of contest rules. Entries close at 12pm midnight 16.12.2016. Judges decision on winner is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Winner will be contacted via email and asked for their delivery details. Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 11

briefs before and to tell the story of some of the sub regions of Barossa and Coonawarra behind the St Hugo blends using wine instead of words.” The 50-seat restaurant at St Hugo is nestled within the original ironstone walls, with picture windows offering regional views. Local chef legend Mark McNamara has created a four or eight-course degustation menu, with each dish matched to a St Hugo wine. The renovation project, which has taken nearly two years to complete, was supported by a $1million State Government Regional Development Fund grant. The home of St Hugo is located at 2141 Barossa Valley Way, Rowland Flat, and is open daily from 10.30am-4.30pm, except Good Friday and Christmas Day. The restaurant is open for lunch 12pm-3pm daily, and for dinner from 6pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Phone (08) 8115 9200 or visit www.sthugo.com.CELEBRATING HUGO’S LEGACY SEPPELT CELLARS REMAIN OPENTHE newest addition to the Barossa wine tourism landscape is the AFTER a short period when it looked as if Seppelt’s historic Greatimpressive St Hugo facility. Set in the heart of the Barossa Valley, Western facility would be closed for good, things are once againSt Hugo officially opened its doors in late September and offers looking bright, although winemaking has been switched to Southred wine flights, intimate fine dining and bespoke wine tourism Australia. A deal with a local business group means the cellars andexperiences in a restored circa -1850 ironstone winery. The St Hugo 3km of atmospheric underground cellars will remain open to thebrand was created in 1980 to celebrate the legacy of Hugo Gramp public - and wine tastings will continue as normal. It is, in fact, a time- wine visionary and former managing director of Gramp & Son’s of celebration with one of the oldest cellar doors in Australia markingwinery from 1920 to 1938. The new facility honours this influential its 150-year anniversary and the 50th release of its iconic old vineswine magnate who was born, lived and worked his entire life in the St Peters Shiraz.Barossa. Visitors can savour wine by the glass in the Tasting Lounge,or linger over a tasting flight at St Hugo next to the open fire or on Owner Treasury Wine Estates is now including Seppelt as part of itsthe deck overlooking the vineyard, or book a private tasting in the “Regional Gems” initiative announced in January to showcase smallerlower level. The wine list includes the complete range of St Hugo country wineries. Seppelt is one of the oldest wineries in Victoria, withwines available in Australia and duty free stores, as well as four a history dating back to 1865 - but there is nothing old fashioned“Private Collection” wines sold exclusively at the St Hugo cellars, and about the brand. Winemaker Adam Carnaby recently showed off ana 1925 fortified wine made during the time Hugo Gramp managed outstanding table wine made from 100 per cent pinot meunier andthe winery. Chief winemaker Daniel Swincer says: “We want visitors announced that future plans involve a gruner veltliner made from theto feel welcome and to linger over a glass of St Hugo wine in the company’s Drumborg vineyards. Tours of the property’s undergroundbeautiful and historical setting. Our Private Collection wines give wine “drives” - which were hand-carved by miners in the 1800s - willus the opportunity to present guests with a wine they haven’t seen continue, and accommodation and function facilities will remain open. “The heart and soul of the wines is the vineyards, much more so than where the wines are made,” Carnaby said. “When it comes to the wines, we are custodians of great vineyards. We’ve got great resources - Drumborg down in south western Victoria, which is a great cool-climate vineyard, 150 years of winemaking here in the Grampians and also vineyards in central Victoria, so the brand has never been in a better place than in recent times. It’s feeling really positive.”12 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016

briefsTEQUILA STRIKES A CHORD Walk through the lobby of the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, take the elevator and you are immediately transported to Tuscany.ATTENTION all lovers of the Rolling Stones and Walk past the battalion of wine barrels, check out classic blackfine tequila. While combining the two might and white photos of Siena, and take in the high ceilings with theirseem to be drawing a long bow, Jose Cuervo has wooden beams.released two limited-edition tequila bottles of JoseCuervo Especial Silver and Tradicional called Talented chef Roberto Parentela (from Turin but with experienceJose Cuervo The Rolling Stones Tour Pick. The in Tuscany) crafts food, made largely from ingredients air freightedreleases celebrate the story of Jose Cuervo and from the old country, that is charmingly rustic. Start, perhaps, withthe role it played in The Rolling Stones’ legendary some breads, a dip and pickled vegetables, followed by some thinly1972 North American tour, which was dubbed sliced Culatello ham, accompanied by some new-season Lorenzinithe “Tequila Sunrise Tour”. On the eve of their melons and crisped parmesan wafers. Simple but delicious. NextNorth American tour in 1972, a bartender handed up, the best-selling burrata salad with Tuscan tomatoes, whitethe band its first Jose Cuervo Tequila Sunrise rocket and olive dust. Delightfully fresh and followed by pappardellecocktail at The Trident bar in San Francisco. The pasta with a wonderfully rich wild boar ragu. Perhaps try the seafooddrink instantly became a hit and the cocktail of stew (linguine con scoglio), which is cooked under a bread crustchoice as the band performed 48 shows across then opened with the bread used as a pizza-style base. By now you32 cities in the US. will probably be wilting but carnivores will enjoy the slow-cooked beef cheek (guincale) on soft polenta served with roasted carrot.JOINING FORCES For those wanting a more relaxed Italian meal, Attico serves light lunches (antipasti buffet and a main course or dessert for aroundCHANGE is afoot at two of the star wine producers in Tasmania’s $25) - and many guests come specifically for the range of pizzas.Tamar Valley - Moores Hill and Native Point. Native Point Wines has Attico, 489 Sukhumvit Rd, Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok; phoneacquired a share in Moores Hill Estate and while one vineyard is +66 2 302 3333 or visit www.atticobangkok.com.located on the western side of the valley, the other on the east, thetwo family-owned businesses have several syntheses. Established SMART MOVEin 1997, Moores Hill Estate was purchased in 2008 by husband andwife, Julian Allport and Fiona Weller, and Fiona’s father Lance. The WINE Tasmania has named experienced viticulturist Paul Smart as3ha estate and cellar door is a popular stop on the Tamar Valley wine its new technical officer. Smart spent 10 years working at Pressingtouring route. After eight years, Lance has retired from the business Matters in the Coal River Valley and also has strong researchand his share has been purchased by Native Point Wines’ Tim and experience, including trials on clones, rootstocks and managementSheena High. Native Point is another 3ha vineyard at Swan Bay, of European wasps. He was the inaugural recipient of the Dr Donwhich they planted in 1999. In future, the two businesses will share Martin Sustainable Viticulture Fellowship in 2011. Smart has beenresources in vineyard management, fruit, winemaking, bottling, deputy chair (2014-2016) and a member of Wine Tasmania’ssales and marketing. The first joint project is the construction of a Technical Committee since 2012, and has been actively involvedwinery at Moores Hill Estate and bottling line at Native Point. “The in the development of the Tasmanian sustainability program.partnership brings together the experience and resources of both In his new role he will undertake activities focused on drivingbusinesses, and is a unique opportunity for us to accelerate the sustainable wine sector development, with particular attention togrowth of our vibrant wine business,” says Tim High. “Between us issues impacting on wine production and growth, in line with Winewe have significant experience in viticulture, winemaking, business Tasmania’s strategic plan.management and marketing. Combining our resources enables usto increase efficiency; and realise our long-held plans of runningour own winery.” Julian Allport, a qualified winemaker, will produceboth brands and said he is looking forward to making wine on-site,allowing control and quality to be the focus from vineyard to bottle.The on-site winery will enable Moores Hill Estate to expand itstourism offering beyond wine tasting in the cellar door.THAILAND’S TUSCAN TRIUMPHIT is the most unlikely restaurant discovery - a little slice of ruralItaly 28 floors above bustling Bangkok. The Thai capital has manyexcellent ethnic restaurants - French, Indian and Mexican amongthem, but Attico still comes as a very pleasant surprise, as muchfor its authenticity as its element of surprise. Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 13

briefsBUILDING ON THE GENERATIONS DAILY DESSERTSIT is 40 years since Robert “Bob” Stein, a young Sydney builder- CHOOSING a hotel in a strange city can be confronting, butcum-businessman and keen fly fisherman, turned his attention to Winestate contributor Winsor Dobbin was particularly taken bythe grape growing region of Mudgee in Central Western New South one in Bangkok that offers a free chocolate buffet every afternoon.Wales. He took inspiration from his German ancestors Johann and The Swiss-operated Movenpick Hotel Sukhumvit 15 Bangkok offersJacob Stein, and purchased and planted vines on a 30ha block of a daily dessert treat or two as well as being in the centre of theland north of Mudgee. In 40 years the Australian wine scene has action in the Sukhumvit district, walking distance to both Asokechanged markedly but the Stein family’s vines have continued to and Nana BTS stations as well as Sukhumvit MRT.thrive. Upon Bob’s retirement, son Andrew joined the winery to helpgrow the business. More recently, grandson Jacob has taken on The hotel is a few hundred metres down Sukhumvit Soi 15, butthe winemaking role and set new benchmarks. Three generations that means you have convenience plus peace and quiet. And thehave all played their part in the growth of Robert Stein Wines. hotel has free TukTuk taxis 24 hours a day to whisk you to either the corner of Sukhumvit Rd or Terminal 21 shopping centre. “We are quite proud of this achievement,” said Jacob Stein. “In1976 there were only around 300 wineries in Australia, with only a Hotel strengths include comfortable beds, an attractive rooftophandful in Mudgee. There aren’t too many wineries in the country swimming pool with bar service from the Rainforest bar, a well-that are 40 years old and still family owned. We’ve come a long way equipped gym and a quiet lounge area. There are 297 roomsand we’re looking forward to the next 40 years.” The family cellar, and suites with fast and free wifi access throughout the hotel.along with a motorcycle museum, is located on Pipeclay Lane in Movenpick Hotel Sukhumvit 15 Bangkok, 47 Sukhumvit 15,Mudgee and is open seven days a week from 10.00am-4.30pm. Sukhumvit Rd, Klong Toei Nuea, Wattana, 10110 Bangkok; phoneVisit www.robertstein.com.au. +66 2 119 3100 or visit www.movenpick.com/en/asia/thailand/ bangkok/bangkok/overview.FOCUS ON MALBEC AT HOME IN HOBARTTHE launch of a new boutique online wine club aims to bring TASMANIA’S newest cellar door is in a most unlikely location on amalbec from all over the world to Australian wine lovers. The busy road within walking distance of downtown Hobart. Glaetzer-Artisan Malbec site, www.artisanmalbec.com.au, was launched in Dixon Family Winemakers has set up shop - and their family homeSeptember with the aim of presenting its members with exclusive - in an old ice works on Brooker Ave, the busy main road that runsoffers and access to malbec from not only Argentina but other into the centre of Hobart from the north. Former Jimmy Watsonemerging producers and regions, including Chile, New Zealand, Trophy-winning winemaker Nick Glaetzer has been making wineSouth Africa, Australia and France. A unique combination of online in Tasmania for seven years, buying grapes from various vineyardswine retailer, wine club, and news and events hub, Artisan Malbec across the island, using space in other wineries such as Moorilla,was launched by Daniela Penno, a wine industry professional up the road in Berriedale, and selling direct to customers throughwith more than 15 years’ experience promoting Australian and his website.Argentinian wines to a global audience, and partner GermanFumis. “We are in search of those special malbec stories,” Penno “We increasingly felt that if you have a brand, you need tosays. “We want our customers to join us on this malbec journey have a face,” he said. Hence a two-year project to bring winesand explore the best collections of malbec wines available in to the people. Glaetzer-Dixon is open 11am-5pm Saturdays andthe market together. There are not many wine clubs in the world Sundays, and at other times by appointment. 93 Brooker Ave,focused on only one varietal. Niche businesses meet needs and Hobart; phone 0417 852 287.we want to offer all that you need to know about malbec trendsaround the world.”14 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016

