tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-241092142024-02-21T15:17:11.999+11:00The Story WinesHand made in the suburbs.
How our wines are made, what we do, try and ponderThe Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-88292614979536404722011-11-28T17:06:00.002+11:002011-11-28T17:11:44.507+11:00New Website Under Construction<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycKZpt7-Q2oYB3WI1OMx8PMDd7nr3joLSR9GIrWfHNrJPubsEW5DPbLQ-FvbOiUH2YCyznsxmBu0TAYNhTUMsA9F_DMlkH-fBoJI1Th3tbhVhN6UldBt2hhUBwa2OJPJGgsTP9Q/s1600/Website-Under-Construction.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycKZpt7-Q2oYB3WI1OMx8PMDd7nr3joLSR9GIrWfHNrJPubsEW5DPbLQ-FvbOiUH2YCyznsxmBu0TAYNhTUMsA9F_DMlkH-fBoJI1Th3tbhVhN6UldBt2hhUBwa2OJPJGgsTP9Q/s200/Website-Under-Construction.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5679925441570969218" /></a>
We're currently building a new website - something a little more reflective of what The Story does - but I will definitely still be maintaining a blog as part of the new platform. I'll probably keep this site up for a while to help direct traffic, but all new content will begin from 1st Dec 2011 at www.thestory.com.au
Stay with us!The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-18837967777014827482011-10-18T15:43:00.004+11:002011-10-25T10:03:46.528+11:00White rhone - Oz Style - the tasting<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgXJeGiI1-BwYvHvOITw-pKYO8hmZSCkfPlK4Rhz4VdgVJcVm82KTkuA3FMhCpvk-t08zTeLakv19Qut9yPUoV89nzTcW643LM9J9w92o9bRYC_fCnc36k9gOBYnktLqPNq1t4g/s1600/Saint-Pierre.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 52px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgXJeGiI1-BwYvHvOITw-pKYO8hmZSCkfPlK4Rhz4VdgVJcVm82KTkuA3FMhCpvk-t08zTeLakv19Qut9yPUoV89nzTcW643LM9J9w92o9bRYC_fCnc36k9gOBYnktLqPNq1t4g/s200/Saint-Pierre.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664703581115494594" /></a>
Yesterday the talented Ben Haines (of the eponymous <a href="http://benhaineswines.com.au">label</a>) and I hosted a few winos for a tasting of Australian Marsanne/Roussanne style wines from 2010, 2009, the early 2000s and a few french examples to see what sort of stylistic differences currently existed in the little-made oeuvre. With the help of a few swaps and donations we amassed 25 examples and at with the generous patronage of excellent local restaurant <a href="http://www.ilonastaller.com.au">Ilona Staller</a> 12 of us sat down and double blind tasted them all. With lively discussion about what attendees liked and didn't like, it seemed there were indeed a broad range of styles on offer, delineated in the main by the degree to which grapes were ripened, and then the degree of winemaking influence such as oak, lees and exposure to oxygen. <span class="fullpost">
The Northern Rhone Valley itself seems to be split into two camps - those that aim for higher ripeness, unctuous texture and glycerol, and then those that aim for more floral, mineral expressions of their site and grape. This seemed mirrored in the Australian examples, climate and region less obvious than style and winemaker influence. Site expression was a spirited talking point throughout the tasting, with some feeling that many wines were more about winemaking than place. Others found compelling examples in the line-up to challenge this.
The 2010 brackets showed some more delicate, floral wines, beeswax and lanolin characters mingled with blossom and stone fruits. The Collector 2010 Canberra Marsanne was one such example, a well- pitched and moderate wine with lees complexity, length and texture and no overt heat. The 2010 Yeringberg Yarra Valley Marsanne Roussanne was clean, delicate and almost simple, but I suspect it simply needs time in bottle to unravel. Pedigree suggests this is the case. With equal pedigree yet a warmer climate the Mitchelton 2010 Airstrip Marsanne roussanne viognier showed burgundian, cheesy sulphide and beeswax funky notes, great structural phenolics and lovely length. I think it will settle in to be an excellent wine. Of similar quality but with less oak influence and a touch more ripeness was the Michael Hall Barossa Roussanne - another to watch. The Tahbilk Marsanne, with its heady aromas and fresh palate attracted great respect once unveiled, for its value.
The transition to the 2009 bracket from the extensive 2010 bracket was interesting and intriguing, somewhat splitting the room. Many in the room saw charm in 09’s with their extra weight, blossoming aromas and generosity. All remarked on the extent of difference in the wines to the 2010’s with only one extra year of age. The organic/biodynamic 2009 Yangarra Roussanne from McLaren Vale was particularly fascinating, largely challenged initially for its degree of background artifact with distinct cheesy & leesy notes surrounding the core fruit, but later lauded by some as it evolved. The Box Grove was in a similar ilk, with perhaps a little more youthfulness.
I found the extra year simply magnified the winemaker's fingerprint. Aldehyde and oxidation began to show in some wines, as did over-ripeness and oak influence in some others. 2009 was a hot vintage across the entire country (as it was in France) and I was disappointed with the lack of freshness in these examples - with the exception of the 'worked' but stunning Giaconda Aeolia. Perhaps with the first flushes of youth fading, these wines are yet to resolve themselves into what they want to be. Perhaps in another 12 -24 months they will be better again?
Ben also raised the issue of varietal typicity, posing the question of whether we really understand the varietal identifiers of these wines (aroma and flavor profile, texture, phenolic behavior etc), particularly as they evolve over time. The sheer lack of older Australian examples makes this a difficult question to answer in the short term, but perhaps a more defined reference point is something to build in Australian regions for these varieties.
The Older wines included Giaconda, Tahbilk, Mitchelton and Tallarook in an all-central Victorian showdown, and age further showed the winemaker's influence. Giaconda 2000 Aeolia was almost chardonnay like, with cheese, honey, toast and barrel char beginning to get back on top of the fruit, whereas the Tahbilk 1927 vines unfortunately showed some cork derived oxidation. Nevertheless you could see similarities to old Hunter Semillons in it's early-picked, acid driven and linear styling underneath the faults. The bolter was the 2003 Mitchelton Roussanne, possiblly the wine of the tasting, with cold tea, straw, wax, bickford's lime cordial and chewy phenolics that swirled with the wines inherent generosity and built through the palate - plenty of fuel in the tank too. Impressive.
Then it was on to the french examples, mainly 2010 wines and 3 from the north and 3 from the south. Yves Cuilleron's two St Joseph's La Lombard and Le coteau St Pierre were rich yet just controlled as young wines, with barrel influences but just as much influence from fennel, nettles, stones and straw. I found myself not noticing fruit as much as the Australian examples, and less of a preoccupation with acid. Still, there was structure and freshness. Domaine Belle Crozes Hermitage was a little less intense but perhaps more refined and drinkable for it, and then came the outliers, two Chateauneuf Du papes from Mont Redon and Clos De Papes. Warmer climate, and different technique - both tank fermented and matured, no malo, yet showing aldehyde and flint from oxidative juice handling. I think some of the warmer climate Australian examples could learn much from this, as it seemed to prevent flabbiness in the wines. As we discussed however, few of us that are new to making the varieties would have the courage to walk the aldehydic line that the clos du papes does. It was remarked that in Australia we might be pilloried for it whereas the french are lauded!
