Carillion Wines continue to champion the Hunter Valley with the release of three new vintage wines, the 2021 Carillion Origins ‘Old Grafts’ Semillon ($35), 2021 Carillion ‘Lovable Rogue’ Fiano ($30) and 2021 Carillion ‘Loveable Rogue’ Vermentino ($30).
Made from a single Hunter Valley vineyard, the 2021 Carillion ‘Origins’ Semillon was made to express the region and variety. The 28 hectare vineyard was established in 1994 by the Davis family from cuttings taken from the famous Braemore vineyard.
“The Tallavera vineyard is almost 30 years old, and starting to hit its straps,” said Carillion winemaker Andrew Ling. “The vines are growing in the renowned limestone soils and producing fruit that proves the quality of the site. The 2021 vintage was a standout with welcome winter and autumn rain leading into a good growing season. There were some rain events that we worked around and, with good vineyard management, harvested pristine, ripe fruit.”
The winemaking for the 2021 Carillion Origins ‘Old Grafts’ Semillon was kept fairly simple. “Once the fermentation was complete we left the wine on its primary lees, with gentle stirring on a weekly basis in order to build volume and texture. We are aiming to produce a wine that has varietal white floral and citrus aromas with a streamlined palate of mouth-watering natural acidity; a wine that has excellent longevity, which is so characteristic of the region.”
The Carillion ‘Lovable Rogue’ range is a limited release stable of wines that highlight Italian varieties such as Verduzzo, Sagrantino, Aglianico, and the newly released Fiano and Vermentino.
The new Fiano was made as a slightly ‘off-dry’ style, with five grams per litre residual sugar. “The grapes were handpicked and held at five degrees for a 12 hour cold soak in order to extract flavour. The juice was then transferred to a porcelain egg for fermentation. “We then halted fermentation when the residual sugar and acid were in harmony, resulting in an aromatic wine, with quenching acidity; perfect with food.”
The 2021 Carillion ‘Lovable Rogue’ Vermentino was cold soaked on skins for 20 hours before being pressed straight into seasoned puncheons for fermentation. Once dry, the wine was matured on lees for four months, with weekly stirring to help build texture and complexity in the finished wine.
“We’re really enjoying working with these varieties and we’re gaining valuable experience and confidence in the vineyard and the winery with every vintage,” continued Andrew, “They are eminently suited with food, and that’s the style we are looking to produce; wines with texture and balanced natural acidity.”
2021 Carillion Origins ‘Old Grafts’ Semillon (Hunter Valley, NSW) $35.00
2021 Carillion ‘Loveable Rogue’ Fiano (Hunter Valley, NSW) $30.00
2021 Carillion ‘Loveable Rogue’ Vermentino (Hunter Valley, NSW) $30.00
Distribution: Carillion wines are distributed nationally by Carillion Wines and are available online at carillionwines.com.au
For further information and images please contact:
David Cumming at Define Wine Marketing & Communications on 0414 736 342 or [email protected]
Andrew Ling, Winemaker at Carillion Wines on 0400 724 177 or [email protected]
Carillion Wines: Established in the Hunter Valley in 2000 the Davis family’s Carillion Wines owns vineyards in New South Wales’ Hunter Valley and Orange, and South Australia’s Wrattonbully. Carillion’s Tallavera Grove vineyard was planted in the Hunter’s Mount View region in 1994 and is home to their cellar door and boasts one of the best views across the valley.
Wineries and grapegrowers in the Mudgee region of NSW are celebrating what we say has been a surprisingly excellent vintage.
Following on from the extremely difficult vintage of 2020, most winemakers are breathing a sigh of relief, being able to fill up their cellars again. The previous drought of 2018-2019 saw wine production drop in those years, and the smoke affected 2020 only saw about 25% of the region's wine being made, so we were sweating on 2021 to be great. The gods were kind and gave us some tough but manageable conditions.
We had more rain in the growing season of 2020/21 than in the whole two years of 2018 & 2019 combined. The rain produced numerous downy events through the growing season, but luckily most vineyards were vigilant enough to protect the fruit & produce good quality wine grapes leading into harvest.
There was a late start to harvest in 2021 with the sparkling base Chardonnay and Pinot Noir being picked on the 2nd and 3rd week of February, with early whites being harvested soon after and into early March.
Luckily we then had four weeks of relatively drier weather, allowing us to concentrate on ripening red varieties. The cool, slow ripening conditions ensured natural acids were retained and flavours able to develop gradually, meaning whites like Riesling, and reds like Cabernet Sauvignon are particularly exciting.
Most early red varieties including Shiraz were picked on the second and 3rd week of March, before the 100mm of rain event started on the 22nd March.
Vignerons were worried about the later red varieties, and some suffered but most powered through this rain event and we were lucky to have three weeks of dry weather to harvest the later Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and some later alternative varieties.
The highlights of the vintage 2021 in Mudgee look to be Riesling and Chardonnay, Rosé is excellent and it seems our Cabernet Sauvignon could be the overall star of this vintage.