briefsA SLICE OF ‘PARADISE’ years ago, French explorers sailed into Cygnet Bay and would have claimed Tasmania for France had they not been underTHE Huon Valley in southern Tasmania is a gourmet hotspot; the misapprehension that it was part of the mainland. Nameshome to several boutique wineries like Home Hill, Two Bud Spur, like Bruny Island, Freycinet and the d’Entrecasteaux ChannelSailor Seeks Horse and Stefano Lubiana’s recent acquisition, keep alive the memories of adventurers Huon de KermadecPanorama Vineyard, along with Willie Smith’s, Franks and Pagan and Bruni d’Entrecasteaux. Both cottages feature high-qualitycider. Now the region, 45 minutes south of Hobart, has luxury linens, original Tasmanian artworks, informative house booksaccommodation to match its other attractions. Two newly- and comfortable furnishings. The opening rate for the Writer’sopened luxury cottages at Frenchman’s River, a 90-ha cattle House is $345 per night while the Helmsman’s House is $365farm owned by McLeod’s Daughters and Hi-5 creator Posie per night for one couple. All introductory package bookings areGraeme-Evans and her designer partner Andrew Blaxland give for a minimum two nights and are subject to availability. Freethe region some accommodation with star quality. The couple dinner is included for the first night if requested. Frenchman’smoved to Cygnet almost a decade ago as Graeme-Evans’ River is at 130 Winns Rd, Cygnet; phone 0466 790 142 or visitsecond career as a novelist took off and they have now opened www.frenchmansriver.com.au.the Writer’s House and the Helmsman’s House to share theirlittle slice of paradise with visitors. Think private, beautifully CALIFORNIA CALLINGdecorated and appointed cottages, both with sweeping viewsof the Huon River below, delightful garden decks, birds of prey THE name says it all. Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills.overhead and a resident platypus in the dam. The southernmost First there is the location; right on Beverly Boulevard andregion of Australia is both wild and beautiful. If the setting is ruralthen the cottages are all country style, with roaring wood fires within a short stroll (this is one part of LA where you can stroll) ofand every little luxury from Netflix movies on tap on the Apple Melrose Ave, the boutiques of Robertson Boulevard and RodeoTV to Bose sound system, luxurious baths, and cupboards and Drive across the road from Macy’s and Bloomingdales. Shoppingfridges full of local gourmet treats (including a complimentary sorted. Within four blocks or so you’ll find Hollywood hangoutbottle of local wine, local Pagan ciders and a beer or two). The Ivy, where you can star spot while you wine and dine, asWell-organised guests will time their visit to coincide with one well as the top-notch wine bar AOC and legendary Italian eateryof Cygnet’s local festivals (a folk festival each January, the Locanda Veneta.Le Weekend festival celebrating the port’s links with Francein April, or the mid-winter lantern parade), or, perhaps, with There are 295 rooms, including 38 suites; and rooms start fromthe lively Cygnet Market (held on the first and third Sundays $US229 ($A300) a night. There is a swimming pool, businessof the month). It’s a hive of activity with local foodstuffs, arts centre, an (expensive) on-site So Spa and a very hip late night bar,and crafts. The name Frenchman’s River celebrates the little- Riviera 31, with entertainment and some intoxicating cocktails.known French history of the Huon region when, more than 200 Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, 8555 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, www.sofitel.com/Los_Angeles. Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 15

briefsBACK TO THE BEGINNING SYDNEY’S NEW STARTHE Pike family is synonymous with fine wines from the Clare Valley, MANY wine industry operatives spend a good amount of timeparticularly superbly crafted rieslings. flying in and out of Sydney Airport, but until now there has been no five-star hotel option. The Pikes also combine with the Joyce family to produce some The recently opened Pullman Sydney Airport, an ultra-modern,excellent Adelaide Hills wines under the Pike & Joyce label. The new-build hotel next to its budget sibling Ibis, fills an undoubtedPike link with the Hills stretches back decades and now brewer gap in the market.Alister Pike, son of viticulturist Andrew Pike, is reviving old drinksrecipes from the historic family brewery, starting with a “healthy” It is the 15th Pullman property across Australia and,tonic beer that can be mixed with gin. remarkably, the 700th hotel to join the Accor Hotels group’s rapidly expanding network in the Asia Pacific region. The “The family brewed beer until 1938 and then went on to do soft 229-room Pullman ticks most of the luxury boxes, particularlydrink and cordials,” explains Alister Pike, whose great-great- for guests arriving or departing from domestic terminals. It isgrandfather, Henry Pike, established the Oakbank brewery in 1886. a shiny, attractive, well-lit building with similarly charismatic and helpful young staff and modern sculptures, as well as free After the Pikes stopped brewing beer, the Tonic Ale was the only cookies at check-in.fermented drink they continued to produce. It was made with orangeand lemon peel, coriander seed, ginger and hops, and sold as a The bright, high-ceilinged lobby - with plenty of staff to aid“non-intoxicating healthy drink”. with baggage and check-in - merges into a lounge area and the Mobius Bar & Grill - a well-priced and stylish eatery with “Back then there wasn’t much scientific research - it’s really just an open-plan kitchen. Opening rates started at $229 per night.a lightly alcoholic soft drink with added botanical ingredients,” Pullman Sydney Airport, 191 O’Riordan St, Mascot; phone (02)explains Alister. “At a guess, the alcohol volume was around 8398 4600 or visit www.accorhotels.com.1.5 per cent.” In the late 1960s, when the Oakbank brewery was sold, thePike family interests moved to wine production in the Clare Valleyand the Tonic Ale recipe became part of the family memorabilia.After a stint working with Good George Brewing in New Zealand,Alister decided to join the family business in 2012 and help createa new direction for Pikes beer, which had been brewed undercontract since 1996. “I’ve been quite attracted to the idea of doing historical brews,”he says. “I had all these old labels that had been collected by thefamily over time and the Tonic Ale was always the beer that Pikeswas known for back in the day.” In 2014, the family decided to “take back the reins” and beginbrewing “in-house” in a purpose-built brewery at the Clare Valleywinery site, appointing head brewer Brad Nolen (ex-Mildura TheatreBrewing and Gage Roads Brewing) and Alister as assistant brewer. In addition to the sparkling ale, stout and pilsener lager alreadybeing made, Pikes has since released a pale ale, a Red Hefeweizenand a seasonal Belgian-style sour cherry beer called “kriek” whichis made with second-grade cherries and fermented in old shirazbarrels. It has also re-introduced the historic Tonic Ale. Alister says he plans to have a play with some of the Pikes historiccordial flavours to create new alcoholic beverages. “I can’t say exactly what it will be just yet, but there will definitelybe something new from the brewery next year,” he says. PikesTonic Ale is on tap at Osteria Oggi in Adelaide and the next batchof Pikes Kriek is due for release just before Christmas.16 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016

briefsAUSSIES SET FOR NZ CHALLENGE GOING GLOBALSAUVIGNON blanc firmly remains Australia’s most popular wine ENGLISH chef Jason Atherton has a global reputation andvarietal by value - and Australian producers are keen to challenge his Sydney outpost, Kensington Street Social, is pulling inNew Zealand’s popularity in the marketplace. big crowds of wine and food lovers. The re-birth of the Old Clare Hotel and surrounds as a gourmet precinct is part of the Nepenthe, located in South Australia, has just released its 2016 revitalisation of a suburb. Atherton rarely puts a foot wrong.Altitude Sauvignon Blanc and used the launch to spruik the merits of He has installed friend and former Heston Blumenthal alumniAustralian savvy. New chief winemaker James Evers says Australian Robert Daniels as the key man behind the pans, which makessauvignon blanc offers more tropical flavours and texture than NZ it worthwhile to grab one of the handful of bar-style seatssauvignon blanc and believes it can give NZ winemakers a real run overlooking the obligatory open kitchen.for their money. “Though New Zealand still holds the lion’s sharewhen it comes to the sauvignon blanc category, the Australian growth Daniels is a hands-on head chef - you might see him craftingsuggests that people are catching on to the fact that our style of gourmet hot dogs (“social” dogs with pork and fennel sausages, mustard and sprinkled black pudding), or perhaps a sourdough wine, in stark contrast to its flatbread (think delicious upmarket pizza) with mushrooms, New Zealand counterpart, taleggio, salmoriglio and parmesan. is more approachable, tropical and textural,” Evers Diners can choose between a $70 per person sharing menu says. Our sauvignon blanc or al a carte.The rotating wine list is designed to “appeal to is designed for our climate, everyone”, which means familiar names like Spinifex and our food and our way of life, Skillogalee jostle for space with hipster-friendly labels like Brash and consumers can taste Higgins and Jamsheed. its versatility. Australian winemakers can see the It’s an informal place where the food is taken seriously, with power of this varietal and a vague, affectionate nod to English school lunches. Brunches are throwing everything and light lunches are also available, and the service is slick but the kitchen sink at and assured. You can simply pop in for a glass of wine and a the winemaking process bar snack, or dine in some style. Kensington Street Social, 3 to make our style more Kensington St, Chippendale; phone (02) 8277 8533. exciting for consumers.” Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 17

briefs In August, this year, he unveiled his new venture, Andrew Buller Wines. He and wife Wendy have bought a historic local property, Cannobie, which adjoins Stanton and Killeen Wines at 352 Jacks Rd, outside Rutherglen. The couple has established a cellar door within the homestead and gardens on the 30ha property. As befitting a winemaking name with a strong connection to the region, among Andrew Buller’s first wines for his new enterprise is an excellent Rutherglen durif.MOVING ON CELEBRATING THE PIONEERSTHIS time it’s for real. Luigi and Athalie Bazzani have had their IN October, a Geelong Wine Industry Hall of Fame wasPyrenees-based winery and restaurant on the market for years, inaugurated, celebrating some of the great 19th centuryrefusing to let go of their life investment until the right person or pioneers of the region together with latter day “revivalists”.group was found. Pioneers to be inducted were David Pettavel and James Dardel,Despite many offers, they never discovered that perfect fit. Now, two of the many Swiss immigrants to the region who plantedthey can wait no longer. In September they placed Warrenmang the first grapes in the 1840s. Pettavel established the VictoriaVineyard and Resort, comprising a 123ha property, 29ha of Vineyard on 12ha at Waurn Ponds. Later he planted a vineyardvines, accommodation and restaurant up for auction. At the he named Prince Albert, which became an early pioneer oftime of writing, the auction had yet to be held, but Luigi, who pinot noir in Australia. Dardel established the Paradise Vineyardat 77 is looking forward to some down time, said he hoped at Batesford and by 1846 had planted numerous vineyardsthat the new owner would recognise the potential that exists throughout the region. After the phylloxera insect wiped outwith the property and the Warrenmang brand. The vineyard, the region in the late 1890s there were few attempts to rekindleoutside the township of Moonambel, was planted in 1974. In a wine industry until Dr Daryl Sefton and wife Nini founded1977, Luigi and his then business partner, Russell Branton, took Idyll Vineyard in 1966. They were soon followed by Melbourneover and enjoyed immediate success with a series of excellent businessman Stuart Hooper at Bannockburn. The Seftonsreds - cabernet sauvignon and shiraz. The planting of Italian red and Hooper were inducted into the Hall of Fame at this year’svarieties followed, another good move, capitalising on Luigi’s Geelong Wine Show as modern day “revivalists”.heritage as well as demonstrating the suitability of the grapesto the Pyrenees. This year he was awarded the Medal of the FROM BORDEAUX TO THE BUSHOrder of Australia for his contribution to the wine and tourismindustry in Victoria. “I CAME from Bordeaux to the bush,” said French-born winemaker Dominique Portet. “I was welcomed by (winemaker) David HohnenNEW BEGINNING and he took me to the pub. It was a very interesting experience!” His first days in the Pyrenees wine region may have required aIN July 2013 Rutherglen’s historic Buller Wines went into major cultural adjustment but as his career in wine reveals Portetliquidation. By the end of that year it had a new owner and a went on to have a sizeable impact on Victorian - and Australian -new start, leaving young Andrew Buller, the company’s long-time wine. He recently celebrated four decades in wine, first at Taltarniwinemaker, wondering about his own future. and now at his eponymous winery in the Yarra Valley, a long way removed from France and Chateau Lafite where his father Andre was technical director. Portet arrived in Australia in 1976 to take winemaking control at Taltarni vineyard purchased by American businessman John Goelet. By the 1980s his work with cabernet sauvignon and shiraz was drawing attention, his style a mix of Old and New worlds with structure, based on phenomenal tannins, a key to his early winemaking. He saw the potential for Tasmanian sparkling wine early, setting up the Clover Hill vineyard, and led the market in the 1980s with sauvignon blanc and rose sparklings. After retiring from Taltarni, a chance meeting in 2001 with Yarra Valley winemaker Dr John Midldleton saw him start afresh at Coldstream. In 2008 son Ben, joined him. “We had a few arguments sometimes,” he said at his recent 40th anniversary lunch. “But it’s nice to have a family business, to work with someone who understands, someone of the same background.”18 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016

briefs the Austin family outsourced winemaking to consultants. Meanwhile, Paradise IV winemaker Doug Neal will divide his time between his duties at Paradise IV and winemaking at Del Rios with owner Gus del Rio.SEEKING A NEW CHALLENGE SHIRAZ STEPS OUTCHANGES are afoot in the Geelong wine region in the lead-up COONAWARRA shiraz tends to assume second fiddle statusto the 2017 vintage, with Del Rios winemaker John Durham, behind the region’s flagship cabernet sauvignon. It’s justmoving down the road to join Austins & Co. the way it is but it doesn’t have to be. The Redman family, a name known to many Australian wine drinkers going back to Durham is well-known to many Australian wine drinkers. As the famed Woodley’s Treasure Chest series reds and Rougethe former long-time winemaker at Cape Mentelle in Margaret Homme, recently celebrated 50 years of Coonawarra shirazRiver, he was involved in the production of some of Australia’s with a grand tasting of every vintage. It was a moment formost celebrated cabernet sauvignons. In 2012, in search of shiraz to step out of cabernet’s shadow. When Bill Redmannew challenges, he took up winemaking at Del Rios Wines in first arrived in the region in 1901 it was fortified wine that mostAnakie. By moving to Austins & Co. he now becomes the first makers pursued. He is believed to have been the first to try hispermanent on-site winemaker the producer has had. Previously hand at dry reds, his ideal red a blend of two-thirds cabernet and one-third shiraz. It remained like that until a separate shiraz was made in 1966 by son Owen, with vintages through to the ’90s labelled as claret before being changed to shiraz in 1993. It gave the producer an unexpected edge with drinkers. “People told my father, ‘we love your Redman claret but we don’t like your shiraz’,” quipped winemaker Bruce Redman. “And they were exactly the same wines!” Compared to today, the early Redman shiraz were leaner, highish in acidity and tannins, but always showing the signature medium-bodied weight, bay leaf or mint and red fruit spiciness. “From 1976 onwards, the wines were pretty much made and sourced the same,” explained Bruce Redman. “We tinkered around the edges rather than making stylistic changes.” By the’90s, the alcohol content starts to rise, generous fruit flavours abound and there’s a palpable sense of concentrated power.wine-ark FOR COLLECTORS OF FINE WINE Wine Ark Provenance Program 19 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 Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E