In all, more questions arose than were answered. There were few 'stars' in the Australian brackets, many overripe, 'stylised' wines and few that shouted their terroir. Then again, there aren't many exponents at all in Australia, so perhaps each is simply forging ahead without much guidance or support, unlike chardonnay or shiraz or Pinot Noir. Still, it made me determined to trust in a direction that delivers freshness, balance, and some nuance of structure as opposed to ripeness, broadness and bitterness. The evolution may be slow, but we have begun.</span>The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-20156875387001532422011-08-12T15:53:00.002+10:002011-08-12T16:03:46.380+10:00The Story in 2011 Young Guns of Wine Awards<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfq2kkX7qyFEqnN_e_U9iXPHQg7NqpP3Aar2tuxNqI3vY14R6lc19gcT9ykLvMtzaKvB8v61akk53wGINj4BBFepkDvcuNcRvIqj_5r7FefJk-Qa1Y56DY-KyKvAQLOb5Zb02WEw/s1600/young+guns+2011+logo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfq2kkX7qyFEqnN_e_U9iXPHQg7NqpP3Aar2tuxNqI3vY14R6lc19gcT9ykLvMtzaKvB8v61akk53wGINj4BBFepkDvcuNcRvIqj_5r7FefJk-Qa1Y56DY-KyKvAQLOb5Zb02WEw/s200/young+guns+2011+logo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639846181393231938" /></a>
The Story,and hence yours truly, has been selected as one of the top 11 young winemakers in Australia to participate in the Young Guns of Wine Festival running over the second half of August. There are a series of events incorporating our wines at some of Melbourne's best restaurants, so get on to the website and get involved. it's a great way to see what's new in oz wine. Probably the best event to attend is the free 'People's Choice' tasting at the Prince Wine Store on Aug 20, from 12-2pm, where you can taste all the wines. I'll be there, come and say g'day. The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-32407975476680966222011-05-27T08:17:00.005+10:002011-05-27T11:06:15.440+10:002011 Vintage dissectionThe barrels are full, stacked away. equipment packed away, a tired effort. Vintage 2011 is over, and all breathe a collective sigh of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">relief</span>. It has already been well documented on fraught twitter updates around south-eastern Australia how rainy, diseased and down-right cold the vineyards were in this sorry excuse for a summer and autumn; ours no exception. Though I can already hear the cogs in the winemaker/marketer's heads beginning to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">whirr</span> and spin in the midst of their worry - 'challenging, yet we sorted all our grapes (yeah right) and we <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">achieved</span> really ripe flavours at low <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">baumes</span> (I think <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">I've</span> used that one before) and the wines will be really delicate and subtle and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Burgundian</span> (shudder)<em> </em>with nice moderate alcohol levels'. I guess we are in an ever-increasingly crowded market, and we all have to try and sell our wine, but personally, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">I'm</span> not convinced that the red wines from <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Victoria</span> at least will be up to much. But I'm a bit tired and sick of it all at the moment, so inclined to half-emptiness. I suspect that a bit of distance from the winery will make my heart grow fonder, and the completion of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">malolactic</span> fermentation will help soften it's and in turn my acidity. So here's my take on it from The Story experience.<span class="fullpost">
I've got a bad attitude for two main reasons: firstly we lost two of our best vineyards entirely to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">downey</span> mildew and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">botrytis</span> respectively. No Rice's Vineyard Shiraz was picked, and no <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Henty</span> Estate Vineyard Shiraz either. That hurt. It puts a dent in the bottom line in a couple of years as we can usually charge more for these blocks, and it is a shame artistically because I enjoy making these wines. It hurts the growers a lot more though, and we've had a good run with these blocks over the past few years, so I should probably just shut up. Secondly, the reds have pretty massive acids and it's hard to see past that at this stage to see whether the tannins are ripe enough or not. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Malic</span> acid levels of 4-5 grams/<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">lt</span> were common, and you can really taste it. The big question is what happens when <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">malolactic</span> fermentation takes all this away and replaces it with much less and much softer Lactic acid. Will the wines have any structure? Certainly there will be a big pH ascent, which has its own potential problems re. bacterial spoilage. But what will be left? I suspect there will be some wines that just don't have the stuffing, the ripeness of tannin or even the simple fruit once the acid has gone. But there will be some that do. And that is where the hope lies.
'So where will the nice wines come from?' I hear you ask. Early tastings to me suggest something that in reality, blind <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">freddy</span> could have picked at the start of the season, but isn't common in Australia, especially in the last 10 years or so. The warmer sites that avoided disease, carried moderate <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">crops</span> and were harvested early will make the best wines. These sites tend to have rockier or sandier, free-draining soils, are less vigorous as a result, and crop lower. They consequently have less density of canopy for better air movement and hence lower disease potential. And they ripen quicker. Sounds eerily <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">European</span> doesn't it? Old-world textbook stuff. In the past few drought years, these same qualities worked <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">against</span> such sites, and ripening was exaggerated, before flavours could properly develop. But it's a backwards year this one. The sites that held more soil <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">moisture</span> by comparison, had huge, moist canopies that were difficult to spray effectively, threw bigger crops and struggled to ripen. So what have we got?
We were lucky to take on a new vineyard this year, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-error">Jallukar</span> Ridge. This is set in the granite and quartz hills north of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error">Moyston</span>, on a warm site. It was picked in late February last year apparently. This year it was April 7<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span>. At over 13 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error">baume</span>. I reckon it carried a touch more fruit than perfect, but it has some ripe tannin that you can taste, and good structure. It's not outstanding, but really solid, and genuinely ripe enough so I think it will form the bulk of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_24" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Grampians</span> blend this year, with bits of other vineyards for highlights and nuance. Tick. That wine will be pretty good I reckon, and will look really good next to some other wines from 2011 at its <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_25" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">price point</span>. I even had the temerity in this cool year to do a portion of this vineyard as 100% <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_26" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">whole bunch</span> fermentation. And that could be the best red in the cellar. Super fragrant and teasing long tannins.
We then took a little fruit from the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_27" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Pyrenees</span> on the 11<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_28" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> April, thinking that warmer areas would be better this year. And it had some rot, which we had to sort out on the conveyor before <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_29" class="blsp-spelling-error">destemming</span>, so got most of it out. It had nice sugar ripeness, again over 13 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_30" class="blsp-spelling-error">baume</span>. But massive acid. A big <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_31" class="blsp-spelling-error">malo</span> question wine. Still, it has nice flow and bright round red fruits. It will be a bit part player in the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_32" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Grampians</span> blend. Maybe 10%. Then I waited for the rest to ripen.
As has often happened in the past, we picked <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_33" class="blsp-spelling-error">Westgate</span> Vineyard and Garden Gully on the same day, 19<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_34" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> April. Both are old vineyards, but on very different soils. Garden gully got flooded in January, as it's name suggests. But it's soils are light, and drain well, and after dropping a bit of fruit and opening the canopy, it was picked at 13.5 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_35" class="blsp-spelling-error">baume</span>, and perfect acidity. Lo the wisdom of age! If i don't stuff it up, it will be our best wine this year I think. Genuine ripeness. Weight. Brightness. a touch of volatility from the wild ferment, but still it's one that does excite me in a year when a lot doesn't. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_36" class="blsp-spelling-error">Westgate</span> Vineyard with it's slightly heavier soils and easterly aspect had a massive canopy early on, and required a lot of work to salvage some decent fruit. But it got home, and by chopping out any rot in the vineyard the day before harvest we <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_37" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">achieved</span> some clean, juicy dark wine. I kept a tonne or so <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_38" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">separate</span> to ferment in puncheons, and worked the ferments hard to extract enough structure, and it might just sneak in for single vineyard status this year, although it has big acid, and will probably change a lot through <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_39" class="blsp-spelling-error">malo</span>. So I reserve judgement.
And there it abruptly ended for Shiraz, as <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_40" class="blsp-spelling-error">Henty</span> Estate, our coolest site, copped shower after shower, with no break, and eventually <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_41" class="blsp-spelling-error">botrytis</span> ran rampant.
We did pick some <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_42" class="blsp-spelling-error">pinot</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_43" class="blsp-spelling-error">noir</span> though, from a new vineyard for us: Newton's Ridge. It's a gorgeous site on a steep slope north of Port Campbell in the south west of the state. Planted 1998, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_44" class="blsp-spelling-error">MV</span>6 clone, and very low cropping. It's marginal in the best of years, and it was slow going to get it ripe. It eventually limped over 12 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_45" class="blsp-spelling-error">baume</span>, but at a half tonne per acre or so, it had enough stuffing to make some very silky and very bright <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_46" class="blsp-spelling-error">pinot</span>. Big acid again, but I actually have high hopes for this wine. The only question is whether the tannins resolve into the wine as a nice textural element in the mid palate, or whether they reveal themselves to be not quite ripe enough and the wine goes thin. Still <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_47" class="blsp-spelling-error">i'm</span> excited to see what the site can do in a better year. Could be special in time.