All varieties show excellent natural acidity from the cooler vintage, and we were lucky to ripen them with harvest being in the middle of the rain events and slightly lower cropping levels.
Mudgee topography, with elevated and mostly sloping vineyard sites, and being a warm climate was the major factors in us having a good vintage.
Surprisingly, even in a wetter than normal year, most of the Shiraz is showing good concentration and medium bodied with bright purple colour and displays cooler spice and nice red fruit characteristics. With Mudgee cellar doors experiencing a massive influx of tourism and wine lovers, it’s the vintage we needed to fill up our cellars and keep our family owned cellar doors operating at full potential into the year ahead.
The region experienced a good vintage in 2021, with the star performers for the region including Chardonnay, Semillon, Shiraz and Merlot.
“It was a wetter than average growing season for 2021,” explained Windowrie vigneron Jason O’Dea. “This was more than welcome after a number of years of drought across NSW.”
Harvest commenced within the usual timeframe, around the second week of February. The rain caused a few fungal issues along with some hail; however, these issues were managed well across the region.
A couple of rain events during vintage caused some delays with picking. Any disease was quickly brought under control with judicious vineyard management.
“The organic growers had larger than average yields,” continue Jason. “This was most likely due to larger bunch weights brought on by the summer rains.”
There was 100mm of rain in the second half of March which created a few issues for some growers with later ripening varieties, however most of the fruit had been harvested at this stage.
“The 2021 vintage was fast and furious with few delays between varieties effectively condensing the vintage intake.
“It was great to see good quality fruit being harvested, with the cooler and wetter season helping build flavour, resulting in average to above average yields reported across the region. “
The 2021 vintage in the Porongurup Wine Region was characterised by an excellent growing season, with rain prior to vintage followed by warm ripening conditions yielding average crop levels of long-lived elegant white wines and outstanding red wines.
Budburst was reasonably earlier than average, but with the very good late spring rain, the soil moisture levels filled and vine growth slowed slightly helping built the regional complexity in the fruit.
“The mild growing conditions through summer, along with our usual rigorous vineyard and canopy management put us in a very good position at the end of January,” explained Castle Rock Estate winegrower, Rob Diletti.
Rain in the region in mid-February was too early to create any issues, however there was a constant drizzle during the first two weeks of March which created some issues leading into harvest. “Due to this rain, we spent more time in the vineyard dropping any botrytis effected fruit. This ensured that all the grapes coming into the winery were pristine.”
“This rain meant we harvested slightly earlier than usual, and sure enough, just as we finished picking, the rain stopped.”
The Riesling and the Chardonnay are looking fantastic, albeit requiring some more finesse in the winery. They will tend to be on the elegant side and should age particularly well; a feature of the wines from Castle Rock Estate.”
After this rain, there was two weeks of warm weather, ensuring the red varieties ripened well, if not all at once.
“The fruit coming through the winery was lovely. The Pinot Noir and Shiraz is excellent, with the yields fairly average across the region.
“This year has allowed us to broaden our Riesling collection, with the addition of a couple of new styles. These are new styles that have been in the planning stages for a number of years, so it is exciting to see these wines in bottle.”
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Castle Rock Estate is nestled on the eastern slopes of the Porongurup Mountain and is named after a prominent nearby granite landmark. The vineyard, which sits in Great Southern’s sub region Porongurup, has a cool and elevated northerly aspect, resulting in intensely flavoured wines, particularly Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The vineyard was established in 1983 by Angelo and Wendy Diletti and is now run by their son Rob. Their 200-tonne winery was constructed in 2000 and in 2015 Rob Diletti was named Wine Companion Winemaker of the Year. He was a finalist in the 2019 Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine Winemaker of the Year awards.
Vintage 2021 was a great relief for the Orange region winegrowers. The mild 2021 vintage in the Orange Region ensured that sparkling and white wines will be crisp and lively due to the natural acid retention, a factor of this particular season.
The region’s red varieties that were harvested at good ripeness are showing excellent quality, albeit in small volumes. This was largely dependent on vineyard management, location, variety and timing of rain events late in the season.
"With four years of drought, the welcome rain ensured that the Orange vintage would restore more normality to the region’s winemaking.
Swinging Bridge Vineyard
"While the quality of the 2021 wines is strong, the effects of the drought bore their mark, with lower-than-average yields recorded,” said Swinging Bridge winemaker and Orange Region Vignerons’ Association President, Tom Ward.
“There have been some very positive signs for this vintage since we received 102 mm of rain in October. This was a 5-times the rain we had received in the previous October, and with warmer temperatures in November, the vines had a great start.”
While the growing season was good, conditions relating to the drought and subsequent low moisture during the start of the season caused reduced vine capacity, bud fruitfulness and increased fruitless shoots. Those vineyards that had water in 2019 and 2020 fared better.
One of Orange’s major grape growers, Angullong’s Ben Crossing said, “Our vineyard was in a positive position leading into the 2021 vintage. We had water in 2020 so the vines weren’t stressed during budburst. However, hail over our vineyard during October knocked our flowering.