europeanreport WORDS SALLY EASTON MWCOMING TO TERMS WITH THE CAVA CRISISHOW do you solve a problem like … cava? cava accounts for 90 per cent of total cava announced that this wine will not be Cava, Spain’s traditional method sparkling production. For “straight” champagne presented under the Cava DO appellation. (non-vintage) a minimum of 12 months’ lees Theirs is another well-known, respectedwine, made since the mid-19th century, ageing is required. Vintage champagne name. The reason reported was to allowhas lived long in the longer shadow of needs 36 months. greater blending opportunities, which givenchampagne. Its reputation has also long Torres’ interest in higher altitude vineyardsbeen as a cheap and (not even always) Few would deny cava has a tough gig. It’s in Spain, alludes to the company’s “moving”cheerful sparkling wine. reputation generally low, and cheap, despite program to find vineyards that are more being made by the premium traditional resilient to climate change. Yet it is made the same way as champagne method. But the huge growth in demand- the traditional method, indeed France and for sparkling wine ought to create some The second strand is to join a moreSpain are the biggest global producers opportunities for Spain’s sparkling wine to geographically restricted appellation.of traditional method sparkling wine. The improve its long-suffering image. Indeed, Fourteen producers joined Classic Penedes,vineyards are about the same size - about three developing strands are evolving, with which was launched at the end of 2014. This34,000ha each. But that’s probably it. mixed implications for cava. is a new category for traditional methodCava is made from grape varieties you’ve sparkling wines, from within the already-likely never heard of, and few of which are Having quality-minded existing appellation of Penedes. Here, thegrown elsewhere - macabeo, parellada and minimum ageing requirement is 15 monthsxarel-lo. This trio accounts for 80 per cent producers leave the on lees which automatically makes theof cava plantings. Chardonnay is next with wines “reserva” category. One of the aims9 per cent. appellation is not great of this group is to use only organic grapes which is hoped will be achieved by 2018. Production is not so dissimilar. Cava for improving the Producers in this group include the likes ofis heading towards 250 million bottles, Albet I Noya, Mas Comtal, and Cellers ATcompared with champagne’s nearer 310 reputation of cava. Roca. Classic Penedes makes its claim onmillion. However Australia’s interest is defined, delimited geography … movingvery different - way down the list of export The first is to leave the appellation towards a more terroir-based model thanmarkets for cava, 18th, with fewer than altogether. Quality producer Raventos i the current cava appellations allows.700,000 bottles. But Australia is the sixth Blanc left in November 2012, aiming tobiggest champagne export market, with establish a new, niche appellation called Having quality-minded producers leavemore than 8 million bottles. Conca del Riu Anoia. The river Anoia runs the appellation is not great for improving through Sant Sadorni d’Anoia - the epicentre the reputation of cava. It may make the Around 95 per cent of cava comes from of cava production. This is a solo venture region’s journey a longer one. The thirdPenedes, in Catalunya, about an hour west away from the umbrella of cava but within strand, one that does keep faith with theinto the Barcelona hinterland. The region the defined territory of cava. Their advantage cava appellation, has been the creation ofhas more of a Mediterranean climate than a is that theirs is a well-known and respected a new cava classification - that of Cava decool climate but Penedes does have varied name. The production rules are notably Paraje Calificado (qualified single estateterrain, with vineyards up to around 800m tighter than those for cava, for example, cava). This gives recognition to high qualityabove sea level (though many are between all estate produced and bottled using only cavas coming from specific terroirs. This200 and 400m asl). There is opportunity for indigenous grape varieties (chardonnay has category was launched earlier this year, withaltitudinal cooling. been allowed for many years), and insisting the first bottles expected on the market at on 18 months’ lees ageing rather than cava’s the end of 2016. There is an internal quality hierarchy, in minimum 9 months.the same way other Spanish appellations, Production rules for this single vineyardnotably Rioja, have. “Straight” cava (without Most recently Bodegas Torres has been designation require a minimum vine age ofany labelling addendum), must be matured maturing wine to enter the sparkling wine 10 years. Grapes must be hand-harvestedon its lees for at least nine months; reserva sector at the end of 2016. It was recently (not a requirement for other cava) andcava for at least 15 months, and gran yields are lower than other cava categories.reserva for at least 36 months. But theselatter two categories are small - “straight”20 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016

Fermentation must be done at the estate, the food.with a minimum maturation time on lees of 36 the wine.months (the same as for vintage champagne the experience.and six months more than cava’s own “granreserva” category). Additionally, they willonly be produced in a “brut” style. Knowledge of prestige cava certainlyneeds to be communicated. It certainlyexists. Some producers, who remainworking within the cava appellation, havebeen making top notch cava for manyyears. Notable quality producers includeGramona, Recaredo, Juve & Camps, andCasa Sala (which belongs to Freixenet, oneof the biggest two cava producers by somemargin). Some of their pre-existing cava,maybe up to 450,000 bottles according tothe cava regulatory board, already fulfils thebrief for this new top tier, so would be eligiblefor labelling this year. The regulatory board anticipates the newpremium category to reach around 1.5million bottles in around four years. Thiswould be around 1 per cent of total cavaproduction. Which is something vaguelyin the order of vintage port production tototal port production, so probably no badaspiration. Apart from Torres’ strategy, all thesestrands feed into another trend in Spanishwine - that of a closer relationship with terroir,with particular, defined, bits of land. It’s oneof the things that cava largely lacks: while 95per cent of cava comes from Penedes, theother 5 per cent comes from other parts ofSpain, though still specified. The fruit fromthese other regions can be blended with thePenedes-origin fruit and still be called cava. This terroir trend can also be likened to theincreasing interest in growers’ champagnes- those that are more closely aligned with an“estate” concept - made by the producer onthe estate from fruit coming from their own,owned vineyards, and reflecting, as muchas possible, that location. Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 21

winetutor WORDS CLIVE HARTLEYRIESLING DESERVES BETTERRIESLING remains an enigma of a grape It’s a funny old topsy-turvy world as Wales Kem Helm, from Helm Wines atvariety. It should be our most treasured once upon a time I could rely on Alsace Murrumbateman, is Australia’s unofficialvariety as it comes in all styles: bone dry rieslings being dry, but increasingly they ambassador for riesling, having beento lusciously sweet and is therefore a have some residual sugar. Germany responsible for instigating the Canberramatch for many dishes as well as being was once all off-dry or sweet, but International Riesling Challenge in 2000.able to mature in bottle for decades. now the highest quality wines are dry He puts clonal influence well behindThe only disadvantage is that it doesn’t through the excellent work done by the “place” as important factors in rieslingmarry with oak. Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweinguter styles. “Clonal variations on flavour Association and their GG wines. are not as great as ‘place’. The old But it still languishes in sales and as clone, that James Busby introduced ina sad addendum on some restaurant In the last 30 years 1832 from the Luxembourg Gardenswine lists. In fact Australia has grubbed in Paris, is grown in various locationsor grafted over 1000ha of riesling vines Australian rieslings have and produces varying flavour profiles.in the past five years and the variety However Geisenheim clones tend tohas slipped behind pinot gris into fifth traditionally been dry produce wines with more floral bouquetposition on the white varietal charts. no matter the climate or site.” with racy acidity, but in On a brighter note, Australia has the Riesling wine making is simple andfourth highest plantings of riesling the past decade we have so it allows the vineyard and regionalwith only Germany, France and the US characteristics to shine through. Helmgrowing more. Clare Valley still leads seen the rise of off-dry agrees: “Riesling shows its placethe way in plantings in Australia, with like no other variety. Climate, soil,Polish Hill and Watervale the two top styles similar to what our vine management, aspect, sunlightsub-regions. Other areas that have an penetration through the canopy andexcellent reputation for riesling include: neighbours do across the even companion plants near the vineyardEden Valley, Adelaide Hills, Strathbogie can influence the resultant wine flavourRanges, Mount Barker, Frankland River, ditch and in Germany. profile. I believe great rieslings are madeCanberra District and Tasmania. in the vineyard and the winemaker is the A lot of old riesling vines are registered custodian of the grapes. The winemaker In the last 30 years Australian rieslings as either the McWilliams clone or the has to gently take the grapes throughhave traditionally been dry with racy Pewsey Vale clone sourced from old the winemaking process and carefullyacidity, but in the past decade we have Australian vineyards. Eden Valley’s preserve the five months work that theseen the rise of off-dry styles similar Pewsey Vale is an historic name dating vineyard has done”.to what our neighbours do across the back to 1850 with the initial vineyardditch and in Germany. Dry wines still being planted by Joseph Gilbert. Vines Helm sources riesling from threemake up the majority of rieslings, but did not survive from that vineyard as regions - Murrumbateman, Orangewhile they were once carrying practically it was destroyed in the 1920s, but it and Tumbarumba. “Murrumbatemanzero residual sugar, they now contain a was subsequently replanted in 1960 rieslings have clean elegant acid,few grams. It is this hidden sweetness, and now produces what is one of layered mouthfeel, aromatic flavours andwell balanced with crisp acidity, that Australia’s iconic rieslings. In New South lingering finish. Orange rieslings haveis adding a palate flavour and texture more texture, citrus flavours and arewhich in my book has improved the not as aromatic. Tumbarumba rieslingsintensity on the palate.22 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016

have intensity of lemon and lime, with flowers. Aromatic wines that displaya floral nose and normally a lingering floral, rose petal, lychee and citrusfinish,” he said. aromas such as gewurztraminer, muscat a petit grains and riesling, contain higher Legendary South Australian winemaker levels of monoterpenes. Other lessJohn Vickery is probably best placed important monoterpenes found in rieslingto describe SAA rieslings. He once are geraniol, which provides floral ordescribed the Eden Valley style as rose petal aroma and lactone which“floral, steely, delicate lemony flavours”, produces lime aromas. These primarywhile Clare Valley has “more mouth aromas fade over time and anotherfilling flavours - citrus, orange blossom, controversial aroma compound calledlimes and not so much in the lemon 1,6,-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronapthalenespectrum. In the Barossa, riesling shows (thankfully we refer to this as TDN)by tropical, passionfruit, citrus and becomes dominant. TDN belongs to ageranium characters”. different group of aroma compounds called norisoprenoids. TDN has chemical Clare Valley is decidedly hot in aromas of kerosene, an unusual aromacomparison to other top riesling sites to be found in a glass of wine. Whenacross the globe. The grape likes a encountered, it can divide a room, withcool climate, so what’s going on? The some people finding it objectionablesuccess of riesling in this region is while others say it can add complexity.due to the topography, with vineyards Some research has pointed to TDNbeing located on hills and exposed being caused by the grapes beingaspects. Wind and cloud cover, as well exposed to water stress and sunburn,as altitude, and the direction of the rows and that shading the fruit can lessencontribute to achieving the right growing the effects of TDN, also inappropriatelyconditions for riesling. high cellaring temperatures can make it appear quicker. In Western Australia the Great Southernregion is a hotbed for riesling. Herethey seem to get more cooler eveningswhich retains acidity. Singlefile Winesmakes rieslings from both Mount Barkerand Porongurup sub-regions. “OurMount Barker Riesling is generallycharacterised by a tight mineral structurewith citrus characters,” comments seniorwinemaker Coby Ladwig. It’s the compound linalool that givesus the citrus and floral aromas inriesling. Linalool belongs to a group ofcompounds called monoterpenes. Thesecompounds are found in citrus fruits and Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 23

