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Dr Frederick Kiel would take the trek by paddle steamer from Melbourne every summer during the late 1800s to spend his summers at Sorrento. His children established a grazing station nearby, on a property acquired from the Baillieu family along Portsea Ocean Beach, ultimately planted to vineyards in 2000. These are the most extreme western longitudes of Mornington, the undulating paddocks and sweeping views of tempestuous Bass Strait are a magical place for growing Burgundesque styles of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, well protected north facing parcels of propitious free draining limestone and calcareous sands. The windswept maritime vineyards of little Portsea Estate yield the quality of Mornington that have to be experienced... Mornington's westernmost vineyards»
There were two scrub covered parcels of land, just outside Pokolbin village along McDonalds Road, that local council had long set aside for use as cricket ground and cemetery. Both were ultimately auctioned off to the highest bidders and sown to vine. A third undeveloped site became the subject of a long running feud among the new and old neighbours. Dodgy invoices between the rivals were exchanged and the division of firewood became a further cause of contention. A truce was eventually called by the two protagonists, Brokenwood and Hungerford Hill, for the sake of healthy viticulture. The nascent blocks achieved international renown as the eminent Cricket Pitch and the Langtons Listed Graveyard Vineyard, establishing Brokenwood as one of the most cherished marques in Hunter Valley.. Sociable soils make for healthy vine»

Parker Estate Terra Rossa Merlot 2010 CONFIRM 2010 VINTAGE

Merlot Coonawarra South Australia
Integral to the style and quality of Parker has been the unique mesoclimate of the Old Block Merlot site in southern Coonawarra. There are noticeable climatic and soil differences within the fifteen kilometre strip that impart unique qualities to wine. Less prone to frost, Old Block has a higher median temperature, and the fruit can be treated to an additional hang time of up to fourteeen days. An opulent, slightly spicy Merlot in which the toasty oak merges well with the mouthfilling qualities of fruit, tannins are supple and the finish long.
Merlot clone Davis D3/V14 is planted to the elite Old Block sited to rich Terra rossa soils that are made very special by areas of clay pan. Merlot is ideally suited to clay pan, one of the defining reasons why Parker was considered a benchmark ever since innaugural release. Grapes are picked and inoculated as a single parcel in small eight tonne open topped static fermenters. The wine remained seven days on skins before pressing into barriques for eighteen months maturation in a combination of new and prior use Sirugue, Seguin Moreau and Tarasaud French oaks. A component of Cabernet is added for strength and to provide length. Lightly fined with egg white.
Mid red purple hue. The nose displays bright red and black fruit aromas, a floral lift and satsuma plum notes, combined with a essential Merlot sweetness, a seaweed/ iodine note and subtle vanillan oak. The palate is medium bodied with lovely round mouthfeel and savouryness, dense and rich with concentrated dark berry fruit and chocolate flavours combining with fine vanillin oak before a firm tannin finish. More perfumed and softer in style, firm grape tannins showing through on the finish.
Parker Estate
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Parker Estate
Parker Coonawarra Estate wines have achieved an unmatched reputation both within Australia and in all countries where fine wines are revered for integrity and consistently superb quality

Parker Coonawarra Estate is situated in Coonawarra, at the centre of South Australia's Limestone Coast Wine Region. It is approximately 3 1/2 hours south of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, and about 4 hours west of Melbourne, the capital of Victoria. Only a short drive from Coonawarra to the east is the beautiful Grampians Region, and the stunning Great Ocean Road to the south east.

Parker Estate

Parker Coonawarra Estate was established in 1985 on the rich Terra Rossa soil over limestone of Coonawarra and carries Cabernet Sauvignon as the predominant variety with minor plantings of Merlot and Petit Verdot. Commercial constraints played no part in the development of Parker Coonawarra Estate. John Parker, whose many years involvement in the wine industry resulted in a desire to produce a premium wine from Australia's premier red wine district culminated with the release of the 1988 Terra Rossa First Growth in 1991.

Coonawarra did not happen by chance. Nor did it evolve by trial and error. It was founded a century ago, and was based on sound scientific principles after the assessment of extensive feasibility studies. The founder was John Riddoch. He had come to Australia from Scotland during the Gold Rush and subsequently acquired an extensive pastoral run in the South East of South Australia. His motives for establishing Coonawarra were primarily humanitarian. As he said at the time, he aimed to provide employment, to encourage immigration and to stimulate closer settlement by sub-dividing his large estate.

Since then, Coonawarra has passed through three historical periods. The first was early settlement, when the early settlers accepted the challenge of Riddoch's vision, established the district, and generally prospered until the time of the First World War. They were led by Joseph Darwent. Then came the dark age of the Great Depression and the two World Wars. During this period Riddoch's original Cellars were converted into a distillery, and the Redman family alone were able to maintain a continuous tradition of table wine production.

Parker Estate

Samuel Wynn eventually recognised the quality of these wines, and initiated the renaissance of the district by purchasing the old Riddoch Cellars in 1951. This third historical period witnessed the appreciation by many other investors of the truly great attributes of this small, yet magic, tract of terra rossa soil. During the half century since then, the combined efforts of many outstanding grapegrowers and talented winemakers have ensured that Coonawarra has produced wine of a truly unique style and quality. These wines are now generally recognised as Australia's best, and amongst the greatest in the world.

It has been an exciting time for Parker Coonawarra Estate, also celebrating the Terra Rossa First Growth’s Outstanding classification in Langton’s. The Langton’s 2005 Classification notes the First Growth as a "brilliantly seductive wine with unbelievable depth of fruit, balance and structure." Parker Estate celebrated further victory at the 2005 Winewise Small Vignerons Awards where the 2003 Parker Estate Terra Rossa Cabernet Sauvignon won the trophy for best Cabernet Sauvignon. Competition was very strong among 1318 entries received from 329 entrants.

Parker Estate