McLaren Vale Wines – 2013 Vintage Report

Saturday, 27 April, 2013 22:21 Written by shane

Well Vintage in McLaren Vale is all but over (I suspect that some grapes destined for fortified wine are still to be picked) and it is time to reflect on the Vintage.

The lead up to the Vintage period was looking so good it had us all salivating. The winter rains had subsoil moisture levels higher than previously recorded. This meant that the vines did not need watering until quite deep into Summer. The beginning of Summer was quite mild with little rain that indicated a potential for a long ripening period for the grapes. No storm activity was also appreciated by the vines. Leading into January I was hearing that the coming vintage was shaping up to be even better than 2012 (2012 was considered by many as being the best vintage conditions for the last 15 to 20 years).

McLaren Vale Shiraz (Marius Vineyard)

Then came January and February with high temperatures and effectively no rain. This combination brought on grape maturity very quickly. An example of this was at the Marius Vineyard where picking was organised for early March but had to be brought forward by 2 weeks due to the high rates of sugars developing quickly.

The order of grapes being picked was also different than “normal”. In most years white wine varieties are picked before red wine varieties. Well this year we had Shiraz frequently picked before any white grapes from the same property.

Grape De-stemmer

With the hot weather and the quick development of the grapes the wineries were stretched with a compressed time frame to process a below average volume of grapes. No sooner had fermenters emptied they were filled again. It was tight and long hours were to be had but I believe most if not all grapes that were supposed to be picked were.

The result was a number of very tired people working long hours to make what looks to be a high quality wine. The key to this vintage seemed to be keeping close eye on the vineyards and picking at the right time and having the capacity in the winery to cope with the compressed time frames. There will be some excellent wines come from this vintage but at this stage the overall analysis would be not as good as 2012.

Pressing the Barbuckle Project Shiraz

One pivotal milestone for the 2013 was that I have made a small volume of wine – the Barbuckle Project Shiraz. More on his one later.

Backpacker’s McLaren Vale Style

One area I would like to put my opinion out there is all about the back packers who descend on McLaren Vale. For the first time I met some of these people and got to know a little about what they do. Most of the above group come from Europe and are traveling around Australia. These people want to pick the grapes so earn some money to survive on while backpacking. There seems to be a limited number of Aussies who want to pick the grapes – it is hard work for people that have not done it before. I picked grapes 2 days this year and I was totally stuffed by the end of the day. There is a tide of distain for these backpackers, like they should not be here. So here is the thing – who else is going to pick the grapes? Who else is going to go home to speak about the interesting times they had in Australia and what wonderful wines they tried here? Who else is going to look for the wines that were made from the grapes they picked?

I would like to put it out there that we should welcome these people here during vintage – maybe we should create some facility where they can stay with their old Combi Vans, where they can have a shower and not be hounded to move on when they find a place to stay over night.

This year a met a few of these people (see the picture above) and they are wonderful people wanting to experience this beautiful country of ours (who would blame them) and to do this earn some money doing something that most of us do not want to do. I do not have all the answers and yes I understand these are general statements but lets see how we can do this better next year. You never know the group above, and others like them, may spark the next generation of world wide Australian Wine drinkers!

Buy McLaren Vale Wine – Backyard Shed Cru Tasting Pack #8

Saturday, 09 March, 2013 15:02 Written by shane

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Red Pack #8

2010 Ducks in a Row Straight Up Mataro

From a vineyard near Willunga (in the McLaren Vale region) and was matured in 7 year old oak. The wine making direction to show off the fruit and not just load it up with obvious oak tannins. I get vanilla plums (maybe a plum stored in a jar with a vanilla bean) but there is also a hint of blue character that is most intriguing. There are side dishes of Mulberry and maybe even some rhubarb. The grape tannins work to provide a well structured wine that has length on it’s side. I am going to keep a few bottles to see how this wine will age.

2008 Thorpe Wines Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Made from estate grown from the vineyard on the corner of Malpas and California roads (on the flat between McLaren vale and Willunga). When I try this wine I have one word resonating – balanced. All elements are balanced and not one thing over powers any other. The aromas show the expected black current with ironstone, slate and black olives. The flavours are smooth but show strength – black current, slate, black olives, and cedar notes. The tannins are there but not over powering. The one unusual element I get is the iodine character. This characteristic seems to be a trait of this particular vineyard. All in all a smart effort.

2010 Sabella J. Petrucci and Son Shiraz

I have tried the last 3 vintages of Shiraz that Michael Petrucci has made and I think each year has been better than the last. This wine made the McLaren Vale Scarce Earth Project for 2010 wines. I suppose one should make good or better wine from the 2010 vintage, but I get a sense of more. I get the feeling that Michael is getting to understand his craft and his raw materials (grapes from his father’s vineyard) better. The wine shows the aromas expected from Shiraz and a mild dose of white pepper. I really enjoyed the strength brought on by the fruit as much as any oak treatments. There is plenty of acid here also so the wine should last for ages.