winetravel WORDS ELISABETH KING A TALE OF TWO CITIESMONTREAL is the definitive split personality top line-up of blondes, IPAs and porters. Two of the most irresistible attractionstown. On one hand it boasts patisseries as During Prohibition, many New Yorkers in Mile End can be found at the Espacegood as any in Paris yet glories in its own Nomad spa - the Lumberjack Facial anddown-to-earth culinary inventions such as hopped on a train to Montreal, rather than the Field & Stream Package, featuring apoutine, a million calorie combo of cheesy slink off to clandestine speakeasies. Old Swedish massage and a cold, organicfrites and gravy. The island city also plays Montreal is peppered with wine bars and beer afterwards.host to Just For Laughs, the world’s biggest the first port of call should be Accords.comedy festival, and the nightlife is so Located underground with historic stone Mile End was once the heartlandfull-on that locals feel a bit guilty if they cellars, you can sip your way through one of Montreal’s Italian and Jewishstay home. of the largest natural and bio-dynamic communities. Celebrity US chef Anthony wine selections in Canada. Mimi La Nuit is Bourdain always heads to Beauty’s Most tourists rightfully pay homage to Old another must-visit, tricked out like a new- Luncheonette when he’s in town. OpenedMontreal, the city’s historic district centred age speakeasy and specialising in expertly in 1942, tourists, revellers and budget-by the 17th century Rue St-Paul and Notre made cocktails, quality wines and refined conscious families line up for the Mish-Dame Basilica, the most spectacular share plates. Mash Omelette - full of frankfurters andGothic Revival cathedral in North America. salami - the house made milk shakesBut those in search of what makes modern Like every other major and the Challah French toast with mapleMontreal tick have a world of discoveries syrup. The original owner, 95-year-oldto choose from in the reinvented industrial Western city, hipster Hymie Sckolnick, still runs the show anddistricts on the edge of the city such as reinforces the authentic Jewish dinerMile End, Saint-Henri, Little Burgundy or and locally-patronised feel. True Montreal bagels - hand-craftednew foodie hangouts such as Griffintown. and wood-fire baked - are also one ofAt Le Fantome in Rue William, for example, wine bars dot both the foodie magnets of Mile End. Name-you’ll find food go-togethers that would rate check Le Viateur Bagel and Fairmonta fail anywhere else, but which soar off the gentrified and established Bagel bakery.pleasure scale such as peanut butter andjam sandwiches with foie gras. areas of Montreal. Yearning for an authentic poutine? Chez Claudette, open 24/7, not only serves up Montreal is ice hockey-mad, from local Like every other major Western city, the traditional version of frites, cottageteams to the much-vaunted Canadiens. So hipster and locally-patronised wine cheese and peppery gravy, there’s alsoit comes as no surprise that the craft beer bars dot both gentrified and established Italian and Indian takes on the hefty, fillingwave gripping the world is well to the fore. areas of Montreal. The one not to miss classic. Doctors warn that you shouldn’tThe city is full of craft beer bars, led by Le is the Pullman, close to the Place des go swimming for a week. Just kidding.Saint Bock. Offering one of the largest craft Arts in downtown. Sprawling over threebeer menus in Canada - up to 850 - some stories, there’s a large wineglass-shaped One of the most atmospheric places tobrews are made on site, but most listings in chandelier in the main bar and the stay is Casa Bianca, a 10-minute strollthe aptly-named Bible of Beer are imported telephone book-sized wine list details from Mile End in the neighbouring Plateauor produced locally. more than 450 bottlings. Another name district. Registered as an architectural to bookmark is Le Vin Papillon in Little landmark, the French Renaissance But the venue most often dubbed the best Burgundy, which focuses on organic Old Revival mansion dates back to 1912. Thebeer bar in town is Dieu de Ciel, which is World wines, many from Eastern Europe. original owner enjoyed the plush interiors,open seven days a week until the wee small detailed wainscoting and polished woodhours. The brews are constantly changing Globalisation has made the world a far floors for only five years. From the 1920swith up to 20 different craft beers on tap. more homogenous place. Sometimes to the 1980s, the majestic building, withOr head for Le Cheval Blanc, one of the you have to really seek out the different. its facade of white-glazed terracotta tiles,oldest micro-breweries in Montreal, with a served as Montreal’s first Jewish medical24 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016

clinic. Once more a family residence andfully restored, the historic B&B has beenreviewed by Travel & Leisure, Time Outand New York magazines. The Marie-Anne Suite, a two-room heritage haven,costs only $CAD249 ($A247) in the highseason.The location couldn’t be better, either.Nestled between St-Laurent Boulevard,Montreal’s cultural artery, Casa Biancais in the heart of the action, a stone’sthrow from Mont Royal Park, Mile End,McGill University and the swanky suburbof Outremont. Also close by is theBiodome, a spectacular panorama of thefour major ecosystems of the Americasfrom the frozen wastes of the north to therainforests of the south.Summer is obviously the best time tohead for Montreal, unless you’re intowindburn and air so cold it crackles. Butautumn is Quebec’s wine season and withthe harvests coming in, there’s some greatwine tourism trails just beyond the citylimits. The Brome-Missisquoi wine regionin the Eastern Townships is home to 20vineyards on a 140-km route, stretchingfrom Farnham to Pigeon Hill. It’s Canada,so many of the vineyards run a brisk linein ciders.Christian Barthomeuf and Louise Dupuisof Clos Saragnat in Frelighsburg not onlyoffer certified organic wines, they are alsothe creators of the world’s first ice cider.Dunham is home to a trio of vineyardsworth a detour. Award-winning cidersand wines can be savoured at UnionLibre Cidre & Vin. Join in the apple andgrape picking at Val Caudalies. Enjoy agreat meal before or after a wine tasting atextensive Vignoble de L’Orpailleur, whereyou can see the mountains of Vermont ona clear day. Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 25

winehistory WORDS VALMAI HANKELANDRE SIMON LEAVES NEW ZEALAND AND BRIEFLY RETURNS TO SYDNEYLAST time we left Frenchman Andre with everything one could wish for, from and to “home” at The Belvedere. DespiteSimon calling on New Zealand’s deputy oysters to ice cream”. The quality of the a long day he was not too tired to enjoyPM and commerce minister Jack Marshall meal was ensured by the organisers flying a “nice dinner of cold langouste as horson the last full day of his two-week visit to a top chef from Auckland to Wellington d’oeuvre and a tender tournedos whichthe country in February 1964. Marshall in the morning to supervise the buffet’s was, of course, bien garni”. Simon waswanted to know Simon’s impressions of NZ preparation and presentation. blissfully unaware that, back in NZ, therewines and his thoughts on the future of the had been a drama over his visa whichcountry’s viticulture. Simon must also have been impressed necessitated two Australian embassy by the wine - only one was served officials driving at 120km/h to get it to him. In his published account of his time throughout the evening - 1955 Perrier-there Simon did not mention any of his Jouet. Next morning Simon went to the A speech given in 1977 after Simon’sconclusions, but he did elsewhere, for New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation death by his best NZ friend and guide Frankinstance in correspondence with his friend studios where he recorded an interview Thorpy revealed some of his views on theand NZ guide Frank Thorpy, which we’ll with Graham Kerr, Wellington Wine and country’s winegrowing future. Chief amongcome to shortly. Food Society president. them was the advice that good wine can come only from good grapes and that good Later that morning Simon, together with I am very much afraid, wine can never be as cheap as poor wine.Thorpy and winemaker Alex Corban, These points were reiterated by both menmade another official visit, this time to see however, that in New in correspondence from the time SimonNZ tourist corporation GM E. C. Colbeck, left NZ in 1964 until his death in 1977. Forwho also happened to be the owner of Zealand, as in Australia, instance, in a letter Thorpy wrote to Simonthe Wairakei Hotel, where Simon had at the end of his NZ visit he emphasisedbeen lavishly wined and dined, and which it will be difficult to make that: “I shall certainly rub in on all occasionswas having catering problems. Simon I can the fact that the wines you liked mostwas agreeably surprised when Colbeck most or even many wine in New Zealand were those made from theproduced a bottle of 1955 Louis Roederer classical grapes”.to oil the discussion. Then Simon, Thorpy drinkers appreciate thatand Corban enjoyed “a simple lunch” at And later, not long before he died, SimonSimon’s favourite NZ restaurant, The Lodge, red table wines demand said that he hoped that the vignerons ofof “avocado pear, snapper, cheese and NZ would aim at quality not quantity: “I amfruit,” washed down with a bottle of Pradel and repay time. very much afraid, however, that in NewBlanc de Blancs and, with the cheese, a Zealand, as in Australia, it will be difficultbottle of 1955 Corban’s Cabernet. Simon’s final meal - lunch - was, as to make most or even many wine drinkers one would expect, at The Lodge. Simon appreciate that red table wines demand Simon then had what was left of the day to and four friends enjoyed “oysters, an and repay time”. He continued: “we knowrest before attending his final grand dinner excellent fricassee of chicken, poulet that time means money which is mostin NZ. The occasion was the affiliation in a l’ancienne, cheese and fruit”. Again, unfortunate for the red wines. I daresayLondon of the Wellington Wine and Food only one wine was served. Of course, in that young men like you (Thorpy was aboutSociety. Simon was the Society’s world Simon’s presence it had to be champagne 45 years old at the time) will live to seefounder, so it was especially appropriate - this time 1955 Pommery. science intervene with radar or some suchthat he should be present at the Wellington mysterious (to me) invention that will makeevent. The meal, again at The Lodge, was Simon reluctantly left The Lodge that red wines older in 10 seconds”.a “kebab barbecue” by the swimming pool. afternoon, praising the staff who “at allSurprisingly, it was the first time Simon had levels had been so good to me”. An hour or He was on the right track: the Australianencountered rain in his two weeks in NZ. so later he was on his way back to Sydney Wine Research Institute was working in theHe was impressed by the “very fine buffet general area fewer than 10 years later.26 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016

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RIESLING The recent renewedRONEBTHOEUND focus on riesling has led to winemakers around the world honing their skills with the variety.DAN TRAUCKICANBERRA is home to one of the coolest where to this day the vines struggle to is that the consumption of premium rieslingand most exciting wine growing areas in produce an intense wine. never really faded. Today, sales of qualitythe nation. Each October it becomes the riesling are robust and interest in the varietyhottest place on the planet for riesling - the The major low came about due to riesling’s is going from strength to strength.regal monarch of white grape varieties - popularity, the confusion caused by thewhen the Canberra International Riesling sweeter riesling wines being imported from In recent years there has been a seriesChallenge (CIRC) is held. Germany, as well as bland, sweet wines of seminars and a Master Class held in being labelled as moselle and hock - terms conjunction with the CIRC. To augment the The CIRC was conceived and created associated with German riesling despite there value of the Master Class, last year a newby renowned Canberra district winemaker being no riesling in the wines so labelled. feature was added, in that each year thereKen Helm, AM, in 2000. It started off as a is an in-depth analysis of one of the world’swine show dedicated to benchmarking Added to this was the fact that other white great riesling growing areas. The inaugurallocal rieslings against those of better varieties were being erroneously called region in 2015 was South Australia’s Clareknown riesling producing areas such as “riesling” in some areas. For example “Hunter Valley. In 2016, the Riedel Riesling Masterthe Clare Valley and the Barossa. Since riesling” which was semillon. Thus true Class was themed “41 Degrees and Furtherthen it has grown into an international riesling wines became labelled as “Rhine South”, which described the regionalchallenge where riesling from most of riesling” up until the turn of the century. As climates and featured wines from Newthe important riesling producing nations, a result, it was difficult for a wine drinker to Zealand (wines from Wellington, Nelson,including Germany, Austria, Australia, know exactly what they were getting when Marlborough, Canterbury and CentralFrance, Canada, the US and New Zealand they bought a bottle of “riesling”. Otago) and Tasmania (with seven wines,are judged by an international panel. The including the trophy winning Chartley Estateonly significant producer missing in 2016 In the late 1980s and early 1990s riesling 2016 Riesling). The Master Class highlightedwas Argentina. The aim of the challenge was deposed as “King of the white wines” the difference in the styles of wines made inis not only to award medals, but also to by the young usurper chardonnay, which these climactically different areas.benchmark the wines. in turn was deposed in the early 2000s by sauvignon blanc. One of the more interesting and touching The noble variety riesling has had an stories from this year’s CIRC was that ofinteresting roller-coaster history in Australia The next major high point from the variety Tasmania’s Chartley Estate. Last yearwith a number of highs and lows. The first came in 2000 when a group of Clare Valley Chartley Estate won trophies for Best Dryhigh occurred in 1952 when Colin Gramp, winemakers, spearheaded by Jeffrey Riesling, the Jim Murphy AM Perpetualof G Gramp & Sons Orlando winery, Grosset, started to bottle their rieslings Trophy, Best Riesling from Tasmania Tamarimported the first cold pressure fermenter under screwcap. Today, over 95 per cent of Valley Wine Route Trophy and Best infrom Germany which prevented the escape all Australian wine is sealed by screwcaps Australia ACT Government and Hyatt Hotelof carbon dioxide and allowed cold thanks to these forward thinking riesling Canberra Trophy with its 2014 riesling. Thistemperature fermentation. This resulted producers, and the rest of the world is was the first time that Chartley Estate hadin the first modern, non-oxidative riesling (slowly) catching on. They also pushed and won a trophy for its riesling, after having wonbeing produced in vintage 1953 and it was achieved changes to the wine laws so that several Gold medals in earlier years.one of the sparks for white wine drinking to only wines made using the riesling grapetake off in Australia, which rapidly went on could be called riesling, making the Rhine This inspired them to try harder, withto make riesling the “King of white wines” in Rhine Riesling superfluous and thus it has extra work being done in the vineyard toin Australia. Later, Orlando, under Gramp’s disappeared from our wine labels. help produce the best riesling possible.direction, dynamited the Steingarten They worked extremely hard on the rieslingvineyard out of a rocky hill behind its winery, Ever since King riesling was deposed block early in the season (early November) there have been rumours of a comeback or removing extra bunches and all the wings. revival. Every two to three years rumours do the rounds of the wine industry, but the reality28 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016

