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Returned servicemen from the Great War could look forward to government grants of pastoral freehold. West Australia's Willyabrup Valley was such a place, just a short walk from the balmy beaches of Indian Ocean, it offered the veterans excellent potential for agriculture. The fertile lands of Sussex Vale were originally established to animal husbandry by the discharged troopers, generations of livestock enriched the soils and it was astutely sown to vines in 1973. Fortuitously placed at the very heart of the Australian west's most illustrious estates, it continued to occupy the thoughts of neighbouring Howard Park's chief winemaker, until he acquired the property and relaunched a softly spoken range of.. A better block on hay shed hill»
Great wines from the Great Southern, the nether southwest rump of the continent, which yields the most astonishing quality vintages, both red and white. Castelli are a family of renewable power engineers, who are at their happiest picking grapes off vines. Boutique and very hands on, their efforts have been rewarded by prestigious international accolades, including Royal Perth Trophy for Best Chardonnay, San Francisco and International Wine Challenge Gold for Cabernet Sauvignon, Sydney Blue Gold for Shiraz. Defined by weighty palates, edifying complexity and statuesque grace, the entire range of Castelli represent an inspiring opportunity for immersion into the chiselled and strapping, stately Great.. Wonderfully winsome whiffs from the west»
Established 1976, Clairault are one of the pioneering estates on Margaret River. A tastefully limited range, from elite vineyards within the very dress circle of prestigious wineries at the heart of Margaret River's most illustrious precincts, Wilyabrup, Yallingup and Karridale. These are the dearest winegrowing terroirs in the Australian west, a place of auspicious soils and stimulating climes, the motherlode of environmentals which yield the most august vintages on the continent. The team at Clairault take a decidedly pastoral approach, biodynamically grown and environmentally sound, a sanctuary to native flora and fauna, their vineyards are managed to a completely natural agriculture. So exclusive.. The kindly cabernet of clairault»

Crawford River Semillon CONFIRM VINTAGE

Semillon Henty Victoria
The Thomson family share a long history with the agriculture of Victoria's western districts, winemaking has been a family tradition since the nineteenth century. The Thomsons have an eye for the land, in 1975 they settled on a splendid site in Victoria's Henty region and planted vines. In exceptional vintage years, if the quality of harvest merits a pure Semillon wine, the choicest parcels are set aside for an extravagant barrel ferment in French oak and extended term of contact on sedimentery lees. A Semillon of remarkable complexity, elegance and finesse.
Yellow hues. A fragrant bouquet of honeysuckles and lime, chantilly and summery hay, wet pebbly stone and crisp mineral. A deliciously fresh, soft and evenly poised palate, layered with flavours of the orchard, underpinned by firm chalky minerality. The lingering, bone dry finish is filled with evolving fruit characters, bright and crisp.
Crawford River
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Crawford River
Inspired by its potential to produce superior quality grapes, John and Catherine Thomson planted their vineyard in 1975 at Crawford River, in south west Victoria, a relatively unexplored wine growing region

Crawford River is located in the Henty winegrowing region on the Upper Hotspur Road between Hotspur, on the Casterton/Heywood Road and Condah, along the Henty Highway, half way between Hamilton and Portland. The winery is less than an hour from Port Fairy, Dunkeld, Portland and Mt. Gambier in South Australia. The beautiful cellar door building added in 2000 was designed by Graeme Gunn. Visitors can drink in the glorious views of the vineyard that sweep down to grazing cattle and sheep as they sample the wines.

Crawford River

Situated approximately 50 kilometres inland from the Southern Ocean and lying at the alluvial edge of a volcanic lava flow, the 11.5 Ha vineyard has its roots in an unusally complex, mineral- rich soil base. Gravelly, friable, basalt loam overlays permeable clay which lies above limestone created by an ancient, risen seabed. Rainfall is generally reliable, with much of the 650mm average falling in Winter and Spring . At Latitude 38° South and 110 metres above sea-level, temperatures are cool.

All wines are crafted entirely from fruit grown at the Crawford River vineyard, vinified and bottled on site. The hand picked grapes are brought in to the winery in small batches where meticulous attention is paid to detail. Patience and time are of the essence throughout the winemaking process. Minimal interference and movement during vinification, in preference of the fruit naturally expressing the special terroir. This approach influences the pure, elegant quality of the end product.

White wines are cool fermented to dryness exclusively in stainless steel tanks. Red wines are fermented in small, open fermenters and hand plunged. Small parcels are given extended maceration and a further portion are barrel fermented to create wines with finesse, multi-layered flavours and complexity. Individual blocks and treatments are kept separate throughout their maturation of twelve to twenty four months in a varitey of French oak. Malolactic fermentation proceeds naturally in the spring.

Crawford River

Presiding over gently undulating grazing lands with sprawling forests in the distance, Crawford River has paved the way for the industry in what is traditionally a wool, beef and dairy region. The cool southerly latitude together with the maritime environment, complex soil structure and favourable micro-climate create a terroir which has justified that initial vision. The winery atop the hill and the vineyard hugging the slope nestle in the midst of a large sheep and cattle station that John’s great- grandfather settled in 1884.

The splendid site enjoys its moderating maritime influence whilst managing to escape most of the Autumn sea mists. The combination of these factors produces a long and even growing season helping to produce grapes with intense fruit flavours and high natural acidity. Whilst the dry grown vineyard enjoys low yields, some years require careful manipulation of bunch numbers, ensuring the highest possible fruit quality. Budburst is usually mid- September with picking from mid April to mid May. Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon are the two main varieties in the vineyard, with smaller plantings of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. All the pruning, picking, shoot and fruit thinning, leaf plucking and general canopy management are done entirely by hand.

Due to the long ripening period and consequent late picking dates, there can be an onset of Botrytis Cinerea. In these years the ability to hand select botrytis affected fruit is crucial, as the dry table wines can only be made from clean fruit. The sweet, botrytised fruit is reserved for the estate's renowned dessert wines. These are fermented to comparably low sugar levels in order to find an ideal balance between sugar, acid and alcohol so the purity of the style is expressed with a clean, crisp finish.

Crawford River