Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Lamonts NAVERA

This classic Australian liqueur style is made from low yielding old vine Swan Valley Muscat, Pedro Ximenez and Frontignac. It is aged for an average of four years in barrel using a modified solera system. The resulting wine shows rich apricot and raisin aromas and flavours with a luscious palate and a fresh, lingering finish. The perfect end to any meal.

Lamonts TAWNY PORT 500

This wine is a distinctive Tawny Port style blended from Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes are crushed and then fragmented by a mincer prior to fermentation on skins in open vats. These traditional methods ensure maximum extraction of colour, tannins and flavour.
Fermentation proceeds until the desired sugar level is attained. The juice is then drained and pressed off skins and fortified with grape spirit, which arrests the ferment and stabilises the wine against further yeast activity.

The wine is aged for an average of 8 years before final blending. The resulting wine shows complex marzipan, toffee and plum pudding aromas. The palate is generous with sweet fruit characters and persistent drying tannins. Perfect with fully matured cheddar cheese.

Lamonts 2005 SHIRAZ VIOGNIER

The Viognier was hand harvested off Maryville Estate in Chittering and the Shiraz was machine harvested off the Barton Vineyard in Baskerville, Swan Valley.

Fermentation: The whole bunches of Viognier were placed in the bottom of the fermenter and the Shiraz was crushed in on top. They were co-fermented for 10 days before the wine was pressed in to barriques (2x 1 year old French oak and 1x new American oak) to finish the primary and malolactic fermentation followed by 14 months of barrel maturation.

Colour: Vibrant, deep ruby red.
Bouquet: Lifted aromas of blackberries and orange blossom.
Palate: The palate is soft, round and rich with mulberry and chocolate that carries on long after you finish the wine.
Cellaring: This is a small production, special occasion wine enhanced by food. Enjoy now or be rewarded with bottle age after time in the cellar.

Lamonts 2004 SHIRAZ

This distinctly Swan Valley Shiraz came from the Lamont, Millard and Barton vineyards, with the fruit being both hand and machine harvested. Fermentation: After two days of cold soak the fruit underwent fermentation with temperatures between 22 - 26 degrees C. Malolactic fermentation was completed in tank prior to 23 months oak maturation in a combination of 25% new American oak barriques and 75% one and two year old French oak barriques.

Colour: Vibrant, black-red.
Bouquet: Intense aromas of crushed black cherry and heady jasmine blossom with underlying characters of forest floor.
Palate: Well integrated oak enhances the palate of bright briary fruits with complexing star-anise, juniper berry and black forest gateau. Silky tannins provide a long and lingering finish.
Cellaring: Drink in 2007-2010.

Lamonts 2003 FAMILY RESERVE

The 2003 growing season in the Swan Valley made making premium wines easy. Cooler than usual temperatures allowed for a slow and even ripening period with fruit achieving full flavour and ripeness.

The Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested prior to storms and so survived unscathed and in good condition.

Blend: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon (70% Swan Valley, 15% Margaret River) 13% Shiraz 2% Merlot

Colour: Blackish, brick red with brilliant hue.
Bouquet: Displays dark forest fruit characters coupled with nutty oak derived spices.
Palate: Silky tannins and intense black fruits offer depth and elegance.
Cellaring: This wine may be enjoyed now but cellaring for 5 – 8 years with be rewarded.

Lamonts 2004 MARGARET RIVER CABERNET SAUVIGNON

This classic, handcrafted cabernet is made from low yielding, dry grown Margaret River fruit.
The Cabernet fruit was hand harvested and crushed into open fermenters where it underwent a two day cold soak before primary fermentation. The wine was inoculated for and achieved secondary (malolactic) fermentation. The wine was matured in 20% new and 80% one year old French oak barriques for 24 months.

Colour: Black-red with brilliant hue.
Bouquet: Lifted herbaceous aromas coupled with briar patch fruits and hints of new leather.
Palate: A sweet mid palate of ripe black fruits is matched with velvety tannins to create a elegant wine with depth and complexity.
Cellaring: Consume between 2007 and 2017.

Lamonts 2003 CABERNET MERLOT

A blend of 90% Cabernet and 10% Merlot produces a well structured wine with evident tannins and a balanced mid-palate. Smokey cedary nose with briary black fruit berries, fresh crushed plums and a savoury herbal edge.