And the whites - no they're not an afterthought! Our experiment in 2010 with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_48" class="blsp-spelling-error">Viognier</span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_49" class="blsp-spelling-error">Marsanne</span> and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_50" class="blsp-spelling-error">Roussanne</span> was hugely successful I think, and the 38 dozen produced sold out very quickly as the wine proved itself to be a floral, detailed yet roundly textured wine with real interest. This year is <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_51" class="blsp-spelling-error">Marsanne</span> dominant, followed by <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_52" class="blsp-spelling-error">Roussanne</span> and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_53" class="blsp-spelling-error">Viognier</span>. it has much higher acid than last year, so <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_54" class="blsp-spelling-error">i've</span> decided to let a couple of barrels go through <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_55" class="blsp-spelling-error">malolactic</span> fermentation to fatten up a bit, and the remaining 3 barrels have been sulphured at dryness to give aromatics, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_56" class="blsp-spelling-error">crystalinearity</span> (new word!) and high tones. I reckon it'll be yum, as long as, again, it has enough stuffing to it.
The final wine is the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_57" class="blsp-spelling-error">Henty</span> Riesling. I was lucky enough to find a small vineyard of 27 yr old vines north of Portland the closest known sites being Crawford River and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_58" class="blsp-spelling-error">Seppelt</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_59" class="blsp-spelling-error">Drumborg</span>. It's a bit further south than both these sites, and persistent rain made <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_60" class="blsp-spelling-error">botrytis</span> an issue, as was getting it anywhere near ripe enough. The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_61" class="blsp-spelling-error">botrytis</span> was a blessing in disguise though, pushing the ripeness up just enough to make something interesting, and providing some complex flavours. I've left a little sugar in the wine to combat the big acid, but it will be an interesting summer drink, and will probably cellar for an eternity!
All in all, there are plenty of unanswered questions, and I'm not fully confident. Some years you just know <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_62" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">instinctively</span> that the wines will be good. But last year I had doubts too. And the 2010 wines turned out very well. Perhaps it's just a fear of the unknown. Certainly, this year and to a certain extent last year were completely different seasons to the previous five years, all of which had an <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_63" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">abundance</span> of ripeness and were about restraining this natural bounty. Not so now. I've had to really push and push to get vineyards in good order to ripen properly, and push in the winery to get structure. And still I may end up with mediocrity. But the good may also be very good, at least that's what <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_64" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">I'm</span> telling myself in the darker hours.<span style="font-size:+0;">
</span></span><span class="fullpost"><span style="font-size:+0;"></span></span>The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-74650756497747779282011-03-21T17:34:00.003+11:002011-07-14T15:05:31.097+10:00Current Wines and the waiting game<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfoPaudOWa3Nb0MyUe6slhWFejym3NGRT_uoAqEaMQlh8NwRD7mv-yeTafQUBLBlutgqHplbDktlhAxUH25pqvz68095tTFgT37f8DFRsZO5K__UpcUvx11HjL4brcT36tNBfrCQ/s1600/IDR022.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 186px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586426061694814994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfoPaudOWa3Nb0MyUe6slhWFejym3NGRT_uoAqEaMQlh8NwRD7mv-yeTafQUBLBlutgqHplbDktlhAxUH25pqvz68095tTFgT37f8DFRsZO5K__UpcUvx11HjL4brcT36tNBfrCQ/s200/IDR022.gif" /></a><span class="fullpost">
<div>A few people have been asking about some new wines that I've got coming out. Indeed it seems the original 'keep it simple stupid' concept of making a Grampians Shiraz and perhaps a single vineyard wine or two when the quality permitted has suffered somewhat. I guess i'm stupider than I first thought. So currently we have available the 2009 Grampians Shiraz ($22), the 09 Westgate Vineyard Shiraz ($45) and the 09 Sableux Shiraz ($45). I also made some Arneis from 2010 but that's sold out, and now I'm about to release a 2010 Henty Pinot Noir ($26) and a 2010 Viognier Marsanne Roussanne ($26). I'll get the details up on the site by the end of next week, including order forms for those wanting to purchase. But then there will be 5 seperate 2010 Shiraz wines coming out at the end of the year, as well as a 2011 Henty Riesling...oh yeah probably a little bit of Rose too. I think I may have to reign things back in pretty soon!</div>
<div>The 2010 Shiraz wines went into bottle about 3 weeks ago, and I think they're going to be really interesting and individual wines when they settle down a bit. 2010 is a very different year from the last few, more rain, less heat, less apparent tannin but beautiful perfume. Stylistically I've tried to work on texture, mouthfeel and preservation of aroma, and as a result the wines are a bit more subtle, less punchy fruit and extract, but probably offering earlier satisfaction. Whether sacrificing 'structure' for melifluousness is a good idea i'm not sure yet, if the wines fall over after 3 years then I guess that question will be answered, but it feels the right course to take, and i think the 'pleasure at the table', the brightness and complexity are greater than before. I certainly spent more time getting blends right than ever before - leave a barrel out, put 2/3 back in, now take 100lt of that blend out and put it into something else... my teeth were blacker than usual.</div>
<div>2011 has been a rollercoaster vintage already, and we're still some 2-3 weeks from picking a berry! huge December and January rains created headaches for the growers, several more spray passes than usual, more bunch thinning and leaf plucking, and more wrinkles than any I've been associated with. More rain is due this week, which will put things back further, but I'm confident that we'll have some nice fruit soon enough. There have been some casualties - Rice's vineyard won't have any Shiraz for us this year because if mildew, but on the plus side we've contracted an new block to cover our loss there and it looks very promising. The vineyards further south in Henty look even more encouraging, as they escaped the heaviest rainfalls and have balanced crops and healthy canopies. I'm expecting big things from our Henty Shiraz and Pinot(s?) so long as they manage to hold on until late April or early May, which looks like being go time for them. Fingers crossed!</div></span>The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-25268847533221859802011-02-14T10:36:00.003+11:002011-02-14T10:39:45.976+11:002010 Arneis Sold outour 40 case lot of 2010 King Valley Arneis is now sold out - predictably - but unfortunately none the less. I must make more white wine in 2011 I think.... We will have at least a couple of tonnes of Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier so we should be able to make 150 cases or so. I'll keep you all posted.The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-4956581897732396972010-11-24T17:29:00.002+11:002010-11-24T17:45:05.670+11:002009 Shiraz releases<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfk3sOu9zVsbZkXPDg0uqtYex1W31TGyX1u3RT5hzOHoE8mOxEreek0w1GswvRM8dS_sQLAX0T49DG_Hpw-JqjvP6yXXLmNTCXqdqay54ZMXqKTO9S2TaWHTB4Hh5UA2ltr6mxw/s1600/The+Story+Art+1011+-+5+-+Low+Res.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543003558938710786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfk3sOu9zVsbZkXPDg0uqtYex1W31TGyX1u3RT5hzOHoE8mOxEreek0w1GswvRM8dS_sQLAX0T49DG_Hpw-JqjvP6yXXLmNTCXqdqay54ZMXqKTO9S2TaWHTB4Hh5UA2ltr6mxw/s320/The+Story+Art+1011+-+5+-+Low+Res.JPG" /></a>
<div>The 2009 Shiraz wines are now ready for release, and hopefully some of you will get to taste them at our mailing list tasting this weekend at Mr Wolf in St. kilda. here is a bit of a rundown on each of the wines.</div>
<div></div>
<div>2009 'Associates' Grampians Shiraz</div>
<div>Our Grampians blend this year is a strong follow up to our 2008, and a vintage that at first looked vvery similar, then grew apart to be more earthy, more tannic and more 'Aussie' than I first thought. A blend of Rice's Vineyard (36%), Westgate Vineyard's younger vines (32%) Garden Gully Vineyard (24%) and a smidge from outside the region, the cooler Henty Estate Vineyard (8%). It's a ripe grampians, with some wholebunch stalk influence evident in its youth, fine tannins and cleansing acidity to finish. All natural yeasts again and bottled unfiltered. I think it will be great after 12 months, and then over 3 years.</div>