2008 Zimmermann Shiraz

Made with love from the foothills of the Willunga escarpment. The grapes sitting proud on the valley slopes in this small part of the McLaren Vale district that are tendered by a couple that are looking to enjoy a life of grape growing, wine making, selling and a good wholesome environment for a Bed and Breakfast style accommodation. With wines like this they are doing a number of things right. The 2008 vintage was hot and challenging and they got their fruit picked and processed before the heatwave did it’s damage. The wine has the aromas of lifted plum with side servings of pomegranate, cherry and rhubarb plus just a sprinkle of white pepper. The flavours followed plum and cherry up front with some integrated oak tannins and just a hint of licorice on the finish. This wine has plenty of time left in it but why wait. I had a bottle recently with a juicy steak, creamed potatoes and steamed beans – lovely.

2010 Marius Sympatico Shiraz

The grapes for this wine come from a wonderfully complex vineyard – the soils have been transported from the Willunga Escarpment down to the foothills below. The soil is rocky and sparse and the vines do their bit by struggling through each year. In 2010 I helped pick some of the grapes that went into making this wine. Mr Marius Wines himself – Roger, does not allow me to purchase wines often to have them available for sale but I talked him into releasing a small amount. The wine is all about power and as soon as you open the wine it hits you – brambly and dark plum with some course black pepper. After leaving the wine in the glass for a while the wine transforms with some finesse appearing with lavender and cardamon. The flavours are similar to the aromas lots of plum and bramble fruits with lavender and licorice coming through. The tannins here have strength but not disruptive to the fruit – an interesting balance. This wine really needs a few more years in the bottle or at least give the wine significant time in contact with air before you drink it. We tried it the other day with a Beef Burgoyne which was a wonderful match.

2010 Fork in the Road Shiraz

Another wine from the McLaren Vale Scarce Earth Project. This wine from the Old Oval Estate is from a vineyard on Sand Road and has the same geology as the J. Petrucci & Sons wine also in this pack. The wine aromas start off with cherry and blackberry fruits mixed with a dustiness of tannin. The oak character is minimal here so I expect these tannins to be from the fruit (eg pips). There is some vanilla coming through – an indication of American oak influence there. This wine was so engaging that after smelling the wine my mouth was salivating. Interestingly, after the first sip I was still hooked and wanted more – always a good sign. The flavours were the same fruits on the front of the mouth and the oak and tannin on the back of the palate. Not what a lot of people would call a classic wine but one I believe many people would just enjoy to drink.

McLaren Vale Wine – Ducks in a Row

Sunday, 03 February, 2013 22:26 Written by shane

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Ducks in a Row Cellar Door

There is a relatively new cellar door in town near Port Willunga just off South Road. If you are in the area on a weekend between 12 and 4 then I would suggest this is one to check out. Ducks in a Row comes from the stylings of Glen and Amanda Pritchard and their enthusiastic dog Roger. Glen is a very experienced winemaker who has worked in senior roles for the big guys in the industry and he has taken the opportunity to make his own wine from little known or alternate varieties and to let the wines speak for themselves instead of using massive amounts of oak character. Amanda markets the wines and is involved with a number of wine and food initiatives.

The Ducks in a Row branding comes from a painting by Mirka Mora with parts of this painting being used on each of the wine labels (other than the Pandora).

Their cellar door is rustic and has a charm that makes me want to sit down and just talk about stuff for hours (which, if my memory is correct, I probably did on my visit).

Now the wines……..

2012 Vermentino ($25)

Mainly from Heathcote (Victoria) grapes and made in McLaren Vale. The wine screams stone fruit from the glass even before it gets anywhere near ones nose. The flavours are soft and subtle with a really interesting textural feel. The texture probably comes from the natural ferment being kept on solids for an extended period of time. This textual feel gives a weight to the wines finish – more than the “flavours”. The structure of the wine screams out for food and can think of nothing better than scallops or oysters,

2011 Fiano ($25)

The Heathcote connection continues with the Fiano. The grapes were naturally fermented and the wine spend 12 months sitting on the less. No oak was used in the making so the wine spent the 12 months in stainless steel vats. Another interesting point was the wine had no sulphur compounds added until bottling. I find this wine so different again to main stream. The wine is almost oily to start with and has a really impressive acid backbone. Not a fruit driven wine I get basil and pine nut notes. Again the food wine and the oiliness leads me towards char grilled sardines – my mouth is watering just thinking about this combination.

Ducks in a Row Pandora’s Amphora

2011 Pandora’s Amphora ($80)

Heathcote fruit again – a mixture of Vermentino, Fiano, Moscato Giallo all co-fermented naturally in a single amphora. The Amphora is a clay vessel that has been traditionally used in some Italian wineries and seems to be making a surge in interest here. I do not know if the Amphora makes a difference in the wine product, but at the very least is sounds good. This wine was not tasted and the was just over 500 bottles produced.