Then nature played its hand in January with in the NZ wine industry for over 30 years, CIRC was the most successful event yet,a massive storm that dumped 138mm of but she heads up one of the oldest family- with a near record number of entries andrain on the vineyard in two days, followed by owned wineries in the Marlborough region. amazingly with 72 per cent of entrantswarmer than normal nights. They were beset The London Sunday Times described her winning an award”. He went on to saywith botrytis, which meant they hand-picked as “The First Lady of New Zealand Wine”. “the international judging panel has beenand sorted just enough good grapes to Added to this impressive record, she was bolstered this year by the inclusion ofproduce around 40 per cent of their normal inducted into the New Zealand Wine Hall Germany’s Anne Krebiehl MW”.riesling output. While that is quite a story, the of Fame in 2013. However, above all ofbest part is that their massive effort paid off these achievements and honours, Hunter “The 2015/2016 vintages in the southernas they won the Best Riesling from Tasmania is passionate about riesling. To read more hemisphere and the 2014/2015 vintages inTamar Valley Wine Route Trophy this year. about Jane’s accolades and attitudes the northern hemisphere were sensational,” towards this variety see Michael Cooper’s he said. “The recent renewed focus on Another interesting story, was that of Jane profile piece, Riesling Royalty on page 30. riesling has led to winemakers around theHunter, managing director of Hunter Wines, world honing their skills with the variety.in Marlborough, New Zealand. Hunter In winning The Wolf Blass Foundation Wolf Now that more and more producers arewas this year’s recipient of the Wolf Blass Blass Award, she became the first New bottling their rieslings under screwcapFoundation Wolf Blass Award - awarded Zealander to join this elite band of riesling there has never been a better time to enjoybi-annually to a person or organisation in rock stars. The list of winners includes other riesling either fresh as a young wine, orAustralia or New Zealand who has made a riesling greats such as Colin Gramp, Brian to be stored away for many years to agemajor contribution to riesling development Croser, Peter Lehmann, John Vickery, Ken gracefully and be enjoyed as the longestand promotion. Not only has South Helm, Jeffrey Grosset and Louisa Rose. living of all white wines.” Australian born Hunter been an influencer Chairman Ken Helm, AM, said “the 20162016 Results Best Australian Museum, ActewAGL Best from the Canberra District, ACT Trophy: Chief Minister’s Trophy:Best Wine of the 2016 Challenge, Robert Syein Winery - Robert Stein Mount Majura Vineyard - Mount MajuraCanberra International Riesling Challenge Riesling 2009 Mudgee, New South Wales. Vineyard Riesling 2016 Canberra District.Trophy:Ferngrove Off Dry Riesling Limited Release Best Riesling from New Zealand, New Best Riesling from Tasmania, Tamar Valley2016 Frankland River, Western Australia. Zealand High Commission Perpetual Wine Route Trophy: Trophy: Chartley Estate, Chartley Estate RieslingBest in Australia, ACT Government and Glover Family Vineyard- Zephyr Riesling 2016 Tasmania.Hyatt Hotel Canberra Trophy: 2014 Marlborough, New Zealand.Ferngrove Off Dry Riesling Limited Release Encouragement Award for up and coming2016 Frankland River, Western Australia. Best European Riesling, German Australian Riesling Winemakers, Shaw Ambassador’s Perpetual Trophy: Vineyard Estate:Best Dry Riesling, Jim Murphy AM Weingut Georg Muller Stiftung - Tom Barry, Jim Barry Wines Clare Valley,Perpetual Trophy: 2015 Hattenheimer Hassel Riesling South Australia.Bird in Hand Riesling 2016 Clare Valley, Trockenbeerenauslese VDP GROSSESouth Australia. LAGE - Rheingau, Germany. Wolf Blass Award, Wolf Blass Foundation: (Awarded biannually to a person orBest Sweet Riesling, Australia Post Trophy: Best American Riesling, USA Embassy organisation in Australia or New ZealandWeingut Georg Muller Stiftung - Perpetual Trophy: who has made a major contribution to the2015 Hattenheimer Hassel Riesling Red Newt Cellars - Tango Oaks Vineyard development and promotion of riesling):Trockenbeerenauslese VDP GROSSE Riesling 2013 Finger Lakes, USA. Dr Jane Hunter CNZM, OBE, PhD (Hon)LAGE - Rheingau, Germany. Hunter Wines Marlborough, New Zealand. Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 29

RIESLINGROYA LT YMICHAEL COOPERJANE Hunter is no stranger to top accolades, competition success. In 1986, Hunter’s develop grace and complexity over time.but last October, the most famous woman Rhine Riesling - as it was then labelled - was In 2013, the 2012, 2009 and 2006 vintagesin New Zealand wine was delighted to win the only gold medal winner in its class at claimed the same trophy.the Wolf Blass AM Award at the Canberra the National Wine Competition (now the AirInternational Riesling Challenge. New Zealand Wine Awards). Trans-Tasman Jane Hunter’s career has been just as success began when the 1993 and 1994 impressive, being awarded an OBE in 1992 The award is presented biannually to a vintages of Hunter’s Marlborough Riesling for services to the wine industry, followed inperson or organisation from either side scooped gold medals in Sydney, Canberra 1997 by an honorary doctorate in scienceof the Tasman who has made a major and at the National Wine Show of Australia. from Massey University for her “outstandingcontribution to the development and contribution to the wine industry”. In 2003promotion of riesling. Hunter, the first NZ- Acclaim has been ongoing. Five years she won the inaugural Women in Winebased winemaker to achieve the award, ago Hunter’s rieslings from the 2010, 2007 Award at the International Wine and Spiritsfound the recognition “humbling. Riesling and 2004 vintages won the inaugural Competition in London. In 2009 she wasis a ‘silent’ star for Hunter’s…” Heritage Rose Bowl at the Royal Easter made a Companion of the New Zealand Wine Show, judged in Auckland, in a Order of Merit, and in October 2016 she Hunter’s, one of Marlborough’s oldest category designed specifically to reward was given a Lifetime Achievement Awardwineries, has made riesling since its wines that have proven their ability to by the regional industry organisation, Winefirst 1982 vintage, with a long history of Marlborough. Yet when Jane Hunter came to NZ (as Jane Arnold) in 1981 she wanted to “get away from the wine industry” and is adamant that if the managing director’s position at Hunter’s “had been offered to me as a job, I’d never have taken it on”. Born in 1954 at Barmera, on the banks of the Murray River, Jane was brought up in the South Australian wine industry - her father, his brothers and Jane’s cousins all grew grapes in the Riverland. As a child Jane recalls “waking up to the singing of Greek and Italian vineyard workers. We would take them straight from the boat and they would sing, chatter and laugh,” she says. After a short period studying animal husbandry, she switched to viticulture, graduating with a degree in agricultural science from the University of Adelaide. NZ beckoned when she needed to do practical work towards her degree. “I liked NZ. We had friends with a kiwifruit farm at Te Puke and I came back each year,” she says. After a two-year stint running a restaurant at Waikanae, north of Wellington, Jane went to Marlborough in 1983 to take up a new post as Montana’s chief viticulturist.30 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016

we’ve builthunter’saroundthe nameand i’m theonly onewith thename.The next year she met Ernie Hunter at a travelling overseas has helped a lot. We’ve viticulture and oenology, and has workedtasting. “It was love at first sight,” she says. built Hunter’s around the name and I’m the vintages in the Riverland, the Yarra Valley,They married a year later. “We couldn’t only one with the name.” Victoria and Bordeaux. The company’smarry sooner because the vintage lasted annual output has grown to about 100,000and lasted. Father had booked to come “Very organised” is how Gary Duke, cases, exported to over 20 countries.over, so we married here in the garden on Hunter’s winemaker from 1991 until 2015,Sunday afternoon. Next morning it was describes his former boss. “She gets hold If you ask Jane about her strengths andback to the vintage.” of an idea and really goes for it, paying very weaknesses, she replies frankly: “I can be good attention to detail, from A to Z. And fairly short-tempered and dogmatic. I enjoy An ebullient Ulsterman, Hunter had she works hard to keep a quality image.” management and I’m good at delegating,bought land at Blenheim in 1979 and which lets me get on with planning... Iin 1982 plunged into commercial wine Following Duke’s retirement last year, always plan five years ahead.” production under his own label. Turning Jane’s nephew, James Macdonald, washis formidable energy to export Hunter appointed as winemaker. After working Top: Jane Hunter of Hunter’s Wines, Marlborough.successfully shipped thousands of cases of in Hunter’s vineyards and winery from Left: Jane with Wolf Blass receiving the Wolf Blass AMwine to the UK (winning critical acclaim at a young age, Macdonald graduated Award at the Canberra International Wine Show 2016.London wine shows), the US and Australia. from Lincoln University with a degree in Following her husband’s early death ina car crash in 1987, Jane thought aboutleaving the region. “But then I thought,‘What’s the point? We worked so hard tobuild it up. It would have been a waste ifI’d walked away’.” The charismatic Ernie Hunter hadestablished Hunter’s as a “person” winery,a tradition Jane at first had to work hard touphold. “I used to find it difficult, being somuch quieter than Ernie,” she recalls, “but Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 31

32 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016

Blushwith Fame Demand DENIS GASTIN rosé in Australia in 2015 totalled 785,000 For Rosé Is cases, almost doubling since 2006. But WAY back in 2004 I was quoted in a rosé sales still account for only 1.5 per cent Growing feature story in an industry magazine of all still wine sales. And Wine Australia, As A New wondering why there was only a handful which has only been collecting separateGeneration Of of wineries in Australia making rosé, when rosé production statistics in the past two Wine Lovers it is such a well-established style globally years (it was previously included in the red Discover and our diverse multicultural food spectrum wine category), actually recorded a 23 per The Unique has long been creating palate matching cent fall in local rosé production in 2015. Flavours Of requirements that shout for rosé. So it is imported rosé that is doing best The Locally in the market at present, with the shelves Produced The industry’s then view was that, in the major retail chains confirming this. Version. basically, there were two categories of Imported items make up roughly half of all wine - red or white, nothing in between. I put rosés stocked. that down to the Mateus factor - the recoil from the soft and semi-sweet Portuguese But don’t give up on the local industry rosé that was the No.1 wine in the world yet. There are certainly impressive moves in the 1970s, loved by the preceding in the right direction. Discerning drinkers generation here but avidly avoided by are showing a lot more interest in serious the newbies. At that time, with only a few rosé and local winemakers are showing exceptions, wineries that were still doing more determination in matching that with rosé in Australia were offering a local tag of innovative products. OK, it has not yet Mateus - light pink, semi-sweet wines from reached the level that the cool commentaries grenache or shiraz. on the “brosé trend” (men increasingly succumbing to rosé) would have us think, With this story we were trying to get the but don’t give up, it’s still coming. industry to open up its thinking and get moving on what we saw as a bountiful There are a handful of serious local business opportunity for them - given rosés with long-established loyal customer careful attention to style and effective support bases such as Charles Melton’s marketing. There was a lot of feedback, Rosé of Virginia, Turkey Flat’s Rosé and including from winemakers saying that they Rockford’s Alicante Bouchet. Wines in the were going to give it a try. drinking mainstream since the 1980s, with a serious consumer following. Well, things have certainly changed since then. Statistics from the International Wine and Spirit Record show that sales of Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 33

There is an It is interesting to now see, increasingly,increasing number of rosé made from both red and whitethinking winemakers varieties, rather than just the pink free-run versions from mainstream red grapes that experimenting with have been the most common form of rosé very different rosé in Australia. options. One standout, for me, that made me re-think the potential for the style, is the34 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016 David Franz Red Rose, which I discovered purely by accident in the early 2000s. It has been, until very recently, something that just a handful of drinkers were enjoying, made each year by Barossa artisan winemaker David Franz Lehmann. He kicked it off with tiny batches using both red and white grapes in the family nursery vineyard that had been virtually going to waste. And it has got to be one of the most interesting Australian wines now - containing no less than 108 different grape varieties. He called it Red Rose because he didn’t want it to be seen as a conventional rosé, rather, as something in-between. That’s the colourful end of the spectrum, pardon the pun, but back in the mainstream there is an increasing number of thinking winemakers experimenting with very different rosé options. There are more “orange” wines appearing in the broadly defined rosé category. A good example of this is the Canberra Wine District’s Eden Road Winery’s Long Road Pinot Gris. You’d expect a pinot gris to be white but the skins of this variety are dark grey (gris) and a moderate amount of skin contact during maturation gives the wine a light apricot colour and a firmer palate texture than a white pinot gris. Pinot noir is increasingly appearing as a serious “alternative” style beyond pink. Tasmanian winery Delamere, a pinot noir specialist, has had a rosé from this variety for many years. It is now adding further dimensions to this variety in rosé form with a just-launched premium special release in honour of a long-standing family friend and French rosé lover, John Hurlston. The 2015 Hurlo’s Rosé sets out to “tell the story of the unique quality of pinot noir rosé”, with a recommended ageing potential of