”After that, the rain and warmer weather gave us excellent fruit. With our vineyards sitting on the 600-metre regional boundary, and so being slightly warmer than the higher vineyards, we ripened both white and red varieties beautifully.
“Mild weather, particularly in January, allowed the fruit to ripen more slowly than in recent years, which ensured excellent flavour development as harvest approached. The mild season also meant that harvest, with smaller bunches and berries, started a week or so later than we expected.
“The final result for the year was far less irrigation for a much bigger and better canopy, milder weather causing no sunburn or heat stress, and much improved ripening conditions across the board. The vines are also much healthier after harvest, setting things up for a good start to next season,” concluded Crossing. “The quality of the wine is excellent.”
On the higher elevations of Mount Canobolas, winemaker Will Rikard-Bell saw yields reduced up to 50 percent, however the quality is impressive.
“I've never seen such lovely natural acidity in all my vintages in Orange or elsewhere. Incredible. Look out for the sparkling and early season varieties from this year, there's such fragrance in the aromatics and intensity and brightness in the fruit. Best ever.”
The key to the success of the 2021 Orange Region vintage was judicious vineyard management. This included a regime of mowing mid-rows and controlling under-vine areas along with maintaining a practical and continual spray coverage for downy and powdery mildew.
“2021 Vintage in Orange will be a vintage to remember. With the drought breaking, the fruit that was harvested has developed into outstanding quality wine; whites with lovely natural acidity and fruit purity. The reds that were harvested will be exceptional, although the low yields will see them released in very limited quantities,” concluded Ward.
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Thanks to Darren Fahey, Development Officers – Viticulture, NSW Dept of Primary Industries for his valuable input for this vintage report.
David was born and raised in Sydney, spending a lot of his childhood on the family owned dairy farm in Richmond. David attended Hawkesbury Agricultural College and, after completing his studies, purchased Windowrie in 1959.
David married Wizz Hegarty in 1964 and they settled in Canowindra establishing a mixed farming operation. David and Wizz had four children, Steph, Doe, Jason and Nook.
David and Wizz were very active members of the local community, establishing the Cowra Eagles Rugby Club and helping with starting the Canowindra Pythons Rugby Club. David was the Chairman of the Canowindra Show Society for over ten years, and was very active in the Society before and after this period.
Canowindra was home to the major drug rehabilitation facility ‘Lyndon House’ which was a not for profit service for families battling drug issues. David was passionate about the facility and the first chairman of the board, remaining in the role for many years ensuring the ongoing survival of the facility.
David often said, ‘’if we can change the life of one young person and avoid the terrible impact drug use can have on family and friends, it is worth every effort.”
Of great economic significance to the region was David’s pioneering of the Central West Wine industry.
Following several years of difficult environmental conditions, a review of the farm business with advice from the Orange Agricultural College was completed. Following this review David made a decision that would change the direction of the farm forever.
David sold 50% of the wheat and sheep farm and used the funds to invest in a trial planting of stone fruit and wine grapes. David said of this period, “it was a huge gamble, and many thought I was crazy. When you love the land so much you find yourself willing to do almost anything to stay in the game.”
David and Wizz were the first individuals to plant wine grapes in the Canowindra region. They further cemented their place in the industry and the local wine region by developing the first winery in the region in 1999.
David remained active in the business until recent years and said, “it’s wonderful to be involved in such a vibrant industry. I am very proud of our family-owned business and excited about the great team we have and the direction of the business.”
David was recognised for his tireless work and fierce commitment to the wine industry and local community with an Order of Australia Medal in 2021.
The 2019 vintage Castle Rock Estate reds have been released; the new wines comprise the 2019 Castle Rock Estate Shiraz($34) and 2019 Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir ($34).
The Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir is grown on the Estate’s unique vineyards. “In my opinion, it is the easterly aspect that makes Porongurup vineyard’s unique,” explained Castle Rock Estate winegrower Rob Diletti.
“We get the early morning sun and not the hot afternoon sun. The prevailing wind in summer is an easterly. In most of Western Australia it is hot, but for us the wind comes off the bight, so is a cooling sea breeze. Although we are only 300m above sea level, the surrounding land is low and flat, with the easterly uplifted as it hits the Porongurups. This plays a significant factor in the climate and terroir of the region.”
“The 2019 vintage was one of the most challenging I have experienced. It was predicated by good vineyard management; we were able to manage most weather conditions and came out unscathed.” Apart from some well-timed rain during late winter it was a very dry 12 months, although not excessively hot. Spring growing conditions were excellent, with vine development about two to three weeks later than the previous year.
“There was some rough weather during flowering and that, combined with the general dry conditions, meant the fruit set was not great and we subsequently ended up with much lower yields. The Pinot Noir only yielded 1.8 Tonne per acre.”
The 2019 Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir saw a combination of winemaking treatments including seven days cold soaked, with natural fermentation, 100 per cent whole bunch fermentation and barrel fermentation. The blend was matured in French barriques (28 per cent new oak) without racking for 10 months.