<div></div>
<div>2009 Westgate Vineyard Grampians Shiraz</div>
<div>The Westgate is very good again this year, fermented in small, french oak puncheons then matured in french barriques (33% new). It had almost identical ripeness to its predecessor in 2008, with a little less acid due to the drought accumulation. A fraction more fruit forward than 08, but better balanced I think. I reckon this will go the distance too, 10yrs+</div>
<div></div>
<div>2009 Sableux Grampians Shiraz.</div>
<div>Originally supposed to be 2 single vineyard wines, the best barrels from Rice's and Garden Gully Vineyards just seemed to look better as a blend. Sableux is from the french for 'sandy' and it is something that both sites share - sandier soil profiles that ripen a little quicker and hold less moisture. The resulting wine, fermented with 40% whole bunches in the same open puncheons as the westgate, is broader than its cousin, but with more tannin, and almost paradoxically, lighter, brighter aromatics and colour. It coped with 38% new french oak very well (from Meyrieux and Gillet coopers) and was bottled unfined and unfiltered. Will cellar well too, perhaps as well as westgate. A lot of people are going to find this very attractive I think. It's showy and brazen. a great Yang to the Westgate Yin.</div>
<div></div>
<div></div>The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-64963321820887098752010-11-09T13:41:00.004+11:002010-11-24T17:25:02.292+11:00Randall's Tasting now Fri 10/12/10<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPczPOfuIROAIHwbhnMah6ca_UnQvaoSrQKDUddrWQwLPYqSx1vR0WBX_30ki8eWRrHRqdkP3TPQAoGvxIaSXXdjxCbbK2m0CnpB0pfINrKenDEzk_uRtN_1EEHNL6VpeU3gl7A/s1600/randall_wine_logo.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 136px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537376535636416114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPczPOfuIROAIHwbhnMah6ca_UnQvaoSrQKDUddrWQwLPYqSx1vR0WBX_30ki8eWRrHRqdkP3TPQAoGvxIaSXXdjxCbbK2m0CnpB0pfINrKenDEzk_uRtN_1EEHNL6VpeU3gl7A/s320/randall_wine_logo.jpg" /></a>
<div>We'll again be having a public tasting at Randalls' Albert park store in Bridport St, in addition to our own mailing list tasting on the 27th Nov, to show our new Shiraz wines. if you want to come down and have a look, in addition to some great wines from Gary Mills' Jamsheed label (Jamsheed also has an 09 Westgate Vineyard Shiraz so try them side by side!), then pop down from 6-8:30 or so. It's a great store.</div>The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-83139413081041917412010-11-05T15:33:00.002+11:002010-11-05T15:48:06.820+11:002009 Shiraz wines released this monthIt is about that time again to unroll the welcome mat and show you all our new Shiraz wines. I'll be briefer than usual - 2009 wines are in a very similar style to the 2008s, with the exception that on the whole the vintage is a little less black and minerals, and a little more crimson and earthen. Pepper and graphite in 08, Nutmeg and twigs in 09. If you catch my drift... The weight and intensity however is very similar. It's another warm year, with good ripeness and punch, and I think they'll cellar very well too.
We'll be showing the new wines at our mailing list launch on 27th November in Melbourne, at Mr Wolf bar, 9-15 Inkerman Sreet St. Kilda, from 2-5. if you'd like to come along and have a taste then sign up to the mailing list on the right of screen, or email me at <a href="mailto:rory@thestory.com.au">rory@thestory.com.au</a>. I'll post a more detailed description of the wines in the coming week or so.The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-87212697063799119072010-10-01T12:39:00.002+10:002010-10-01T13:01:25.945+10:00Current StockistsQuite regularly I get asked where our wines can be found, and there really isn't a comprehensive list of stockists available on this site, so here's a selection of the retailers and restaurants currently very intelligent. Apologies for the Melb/Sydney centricity - we do have a few stockists in Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Singapore and London so email us if you're hunting it down <a href="mailto:rory@thestory.com.au">rory@thestory.com.au</a>
Melbourne retail
Boccaccio Cellars -Balwyn; Randall The Winemerchant - Albert Park; Cloudwine - South Melbourne, Brighton; Olinda Cellars - Olinda; Seddon Wine Store - Seddon; Carlton Cellars - Nth Carlton; Blackhearts and Sparrows - Nth Fitzroy, Windsor.
Melbourne Restaurants
Attica - Ripponlea; Cicciolina - St Kilda; Dogs Bar/Slow Down - St Kilda; Pelican - St Kilda; Melbourne Wine Room - St. kilda; Ezard - CBD; Comme - CBD; Gill's Diner - CBD; Punch Lane - CBD; St. Jude's Cellars - Fitzroy; Commoner - Fitzroy; Black Pearl - Fitzroy; Rice Queen - Fitzroy; Cavallero - Collingwood; Next Door Diner - Northcote; Koots - Kooyong; Royal Mail Hotel - Dunkeld; Lake House - Daylesford; and many others!
Sydney Retail
Rose Bay Liquor - Rose Bay; Australian Wine Centre - The Rocks, CBD; Vine Providore - Surrey Hills; Glebe Liquor - Glebe;
Sydney Restaurants
Bentley - Surrey Hills; Tetsuya - CBD; Marque - Surrey Hills; Aria - CBD; Lotus - Potts Point; Glebe Point Diner - Glebe; Fix St James - CBD; and others.The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-91522805250527645902010-07-28T22:35:00.002+10:002010-07-28T22:54:54.110+10:00Bottling 09 ShirazesTomorrow sees the 09 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Shirazes</span> go into bottle, and hence the most tense couple of days of the year. final racking of the 09 Grampians blend (called Associates this year) and a racking for the two top <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Shirazes</span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Westgate</span> and a new wine we are calling <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sableux</span>. This is the last chance to bugger something up so valves are triple checked, pumps run as slowly as possible, things cleaned compulsively and coffee consumed at obscene levels. But the wines are shaping up nicely, with excellent concentration, bright (mainly) red fruits and wonderful <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">grippy</span> tannins that give them all a distinctly savoury edge.
Associates is so named for our move in 2009 to our new winery, and the fun of making new friends to ferment stuff with. Hopefully the new label this year reflects the great fun we had.
<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sableux</span> on the other hand is much more serious! The mildly pretentious moniker comes from the french for 'sandy', which we felt was apt considering the fruit is sourced from two warmer, sandier soil vineyards in Garden Gully Vineyard and Rice's Vineyard.
Finally, we of course have the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Westgate</span>. We're delighted that once again we have such high quality fruit from these 40yr old vines, and this year is very close to that of last year, with perhaps a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">smidge</span> less new oak and a touch softer tannins.
These wines should be released around the end of the year, and I'll be sure to let you all know about it when the time comes, if of course I can manage to clear the final hurdle....The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-8571967162409030622010-07-20T13:01:00.003+10:002010-07-20T13:31:08.455+10:00Stuff up or not?After the 2010 Shirazes finished their malolactic fermentation in late may, early june it was time to let them settle and add some sulphur dioxide to prevent them from oxidising and losing their vibrancy and aromatics. I usually add about 50-60 parts per million, equivalent to 50-60mg of Sulphur dioxide per litre. we later top them up again with another 20-30 parts per million around November or december (as it wears off a little over time) and then again just prior to bottling, to acheive a total level of around 100 parts per million before it goes into bottle. Of this 100ppm only around 30ppm ends up being 'free' to act as an anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial, the rest is 'bound' to tannin (and other) compounds in the wine.<span class="fullpost">
For some reason I seem to have misjudged the first addition to some batches this year, and we have ended up with about 120ppm in the wine already. Not sure how it happened. it can be added in a few ways, as a gas dissolved in water or as a powder dissolved in water or wine. We dissolve powder in a small amount of water and then add it to the wine. I have gone back over my sums a dozen times, and followed the recipe to the letter (with witnesses!) but somehow we've got a double dose. The net result is that at present these batches have had a bit of colour bleached out of them (SO2 bleaches the red colour compunds in wine) and they taste pretty sulphury for now. But theoretically, the colour should come back, as the sulphur binds to the wine, and all should taste and look as it should - we just need to monitor it, and calm down from the fright!