10 years and, for rosé, a surprising pricetag of $80 per bottle - that’s serious! Only60 dozen have been produced. A more surprising example is theSchmolzer & Brown 2016 Pret-A-Rosé. Itis a blend of pinot noir and sangiovesefrom the cool-climate Alpine Valley andBeechworth. The 2015 also had a bit ofshiraz. First, it is not pink, as you wouldexpect from these varieties but, rather,light orange. This is a serious drinkingwine, not a “refreshment”. The other encouraging trend is theincreasing number of rosés from respected,experimenting winemakers, working withvarieties that end up in rosés in othercountries but not here, until very recently. Winestate’s most recent rosé tastingdemonstrates the extent to which varietaldiversity is re-shaping this style category.There were a fantastic 80 entries. Amongthe single variety entries there were ninestraight pinot noirs, underlying a strongtrend in this direction, an alicante bouchet,a durif, a nebbiolo and a tempranillo, aswell as the more conventional grenacheand shiraz. And, interestingly, a merlot -the Bonking Frog from Geographe, WA- was equal top in category. It is so good to see all this experimentation.But, for me, there is one variety that is stillnot getting the attention it deserves as aresource for outstanding rosés and that iscabernet franc. It is, of course, the corevariety for the some of the world’s finestrosés - from Anjou and Chinon in France’sLoire Valley - and is used elsewhere aswell. But only rarely in Australia. Oneexample that has really stood out for meis Hunter Valley winery James Estate’sReserve Rosé. Cabernet franc tends togive rosé a more pronounced perfume,with tinges of raspberry, blackcurrantsand violets, and a firm, crushed raspberry-seed palate finish. I’d love to see lots moreof these. Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 35

Mossgreen-Webb’s and Mossgreen set FINE &the standard for well-cellared and highly RAREsought-after wines from around the world WINES The Fine & Rare Wine Department offers rare and vintage champagnes, wines from the Bordeaux and Burgundy regions, Sauternes, Italian wines, ports, spirits and cognacs. Fine Wines are offered from the leading wine regions of the world as well as from New Zealand’s and Australia’s most celebrated winemakers. Led by Michael Katoa and Reece Warren, our experienced specialists come with diverse backgrounds in Viticulture and Oenology. Buyers can be confident that all the wines offered have been carefully inspected. We are happy to provide advice on forming a collection and on cellar management as well as to make recommendations on wines for investment, laying down or current drinking. For those consigning, we provide valuations and advice to prospective consignors on how to maximise the value of your wine. With regular live and online auctions, and offices in Auckland and Melbourne, we fully encompass the market for fine and rare wine in Australasia. We are now seeking consignments for our 2017 auctions. Please contact a specialist for a complimentary auction valuation. NEW ZEALAND: Reece Warren [email protected] +64 9 524 6804 AUSTRALIA: Michael Katoa [email protected] +61 3 9508 8888 23–25 Falcon Street, Parnell, Auckland 1052 www.mossgreen-webbs.co.nz 926–930 High Street, Armadale, VIC 3143 www.mossgreen.com.au

Special Awards Feature 2016 Featuring the winners and placegetters for each varietal category tasted throughout the year. Plus profiles of the Australian and New Zealand winemaker and wine company of the year.

W I N E S TAT E - W I N E O F T H E Y E A R AWA R D STHE JUDGINGBEST OF THE BESTJUDGES OUR Wine of the Year Awards judging is the Selection Noble 2015. Not surprisingly Aussie pinnacle of our year’s tastings where four-and- winners were in the Fortifieds, Semillon, Stephen John a-half and five-star wines are returned for a Riesling, Sweet Whites and Alternative Whites Andrew Wigan re-evaluation by a senior panel of judges. The and Reds categories. Chardonnay, Sparkling Mark Robertson aim was to come up with the top five wines and Cabernet are often an arm wrestle Peter Simic from 13 varietal or style categories. After an between the two countries but this year the amazing amount of wines judged in Australia Aussies prevailed. and in New Zealand (with Michael Cooper’s Our Winemaker of the Year and Wine New Zealand panels) throughout the year we Company of the Year for both Australia and ended up with 400 wines that made the cut. New Zealand was selected from the highest In what is effectively a Trophy judging, our scores achieved across a number of different expert judges were then tasked with picking wines rated throughout the year; the top blind one winner in each category. After this five different wines for Winemaker and the all winners were returned to select an overall top 10 different scores for Wine Company. winner to be Winestate’s Wine of the Year. Interestingly while there is an overlap of This year an Australian wine won the top companies and winemakers in these awards, award, beating out NZ for the overall Wine of the smaller requirement for winemaker allows the Year status. for smaller companies to be involved or Our judging panel this year included regular even regional winemakers from the bigger chairman Stephen John, Chief Winemaker companies. You will also note the amazing for the Wine Group Australia and owner of consistency from stand-out winemakers who Stephen John Wines; Mark Robertson, Chief feature multiple times in the top five nominees Winemaker Treasury Wines and former Chief throughout these awards. Winemaker and Matua Valley (NZ); Andrew Overall we recommend these great wines Wigan, former Chief Winemaker of Peter that are presented in this issue; truly great Lehmann Wines and Peter Simic, Editor & examples of among the best that are Publisher, Winestate Publishing. Stephen has produced Down Under! now been the regular Winestate chairman Cheers, for the past 17 years, an astonishing effort, which we greatly appreciate. His experience Peter Simic is unparalleled as a former senior judge on Editor/Publisher the Australian Wine Show Circuit, following experience as the Chief Red Winemaker for Winestate Magazine would like to take this Seppelt and the Chief White Winemaker for opportunity to thank our major sponsors for Wolf Blass Wines. their ongoing support. This year, as always, we had some nice surprises. We have already mentioned the • Adelaide Convention Centre Aldi Best Value Winner (in my editorial page • DW Fox Tucker 11) but another big surprise was the Shiraz/ • Hamburg Süd Syrah of the Year going to a Kiwi Syrah, the • Transtherm / Vintec Church Road McDonalds Series Hawkes Bay • Pulpit Cellars 2014 Syrah. What’s going on? Isn’t it enough • APT to hand over the Tri-Nations trophy to the All • Gantley’s Restaurant Blacks every year? As usual New Zealand • Wine Assist scores around four trophy winners on average • Nillumbik Cellars and this year was no exception. • Trenton / Luigi Bormioli Winners were the aforementioned Church • Aldi Stores Road Syrah (also our New Zealand Wine • Classic Oak of the Year), Saint Clair Pioneer Block 3 43 • Orora Glass Degrees Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc; Akarua Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014 in that category and Alpha Domus AD Noble38 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016

CHAIRMAN’S THE CLASSES COMMENTS IN BRIEFSPARKLING SWEET WHITE TABLE WINEA great class of diverse styles ranging A very small class of varying luscious styles.from very alert, fresh Blanc de Blanc styles Top wines showing excellent influence ofto lovely rich, complex wines. These are botrytis, with good sugar/acid balance.world-class wines. Elegance, complexity, Incredible unanimity with results by theflavour, length and balance, with excellent judges.mousse in one package. The top wine wasoutstanding. FORTIFIED Australia must have the greatest collectionALTERNATIVE WHITE of beautifully matured fortifieds in the world.Presented with six varieties within the The custodian winemakers are doing aclass. Obviously great diversity of styles. brilliant job in maintaining freshness andAll excellent examples of each variety with continuity of style. The top wines are ancient,differing winemaking approaches. The top complex icons.wine was an excellent traditional marsarnefollowed by a very impressive fiano. ALTERNATIVE RED An interesting and challenging classRIESLING to judge. Thirty-three excellent winesAn exceptional class to judge. Thirty-five representing 12 varieties. Sangiovesetop-class rieslings. Possibly the best and and merlot were disappointing, howeverbiggest class we have judged under this montepulciano was very well representedbanner. Unanimous top wine. Epitome with beautiful bright, fleshy styles.of Australian riesling - brilliant colour,freshness of varietal fruit, vibrancy, layered PINOT NOIRand textured. The runner up was a pristine, Fantastic to see the consistency of style andyouthful wine with a big future. It is obvious quality being presented with this variety. Athat a lot of time and effort has been put big class of delicious world-class wines.into these wines, and is a credit to the Intensity of varietal fruit was the winningwinemakers. edge in the top wines, with texture, elegance and balance a feature.SAUVIGNON BLANCAn exciting class to judge. Differing styles CABERNET SAUVIGNONdominated by New Zealand wines. Great to A very big class of superb wines. Fifty persee differing approaches by winemakers to cent of the exhibits were seriously vyingthis variety. There appears to be a swing to for a top five position. The top wine wasthe more approachable tropical styles, with virtually a unanimous decision. A text bookmore restrained assistance of sweetness. example of cool-climate cabernet. Structure, depth, varietal fruit, freshness and richness,SEMILLON combined with very clever use of excellentA small class of the iconic “Australian” oak was a feature of the top wines. It wassemillon and a pleasure to judge. All superb disappointing to see several wines withwines, with the top wines divided by degrees “bret” creeping back.of excellence. SHIRAZCHARDONNAY What an incredibly enjoyable andAnother superb class of 31 of the best demanding task - top five wines from 120chardonnays on offer. The top 12 were exhibits! Brightness of fruit, structure,exceptional, with common descriptors used restraint and balance was the winningby the judges of “elegance, oak balance, formula. The top wines shone out above thecomplexity, freshness”. Many stylistic pack. Good to see alcohols under control.changes have been evolving over the last The winning wine was a real class act.few years to produce more approachable Cool-climate influence, balance, stylistic,wines which is becoming wide spread fresh oak complexity, bright fresh fruit withacross all price points. subtle intensity.*All technical details for the Wine of the Year Special Stephen JohnFeature are supplied directly from each winery. Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 39

AUSTRALIAN Wine of the YearTWICE IS NICELAKE BREEZE’S FOLLETT Greg Follett is Lake Breeze’s winemakerFA M I LY H A S A L O N G and his brother Tim manages the vineyards.TRADITION IN PRODUCING The first vines were planted in LanghorneCLASSIC CABERNETS AND Creek in 1850. In the 1880s Arthur FollettTHIS YEAR IT HAS AGAIN also planted vines there and the Follett familyWA L K E D AWAY W I T H T H E has been growing grapes in the region everTOP AWARD. since. The grapes were always on-sold to the big guns of the wine industry to improve redJOY WALTERFANG blends from other wine regions. It wasn’t until the 1990s the family decided to build its ownLAKE Breeze’s 2012 Arthur’s Reserve, a had been a couple of months since he had winery and cellar door, and start producingcabernet blend from Langhorne Creek, has tasted the 2012 Arthur’s Reserve, but he its own label.been crowned Wine of the Year for 2016. remembered it vividly. “We thought it wasThe last time a cabernet sauvignon made a fantastic wine and it surprised us that it The 2012 Arthur’s Reserve, named afterit to this exalted position was back in 2010. came from Langhorne Creek because it the vineyard’s founder, is a blend of 86 perThe winner then wasn’t one of your classics had so much depth and power, and was cent cabernet, 9 per cent malbec and 5 perfrom Coonawarra or Margaret River, but was beautifully structured,” he said. “It had the cent petit verdot. With those proportions italso a Langhorne Creek cabernet and it was balance and elegance of a cool-climate could have been legitimately labeled andalso Lake Breeze with its 2007 vintage that wine. It was beautiful.” entered as a straight cabernet, but as Gregtook the prize. explained: “Those two other varieties play a While Langhorne Creek might not be big role in the finished wine; I wanted them For a wine to become Wine of the Year it considered a cool-climate region, situated to have recognition, too”.has to be absolutely outstanding; it has to as it is just an hour’s drive south-east ofstick out head and shoulders above every Adelaide, its climate is cooler than its In Bordeaux, cabernet, the red grapeone of the thousands and thousands of wines geographical position would suggest. Warm of the region, is traditionally blended withtasted by Winestate in one year, regardless summer days are moderated by cooling merlot or cabernet franc and sometimesof the variety or style - that’s one tough call. breezes that come in off nearby Lake small quantities of petit verdot and malbec Alexandrina creating long, even, ripening to produce those wonderful aristocratic When I spoke with Stephen John, 2016 periods for the grapes. classics that can set you back a king’sWine of the Year chairman of judges, it ransom for one bottle. “I think merlot suits the cabernets from very cool climates, but we find it doesn’t add anything to our blend - not the merlot that we have down here anyway,” Greg said. “Whereas petit verdot gives the40 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016

wine a lovely aromatic perfumed violet lift, “Lake Breeze has weeks in March; we picked the fruit foradds tannin structure and creates palate 50-plus year-old the 2012 Arthur’s Reserve on the 12thlength. That’s what I am after, a wine with cabernet vines of March!”exceptional flavour length.” growing on those flood plains with As for the actual process of making the The 2012 Arthur’s Reserve has been their roots happily wine… “It sounds a bit boring,” Greg said.clocking up the gold medals at wine wriggling in deep, “But really there are no major secrets to itshows around the country at a rapid rate, rich, alluvial soils.” - it really does come down to the quality oflast count I think it was nine, and it won a the fruit and picking it at the right time. Wetrophy at the 2015 Adelaide Wine Show. “I try to get the most out of them because they use small open fermenters and keep thebelieve the 2012 vintage is up there with are producing such magnificent fruit,” Greg cabernet on skins between eight and 12one of the best vintages we have ever said. But there are understudies waiting in days. Then the wine finishes fermentationhad,” Greg said. “Although the 2012 crops the wing. “We have 25 to 30-year-old vines in barrels and spends the next 20 monthswere lean, the quality was exceptional.” waiting in line to take over from those old in oak doing its own thing. For the Arthur’sIn contrast there was no 2011 Arthur’s vines one day,” Greg said. At the moment Reserve we use between 90 - 100 per centReserve because it was such a poor year. fruit from those “younger” vines goes into new French oak. The wine is designed for the Lake Breeze straight cabernets that are long-term ageing. Langhorne Creek sits on the flood plains also doing very well on the show circuit.of the Bremer and Angus rivers. Lake “Cabernet can be a tricky variety toBreeze has 50-plus year-old cabernet “I make the call when it’s time to pick the grow well, it needs the right area, thevines growing on those flood plains with fruit and my brother and his team oblige. right conditions and the right soils. I thinktheir roots happily wriggling in deep, rich, I have been known to give them as little cabernet is the best thing we do downalluvial soils. This is where fruit for Arthur’s as 10 minutes notice - that’s how crucial here,” Greg concluded. A fact that will beReserve is sourced. the timing is - much to their frustration! confirmed when the Folletts find out they We don’t handpick cabernet, it would have won Wine of the Year, yet again, with The flooding is essential to carry the be a nightmare, because bunches are their cabernet. vines through the dry summer months. pretty small. We selectively harvest withThrough a system of flood gates and the machine - nice and slowly.banks the water is diverted on to thevineyards where it remains for one or two “Historically we picked our cabernet indays saturating the clay sub soils. It is an April, then it came back to the last twoirrigation system that has been workingwell in this region for over 130 years. Like everything, vines have a use-by-date. “Yields from our old cabernet vinesare dropping back a bit these days, but we Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 41