The 2019 Castle Rock Estate Shiraz is from grapes grown in the Mount Barker sub region of Great Southern. Harvested on the 26thApril, the grapes were fermented in two tonne open fermenters and gently plunged two or three times a day in order to build colour and complexity. The wine was left on skins for nine day before being racked to French barriques for 15 months with periodic racking prior to bottling.
“We are now enjoying an increase in the number of visitors to the region and the cellar door which is great, and we’re looking forward to complementing these new red releases with the upcoming 2021 vintage whites.”
2019 Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir (Porongurup, WA) $34.00
2019 Castle Rock Estate Shiraz (Great Southern, WA) $34.00
Distribution:
The Castle Rock Estate wines are distributed in NSW by IS Wine, in Victoria by Wholesale Wine Services and in WA by Fine Wine Wholesalers. The wines are available at castlerockestate.com.au
Photo links:
Castle Rock Estate Shiraz Bottle shot
Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir Bottle shot
Castle Rock Estate vineyards
Castle Rock Estate Winemaker, Rob Diletti
For further information, interviews and images please contact:
David Cumming at Define Wine Marketing & Communications on 0414 736 342 or [email protected]
Rob Diletti, Winemaker at Castle Rock on 0447 531 035 or [email protected]
Castle Rock Estate is nestled on the eastern slopes of the Porongurup Mountain and is named after a prominent nearby granite landmark. The vineyard, which sits in Great Southern’s sub region Porongurup, has a cool and elevated northerly aspect, resulting in intensely flavoured wines, particularly Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The vineyard was established in 1983 by Angelo and Wendy Diletti and is now run by their son Rob. Their 200-tonne winery was constructed in 2000 and in 2015 Rob Diletti was named Wine Companion Winemaker of the Year. He was a finalist in the 2019 Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine Winemaker of the Year awards.
As Orange’s founding winegrower approaches four decades of winemaking, they have released their new 2018 Bloodwood Riesling.
The Bloodwood vineyard was planted in 1983 with winemaker and owner Stephen Doyle admitting that it took ten to 15 years to really understand the vineyard in order to get the style right. “The Bloodwood style moved around a bit in the early years as we gained experience and a better understanding of our site.
“Ideally, Riesling, regardless of residual, should sit on a knife’s edge between fruit and acidity with the taster constantly questioning that fine line.
“Over the years I’ve been working a little more on the mid-palate in order to build texture. The current style works best with the grapes from our unique site. We concentrate on a clean, efficient ferment minimising volatile acidity and extended ferment character. We’ve been building texture on the mid-palate since 2008, giving the wine at least six months on fine lees.”
The Scott Henry trellised Riesling vineyard sits on the higher reaches of the property. “The soil is very low-vigour, calcareous laminated silt stone and shale, the vines are all hand-pruned and hand-picked, and grown using organic principles, only ever using copper and sulphur sprays, and only if we have to,” explained Stephen.
“It’s a variable site, so each vine is pruned according to its vigour, with the aim to produce around 4000 litres from the 0.8-hectare block. The deep, free draining warm gravels of Bloodwood give Riesling an austerity and fruit density which remains rare in Australian styles.
“The Orange region is in its infancy and is still working out how to grow the traditional varieties; this needs time.”
Stephen’s foray into winemaking and brewing started early. One would think that being born in Clare*, making Riesling was inevitable, however the journey begun with the brewing of mango liqueur as a schoolboy. From these entrepreneurial exploits, Stephen made wine from many areas including Mudgee, Wellington, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra and Yenda.
After being schooled in the arts and science of selecting the best sites for wine production the Doyles’ attention turned to Orange. “The region held exciting prospects which continue to unfold.”
Pricing & distribution: The Bloodwood wines are distributed directly from the winery via Bloodwood’s website www.bloodwood.biz
2018 Bloodwood Riesling $32.00
Photo: Bloodwood Riesling block soil - calcareous laminated silt stone and shale
For further information, samples or images please contact:
David Cumming at Define Wine Marketing & Communications: 0414 736 342 or [email protected]
BLOODWOOD WINES was established on the outskirts of Orange by Rhonda and Stephen Doyle in the Spring of 1983 after extensive research of various potential vineyard sites throughout NSW, Western Australia and Victoria. The first wine, a few litres of co-fermented Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Noir and Malbec was made in 1984, instilling hope and promising a bright future. Today, Bloodwood comprises 21,274 vinifera vines planted on their own roots and covering 8.072 hectares of the best wine growing site in the Orange region.
High elevation lifts quality for cool climate chardonnay
The Orange region’s Patina Wines has released their benchmark Chardonnays comprising the 2019 Patina Chardonnay ($40) and 2018 Patina Reserve Chardonnay ($60).
The Patina vineyard was planted 22 years ago on the eastern foothills of Mount Canobolas. The maturing vines continue to yield outstanding quality, confirming Patina’s founder Gerald Naef belief in the site. “ It’s not something you can change readily; choosing where to plant your vines is the foundation for your entire winegrowing.