A soft, approachable blend with a fresh flavoursome finish. The wine was aged in French oak barriques for 15 months. This is a wine to enjoy now or to cellar for 3 – 5 years.

Lamonts 2001 BLACK MONSTER

The Black Monster is a small production premium red. It is made exclusively from Franklind River Malbec.

Using Bordeaux Red yeast, the wine was fermented in open vats using both "pumping over" and "hand plunging" techniques to extract the maximum colour and flavour.

The two barrel batch was aged in new and one year old french oak barriques for 23 months, prior to minimum filtration and bottling. The wine has been cellared for three years before release.

Colour: Black, brick red hue.
Bouquet: Full ripe brooding black fruits and oak derived spices.
Palate: Silky smooth and seamlessly crafted with intense but elegant and refined fruit.
Cellaring: This wine may be enjoyed now but cellaring for 5 - 8 years will be rewarded.

Lamonts 2007 THE BUNYIP "ROSE"

The Bunyip is a creature that inhibits rushy swamps, billabongs and Lamont’s Bottling Hall.
Often portrayed in Aboriginal legends as an evil spirit, the Bunyip of Lamont’s Bottling Hall is friendly and pink! He helps the winemaker to pass time while undertaking the monotonous and sometimes dull job of bottling.

Fermentation: The wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks to retain the fresh fruit characters.

The 2007 Bunyip is a Swan Valley blend of predominantly Shiraz with a touch of Viognier to lift the fruity aromas and add a bit of depth to the wine.

Colour: Vibrant, delicate pink.
Bouquet: Lifted aromas of apple blossom, rose petals, cranberries and peaches.
Palate: The palate combines red berry flavours with a rich creamy texture. Sitting just off dry, the palate has a tight acid structure which give the wine a fresh and lengthy finish.
Quantity: 500

Lamonts 2005 CHARDONNAY

Our premium Chardonnay is a multiregional blend of fruit sourced from the Swan Valley, Margaret River and Harvey.

For the 2005 chardonnay each parcel of fruit was hand picked and kept separate throughout the winemaking process to assess the different attributes of each region. The parcels were cold settled, transferred to new and one year old French oak and individually inoculated with a specifically selected yeast strain (ICV-D47). One-third of the barrels underwent malolactic fermentation and all the barrels were bâtonnaged (lees stirred) for three months post fermentation for complexity. They received a further five months of barrel maturation before bottling. The wine has been cellared for one year prior to release.

Colour: Pale gold.
Bouquet: Intense and complex aromas including wheat, marzipan, peach and vanilla bean.
Palate: Deeply textured palate expressing varietal stone fruit characters.
Quantity: 630

Lamonts 2007 SEMILLON SAUVIGNON BLANC

Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc both excel in Margaret River and produce one of the regions finest and most regarded wine styles.

This wine is made using only the free-run juice fraction and cold fermented in stainless steel tanks to retain the fresh fruity characters.

The 2007 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc is a blend of 61.4% Margaret River Semillon, 37.5% Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc and 1.1% Margaret River Chardonnay.

Colour:
Vibrant, light straw with green hue.
Bouquet:
A lifted aromatic nose of ripe gooseberry and cut grass.
Palate:
Offers tropical fruits and the distinctive herbaceousness expected of the style.

Lamonts 2006 FRANKLAND RIESLING

Fruit was sourced from Western Australia’s renown Riesling growing area, Frankland River.
The fruit was machine harvested. Only the free run juice was retained and cold settled. Then only the clearest of juice was taken for fermentation to ensure fresh, clean fruit characters.
A long and slow fermentation at temperatures between 11-14 degrees C was used to retain the delicate fruit esters of this exceptional Riesling.

The palate is intensely flavoured, showing lime juice and citrus characters expected of the variety with a clean, dry acid finish.

Lamonts 2006 LATE PICKED CHENIN BLANC

Due to the public demand for a sweet wine, the winemakers chose to harvest a small parcel of Swan Valley Chenin Blanc later in the vintage thus allowing it to attain generous tropical fruit flavours.

Slowly fermented at cool temperatures to maintain these fruit characters, the ferment was arrested just off dryness to give a luscious, fullness to the palate.

Intense tropical characters of honeyed pear, passonfruit and pineapple aromas carry through on the rich palate and are well balanced by the fresh and zesty finish.

Served well chilled this wine complements fresh tropical fruit salad. A delightful sweet white table wine.

Lamonts 2007 QUARTET

The earliest ever harvest in the Swan Valley will also become one of our most memorable for quality across the board.