AUSTRALIAN winemaker of the yearSHAVAUGHN WELLS, SALTRAMDESTINY PLAYS ITS PART“The unique expression of each sub region allows us to craft wines that truly reflectthe Barossa’s distinctive character.”NIGEL HOPKINS acclaimed Saltram chief winemaker Nigel Dolan who, along with Saltram winemaker Caroline Dunn, Wells sees as two more of her key mentors.IF Shavaughn Wells had listened to her careers advisor at school shewould never have become Winestate’s Winemaker of the Year. “Nigel had a great understanding of the Barossa,” she says, “and had an amazing knowledge of Saltram’s history. He taught me not to The truth is she never really had a choice, never considered any be afraid of wine’s natural tannins and showed me how to pull themother career given her earliest years spent hanging around wineries, all together into a wine like (Saltram) No 1. He was very passionatesurrounded by vineyards in Merbein, near Mildura. about that. Her grandfather, Syd Wells, was a winemaker before taking on the “He also had a great passion for Barossa cabernet, something that Irole of managing director of Mildara Wines in the 1950s and 1960s, think all Saltram winemakers fall into line with quickly. Because, whenwhile her father grew grapes that he sold to the same company. But she you see the quality of the fruit and the wines that we make, I thinkcredits her grandfather for nurturing her early interest in wine - it must Barossa cabernet has a touch of the underdog, but in terms of thehave been those stolen sips from her grandfather’s glass that began longevity of the wine it’s amazing in the right vintage.”what has become an enduring passion for winemaking. Wells says she was fortunate to work very closely with Dunn, “an After a spell at boarding school, and despite the advice of her amazing person with a terrific palate, great attention to detail and ancareers advisor - “winemaking wasn’t a popular choice for girls at that extraordinary ability to see where a wine was going to end up; thetime” - Wells was accepted into the oenology course in the final year end result.”of Adelaide University’s famous Roseworthy campus before movingon to the Waite Campus in Adelaide. In 2008 she was a winner of the coveted Len Evans Scholarship, which further broadened her understanding of Australian and international “The course had such an amazing reputation and it was all that I’d wines. “This was an amazing experience in terms of the wine exposure.hoped for and more,” she says. Not surprisingly, she did her vintage All these thing work together in helping you to form wines in your mindexperience as part of the course at Mildara’s Merbein winery and on and that throws out a challenge,” she says.graduating in 1998 she followed in her grandfather’s footsteps as anembryonic white winemaker at Merbein. Wells believes the Barossa is a fascinating place to work with shiraz, and Saltram, as the only winery in Treasury Wine Estates corporate It wasn’t long before red wines lured her to Mildara’s Coonawarra portfolio to use solely Barossa-grown grapes, the right winery to be with.winery, taking advantage of the opportunities provided by Mildara towork in different regions and gain new experience. Then in 2000 it was “The unique expression of each sub region allows us to craft wineson to Yellowglen, where she worked closely with sparkling winemaker that truly reflect the Barossa’s distinctive character,” Wells says, addingCharles “Chilly” Hargrave. her enthusiastic support for the Barossa Grounds project that seeks to evaluate the variations of wine style across the Barossa Zone. “Part of “I felt very privileged to work with him,” Wells says, crediting him with the joy is the different tannins and aromatics that come from differentbeing one her most influential mentors. “He was so generous with his parts of the Barossa,” she says.knowledge and support for a young winemaker starting out.” Continued on page 159 Later on, when making shiraz for Saltram, she would use Chilly as asounding board. “He wasn’t particularly fond of shiraz, but he had a FINALISTSfantastic palate and very broad experience,” she says. A. B. C. Again staying within the Mildara family, her next stop was at Healesvillein the Yarra Valley, where for the next three years she broadened her A. Chris Hatcher, Wolf Blassknowledge at Yarra Ridge and St Hubert’s, focusing on chardonnay, B. Kym Milne, Bird in Handpinot noir and shiraz, and developing her understanding of the impact C. Ed Carr, Arrasof sub regions on varietal expression - something she continues to D. Sarah & Sparky Marquis, Mollydookerdevelop with great passion in the Barossa. D. By now she had developed a particular passion for shiraz, but aftera vintage at Caves du Sieur d’Arques in Limoux, France, which hadfocused on sparkling wines and chardonnay, and possibly because ofthis experience, in 2003 she was asked by Wolf Blass chief winemakerChris Hatcher to join his white wine team in the Barossa focusing on achardonnay project with Pierre-Yves Colin from Burgundy. “It was a fantastic experience,” she says, but two years later shewas allowed to return to her true love of red wines, working with the42 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016

NEW ZEALAND winemaker of the yearCHRIS SCOTT, CHURCH ROADJOINING THE CONGREGATION OF GREATS“One of the great things about working with Church Road is they place absolutefaith in the winemaking team to steer their style.”MICHAEL COOPER“IF people buy it because they are expecting blandness, they’ll be chardonnays. Really complex, dense wines that age well. Fortunatelydisappointed.” Chris Scott, chief winemaker at Church Road, is talking Hawke’s Bay has the ability to produce the styles that I really enjoyabout his deliciously full-bodied, rich pinot gris - a variety that elsewhere drinking. You can benchmark Hawke’s Bay wines with the best in theoften yields pleasant but plain wine. But his comment could also be world in those varieties”.applied to the entire Church Road range, which this year won a hostof top accolades from Winestate magazine. How much influence does the market have, in terms of driving styles? “We don’t go out and do consumer panels,” he says. “We just make Church Road is a unique selection of Hawke’s Bay wines from what we think is best and hope shoppers agree. One of the greatPernod Ricard NZ, which also owns such major Marlborough brands things about working with Church Road is they place absolute faith inas Brancott Estate and Stoneleigh. Scott oversees production of the the winemaking team to steer their style.”standard Church Road chardonnay and merlot/cabernet/malbec,which are typically full of personality and offer terrific value when on Describing himself as a big fan of chardonnay, Scott would “drink a“special” at around $NZ15 ($A14.50), the often memorable Church lot of white burgundy if I could afford it”. Over the years the standard,Road McDonald Series ($NZ27, $A25) and the powerful Church huge-selling Church Road Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay has evolved,Road Grand Reserve range ($NZ44, $A41). At the summit stands the “tending away from what we would call the ‘old fashioned, new worldexceptional trio of chardonnay, syrah and cabernet sauvignon /merlot, style’, with lashings of opulent tropical fruit and oak, to something farunder the brand Church Road Tom ($NZ150-$NZ200, $A140-$A187). more serious and complex,” he says. “The wine expresses a complex range of fruit, enhanced by nutty, toasty, mineral and mealy aromas Scott quit accountancy studies to plunge into wine - an interest derived from traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques, includingkindled by his parents. “Dad was probably the only painter-decorator extensive use of barrel fermentation and a secondary, softeningin Hamilton (south of Auckland) who preferred wine to beer,” he says. malolactic fermentation.”“Mum was a midwife. They’d come from the UK. Wine was alwaysserved with dinner.” For the Church Road reds, Scott favours a savoury, earthy style, rather than overt fruitiness. “Fruitier wines tend to win gold medals, but a lot Treading the Hawke’s Bay wine trail, while still in his late teens, he of people like seeing leather or earth, or other darker characters intasted Ngatarawa Alwyn Chardonnay. “It was very textural, rich and red wine,” he says. “Restaurateurs really like our reds because theyflavoursome, and quite obviously different to the garbage I’d been work really well with food.”drinking at university. Right then and there I thought: ‘I want to knowhow to make this’.” Above all, texture is the goal. “The primary focus of everything we do is mouthfeel - getting a nice fullness, roundness and plushness,” he Having caught the wine bug, Scott started reading, attended wine says. “A lot of the things you do to enhance texture make the wines lessappreciation courses and in 1999 graduated from the Eastern Institute fruity and more aromatically interesting, which to me is a real positive.of Technology in Hawke’s Bay as a Bachelor of Wine Science. He had But it’s not everyone’s focus.”been working at Church Road since 1998 as a vineyard worker, cellarhand and in cellar door sales. FINALISTS A pivotal early influence on Scott’s approach to winemaking was Tony A. B. C.Prichard, then Church Road’s senior winemaker, who today owns De LaTerre winery, at Havelock North. “He’d transformed the industry back A. Paul Bourgeois, Spy Valleyin 1991 when most of our winemaking expertise came from Australian B. Hamish Clark, Saint Clairuniversities, which were very technically focused,” Scott says. “ They’d C. Matt Donaldson, Pegasus Bayanalyse a wine in the lab and adjust it based on the numbers. Church D. Nick Picone, Villa MariaRoad invited experts from Bordeaux who took an approach basedpurely on taste. That was scary because it was abandoning science D.and trusting the palate. That was a real battle for Tony, but now it’s thewidely accepted approach.” Scott has now headed the winemaking team at Church Road,founded in 1896, for 11 years. “Compared to other wineries you doa little bit more of everything here. There’s more of a family feeling,too,” he says. In terms of global wine styles, Scott prefers “classic, cool-climatestyles from the old world. Bordeaux-style reds, syrahs and full-bodied Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 43

AUSTRALIAN wine company of the yearWOLF BLASSSTAYING FOCUSED IN A CORPORATE CULTURE“For some people our Yellow Label wine could be the most expensive wine they’re ever going to buy and theyneed as much respect from us as someone who can afford to buy Black Label every day.”NIGEL HOPKINSFOR a company that has been bought and sold like corporate chattel award is another third-party endorsement that says ‘these guys reallysince it was started 50 years ago, the fact that Wolf Blass Wines know what they’re doing’. This gives me the confidence that we’rehas so successfully retained such a sense of its own identity is no still relevant today in the wine styles we’re making, which is the thirdaccident. It’s almost entirely due to two men - it’s founder Wolf Blass reason for our success, with softer tannins, plush mid-palate and moreand its current chief winemaker Chris Hatcher. focus on fruit in the vineyard and less on the winemaker.” The winery was started by Wolf Blass in 1966 when his company, The fourth, Hatcher adds, is simply the coloured labels Wolf put onBilyara (which means eaglehawk, hence the distinctive logo) his wines - from entry level Yellow Label to icon Black Label and super-produced 250 dozen in its first vintage of a shiraz/cabernet/malbec premium Platinum. “There’s no doubt these worked from a consumerblend. The first wine released under his own name was the 1968 Wolf point of view, making our wines easy to identify on the shelf,” he says.Blass Grey Label, using fruit from Langhorne Creek, starting a newtrend in consumer friendly, instantly drinkable wines. Hatcher says that from a corporate perspective he’s seen many changes in his 29 years with Wolf Blass: “But people have bought Wolf Blass Wines International followed in 1973 with a $200 overdraft the company because we’re successful, not to change it. They wereand 1.6ha of vineyards, winning three consecutive Jimmy Watson confident in the wine styles we were making and out approach to theTrophies from 1974. In 1984 Wolf Blass Wines went public with a market, so they’ve left those things alone.market capitalisation of $15 million and selling around 3.5 millionbottles a year. Mildara Blass was formed in 1991, only to be bought “They’ve also improved out distribution and improved out labelling,for $560m by Foster’s Brewing in 1996, at which point Wolf Blass and given us the ability to live in a modern world with a new winerywithdrew from day-to-day involvement in the winery. Now, at the age in 2001, so from my point of view things are much better now thanof 82, he remains its revered ambassador at large. they’ve ever been. In 2000 Mildara Blass merged with Beringer Wine Estates to become “Obviously we’ve now got much better vineyards and betterBeringer Blass Wine Estates, still under Foster’s ownership, until a understanding of them, with a better winery and equipment, so wedemerger in 2011 saw the wine arm of Foster’s become Treasury should be making better wine. But this has been driven by winemakingWine Estates, with Wolf Blass Wines now producing some 60 million not a business perspective.”bottles of wine annually. One major evolution has been the move from blended wines, for “There are really four things that have made the success of Wolf which Wolf Blass was famous, to regional and single vineyard wines.Blass Wines,” says Hatcher, who joined the company 29 years agoin 1987, just short of the 30 years that Wolf Blass himself remained “Today, other than our most affordable wines, all our wines arein charge. regional and straight varietal, other than our iconic wine Black Label (cabernet/shiraz/malbec), which we’re never going to change,” “One is obviously Wolf the man. He singlehandedly drove this Hatcher says. “But blending is still important even in a single vineyardbusiness and even today I have great understanding and empathy wine, with different pickings, different barrel types and fermentationfor what he was doing. Part of what I do for all the winemakers and techniques. In our search for the perfect wine, one ferment is notmarketers here is talk about our responsibility to what Wolf set up. going to give you that. “Wolf always made wine fun. He made some of the best wines in Continued on page 159Australia but from a consumer’s point of view he was always promotingit with fun, and the enjoyment of wine, food and good company. FINALISTS Geoff HardyHis character is still in our wines today, no question about that, and Mount Avoca (Tie)certainly while I’m still around it will always be there.” Bird in Hand Ghost Rock (Tie) D’Arenberg The second reason, Hatcher says, was made clear to him on hisvery first day at the winery. “Wolf came into my office with a bottle of wine and said: ‘No goldmedals, no job.’ He really established that the wine in the glass isabsolutely the most important thing and we still have that philosophytoday, one of the core values of what Wolf Blass is all about. “Awards are really important to us, and winning this Winestate44 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016