“An axiom, with perhaps European origins, is ‘a grape variety won’t ripen every year if it is the right variety for the site.’ I think the jury is still out for white varieties, but it carries weight with red wine,” continued Gerald.
“Grapes tend to hold their acid and fruit character better when ripening occurs in cool weather. Fine tuning and narrowing the varieties down to the best for a particular site or even for a few rows is quite precise and can take a bit of trial and error.
“The high elevation (from 600 metres to 1100 metres) in Orange gives us an edge in grape growing as many varieties do well here. However certain varieties, such as Chardonnay, do particularly well.”
Another benefit of high elevation vineyards is the high difference in day-night temperature. During the day the grape accrues carbohydrates via photosynthesis in the leaves, then at night during respiration the vine borrows back from the berry some of these stores.
The lower the nighttime temperature the less the vine needs to borrow during respiration resulting in more intensity in the grapes.
During ripening stages the temperatures in Orange are quite cool slowing down the photosynthetic carbohydrate pump resulting in grapes maturing to full flavour ripeness without becoming over sweet which produces full spectrum, complex wines without high alcohol.
“As I’ve said previously, I don’t believe there is another region in the world that necessarily produces better Chardonnay than Orange, there are just stylistic differences,” concluded Gerald.
Photo: Patina Wines Cellar Door & Residence
Pricing & distribution: The Patina wines are distributed in Sydney, Queensland and Canberra. The wines are available nationally, direct from the winery via Patina’s website www.patinawines.com.au
2019 Patina Chardonnay $40.00
2018 Patina Reserve Chardonnay $60.00
For further information, samples or images please contact:
David Cumming at Define Wine Marketing & Communications: 0414 736 342 or [email protected]
Patina Wines was established in 1999 when Gerald and Angie Naef planted a small vineyard in Orange, NSW. Gerald’s interest in winemaking stemmed from his formative years growing up in the Central Valley of California. Having moved to Australia in 1981, Gerald and his family purchased an irrigation property in North West NSW. However, the interest in winemaking continued and in 1999 the Patina Vineyard was established.
The 2020 vintage in Mudgee was possibly the most challenging in the region’s wine growing history. While many winemakers did not produce wine, there was one shining light, the 2020 Robert Stein ‘White Label’ Riesling.
Third generation winemaker Jacob Stein said, “We wanted to test ourselves and to pursue a 2020 vintage. As Riesling is our flagship variety, we wanted to keep it alive, along with ensuring our small family business survived and our wonderful staff remained employed.
“It was unthinkable to go 12 months without making wine, particularly a Riesling.”
The location of the Stein vineyards was the main saviour during the horrendous summer. “Our vineyards are located around 90km from the fires, with the smoke drifting into the valley from the South East. We’re located further up the valley, at an elevation of around 600 metres, with the hills at our back. This funnelled the smoke away from the vineyard, ensuring the smoke didn’t settle over us.”
The Riesling was handpicked followed by very conservative, pristine winemaking. “There was less lees work than previous vintages with the goal to make a fruit driven, fresh style.
“We initially described the grapes as declassified ‘Dry Riesling’, however we are extremely happy with the wine and are more than happy to present it as a Robert Stein wine,” continued Jacob.
“The fruit was handpicked after being tested multiple times for taint. It was analytically tested by the AWRI as unfinished and finished wine along with being presented to a number of tasting panels. No smoke taint was evident.
“We are grateful to have been in a position to make wine from the 2020 vintage when so many of our colleagues and neighbours didn’t. This has allowed us to retain all of our staff who continue to inspire and support the business during the ongoing challenges.”
Robert Stein winery made a number of red and white wines from the 2020 vintage but look forward to vintage 2021, with the fruit looking exceptional in a very favourable season to date.
2020 Robert Stein ‘White Label’ Riesling (Mudgee, NSW) $35.00
Distribution: Robert Stein wines are distributed by Red+White and are available at their cellar door and at robertstein.com.au
For more information, samples or images please visit www.robertstein.com.au or contact:
David Cumming at Define Wine Marketing & Communications: 0414 736 342 or [email protected]
Jacob Stein at Robert Stein Wines: 02 6373 3991 or [email protected]
Robert Stein Wines can trace their winemaking history back to 1838, when the famous Macarthur family brought Johann Stein to Australia with the country’s first cuttings of Rhine Riesling. These vines flourished at Camden Park under Johann’s careful watch. 138 years later, in 1976, Robert ‘Bob’ Stein purchased 75 acres in Mudgee and renewed the Stein passion for viticulture. Jacob is the third-generation winemaker and was named 2012 Gourmet Traveller Young Winemaker of the Year as well as awarded Mudgee Winemaker of the Year in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Showcasing the best of their regional vineyards, family owned Carillion Wines have released their 2018 Carillion Origins Fenestella Shiraz ($60) and 2018 Carillion Origins Block 22 Cabernet Sauvignon ($50)
Established in the Hunter Valley in 2000 the Davis family’s Carillion Wines owns vineyards in New South Wales’ Hunter Valley and Orange and South Australia’s Wrattonbully.