That said, the very young wines seem at this early stage to have great length, and lovely aromatics, and be a bit more delicate and of a lighter weight than the last two vintages. The rain the vineyards received last spring and in early march took all the stress out of them, and so there are no overripe or jammy batches, and the tannins are quite fine and mild. A bit more pinot like you might say. I'm thrilled really, because it is the first vintage in a while to be significantly different in it's expression of these sites. We've had so many hot, dry years. vive la difference!</span>The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-54873939048763459992010-04-19T09:48:00.002+10:002010-04-19T10:08:01.499+10:00Vintage 2010 all fruit is now in!The harvest is now complete having harvested some beautiful, pert Shiraz from <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Henty</span> Estate near Hamilton last Wednesday. It is always the last block picked, and is the spiciest of all the parcels we make. This year it has been split into two lots - one tonne completely <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">destemmed</span> and now beginning to ferment in three 500<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">lt</span> open puncheons, and the other half completely whole bunches in a stainless <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">fermenter</span>. I'm guessing they will be very different wines but one should give the fruit tannins and the plushness, and the other the aromatic lift and the delicacy and also the interesting spices. Can you guess which is which?
We have once again foregone all additions this year (no yeast, no nutrients, no enzymes) bar a little anti-oxidant sulphur at harvest and some extra acid for the warmer sites, especially those fermented with a percentage of whole bunches - the pH levels seem to rise more on these lots more than the others, but the stems seem to contribute their own acids which means that you have to be vary careful to get the balance right to avoid them tasting too acidic.
<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Westgate</span> Vineyard was harvested about 1 week ago, 3 tonnes from the younger block at 12.7 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">baume</span>, and 3 tonnes from my favourite 41 yr old vines at about 13.6 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">baume</span>. The young block will be pressed after only about 10-12 days on skins to keep it plump and supple, whereas the older block will be kept on skins for 18-21 days or so to finesse the tannins a little and ensure plenty of structure for longer term ageing. So I've now got 12 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">fermenters</span> full, which all need to be plunged and or pumped over a couple of times per day depending on their stage of fermentation and heat and flavour. It's pretty important to taste each ferment every day to see how the tannins and fruit weight is developing, while being <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">cognisant</span> of what wine it may end up in and what role it might need to play in a blend. Hence pressing the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Westgate</span> Young vines a little earlier. We already have plenty of structure in earlier parcels to guarantee enough longevity - now we just need a little flesh to give generosity and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">drinkability</span> when young.
I've also just <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">sulphured</span> and topped our new <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">rhone</span> styled white wine - a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">measly</span> 2 barrels of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Viognier</span>/<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">marsanne</span>/<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">roussanne</span> which should be smooth, rich, honeyed and a little waxy. Should be a fun one.
about 2 - 3 weeks before everything will be pressed out and in barrel, then perhaps a few days off down at the beach to eat stews and mushrooms and drink good wine before we run out of money and have to go back and sell some more wine!The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-81495386025991496992010-04-03T18:45:00.004+11:002010-04-19T09:48:24.109+10:00Vintage 2010 premiere vagueThe vintage looked early on to be a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">topsy</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">turvy</span> one, with our earliest ripening vineyard (Rice's) progressing slowly with some <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">rain</span> events, and our latest ripening vineyard (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Henty</span>) rocketing along with little to no rain at all. In the end <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">terroir</span> seems to have prevailed though and other than a small amount of great looking <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Pinot</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Noir</span> from <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Tarrington</span> coming in earlier, our first wave of fruit came from Rice's vineyard and Garden Gully vineyard on the 25<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> March. Yields are finally up a bit for our growers, but good early season rains ensured plenty of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">canopy</span> to ripen the bigger crop load, and colours, flavours, and importantly balance seems to have been easily achieved, with sugars ranging from 13.3 to 13.5 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">baume</span> - ideal really for medium to full bodied Grampians <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">shiraz</span> without excess alcohol. The ferments of these two blocks have been split into wood and plastics <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">fermenters</span>, and with sugars now just about converted, the very young wines have an impressive robe and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">spicy</span>, peppery, dark fruit profiles. The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">fermentations</span> have been text book, with no sulphides at all (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">miraculous</span>!) and a gentle rise to peak at around 31 degrees. I'll leave these lots on skins for another 5-10 days, and will press them when the tannins start to taste dry, and hopefully before they start to get an excessively herbal quality. I am thinking 2004 meets 2008 at this point, but there is a long way to go.
With Easter p<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">ausing</span> much of the intense activity at the winery, and the rest of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">shiraz</span> due to be picked at the end of next week, it's an <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">opportune</span> time to reflect a little on how I'd like <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">vinify</span> the remaining parcels to get balance into the Grampians blend. In the last couple of years I've intentionally picked some fruit on the leaner side of ripe at the beginning of harvest to counteract any high sugar musts that race to ripeness in the heat, but with a good portion of the fruit already in and exhibiting ripe <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">characters</span> at modest sugar levels, I am feeling a little more relaxed about hanging the remainder out a little longer to get full <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">phenolic</span> ripeness, especially in the tannins. The weather is mild, and the vineyards can ripen leisurely. So forget what you hear about vintage being crazy busy. This one's a cruise!The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-33758313612664169162009-11-16T12:08:00.008+11:002009-11-23T09:18:20.413+11:00What's happening in the cellar<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipL4FxMdf_5ODUAwVvZ3n2z5jTJ9rhFY1ZPBnFEtK0IuR135UdzlfvcanWjDpEFlk4R88cSD_ur-CwkapQyQVB7wHVJoZdECqutG2aGy0V_iy49ErncrwpBCI1O4NeG3d7QZLRIQ/s1600/_25_0026.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407055836153649762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipL4FxMdf_5ODUAwVvZ3n2z5jTJ9rhFY1ZPBnFEtK0IuR135UdzlfvcanWjDpEFlk4R88cSD_ur-CwkapQyQVB7wHVJoZdECqutG2aGy0V_iy49ErncrwpBCI1O4NeG3d7QZLRIQ/s320/_25_0026.jpg" /></a>
<div>
I've taken the time recently to taste through the latest vintage wines in barrel, and thought I'd share my thoughts on their destinations with you all. I'll go through vineyard by vineyard. <span class="fullpost">
<strong>Garden Gully Vineyard, Great Western.</strong>
Two picks from this block, some from the northern or cellar end on poorer soils and some from the more generous southern end. in 2009 yeilds were very low and sugars were the highest we saw, but acidity was excellent and needed little to no amelioration. The northern end is dense, rich, nuanced, savoury/salty and textured. Big, even structure and big length. This is a parcel to build a classic on. May see it's own bottling, or may form the foundation of a 'super cuvee'. Very pleasing. the Southern end is a touch more open, not quite as complex but will be the structure around which the 09 Grampians Shiraz is built.
<strong>Rice's Vineyard, Stawell</strong>
3 picks from this block this year, the first to ensure alcohol levels in the grampians blend remained in control, the later 2 based on flavour. Pick one is a bit lean, although use of 35% whole bunches has given some nice spice and some firmness that will complement the bigger grained Garden Gully. Picks 2 and 3 are very similar, and are now blended together. Low acidity, cuddly, strawberry and raspberry juice with great, ripe and slightly stalky tannic force. most to go the Grampians blend but I think 2 exceptional barrels might make their own wine, or as with Garden Gully North, a place in a super cuvee. Less minerally and vibrant than 08, but more at ease with itself this year.
