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Airline pilots make surprisingly good wine. Their appreciation of the sciences, a respect for the weather and a bird's eye view of the land, all invaluable to the winemaker's art. John Ellis would take every opportune weekend away from his regular New York Paris route, to pursue a passion for viticulture. He planted the first commercial Cabernet Merlot vines in the Hamptons and found time between trans atlantic flights to work vintages amongst the Grand Cru vineyards of La Bourgogne. Ellis ultimately made the great lifelong sea change in favour of our land downunder. He settled on a farmstead outside Leongatha, amongst the slow ripening pastures of Gippsland.. Placing pinot amongst the pastures»
Kalleske are one of our nation's most distinguished winegrower families, Barossa through and through, heirs to the tradition of Prussian pastoralists who established South Australia as one of the world's great viticultural precincts. The family Kalleske were the quiet achievers behind the stellar quality of fruit, at the heart of the most memorable vintages Penfolds Grange. Old sites and ancient vines, a tally of which have been branded under the Atze's Corner label, a regal range of stately Barossa wines, irresistibly underpriced in terms of provenance, excellence and sheer delight. Spectacular bouquets, redolent of freshness, fragrance and fruit,.. Small batches of the barossa's very best»
Right across the road from Jasper Hill's Emily Paddock,a precious parcel of ancient terra rosa soil was acquired and planted to vine by a baronial Mornington estate, highly accomplished growers with a consuming aspiration to grow the finest Shirazin all Heathcote. They settled on a coveted site along Drummond's Lane, strewn with unique green Cambrian shards, a sacred place to yield the top growth amongst single vineyardHeathcote Shiraz. Decades later, the vintages remain excruciatingly measured in availability. Painstakingly hand made, arcanely labelled behind the monikers, Pressings, Block F and Block C, the cherished editions of Heathcote Estate represent.. The likely lads of drummond's lane»
An Irish cobbler named Reilly settled into the tiny Clare Valley township of Mintaro circa 1856. He converted a stone barn into a homestead cottage. Reilly's Cottage served as the local cobbler's shop in the centre of the bustling town, which had boomed after the establishment of salubrious slate quarries. Almost 140 years later, the cottage has been restored to its former glory by relatives of Reilly, the family Ardill, once again it is a hive of activity, home to the eminent and award winning range of Reilly.. There once was a man named reilly»

Spinifex Esprit GSM CONFIRM VINTAGE

Shiraz Grenache Mataro Barossa Eden South Australia
A complex Rhone-style expressing the profound characteristics delivered from great old vine vineyards. Low yielding and hand tended, they deliver a quality of fruit that's worthy of the old world's most prestigious growths. A rich and effusive cépage of Mataro and Grenache, Shiraz, Carignan and Cinsault are matured in selection of large format 500 to to 3000 litres French oak barrels to develop a complex vinous flavour base while preserving fruit freshness, enhance the exciting varietal complexity and preserve the vital tannin edge.
Available in cartons of six
Case of 6
$203.50
The majority of Shiraz comes from high country vineyards near the Barossa foothills and the Eden Valley. Mataro and Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault are sourced from warmer, lower altitude sites on the Barossa floor. It's the lighter textured quartz and sandy topsoils that produce more perfumed, delicate aromatics and give finesse. Some grapes are off vines as old as sixty years, most Grenache is about thirty years, while some of the Shiraz and Mataro can be from vines that are well over a century old. Winemaker Peter Schell is isolating the finest parcels in the Barossa and Eden Valleys, getting a handle on these old blocks and their different characteristics, capturing and preserving what they have to offer.
Bright, dark scarlet hue. An appealing and intriguing aromatic spectrum that includes fresh red fruits, cherries, raspberry and plum skin over savoury secondary characters, fresh earth, roasted nuts and herb. A lovely subtlety and complexity on the fresh and lively palate, plum skins and red currant, smoke and dried herb, mineral notes line the palate. Savoury secondaryness on the finish, drying tannins make Esprit a classic wine for the table.
Spinifex
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Spinifex
Spinifex is a small family owned and operated winery established in 2001 by Peter Schell and Magali Gely