The 2007 Quartet is a blend of 33% Verdelho, 33% Chardonnay, 23% Chenin Blanc & 11% Semillon.

Colour: Brilliant, vibrant pale straw.
Bouquet: Intense tropical fruits; guava, pineapple, with nashi pear and ripe melon.
Palate: Luscious fruit salad balanced with crisp citric acids.
Quantity: 2250 cases

Lamonts 2007 VERDELHO

Lamont’s has always sourced Verdelho from the same vineyard block at the front of Lamont’s Swan Valley property. However due to the popularity of this wine 2007 has seen an increase in production and hence the need to source more fruit. So, for the first time we have used a small, yet sensational parcel of Verdelho from the Chittering region, McCusker vineyard.
Colour: Pale but vibrant with a green hue.

Bouquet: Lifted citrus characters of lemon sherbet and underlying notes of tinned pineapple.
Palate: Luscious fruit salad balanced with crisp citric acids.
Quantity: 500 cases

Lamonts 2004 WHITE MONSTER

The White Monster is a small production of super premium Chardonnay. In 2004 the White Monster was crafted from hand picked chardonnay from Chapman's Creek vineyard in Margaret River.

Pressed straight into French oak barriques and fermented on full solida, 100% malolactic fermentation, three months batonnage (lees stirred) and a further five months of barrel maturation before bottling. The wine has been cellared for two years prior to release.
The wine has been sealed under screwcap to retain freshness.

Colour: Vibrant goldern straw, with a green hue.
Bouquet: Lifted aromas of almond meal, stewed peaches and vanilla pod.
Palate: A rich and intense palate held together by an elegant acid backbone.
Quantity: 28 cases

Lamonts 2006 METHODE CHAMPENOISE

This unique sparkling wine is made using traditional Methode Champenoise production technique.

Fermentation: The base wine is the free run fraction of Cabernet Sauvignon separated from the skins straight after crushing. A parcel of Margaret River Cabernet was left on skins for one day to extract the pretty pink colour.

For complexity a component of the wine was fermented on full solids. Secondary fermentation was completed in the bottle and aged on yeast lees for 9 months before release.
The wine is hand riddled, and hand disgorged just prior to release to retain refinement and freshness.
Colour:
Blush in colour
Bouquet:
Liquered strawberry aroma .
Palate:
Mixed berries with a crisp and lingering finish. Brut de Brut
Quantity:
750 cases

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

South Australia Wine Growing Region

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The key wine growing regions of SA are:1. Barossa Valley2. Adelaide Hills3. Riverland4. McLaren Vale5. Langhorne Creek6. Clare Valley7. Coonawarra8. PadthawayBarossa ValleyIn 1842 immigrants from England, Germany and Poland established one of Australia's best-known and historic wine regions, the Barossa Valley.

The main red varieties now grown are Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache and the key white grape varieties are Riesling, Semillon and Chardonnay.Shiraz abounds in the Barossa, and is probably the wine for which the region is most famous. Riesling is the other classic Barossa variety.

The style is quintessentially Australian - quite unlike the European Riesling. The region also produces excellent quality Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Jacob’s Creek flows through the Barossa Valley. The Barossa's first commercial vineyard was located on the banks of Jacob’s Creek, this site is located between the townships of Rowland Flat and Tanunda.

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Australian wine producing regions

Wine of south-eastern Australia" on a label means that the wine could come from the majority of Australian wine producing regions, with Western Australia being the exception. This represents 98% of the Australian vineyard areas. These wines (led by Jacob’s Creek) have driven the international export success of Australian wine over the last 15 years.

Australian winemakers use a mix of multi-regional and regional blending. Multi-regional blending uses wines from different regions to make a single wine, whereas regional blending uses wines from different vineyards within a region to make a single wine.

The six states and their major wine growing regions are listed as follows. Most of the wine that is used in the Jacob’s Creek range comes from the major winegrowing regions in South Australia.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
The key wine growing regions of SA are:1. Barossa Valley2. Adelaide Hills3. Riverland4. McLaren Vale5. Langhorne Creek6. Clare Valley7. Coonawarra8. Padthaway
Barossa Valley

In 1842 immigrants from England, Germany and Poland established one of Australia's best-known and historic wine regions, the Barossa Valley. The main red varieties now grown are Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache and the key white grape varieties are Riesling, Semillon and Chardonnay.