<strong>Westgate Vineyard, Armstrong</strong>
As usual, a younger vine parcel and an older vine parcel. Minute berries this year. great flavours. Natural, balanced acidity. The young vines at present display as ripe, pure but a little hard right now. Probably needs a racking to open up a little. The majority to form the flesh of the Grampians Blend but Perhaps one or two might make the cut into the 'Westgate' single vineyard wine. The older vine wine is a wow wine again this year. Less nervy than 08, it just looks so balanced and elegant. Plush. I'm loving seeing this vineyard throw up a distict terroir character each year with subtle vintage variation. Love it. Definitely gets its own bottling again. No acid added to this wine this year and better for it. Super job done by the growers Bruce and Robyn Dalkin.
<strong>Henty Estate Vineyard, Hamilton</strong>
Sits outside the Grampians region and is very late ripening in the last week of April. Very low yeilds this year, about 1 tonne per acre. We only have a tonne of it. Perfect numbers, ripe flavours, no acid added, got the royal treatment this year. Not pumped, wood fermenters, 40% whole bunches. It is still finishing malo, being the latest picked, but it is such an intriguing wine! blackberry juice, very pure, some greener stalky elements that should meld over time. Aromatically massive. If Garden Gully is the sub woofer then this is the tweeter.
<strong>Mount Pierrepoint Estate, Tarrington.</strong>
Our first Story Pinot Noir. Tiny yeilds of small bunches of MV6 clone Pinot. We usually wouldn't need to add acid here but for some reasoin it kept dropping out during the ferment so it was topped up. 100% destemmed but I may add some whole bunches next year for the tannic complexity and for aroma. Very hands off natural ferment, 18 days. gravity fed, never pumped. It is looking pretty tight and dark at present, parhaps needs a racking before bottling in late January. once breathed it shows remarkable jasmine and rose petal aromas, mixed with red cherries and strong strawberry. tannins are fine and late. Not a bad effort and it should age reasonably well. Still finding my feet thought with this vineyard and I'm not sure yet how best to handle it.
In conclusion there are so many 'different' parcels this year, and some exceptional quality there. The range finally bottled will highlight some strong subregional differences, and I could (if so desired) produce up to 4 singe vineyard Shirazes plus a pinot! But that seems a little unweildy. What's certain is that the Grampians Blend will be incredible quality for the money with this much strong material. I'll keep you all posted. </span></div>The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-45353135315686922572009-11-06T09:42:00.003+11:002009-11-06T09:47:23.226+11:00Randall's Tasting Sat 7/11/09<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCk0lDM_09HQXIHhfLh-RFSk21OWA_USyJqmVIY-vUbp763g99H9Nh8g_Gt6XsKMjwcWJhU1JSjwSiCgrGYQY8W2V9KZkz7B_s0RFF92RzDcPVd4m-g2LrtbA92xo_TjpEBJLUJQ/s1600-h/randall_wine_logo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 136px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCk0lDM_09HQXIHhfLh-RFSk21OWA_USyJqmVIY-vUbp763g99H9Nh8g_Gt6XsKMjwcWJhU1JSjwSiCgrGYQY8W2V9KZkz7B_s0RFF92RzDcPVd4m-g2LrtbA92xo_TjpEBJLUJQ/s320/randall_wine_logo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400754838653827954" /></a>
A quick note to let you know that I'll be doing a Shiraz tasting at Randall the Wine Merchant in Bridport St. Albert Park this Saturday 7th with Gary Mills from Jamsheed wines. Gary makes fabulous, spicy Yarra Valley Shiraz/Syrah, and also a Grampians Shiraz from Garden Gully Vineyard where many of you will know I source some grapes also. So there will be a great range of Single Vineyard Grampians Shiraz from the 2008 Vintage (and great Yarra gear also) to try. Gary has had some huge reviews for his 08's so it's really worth coming down for a taste.The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-13191598704947867832009-10-28T16:04:00.004+11:002009-10-28T16:29:28.135+11:002008 Shirazes released November 1st<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2zrsBAXhJoP3lr_-hRlJRB0F96VnwA0xu4tLYvjtY_uLFVzv4Hz8a1eSec6H9iolG4t1JjcA56nrk9zvJKWTcEUUmtI7tFQemj0GcZfysA3QPpTYm4MZkYX7WzcFOuO_VqB_bA/s1600-h/The+Story+Group+909-+Low+Res.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2zrsBAXhJoP3lr_-hRlJRB0F96VnwA0xu4tLYvjtY_uLFVzv4Hz8a1eSec6H9iolG4t1JjcA56nrk9zvJKWTcEUUmtI7tFQemj0GcZfysA3QPpTYm4MZkYX7WzcFOuO_VqB_bA/s320/The+Story+Group+909-+Low+Res.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397513194807011602" /></a>
This weekend will see the release of our 2008 Shiraz wines to the retail and Restaurant trade, so before you all ask here is the list of those Melbourne venues that have jumped on early - thanks - we luv ya! I'll be in Sydney and Brisbane in the next few weeks so I will update this post as more venues stock up.
<a href="http://www.boccaccio.com.au">Boccaccio Cellars </a>- Balwyn
<a href="http://www.randalls.net.au">Randall the Wine Merchant</a> - Albert Park and Hawthorn
<a href="http://www.melbournewineroom.com">The Melbourne Wine Room </a>- St Kilda
<a href="http://www.mrwolf.com.au">Mr Wolf </a>- St Kilda
<a href="http://www.ezard.com.au">Ezard</a> - City
<a href="http://www.seamstress.com.au">Seamstress</a> - City
<a href="http://www.stjudescellars.com.au">St Jude's Cellars </a>- Fitzroy
More to come...
I'll be doing a tasting at Randalls' Albert Park store next Saturday, 7th November from 12:30, along with Gary Mills' <a href="http://www.jamsheed.com.au">Jamsheed</a> Syrahs - excellent quality from The Yarra Valley and sourcing some fruit from similar sites to us in Great Western. come on down for an old fashioned Shiraz-off.
For those who want to know more about the new releases, see this <a href="http://thestorywines.blogspot.com/2009/07/2008-wines-release-schedule.html">post</a>.
Sales will be available on this site from Nov 1st.The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-83987642634659981672009-10-16T10:04:00.003+11:002009-10-16T11:05:36.241+11:00Wine retail trends. ImportsAt the beginning let me acknowledge that i have not done the research on the exact figures. But let us accept that there is a prevailing increase in the sale of imported wine into Australia. As one wine scribe rightly pointed out to me the other day, Australia has been a closed shop for way too long, and indeed it was only a matter of time before the global wine octopus extended its tentacles as far as our isolated shores. Globalisation and a strong Australian Dollar creating more favourable conditions aside, The maturity of the domestic market lends itself to consumers wanting to seek out new wine experiences. I know I do. This increase in the number and variety of brands to our shores will, on the whole, mean more choice for consumers (good thing) more wine fun to be had (very good thing) and from an Oz-winemaking point of view expose our wineries to a greater diversity of wine style and wine ethos, in turn increasing the quality of our wines. (better still!) But I sense something a little worrying happening at the moment, and it is the waft of opportunism, rather than the healthy desire for diversity, that's stuck in my nostrils.<span class="fullpost">
The increase in imports is inevitable, and good. Just like immigration, we in Australia cannot xenophobically try to perpetuate a false mono-culture. I say false because we inherited (and have developed it) from other lands anyway. In the same way, our wine culture was imported here from Europe to begin with. The tyranny of distance has forced us to make our own way, with little outside input since. And we stand proud of that tradition. We have created a strong industry. But as physical and economic conditions become more favourable for imported wines, we must accept that our rarefied existence will be impacted. I think this is a great thing, and the strength of our industry depends on our ability to adapt and evolve our winemaking to the changing world market, and most importantly, seek the ever more pointy tip of quality, and distinction.
OK, preamble over. I'll get to the bugbear. As this evolution occurs, the profiteers move first to capitalise on the interested novice consumer. I have seen floor stacks and shelves once the domain of Australian producers given over to cheaper imports of (and this is the important point) <em>little-known</em> french and Italian producers because the retailer has imported them on the rising Aussie dollar, and because they bear a recognised AOC. Many I have tried are undeniably faulty, with brettanomyces, mercaptans and oxidation the main culprits. These faults would be unacceptable in Australian wines at some of the levels shown (I'm not a complete technocrat!) but unwitting consumers are being led to believe that this is terroir! There is a margin in it, it has a pretty bottle with french writing on it, and it needs explaining by the sales assistant. Bingo! ching-ching. It saddens me. It speaks to the cultural cringe that Australia can't seem to shake. That imported is better. And it also speaks of the larger retail chains having absolutely no interest in educating the consumer or bettering our industry. They are simply playing the j-curve, peddling inferior products to an immature market. It has nothing to do with quality.