Spinifex make small quantities of unique hand crafted regional wines from the Barossa and Eden Valleys. Spinifex are typically blended, as a more complete and complex, unique and characterful wine can be assembled from components that are the result of the interaction between variety, soil and meso-climate. Peter Schell makes all the wines at the estate winery in Bethany, Tanunda, where he also runs his own winemaking consultancy company. Over the years, the pair have both worked for Barossa wineries, including Mountadam and Turkey Flat (where Peter was winemaker from 2001 – 2005), whilst also working five vintages in the South of France. In 2001 Peter and Magali decided to start making their own wines, sourcing grapes from five old Barossa vineyards to complete about 400 cases in that first year.

Spinifex

Spinifex first opportunity was to source some great old vine Mataro growing in deep white drift-sand on the Barossa Valleys’ Western Ridge. As interest and demand for the couple's efforts grew, the decision was made to focus all attention and passion into what had by then become Spinifex Wines. The estate now have over 30 dedicated Barossa / Eden Valley growers with mature vineyards, averaging 60 years, and ranging up to 140 years of age. Each year between forty-five and sixty different parcels of fruit from these growers are vinified.

The majority of the Shiraz comes from high country vineyards at the foothills and from the Eden Valley. Grenache, Mataro, Cinsault and Carignan are sourced from warmer, lower altitude vineyard sites on the Barossa Floor. The philosophy behind Spinifex is based on hand-crafting wines which are unique and distinctive, reflecting the winemakers own tastes and preferences. The inspiration comes from a fusion of experiences in France over the years, the many great wines consumed during those trips, and the individuality and character of some fantastic old vineyards in the Barossa.

The focus is always on making regional wines from the traditional Mediterranean grape varieties that have been grown successfully in Australia for over 150 years - Shiraz, Mataro, Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan, Ugni Blanc, Grenache Gris, Marsanne and Semillon. The aim is to make wines that display signatures of vineyard provenance and vintage, show regional typicity and have a consistent thread of house style which reflect the mwkers experiences.

Spinifex

Spinifex are predominately blends, the synergies derived from blending wines of differing character enhance the subtle complexities, even textures and profound personalities delivered from great old vine vineyards. Peter Schell and Magali Gely share a commitment for the Barossa and hold a strong passion for the local wines. Spinifex has enticed with its choice of varieties, quality winemaking and individuality. What’s next?

Schell acquires fruit from little family growers, passionate people who are excited to sell grapes to someone who is interested in their vineyard. And they get a kick out of that and it makes life easier for everyone. Some fruit is sourced from vines as old as 60 years, with most grenache about 30 years old. That’s astounding. Then again, some of the shiraz and mataro Spinifex uses is 110-140 years old. The different parcels of grenache are also fermented separately until decision time as to what goes into what wine. There’s nothing arbitrary about it, says Schell, who's getting a handle on these old blocks and what they offer, their different characteristics. Spinifex harbour a special passion for Grenache. It’s certainly well suited to Australia, especially from a sustainability point of view, as it doesn’t require irrigation. But it’s on a bit of a downward spiral, laments Schell. With not enough winemakers getting behind the variety, there’s hardly an incentive for growers to improve or, indeed, plant more. And you can’t expect good wine unless you’ve got good fruit says Schell.

Spinifex also have a strong French connection, both physically and philosophically. Magali's family, who up until recently were vignerons with a long lineage in Lunel, near Montpellier, still live in southwest France. Over the years, Peter has worked six French vintages, in Provence, the Languedoc, Bordeaux and Burgundy. Time spent in the south of France has fuelled their interest in making unique, hand crafted wines with personality, which are generous and honest expressions of the Barossa.

Spinifex