Ducks in a Row red wines

2011 Nero D’Avola ($25)

Described by Glen (winemaker) as this wine is like “Pinot on steroids”. The wine has only seen large old oak and spent considerable time on skins and lees – all in the name of complexity. The theme here is to let the grapes do the talking as the wood plays such a minor part. Interestingly the wine was served, on a mild day, slightly chilled. The dark cherry fruits abound but there is a dried herb background to provide a savory wine with good clean acid but the textural feel to the wine makes the interest. Only the second wine of this variety I have tried but I look forward to more. Again a food wine – maybe with char grilled octopus.

2011 Temranillo Graciano Mataro ($25)

All McLaren Vale fruit with the Tempranillo (40%) from Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards, the Graciano (40%) from Battle of Bosworth and the Mataro (10%) from a grower in Willunga. This wine has seen no new oak so again it is all about the grapes. Redness comes from all over the place here – initially red currents and then into cherries. I also get the distinct hint of cloves. There is plenty of structure here which I suspect comes from the addition of the Mataro. I would like to drink this with a food that has flavour as well as texture to match – maybe some chorizo sausages.

2010 Straight Up Mataro ($25)

From a vineyard near Willunga (in the McLaren Vale region) and was matured in 7 year old oak. Again the wine making direction to show off the fruit and not just load it up with obvious oak tannins. I get vanilla plums (maybe a plum stored in a jar with a vanilla bean) but there is also a hint of blue character that is most intriguing. The grape tannins work to provide a well structured wine that has length on it’s side. I am going to keep a few bottles to see how this wine will age.

McLaren Vale Wine – Vale Cru Winetasting

Saturday, 15 December, 2012 21:29 Written by shane

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There is one tasting I look forward to each year. Due to circumstances beyond my control I have not been able to attend the last 2 years so I was looking forward to the November 2012 Vale Cru wine tasting held on the grounds of he Victory Hotel.

This year things were different. I had tickets and transport organised (I was not going to taste and drive) plus I was attending with 2 friends from Melbourne who were visiting McLaren Vale for the first time. As both were wine drinkers I could not think of a better way of showing them what McLaren Vale could do than showing the wines of the Vale Cur members. As a bonus there was a chocolate and cheese tasting added just for good measure.

Vale Cru winemakers and tasters in their natural habitat

The sun was shining and the wind was blowing straight off the ocean – the combination was good for the punters but the wind was a little troublesome for the winery staff who were trying to keep tasting notes etc on the tables. All in all the stage was set for an excellent afternoon. On arrival we received a wine glass (which we were able to keep) a plank of wood (which was a modified oak barrel stave) that was notched so to hold the wine glass, a pencil and a wine list. There was also an opportunity to go into a competition to match chocolate and the wines available for tasting. I was also impressed with the cheese and cut french stick breads that were available. There were impressive but I was there for the wine. The list of small wineries that make up the Vale Cru is impressive with:-

Brash Higgins

Ulithorne

Waywood Wines

Battle of Bosworth

Lazy Ballerina

Rudderless

Five Geese

Geddes Wines

Noon Wines

La Curio

Old Faithful

Vigna Bottin

Samuels Gorge

J&J Wines

Inkwell

Maximus

Before I talk about some of the wines, I should discuss what the Vale Cru is all about. It is my opinion that the heart and sole of any wine producing region is the small producer. The people that strive for above all else quality. It is with these producers that the gems are produced. These wines are not the usual liquor store fodder – the liquor stores seem to have shelves full of the same old stuff that has been generated from the big factory wineries that dominate the Australian wine scene. These small producers invariability have the one thing that sets them apart – the love that goes into making these wines.

Each winery had 3 wines available for tasting and as many of these wineries are very familiar to me then I knew many of the wines. There was too many wines for me to taste them all however there were many highlights from the wines we tasted – some notes below.

2011 Battle of Bosworth Chardonnay ($25)

I applaud the use of oak here. Oak plays a support role and s not overpowering, but this support is important for quality Chardonnay. The melon and peach fruits are here as well and I was also impressed with the cad levers in this wine. The crispness found here is not always found in white wines that have gone through Malolactic acid fermentation thus I suspect this wine has little or no secondary fermentation. There are a number of very poor Chardonnay wines available today but this wine is certainly not one of them. I would prefer this over a Sauvignon Blanc any day.

2007 Rudderless Wines Malbec ($35)

Not a usual varietal wine but the blackness of the fruit comes through really well. If you get a chance then check it out.

2010 Tim Geddes Experimental Grenache ($33)

Readers of this blog know I enjoy a good Grenache and this is one of them. The redness and fruit power is enticing. Let it drag you in!

2010 Five Geese Grenache Shiraz ($24)

Vibrant fruit with a side order of cedar oak. The black and red fruit shine through at different times when you taste this wine which provides the wine drinker some intrigue.

2008 Ulithorne Frux Frugis Shiraz ($45)

This wine is all about the liquorice. Classy McLaren Vale Shiraz that will last for a long time – if you let it.

2009 Brash Higgins “SHZ” Shiraz ($37)

This wine just surprises with the mouth finish of blood orange. One may expect this from a Nebbiolo but not a Shiraz. Another wine that is classy and different – the essence of what the Vale Cru is all about.