But perhaps that is the way of all new product categories. As numbers increase and education levels rise, inferior products will get found out, and replaced with better ones. Or at least that is my hope. Already we are seeing new importing companies bringing out great products at great prices. And these tend to be the smaller companies that survive not on their economies of scale but on their reputation and on their skill. I applaud them. May they make the learning curve ever steeper, and swifter.</span>The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-61289953573834288772009-08-31T22:54:00.002+10:002009-08-31T23:09:50.131+10:00<p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwax0U_h-K69CillBktXlJozurT1LpQZTg4U6lGvSoFpQf04j1PoTSS20Df1B-AEOLp_zuaMdPpBbY' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>Thanks to all of you that attended our launch at Dino's Deli in Windsor to try the 2008 wines for the first time. We hope you liked the new offering!</p>The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-34033232216285326412009-08-26T16:29:00.002+10:002009-08-26T16:42:26.402+10:00Bottling - more intensity!!!Today and yesterday was consumed by bottling our 08 Single vineyard Shiraz wines and a barrel's worth of experimental white wine (we need something to drink this summer!). Put plainly it has left me absoutely spent. For those who haven't had the privelidge, wine bottling is accomplished in our case by hiring a mobile bottling line built into the back of a semi trailer to which you connect your tank full of wine, load up your bottles and then remove boxes of filled, labelled, capped wine - easy right? Well I may have oversimplified for dramatic effect.
In reality, it requires some extra labour to pack the bottled wine into cartons with dividers and then send it through a taping machine and then stack it on a pallet and not forget to keep feeding bottles in the other end and not forget to continue to assemble enough cartons and not forget to check the pump pressure is nice and low and not forget to order the right amount of bottles, labels, cartons, pallets and not forget to check the labels are straight and the caps are applied properly and not forget to check when the tank is getting low so you don't suck air into the filler head and try to do it all as fast as you can because you're getting charged by the hour!
It is the final hurdle. The last opportunity to stuff your wine up. The anxiety is tangible.
But there is a happy ending. it all went well. We're done. lots of new boxes of lovely new wine to sell to a discerning public. And a moment to relax with a glass of new, decidedly young wine that right now tastes blissfully of relief.The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-48799703438290752112009-08-17T09:46:00.004+10:002009-08-17T10:08:00.321+10:00Tasting at 'The Steelyard' Aug 23, 2-5pm<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghgfE7oljomMTcSW5N6UXV3JlnyOr9PJT2xM51hs7tc4zpMleW3IznXnmrpnkvIamj16AHN8cBjUxwSkb4-nf2RQzyR8kMYNiGJbBEhvkS8PXOkRCcqyoU99D78OFWpNxVofRmzA/s1600-h/steelyard+interior.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370714320550160002" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 174px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 174px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghgfE7oljomMTcSW5N6UXV3JlnyOr9PJT2xM51hs7tc4zpMleW3IznXnmrpnkvIamj16AHN8cBjUxwSkb4-nf2RQzyR8kMYNiGJbBEhvkS8PXOkRCcqyoU99D78OFWpNxVofRmzA/s320/steelyard+interior.bmp" border="0" /></a>
<div>
<div>The Story will be pairing up with friends <a href="http://www.urimbirrawines.com.au/">Urimbirra Wines </a>from Mansfield, producers of some handy Chardonnay and riesling this Sunday for a tasting at a great new bar in Blackburn called <a href="http://www.thesteelyard.com.au/">The Steelyard</a>. Tastings wil include the Story 2007 Shiraz, Urrimbirra 2008 Chardonnay and 2007 Merlot. Wines will be available to taste and drink by the glass, and you can even order wine on the day if you really like them! There will also be live jazz from <em>The Secret Empire</em> to really set the dial to 'relax'. If you are in the area pop by and have a wine with the winemakers. click here to <a href="mailto:rory@thestory.com.au??subject=Wine%20tasting%20at%20the%20Steel%20Yard">confirm</a> and see map below for directions. Hope to see you there!</div>
<div></div>
<div>The Steel Yard
73 Railway Road
Blackburn
9878 3300<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAMlu0YSvTi4X2PfI4-Hj91jRDkeC2P0H9aoeU7baPqm3lIzKHAQBq9O4M2hbBrPiaG5zBJwLEoqrtEUHFnRVMSy7dLUdIfQvI-GmfEPWy1_zrTjT0tMe_6zHyMqRZLX0WAe8URQ/s1600-h/steelyard+map.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370717564308274610" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 179px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 204px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAMlu0YSvTi4X2PfI4-Hj91jRDkeC2P0H9aoeU7baPqm3lIzKHAQBq9O4M2hbBrPiaG5zBJwLEoqrtEUHFnRVMSy7dLUdIfQvI-GmfEPWy1_zrTjT0tMe_6zHyMqRZLX0WAe8URQ/s320/steelyard+map.bmp" border="0" /></a></div><div> </div>
<div></div></div></div>The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-40951486556095924352009-07-24T11:14:00.002+10:002009-07-24T11:33:57.821+10:002008 Wines release schedule<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwyYdflmvdF1sWi7KVqVSgipSJb5vOG2sBJCzfnA5zfmJ92Cnw8DI_Nixln5oz94OHohUBmkfYO3ukJX2xDxv5gn-EutBNwaItUaRwnLeJ2i00jL-GOW-lwScxCn3ph_WkbMpdUg/s1600-h/2008+wilderness+label.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361833665934782418" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 210px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwyYdflmvdF1sWi7KVqVSgipSJb5vOG2sBJCzfnA5zfmJ92Cnw8DI_Nixln5oz94OHohUBmkfYO3ukJX2xDxv5gn-EutBNwaItUaRwnLeJ2i00jL-GOW-lwScxCn3ph_WkbMpdUg/s320/2008+wilderness+label.bmp" border="0" /></a>
<div>It's coming to that time of year again when we get our new wines in order to release. This year we will be releasing 3 Shiraz wines, first to out loyal mailing list customers At the end of August and then to the general public, retailers and Restaurants in November. </div>
<div></div>
<div>Our Grampians Shiraz Blend this year is titled 'Wilderness' to represent our move towards more natural winemaking processes and equipment - the use of indigenous yeasts for all ferments and the use of wooden fermenters which I believe give softer and more integrated tannin structures and have better insulative properties to maintain fermentation temperatures. Wilderness also represents my move into the unknown of self-employment, to fend for myself finally as a full-time Story person. This blend is of 4 vineyards, and is a dark, yet mid-weight shiraz with exciting aromatics and lovely balance. A seductive little number.</div>
<div></div>
<div>We also have 2 Single Vineyard releases in very small quantities. We again have a Westgate Vineyard shiraz, showing its lineage from our 2006 release with typical blackberry and cassis drive, good acidity and lovely texture. We also will release our first Shiraz from Rice's Vineyard, a warmer site near Stawell, which is more earthy, with riper, bigger tannins and hints of minerals flecked through the aroma. Both are regional, yet distinctly different and I think showcase two distinct terroirs. </div>
<div></div>
<div>For those of you who will taste the wines at our pre-release tasting on the 29th August I'll be interested to hear your thoughts!</div>The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-13955487016183462772009-07-14T17:15:00.002+10:002009-07-14T17:32:29.763+10:00follow us on twitter!I've just signed us up for twitter - it's so easy to give a quick snippet of information about what's going on at the winery or what I've been drinking that day that I couldn't resist, depite being an avowed facebook sceptic and shunner. for those of you that want to scroll down on the righthand side of this site, you'll see our twitter feed. Follow us at @storywines. It's addictive. go on. you know you want to.The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-2417036777323831342009-05-17T15:57:00.009+10:002009-06-26T10:22:05.846+10:00Vintage wrap 2009<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3j6PhT3jW6H3jEFJLeTctPUr3WMlbS9NYD1nk8q8NHxdJ2gA60TSO8j3fPCMM1EwU9LrsU6VftklGby5mK7uql9fswATCBwggBvKTuq7kx6Lrg08DInUZdPuVCP9Wry_gF3-_Q/s1600-h/rory3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338530887299669922" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 265px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 166px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3j6PhT3jW6H3jEFJLeTctPUr3WMlbS9NYD1nk8q8NHxdJ2gA60TSO8j3fPCMM1EwU9LrsU6VftklGby5mK7uql9fswATCBwggBvKTuq7kx6Lrg08DInUZdPuVCP9Wry_gF3-_Q/s400/rory3.JPG" border="0" /></a>
Friday saw the last of the wine for 2009 put to barrel, a tonne of Shiraz from the late ripening Henty Estate Vineyard outside Hamilton. With it ended a long yet well spread vintage that from my last post could have been disastrous but in fact looks very promising. A quick precis: 15.1 tonnes harvested from a projected 18, 7 seperate picks from 5 vineyards, 3 in the Grampians GI and two from the Henty GI including a tonne of Pinot Noir for interest. Our largest production to date, with a projection of 1100 cases. Our Biggest change however, was our new digs. Yes, we have moved from our spiritual home of Factory 6, 5 Arnold St. Cheltenham to a newer and larger winery.<span class="fullpost">
The move was prompted by the realisation that with an increased volume the facilities were no longer scaled to cope with both the number of barrels or the effluent that came with it, and not wanting to fall foul of the local council we took up a generous offer by Rollo Crittenden and Matt Campbell at Latitude 38 winemaking a mere 15 min down the road at Patterson Lakes to bunk in with them.