Carillion’s Tallavera Grove vineyard was planted in the Hunter’s Mount View region in 1994 and is home to their cellar door and boasts one of the best views across the valley.
“Our Carillion Origins wines are all single vineyard wines from the best parcels of fruit from each of our vineyards, made with the objective of expressing the region, variety and terroir,” explained Carillion winemaker Andrew Ling.
The Carillion Origins Fenestella Shiraz was first released in 2010 and is named for the 350-million-year-old bryozoan fossils found throughout the vineyard.
“This new 2018 vintage is made from components from across various blocks of this vineyard, ensuring we have a range of flavours and characters, adding to the depth and complexity of the final blend. A parcel of fruit was also used from the Tallawanta graft block; the grafts having been adopted in 2011 from heritage listed Tallawanta vineyard which was planted 100 years ago in 1920.”
The Hunter Valley fruit was handpicked and cold soaked for 48 hours in two tonne open fermenters prior to wild fermentation. The wine was pressed off skins and then racked to a combination of new and seasoned French puncheons for 12 months.
The newly released 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is made from grapes grown on Carillion’s Wrattonbully Stonefields Vineyard which was planted in the 1990s.
Often likened with Bordeaux’s climatic conditions, Wrattonbully lies between the famed Coonawarra and Padthaway wine growing regions and forms part of the larger Limestone Coast region. Whilst having only been designated a region in 2005, the region’s first plantings were in 1969 and comprise mostly Cabernet Sauvignon.
“This is a mature vineyard where the vines grow into a limestone reef that sits just below the famed terra rossa topsoil. This ensures the vines are growing under a healthy level of stress, leading to small crops of tiny berries which produce wines of intense flavours and fine tannins,” contained Andrew. “We like the regional and varietal character to take centre stage with these wines, encouraging the wild, indigenous yeast at the start of fermentation and using 50 per cent seasoned French oak.
2018 Carillion Origins Fenestella Shiraz (Hunter Valley, NSW) $60.00
Rob Dilettti releases his 20th vintage from Castle Rock Estate
Castle Rock Estate has recently released their new vintage 2020 Castle Rock Estate ‘Porongurup’ Riesling ($25), 2020 Castle Rock Estate ‘Porongurup’ Chardonnay ($25) and the 2018 Castle Rock Estate ‘Great Southern’ Shiraz ($34).
2020 will long be remembered for the Covid19 pandemic. However, in the small, unique wine region of Porongurup in the Great Southern Region, the vintage was one of the best. “There was an air of uncertainly across the wine industry. Nonetheless, we tackled vintage as we usually do, with the grapes looking particularly good. The volumes were lower than average, but the quality is fantastic,” said Castle Rock Estate winemaker Rob Diletti.
The 2020 vintage was Rob’s 20th vintage at the family owned Castle Rock Estate. In 2001 Rob moved back to Porongurup, helping to design and build the family’s 200 tonne winery. His experience in wineries across Australia and overseas proved invaluable. This knowledge was gained through working at Mountadam Wines, Grosset, Plantagenet, Alkoomi and Jean Grenier in Alsace.
Over this 20 years Rob has received a number of winemaking awards, and judged at many of Australia’s leading wine shows, most recently at Sydney Royal Wine Show, Margaret River Wine Show and Perth Royal Wine Show.
“Judging Australian wine shows gives you an excellent insight into the current trends in winemaking,” explained Rob. “Great Southern and Porongurup has a special affinity with Riesling, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Pinot Noir, so being able to constantly taste and discuss these varieties with other winemakers is invaluable. I can then use this knowledge in the vineyard and winery to constantly refine and tweak our processes, hopefully to ensure a continual improvement in the quality of our wines.”
The 2018 vintage in Great Southern was excellent. In contrast to the eastern states, the consistent rainfall and optimum ripening conditions allowed the Shiraz to be harvested without pressure from the weather.
The new 2020 wines show the vibrancy that the region is known for. The Riesling shows its natural acidity and fruit purity with its minerality, talc and ability to cellar. The 2020 Chardonnay was fermented in seasoned French oak with the objective of creating balance between the fruit vibrancy and the mealy, oak complexity.
Distribution: The Castle Rock Estate wines are distributed in NSW by IS Wine, in Victoria by Wholesale Wine Services and in WA by Fine Wine Wholesalers. The wines are available at castlerockestate.com.au
For further information and images please contact:
David Cumming at Define Wine Marketing & Communications on 0414 736 342 or [email protected]
Rob Diletti, Winemaker at Castle Rock on 0447 531 035 or [email protected]
Castle Rock Estate is nestled on the eastern slopes of the Porongurup Mountain and is named after a prominent nearby landmark. The vineyard, which sits in Great Southern’s sub region Porongurup, has a cool and elevated northerly aspect, resulting in intensely flavoured wines, particularly Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The vineyard was established in 1983 by Angelo and Wendy Diletti and is now run by their son Rob. Their 200 tonne winery was constructed in 2000 and in 2015 Rob Diletti was named Wine Companion Winemaker of the Year. He was a finalist in the 2019 Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine Winemaker of the Year awards.
