Some precious old blocks of ancient vine Grenache still remain after a government sponsored program to cull unproductive vineyards during the 1980s. Yielding excruciatingly small harvests of the most characterful fruit, these wizzened old veterans deliver small batch vintages which are evocative of the old world classics from Cotes du Rhone. The enduring Wirra Wirra were established 1894, their eclectic range belies the splendour of small parcels which are separately handled and bottled for exclusive release. The Absconder draws fruit from vines planted a century ago, it merits a breathing and decant, an articulation about the sublime excellence of old vine Australian Grenache...
The compelling case for old vines grenache»
Samuel Smith migrated from Dorset England to Angaston in the colony of South Australia circa 1847, he took up work as a gardener with George Fife Angas, the virtual founder of the colony. In 1849, Smith bought thirty acres and planted vines by moonlight, the first ever vintages of Yalumba. One of his most enduring legacies were some unique clones of Shiraz, which were ultimately sown to the illustrious Mount Edelstone vineyard in 1912. Angas's great grandchild Ron Angas acquired cuttings from the Edelstone site and migrated the precious plantings to his pastures at Hutton Vale. The land remains in family hands, a graze for flocks of some highly fortunate lamb. In between the paddocks, blocks of Sam Smith's experimental vines yield a harvest of the most spectacular Shiraz..
The return of rootstock to garden of eden»
The palate is refined and elegant, mouthfilling with plums and mulberry, black cherry fruits and long, persistent fine grained tannins. Robert Strangways Wigley was an eccentric South Australian cricketer who established Wirra Wirra in 1894... More»
The palate is round and full, with grapefruit and pineapple flavours complemented by complex yeast autolysis and malolactic fermentation characteristics. All White Box wines are made from grapes grown to estate vineyards within Heathcote and Yarra Valley... More»
Lively upfront lemon zest with a slatey minerality not normally seen from this vineyard. Daniel James Wilson would write DJW rules on school book covers, desks, garden edgings and wet concrete whenever the opportunity... More»
The fruit is complexed by lemon curd, aromatic cedar and cashew notes. Wirra Wirra patriarch Greg Trott venerated cricket as the most noble of pursuits... More»
Very bright and inviting with red berry aromas. A stylish wine crafted from the holy triumvirate of sparkling grape varietals, Taltarni were one of Australia's first wineries to... More»
The palate is mouth filling with rich satsuma plums and blackberry fruits, dark chocolate and aniseed. From time to time, Wirra Wirra produces wines from very small parcels of extremely intense, high quality fruit... More»
Graeme Melton and a mate were travelling across South Australia in 1973, their EH Holden was in dire need of maintenance and Graeme took up casual work at a passing winery. The site supervisor was Peter Lehmann and young Graeme had his epiphany on the road to Barossa Valley. Lehmann suggested that Graeme change his name to Charlie and take the pilgrimmage to Vallee Rhone. Charlie became prepossessed with the culture of old vines Grenache, Shiraz and Mourverdre. He returned to the Barossa, at a time when old vineyard fruit was made into flagon Port and growers were destroying their historic sites in return for government grants. Charlie emabarked on a crusade to conserve and restore the ancient vines, establishing his cellars at Tanunda along Krondorf Road. He has since retained the most precious parcels, once destined for..
Melton makes a mean mourvedre»
Andrew Nugent grew up next door to the great historical wineworks at Penfolds Magill. He honed his craft as viticulturalist and vigneron amongst the illustrious wineries of old McLaren Vale. In the 1990s, Nugent planted new vines at Woodside along Bird In Hand Road, on the site of an ancient gold mine, a godsend of fortuitously fertile soils and magnificent mesoclimes for stellar quality Adelaide Hills wine. Bird In Hand have since amassed a breathtaking tally of international accolades for the unrivalled excellence of their superlative vintages, wonderfully small batch releases, with the magnificence of structure, seamlessness and immaculacy of fruit, to enthuse curio and cognescenti alike...
Vivid vintages from the tailings of adelaide hills»