I was told by another winemaker that regardless of trying to do things the same the mere change of location would result in stylistically different wines being made, and i was apprehensive of messing with what I thought was a pretty good formula (if it can be called that). He was right, but change is good, and the style is subtly different from last year, but still recognisable as The Story. A larger premesis and more fermenter space allowed for longer skin contact on every parcel, something I'd been searching for for a few years, and the extract is probably a bit more evident than last year as a result. I had been planning on progressing the style in any case, and the extra elbow room and leisurely pace of vintage allowed me to explore without pressure to press or juggle. Combined with the fact that i'm now 100% full-time at the story, each ferment received unprecedented attention and consideration. They were less sulphidic, slower, used less acid, no yeast or enzyme and a greater percentage of wholebunches and stems than ever before. The net result won't be known for some time but even at this early stage the wines could be characterised by 3 things - texture, earthiness and purity. I was very keen in 08 to keep my pH's under 3.5 for the duration of natural ferments to try and avoid spoilage yeasts, and that worked well. This year i've been a little more relaxed about acidity to chase greater texture and mouthfeel. It is a bit more risky, but vigilance in completing alcoholic fermentation to minimum reducing sugars and greater attention to barrel cleaning and care should take care of that. Less acid generally means less apparent fruit brightness, but this has been countered by higher whole-bunch percentages which has delivered a greater carbonic maceration character and preserved high-tone aromatics - or so I'm telling myself!
One of the other changes has been the speed of malolactic fermentation this year. The sheer volume of wines in the winery creates more airborne and casual yeast and bacteria, and pretty much everything has sped through and has finished or is very close. This should alloww me to get the wines cooled down and put to bed for winter where the low ambient temperatures should retard any spoilage also.
So the wash up? Some pretty pure, natural and textured Shiraz this year. perhaps not the minerality or zip of 08, but they have great structure and should develop nice complexity over a long period. There are potentially 4 single site wines that could come out of the vintage as well as the Grampians blend which will be particularly strong I think, not to mention a pallet or so of a cheeky little pinot as well. It may in fact be too many wines to release all at once. I'll gradually sort out what tastes really good, versus what is just good, and start whittling it down from there. Above all, if I do put out a few different wines from 09, I want them to all be very diffferent, have an added layer of complexity and above all be reflective of their individual terroirs.</span>The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24109214.post-71464895874837550432009-02-24T11:32:00.003+11:002009-02-24T12:30:19.288+11:00Heat, fire, drought. Vintage 2009 - what will it be?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhN6tg3we-uexdCpZXe6NjDJqsCh0aKFe0qMRoxMsU5xV1SuNdwYLJaIkzo6o4j7DEDDGVDa-SKCF-MnhOe5UShIiljOdlIOLcpfMVprV_9bsTYA57v994Zx05FeCO8hVFhXf5A/s1600-h/wills-road-dixons-creek-bushfires.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhN6tg3we-uexdCpZXe6NjDJqsCh0aKFe0qMRoxMsU5xV1SuNdwYLJaIkzo6o4j7DEDDGVDa-SKCF-MnhOe5UShIiljOdlIOLcpfMVprV_9bsTYA57v994Zx05FeCO8hVFhXf5A/s320/wills-road-dixons-creek-bushfires.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306169586343346626" /></a>
2009 is shaping up to be the 6th hot vintage out of seven, with the exception being the mild 2004. In January Victoria and South Australia faced unprecedented heat with temperatures in the 40s for several consecutive days. The already dry soil profiles provided little to combat the burning of the sun, and many growers in Mclaren Vale and Barossa and in the Yarra Valley were reporting berries shrivelling through Veraison or even simply dropping off the vine, such was the stress the vines were under. Uneven ripening, severely reduced yeilds and in some cases little to no crop to ripen at all seem likely to be the result. And then the fires began.<span class="fullpost">
We have all seen and heard of the devastation and tragic loss of life and property, and some in the industry have attempted to update us with the impact on grape and wine producers, notably Max Allen's effort here <a href="http://www.winebiz.com.au/dwn/details.asp?ID=2393"></a>. Vineyards have been lost in the Yarra Valley around Kinglake, St. Andrews, Healesville, Yarra Glen and Dixon's creek, and wine and buildings lost at Domaine Chandon and nearby wineries. But that's not the end of it either. As alluded to in Max's article, the ongoing issues from the smoke that continues from those fires still burning near Warburton and now near Daylesford could ruin those grapes that have managed to cope with the heat and fire. Some reports indicate that the wind, stronger than in the smoke tainted 2007 vintage will keep most of it away but the longer they continue to burn, surely the greater the threat. One can only surmise that there will be significantly less wine from the Yarra Valley from 2009 and what wine there is may need further treatment such as reverse osmosis to remove smoke taint. The quality implications are significant in this instance also. The Yea Valley, Beechworth, Heathcote and surrounding regions will be to varying degrees affected in this way also. This leaves the western and more northern regions to provide much of the bulk (and quality) from 2009, not forgetting the Mornington Peninsula which seems to be down on volume but without disaster.
And what of us? Well, we seem to be eerily well off at present (he says touching wood). Three of the vineyards we purchase from have had adequate access to water from the Stawell recycled water pipeline to provide some competition against the heat, and fire has not been near us, in contrast to the huge 2006 Grampians Bushfires. And probably most critical, the vines were behind schedul slightly when the hot weather hit, and had not begun (or only just begun) veraison. The vines hadn't kicked into ripening and softening mode yet, and were still in their vegetative cycle, which I think really prevented a lot of the variable ripening that warmer, earlier South Australian vineyards were seeing. So far so good. That said I do expect some variable ripening this year, and I have the sneaking suspicion that flavours will be late developing, so we will probably have to delay picking a touch to ensure the flavours catch up to the sugar ripeness. Perhaps we will see some higher alcohols as a result - I hope not because we were starting to get on top of this in our very balanced 2008 wines, but i suppose it's better to have flavour plus alcohol than no flavour at all! I'll begin tasting through the blocks early next week as we're starting to get to around 12 baume - a trigger point for me that we need to start getting ready. A year for the patient and the vigilant grape-taster I think. </span>The Story Wineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06729743630626454784noreply@blogger.com0