Zonte’s Footstep, Henschke and Serafino Wines awarded trophies at the Winepilot Grenache Shootout
Zonte’s Footstep Love Symbol Grenache 2019 has been named the The Grenache Shootout Wine of the Show and Grenache of the Show at the inaugural 2020 Grenache Shootout.
52 Grenache and Grenache-dominant blends were selected to compete in a search for the best Australian Grenache, with a specific focus by the judges on consumer appeal.
Trophies were also awarded to the Henschke Johann’s Garden 2017 for Best Blend of Show and Serafino Wines Family Vineyards GSM 2019 for Best Value Grenache of Show.
Wines were judged blind in three rounds with the top 12 wines from the First Round moving into the Semi-Final. The top 4 wines from the Semi-Final were then judged head-to-head in a Grand Final. Other Grand Finalists included Bondar Wines Rayner Vineyard Grenache 2019 and Hentley Farm The Stray Mongrel 2019.
Eight Gold Medals, 10 Silver Medals and 24 Bronze Medals were awarded, a higher rate than usual due to all entries being handpicked by the Winepilot team. A full list of results can be found here.
The judging panel, chaired by Mike DeGaris, included a diverse range of wine professionals to provide a strong consumer focus. Included were top current and former sommeliers Matt Dunne, Melissa Moore and Simon Curkovic, retailer Jason Bower plus wine educator and corporate speaker Andrea Pritzker MW. Judges tasted a total of 70 wines over four sessions and six hours with the aim to eliminate palate fatigue and foster high quality judging.
Chairman of Judges Mike DeGaris gave the following summary of the show, “Being in the show system for quite some time we taste a range of Grenaches, but there is often not a whole lot of variability. I came into the shootout not sure where it was going to go but I was pleasantly surprised.
“There were lots of delicious wines. There were technical, structural wines. There were wines with flavour. There were some nice commercial entrants that the normal drinker could get their head around and there were the high level wines. The trophy wines nail everything.”
Winepilot Founder Angus Hughson commented, “The Grenache Shootout was about bringing together some of the best Grenache and blends in the country, with a distinct focus on consumer rather than trade tastes.
“I could not be happier with what Mike DeGaris and the judges have pulled out from the 52 wines that were hand-chosen by our team to compete in this event; from juicy, early-drinking styles to more serious and savoury wines. This is the first of many Winepilot Shootouts that focus on finding the best and most delicious wines for the Australian wine drinking consumer.”
The Winepilot Grenache Shootout 2020 was held thanks to generous sponsorship by Wine-Ark and Plumm.
Further information can be found here.
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For further information, images or interviews, please contact:
David Cumming at Define Wine Marketing & Communications: 0414 736 342 or [email protected]
Angus Hughson, Founder & Publisher at Winepilot.com : 0431 146 353 or [email protected]
Canowindra’s organic winegrower, Pig in the House, has released their new gold medal winning 2019 Pig in the House Shiraz ($25).
The 2019 Pig in the House Shiraz was awarded a Gold Medal at the recent 2020 Royal Adelaide Wine Show. “We were really pleased with this result,” commented Pig in the House Winemaker Anthony D’Onise. “Our Pig in the House Shiraz is a consistent gold medal wine, with each vintage from the 2016 having been awarded a gold medal.
“We have really focussed on our shiraz winemaking over the last few years; highlighting modernity and vibrancy in the style. As the results from Adelaide suggest, the Canowindra region lends itself to this style, with its dry summers and cool nights during the growing season.
“We are truly pleased that the South Australian judges were able to identify our wine amongst 150 wines from all across Australia as being a benchmark aromatic, medium bodied shiraz.
“We are not overly surprised that the region’s shiraz are performing well. The expertise in the region, along with the vines are maturing. On average our shiraz vines are nearing 30 years old and have been grown organically for half that.
“We are more confident as every season passes. The recent results demonstrate this, and we look forward to what the future brings. We find that as the vines evolve, so does the style.”
Pig in the House founder Jason O’Dea was equally thrilled to receive another Gold Medal from Adelaide, “It’s always special to win a medal in Adelaide with a NSW wine, especially when it’s in the top four wines in the class.
“It is one of the country’s most prestigious wine shows and given that this year was affected by COVID19, and subsequently all the judges were from South Australian, it’s particularly pleasing.
“Winning a gold every vintage since the 2016 is testament to consistency of the region and to the style being made by Anthony.”
Pricing & Distribution:
The Pig in the House range of wines is widely distributed and is available online at www.piginthehouse.com.au
Gold Medal, 2020 Royal Adelaide Wine Show (96 Pts)
Further information on Pig in the House and their wines can be found at piginthehouse.com.au
Winepilot have added a new wineshow format to the Australian wine calendar with the development of the Wine Shootout - a single day, invitation-only wine show bringing together a handpicked selection of the best wines from around the country from a single category or grape variety.
