Spring 2008

With budburst underway at our Heathcote and Yarra Valley vineyards it seems the year is racing to an end in one sense, while a new vintage is just beginning in another. The days have warmed yet the nights are very cold. And, so we pray for our fragile young vine shoots to be spared the frosts that can be so lethal. Still, the flush of new life in the vineyards and paddocks augers the harvest to come and brings with it optimism and enthusiasm to produce better wines than ever before. It is a time for new life, the smell of fresh grass and flowers, and the pressures of continued drought and fire risk are forgotten, if only for a while. As we begin to venture outdoors again, and alfresco dining beckons, our tastes turn to Rosé and the refreshment and sheer deliciousness of new white wines. Our philosophy continues on a path of barrel fermentation for all white wines for texture and nuance (with the exception of our exciting Heathcote Riesling) – an approach that best respects site, season, and our desire to innovate and evolve.

Our new Spring releases build on the reputation and critical acclaim of previous vintages. The success of our 2007 Yarra Valley Rosé has been very exciting, and sold out earlier in the year, and won the “Best of the Best” in the Rosé class at the Federation Square Victorian Wine Regions Annual Awards in August. Our delicious 2008 Yarra Valley Rosé, is a worthy successor. With the palest pink hue, it has a dry, savoury palate, that belies the nose, with hints of Turkish delight and rosewater.

As it is every year, our much anticipated 2008 Heathcote Viognier is the first new release white from our Merindoc Vineyard. Limited stock and a very loyal subscriber base at our cellar door means this wine sells out quickly. The granite soils of southern Heathcote have again produced a wine of unmistakable yet restrained varietal character and complex minerality. Vintage 2008 saw extremely difficult weather conditions, yet fruit intensity is high, and finesse has not been compromised.

The 2008 Heathcote Riesling is the third vintage release of Riesling Unlike the rest of our whites, the Riesling is stainless steel fermented to ensure no interference whatsoever with the expression of the site and variety. The result has surprised many. Exacting, varietal, yet with a chalky, talc-like finish that takes it beyond simple fruit flavours. This wine should further open the eyes of many to the purity and minerality achievable on these granite soils in Southern Heathcote.