NEW ZEALAND wine company of the yearVILLA MARIAA DESIRE TO BE THE BEST“I drink a lot of sauvignon blanc on the beach in January, if the weather is hot.”MICHAEL COOPERTHIS is the umpteenth time Villa Maria has scooped Winestate’s Sir George, like many consumers, drinks wine on a daily basis,coveted title of New Zealand Wine Company of the Year. Last year it with some seasonal preferences. “I drink a lot of sauvignon blancwon both of the top awards - wine company of the year and winemaker on the beach in January, if the weather is hot. I really enjoy goodof the year. In competitive blind tastings, no other big winery in the chardonnay. With reds, I drink more pinot noir in the summer andcountry can match Villa Maria for the quality of its wines, which also more bordeaux-style blends in the winter,” he says.frequently deliver irresistible value. NZ’s largest wholly family-owned winery, and the fifth largest It’s more than half a century since George Fistonich (now 76) and his overall, Villa Maria has over 250 permanent staff and the wines arefriends hung out at the Hi Diddle Griddle nightclub in Karangahape sold in more than 60 export markets. Its key brands include VillaRd, Auckland, where wine was served in tea cups. His parents, Maria, Vidal, Esk Valley, Te Awa and Thornbury.Croatian immigrants Andrija and Mandica Fistonich, operatedMountain Vineyards at Mangere, in South Auckland. In 2016, 28 per cent of Villa Maria’s vineyards are being managed organically, according to executive director Fabian Yukich (whose In 1961, Fistonich registered a new winery name, Villa Maria, father Frank Yukich was the driving force behind Montana). Theselected because “it had an international ring to it”. Today, according goal is to reach 50 per cent by 2020.to UK-based Drinks International, Villa Maria is the eighth mostadmired wine brand in the world. This year, Villa Maria also won the Villa Maria’s organic focus is not in response to consumer demand.Reader’s Digest award for New Zealand’s “Most Trusted Wine Brand”. “For New Zealand,” says Yukich, “the big priority is to have premium quality in the bottle. That is the absolute number one priority. When George Fistonich was knighted seven years ago for services Organics has to work with that and in our case it certainly has.”to the wine industry, Ian Clark - a key member of Villa Maria’s salesand public relations team - listed several of his boss’s milestone So why has Villa Maria been so successful? Kym Milne, formerlyachievements, including: being the first winery owner in NZ to arrange chief winemaker at Villa Maria, now chief winemaker for Bird In Handfor grapes to be grown under contract, the first to pay for grapes on in the Adelaide Hills, says Fistonich is “an entrepreneur, an ideasa quality rather than quantity basis, the first to produce “reserve” man, rather than someone who gets bogged down in paperwork.wines, the first to promote wine and food education, the first to Above all, he’s a great ‘people’ person”.obtain a vineyard restaurant licence, the first to employ female salesrepresentatives and the first owner of a large winery to completely The word “culture” pops up frequently in conversation withembrace screwcap technology. Fistonich. He prides himself on creating a strong team culture at Villa Maria, defining the company culture as “being at the leading The big switch from cork to screwcap closures started with Villa edge of quality across a broad range of wines at price points for allMaria’s white wines from the 2000 vintage, followed by the 2001 consumers. We have an overriding desire to be the best”.vintage reds. The US market proved the most difficult to convert toscrewcaps, but some local consumers were opposed, too. It shows. Fistonich recalls one letter: “I’ve been drinking your wine for the FINALISTS Saint Clairlast 20 years. My wife and I sit down every night with a meal and Spy Valleyhave a nice glass of wine. Unfortunately, because you have gone Church Roadto screwcaps, I’ll never be able to drink your wine again. I used to Esk Valleybe able to get home, get the corkscrew out and open the bottle, sitdown and pour myself a glass of wine. Now I get home and my wifehas worked out how to take the screwcap off and she has alreadyfinished the bottle, and is incapable of cooking my meal. So I’ve hadto ban screwcaps.” A highly influential force today at Villa Maria - although largely behindthe scenes - is Karen Fistonich, once described as “the first daughterof the wine industry”. Chair of the board of directors, after more than 20years on the board, she formerly had a career in international bankingat ANZ. A graduate in psychology, Karen Fistonich is married to MilanBrajkovich, vineyard director of the acclaimed West Auckland-basedchardonnay producer, Kumeu River. Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 45

BEST RIVER CRUISE BEST INTERNATIONAL BEST DOMESTIC OPERATOR TOUR OPERATOR TOUR OPERATOR 2015-2016 2014-2015 2012-2016See Europe like you never imaginedEurope Wine Ambassador Cruises Magnificent Europe – 23 July 2017Join APT and enjoy a truly unforgettable luxury journey. SCOTT MCWILLIAMUnpack only once and relax as APT’s all-inclusive river 15 days from $7,995*cruises take you through Europe’s most stunning scenery pp twin sharein style. Romantic Rhône & Seine – 17 Aug. 2017In 2017 APT is proud to partner with winemakers fromAustralia’s First Families of Wine, presenting you with BRUCE TYRRELLthe country’s leading multi-generational winemakersas your hosts for an unforgettable European river 15 days from $9,995*cruising experience. pp twin shareSteeped in rich wine making heritage, your WineAmbassador will guide you through local wineries and Wonders of Bordeaux & Rhône – 19 Sept. 2017vineyards to reveal age-old processes that are still reveredtoday. You’ll also enjoy special tastings, presentations and CHERRY STOWMANa wine pairing dinner, among other charming highlights. 18 days from $12,995* pp twin shareSo join APT in 2017 for a relaxing and uniqueholiday experience. Magnificent Europe – 11 Nov. 2017ASK ABOUT OUR AIRFARE SUPERDEALS PETER BARRY 15 days from $6,495* pp twin shareVisit aptouring.com.au/WineSeries or call 1300 216 380 or see your local travel agent*Conditions apply. Prices are per person (pp), AUD, twin share and include port charges. Prices are correct as at 20 October 2016, but may fluctuate due to changes in availability, surcharges, fees, taxes or exchange rates. EUBCRPP18W and EUMCR15W prices are inclusive of the Early Payment Discount.Prices based on EUMC15W: 23 July 2017 (Cat. E), EUBCRPP18W: 19 September 2017 (Cat. E), EURSC15W: 17 August 2017 (Cat. E) and EUMCR15W: 11 November 2017 (Cat. E). A limited number of all SuperDeal offers are available on select itineraries, suites and departures. All offers are subject toavailability, until sold out. SuperDeal offers have specific booking, deposit and payment conditions: EARLY PAYMENT DISCOUNT: Save up to $300 pp on holidays of 15 days or more. A non-refundable deposit of $3,000 must be paid within 7 days of booking. Full payment is due 10 months prior to tourdeparture. NO EARLY PAYMENT DISCOUNT: A non-refundable deposit of $3,000 must be paid within 7 days of booking. Full payment due 100 days prior to tour departure. Australian Pacific Touring Pty Ltd. ABN 44 004 684 619. ATAS accreditation #A10825. APT4615

SPARKLING of the year WI NN ER THE APT TROPHY Arras Grand Vintage Tasmania Sparkling 2007 WINEMAKER: Ed Carr COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: The appearance is crystal clear with an ultrafine and persistent bead, medium straw with a bright yellow gold lustre. The bouquet expresses an enticing aroma of grapefruit, jasmine flowers, sea brine and lychee. The palate has great elegance and poise with complex nuances of exotic spice, truffle, meringue and natural yoghurt. This is a dry style of sparkling wine which exhibits intense flavour persistence and vibrancy across the seamless structure. FOOD SUGGESTIONS: Fresh seafood or lighter poultry dishes. CELLARING: Best within 2 years. VITICULTURE: A year of low rainfall in line with continued near drought conditions that were frequent throughout this decade. The early start to the season allowed the vines to recover into the dry and cool autumn and fruit was picked at an optimal flavour of maturity to give relatively low sugar content with a great balance of natural acidity. VINIFICATION & MATURATION: Fruit for this wine was hand-picked from cold climate Tasmanian vineyards prior to gentle whole bunch pressing, from which only free run juice was collected. Primary fermentation was undertaken on light lees, followed by 100% malolactic fermentation. Once clarified, the wines were judiciously blended to style (2007 being 78% chardonnay and 22% pinot noir), bottled as tirage and matured in cool, dark storage for a minimum of seven years before disgorgement. A tailored dosage was used to attain final balance and structure on the palate. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 03 6382 7622 Email: [email protected] Web: www.houseofarras.com.auLUIGI BORMIOLI GLASS - Vinoteque flute 175ml Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 47

W I N E S TAT E - W I N E O F T H E Y E A R AWA R D S F IN AL ISTS CENTENNIAL VINEYARDS ARRAS BRUT ELITE TASMANIA SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS PINOT SPARKLING CUVEE NV NOIR CHARDONNAY PINOT MEUNIER NV WINEMAKER: Ed Carr WINEMAKER: COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Tony Cosgriff Medium straw colour with a fresh golden COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: hue, the House of Arras Brut Elite 901 Medium straw hue. Complex and alluring retains a brilliant clarity and an ultra-fine with smoky strawberry, citrus, seaspray, and persistent bead. Exotic characters almond brioche on the nose. The palate are drawn together in this captivating has good texture and mouthfeel, yet is wine including white peach, lychee, spice fine and poised. Ripe strawberry, yellow and fresh oyster. The palate is rich and apple and ripe grapefruit flavours abound generous with opulent flavours of lychee, in this approachable style. glacé cherry and truffle oil. A perfectly CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: poised balance of dosage, acidity and Phone: +61 02 4861 8722 structural tannins this wine exhibits a Email: [email protected] remarkable presence and persistence. Web: www.centennial.net.au CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 03 6382 7622 Email: [email protected] Web: www.houseofarras.com.au48 W I N E S TAT E Special Edition 2016

CENTENNIAL VINEYARDS ARRAS TASMANIA BLANC DESOUTHERN HIGHLANDS BLANC BLANCS 2006DE BLANCS NVWINEMAKER: WINEMAKER:Tony Cosgriff Ed CarrCOLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE:Medium straw hue. Complex and inviting The Blanc de Blancs has brilliant clarity,bouquet with grapefruit, caramel nougat, medium straw with a bright gold lustre.almond brioche. The palate has great Lifted aromas of seaspray, brioche, toastedtexture with lovely natural acidity and almond and jasmine flower. The seamlesslength. Juicy grapefruit flavours feature palate is intense and complex with greatin this elegant style. length and flavour persistence. The palateCONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: exhibits flavours reminiscent of brioche,Phone: +61 02 4861 8722 sautéed mushroom, nougat and freshEmail: [email protected] oyster. The wine has exquisite poise withWeb: www.centennial.net.au balance of dosage, natural acidity and fine tannin. A remarkably intense wine of brilliant vibrancy which has recognised hallmarks of this style. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 03 6382 7622 Email: [email protected] Web: www.houseofarras.com.au Special Edition 2016 W I N E S TAT E 49

GRANGUSTO 6Developed to assist venues with their portion control, these all-purpose glasses assist to reducethe alcohol odours within the wine, allowing the pleasant characteristics of the winesaromas to rise to the opening. The aeration of the wine is properly balanced due to the triangularshape of the contact surface. Each glass features 3 discrete pour-lines allowing for the correctmeasure to the pour.