Winepilot have developed their ‘Shootout’ concept as a modern take on the traditional wine show. “In many wine shows, judges are tasting over 100 wines in a single day. We feel smaller shows give better results so we have developed our Wine Shootouts, with less than fifty wines judged in a single day so every wine is given its best opportunity to shine,” said Winepliot founder, Angus Hughson.
Wine Shootouts will involve three rounds with all entries scored in the First Round. The Top 12 will then go on to the Semi-Final, before a Grand Final for the Top 4 wines.
A key focus on judges at the Wine Shootouts is drinkability and identifying the best wines with wide appeal for the wine drinking public at large.
“We have purposefully brought together experienced judges from fine dining, retail and wine education to help us identify not only the best wines but also those that are most relevant to the wine consumer.” In addition, trophies will be awarded for the Best Wine of Show and the Best Value Wine of Show.
Winepilot have chosen to focus on Grenache for their inaugural Shootout including both single varietals and grenache-dominant blends.
“The most exciting grape variety in Australia right now is Grenache and we are excited to taste through wines from around the country to uncover the country’s best, from Preservative Free and Natural Wines through to regional classics.”
The Grenache Shootout show will be chaired by seasoned show judge Mike DeGaris with other judges chosen only from Sydney due to COVID travel restrictions. These include top current and former sommeliers (Simon Curkovic, Melissa Moore and Matt Dunne), ALDI Wine Director Jason Bowyer and leading educator Andrea Pritzker MW.
The Grenache Shootout will be held at Wine-Ark in Sydney on Thursday October 22 with results announced the following week.
Key Dates:
Judging ‘Shootout’: 22 October 2020
Results announced: 27 October 2020
For further information, interviews and images, please contact:
David Cumming, Define Wine Marketing & Communications on 0414 736 342 and [email protected]
The Lane Cellars People’s Choice Wine Awards have today announced their 2020 winners.
The awards are a new consumer-based survey designed to engage Orange Region wine drinkers at a time when COVID19 has caused the cancellation of a number of major events during the Orange Wine Festival.
The Awards cover ten key categories, from Sparkling Wines and Sauvignon Blanc, through to Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.
People’s Choice other red wines
Swinging Bridge ‘#006’ Tempinot
“We are extremely happy with the response that we have for these new awards,” commented The Lane Cellars’ David Cumming. “There was a good spread of favourite wines across all the categories with all of the wines in the region gaining votes.”
“We believe that these awards are a new and exciting way to showcase the region’s wines and will continue to build on it next year. They will complement the Orange Wine Show; it will be interesting to compare the results in future years.”
Resplendent in Hawaiian shirts and Italian grey suits, the new Fat’n Skinny wines have recently been released. The two new wines comprise the 2019 FAT‘n SKINNY ‘Forgotten’ Rosé ($22) and 2019 FAT‘n SKINNY Pinot Grigio ($22).
The new wines continue the FAT‘n SKINNY winemaking philosophy of making approachable wines which are light-hearted, full-flavoured and offer their customers an introduction to McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Peninsula.
“Our FAT‘n SKINNY ‘Forgotten’ Rosé is a blend of our estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Garnacha,” explained winemaker James Hastwell.
“We wanted to create a fresh and lively wine in a more savoury style. The flavoursome Garnacha adds another level of complexity and ensures that it’s a rosé eminently suited to enjoy with a meal; preferably at sunset overlooking the beach.
“Rosé is no longer the forgotten child of the wine industry. These are wines that have seen a great deal of refinement over the past ten years, much to the benefit of the wine consumer.
“Given we have a number of Mediterranean varieties planted in our vineyard, we are in an enviable position to trial and experiment with a range of blends for our rosé. As a winemaker, it’s a real bonus.”
The new vintage FAT‘n SKINNY Pinot Grigio is made from grapes sourced from a Fleurieu hills grape grower that has a close relationship with the winery. “We have historically sourced our Pinot Grigio from this slightly cooler region,” continued James.
“The Fleurieu (which accounts for only 0.2% of the national crush) is perfect for Pinot Grigio, and 2019 was a good vintage in these cooler climes. Ideally we’d love to make more, but as the fruit comes from a small family owned vineyard, it will always be a limited production. This year we only made 340 cases.”
The newly packaged FAT‘n SKINNY wines join their stablemates, the recently released estate grown and made FAT ‘n SKINNY ‘Red Fury’ and FAT ‘n SKINNY ‘Picker’s Choice’.
For further information, interviews and images please contact:
David Cumming at Define Wine Marketing & Communications on 0414 736 342 or [email protected]
Kishan Sidhu, General Manager at FAT’n SKINNY on 0417 860 939 or [email protected]
FAT‘n SKINNY was established in the late 1980s . The brand stems from the original label of its parent brand, Hastwell & Lightfoot, which depicted a porcelain figurine that the owners purchased on a whim in Bellagio whilst visiting Italy. The figurine summed up our approach to our brand; well-crafted, quite striking, yet not taking ourselves too seriously.
