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Summer 2009
'A life without love is like a year without summer' Swedish Proverb
While the weather is certainly telling us it is Summer, it is very difficult to believe that another cycle of seasons has passed us!
Vineyard Update
Everything is starting to move very quickly in the vineyard, keeping our teams on the go. We were fortunate to have experienced a generally cool start to the growing season in the Yarra Valley and Heathcote, followed by warmer weather. Recently, it has even been quite wet in the Yarra Valley enabling the soils to cool and store some moisture for the coming months. After many seasons of premium wine production, and assisted by good late November rainfall,
our vines have achieved a lovely balance in their growth habits. There is even shoot growth to provide dappled light over the small and even bunches. A promising start for a high quality season ahead.
Cellar Door for Christmas
If you are fortunate to have some time off over the festive season, we look forward to welcoming you at the cellar door. The recent rains have created a lush green garden around the cellar door. There will be a busy calendar of events, along with the usual warm hospitality and fine food. Please remember that we are here to help with any Christmas parties and last minute gift ideas. Contact us on 03 5433 5188 to discuss personal or corporate requirements of wine, produce or gift vouchers from the cellar door. Our motto is 'The impossible we can do straight away, miracles usually take a little longer...!'
Latest Accolades
As a small family owned winery producing approximately 0.01% of Australia's wine, we are thrilled to continue to receive positive comments in the very competitive wine media. Recently, (on Tuesday 24th November 2009) Shelmerdine was awarded 3 places in Huon Hooke's Top 50 Summer Wines in Good Living in the Sydney Morning Herald.
2009 Yarra Valley Sauvignon Blanc
'...quite a complex wine with traces of honey and nuttiness from older barrels. Delicate in the mouth and maintains interest to the last drop. A successful attempt to do more with a variety that's usually very simple. 93/100.' Food: Asparagus grilled with parmesan.
2009 Yarra Valley Rosé
'With its pale onion-skin colour and not-so-fruity nose, this is a very moreish rosé that has superior food-friendly qualities. Savoury, nutty, smoky aromas with a hint of the oak barrel ... this is light, dry and soft; very tasty and easy to enjoy. 92/100.' Food: Lebanese bread and dips.
2008 Shelmerdine Chardonnay
'This is just 12.5 percent and it's a tautly structured, refined, understated but intense wine - with room to grow, if you decide to cellar it. Discreet stony and melony aromas, even a touch of earthiness. Terrific finesse. Long and linear. Now to six years. 92/100'. Food: Soft-shell crab.
No longer ABC
For a while there Chardonnay was out the vogue, the ABC crowd (Anything But Chardonnay) were having their way. Recently though, there has been a quiet revolution seeing this delightful grape win many new fans.
In the current Gourmet Traveller Wine (a great edition if you need some wine inspiration for Christmas!) Campbell Mattinson had the following to say about our 2008 Yarra Valley Chardonnay in his Wines to Watch article.
'There are moves afoot to shoot Australian chardonnay back up the charts. Let's hope they are successful. Truth is that Australia grows a lot of fantastic chardonnay and while it might be fashionable in some quarters to criticise the variety more often than not, it's still Australia's best quality white wine. No other variety so consistently manages to include complexity, freshness, length and texture in its wines, particularly in their youth. Chardonnay is a quaffer and a sophisticate, and perfect at the dinner table as a result.
This point is beautifully illustrated by the new 2008 Shelmerdine Chardonnay. It's grown on Shelmerdine's mature Lusatia Park vineyard in the Yarra Valley and it's made in the most intelligent of manners. No new oak is used, but it's fully fermented (with wild yeast) in oak. This restricts any obvious wood flavours though there is a lot of softness and a varied array of flavours.
Think of a wine with flavours of pear juice and freshly squeezed lemon, chalk dust and cream. It has both cut and polish, and there's an oatmeal flavour, too, as well as a gentle, spicy toastiness on the finish. It's a wine with finesse - it's complexities aren't obvious or in your face, they build slowly as the wine rests in the glass. As is the way with most really good wines. Stop shouting, start whispering - that's the way with this wine, and in a general sense this is the new way of good Australian chardonnay.
This wine will also perform well in the cellar. Australian chardonnay doesn't have a great cellaring record (with noted exceptions) but before long it will. Sealed with a screwcap this Shelmerdine will hold and develop positively over at least the next four or five years. It has the freshness, the line, the length - and the structure. It tastes like the grapes were meticulously grown, and then carefully nurtured into wine.' Read the rest of the article here.
Another well respected wine author, Nick Stock, has just released his 2010 Penguin Wine Guide featuring several of our wines, a great Christmas present. He particularly liked our Pinot Noir and all the 2008 PHI wines...
2008 Shelmerdine Pinot Noir
'The estate pinot from Shelmerdine has plenty of meaty complexity in 2008; there are dark cherries and blue fruits, dark spices too. The palate is smooth and plush, delivering the same cherry and blue fruit experience amid fine, easygoing tannins and a fresh, juicy smooth finish, 91 points'.
Gold Medal at Le Concours des Vins du Victoria 2009
Coming strongly through the heat and drought of the 2008/2009 Summer, our 2009 Heathcote Viognier was awarded one of only 4 Gold medals in the Aromatic White Class last week. Read more about this wine here. Stephen is pictured here accepting the award.
To order these or any of our current release wines, download our Summer and Christmas offer here. When you purchase 9 bottles, we'll send you three with our compliments!
A Warm Welcome to our New Cellar Door Manager
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Nicci Altmann as our new Cellar Door and Cafe Manager. Nicci first discovered Shelmerdine as a customer two years ago when work brought her into our region. She immediately fell in love with all our wines, the granite landscape and the Shelmerdine hospitality, and was then thrilled with the opportunity to join our team. Nicci brings with her a wealth of knowledge, passion and experience across the fine wine, food and hospitality arena. Over the last 20 years she has worked in fine dining establishments across Australia including Palmer's in Noosa Heads (now Berado's), Quay & Catalina Rose Bay in Sydney, and Langton's Wine Bar in Melbourne. Highlights have been working alongside Peter Gilmore and Tony Bilson . Nicci is excited by what regional Victoria has to offer and very much looks forward to meeting our members at the cellar door over the coming months.
Also, Lindy Mills, Marketing and Events Manager, will be leaving our company at the end of this year to take a break before pursuing some travel and other opportunities next year. Lindy has made a great contribution to the ongoing success of our wines in the trade, media and amongst consumers; along with successfully executing a busy program of events. We wish Lindy all the best.
Finally, from all of us at Shelmerdine, we send our best wishes to you and your loved ones for a joyous Christmas and holiday period, filled of course with excellent wine, fine food and great company.
See you at cellar door or one of our upcoming events soon!
With best wishes,
Stephen Shelmerdine
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