Shiraz abounds in the Barossa, and is probably the wine for which the region is most famous. Riesling is the other classic Barossa variety. The style is quintessentially Australian - quite unlike the European Riesling. The region also produces excellent quality Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Jacob’s Creek flows through the Barossa Valley. The Barossa's first commercial vineyard was located on the banks of Jacob’s Creek, this site is located between the townships of Rowland Flat and Tanunda.

Adelaide Hills
This is South Australia's oldest wine region with vines grown and wines made as early as the 1840's. It is recognised as a premier cool climate region of Australia.

The cool, high altitude vineyards create fine sparkling and still wines of intense flavour, good acid structure, elegance and balance. Varieties grown include Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for both sparkling and bottled wines in the coolest parts; Riesling, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot in the slightly warmer areas; and Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Shiraz in the lower altitudes.

Riverland
The Riverland receives a great deal of sunshine and this, together with its rich sandy loam soils and plentiful water supply makes up Australia's largest wine growing region. Around two-thirds of South Australia's and almost one-third of Australia's wine grapes, are grown here. Once home to varieties for fortified and brandy production, the region has undergone a quiet transformation over the past decade and now produces premium varietal bottled wines with generous flavours.
The region is renowned for its rich and flavoursome Chardonnay grape, which excels in the warm climate providing generous fruit flavours. More Chardonnay is now grown in the Riverland than the combined total of all other regions in South Australia. Shiraz, and Merlot are also well suited and produce full flavoured wines.

McLaren Vale
Located approximately 40 minutes south of Adelaide the McLaren Vale region is situated close to the sea amongst green pastures and olive groves. The region is made up of a mixture of wineries ranging from new to very old and from small to medium in size.

McLaren Vale has a dry Mediterranean climate and is generally hot, however it is tempered by sea breezes from the Gulf of St Vincent. This climate together with Ironstone and sandy loam soils produce high quality fruit for the production of intensely flavoured bottled wine.

McLaren Vale is known for rich, full-bodied reds from Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. It has also started to gain more recognition for producing Chardonnay, Grenache and Merlot.

Langhorne Creek
Located near McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek is regarded as one of the best-kept secrets in Australian Viticulture. The cooling breezes of the Great Southern Ocean sweeping over Lake Alexandrina help make Langhorne Creek a focus for fine cool climate wines.

Traditionally a red grape-growing region it is known for its production of outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Langhorne Creek reds are renowned for their soft tannins and full-flavoured fruit-driven palates, excellent depth of colour and medal winning quality. This region now also has a large area of high quality Chardonnay and Riesling.

Clare Valley
Situated north-west of the Barossa, settlers from England, Ireland and Poland first moved into the region during the 1840's, producing a rich heritage of architecture and villages which remain largely intact and make it one of Australia's most picturesque wine regions.

The climate of the region provides cool to cold nights and warm to hot summer days. Clare (and in particular the sub-region of Watervale) is famous for Riesling, but the area also produces some outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.

Coonawarra
Located in the southeast corner of the State, 400 km from Adelaide, this region has become famous for its red wines and for the Terra Rossa soil from which the vines flourish. The actual wine region stretches 30 km from north to south and is 2-3 km at its widest point.

The combination of a cool to warm climate and the region's famous terra rossa soil that sits on top of well-draining limestone produces some of Australia's most outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

Padthaway
Situated near its more famous cousin, Coonawarra, this younger wine region shares the same 'red gold' soil of terra rossa but is significantly warmer and produces wine of great flavour and depth. The principal red varieties grown in this region are Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, however the region is famed for the style and quality of its Chardonnay.

NEW SOUTH WALES
The key wine growing regions of NSW are:1. Hunter Valley2. Mudgee3. Riverina

Hunter Valley
The birthplace of Australian Wine and home to Australia’s oldest continuously operating winery – Wyndham Estate, established in 1828. Nestled under the Brokenback Ranges and two hours drive north of Sydney, the climate is warm to hot through the growing season with high humidity and rain. However, sea breeze and cloud cover that often rolls into the valley in the afternoons provides a moderating cooling effect.
Aged Hunter Valley Semillon and Shiraz are generally what the region is famous for, and the style of these wines are quite unique when compared with many other regions around Australia and around the world. The region also produces excellent examples of Chardonnay.

Mudgee
Mudgee is situated 256-km northwest of Sydney on the slopes of the Great Dividing Range. The climate throughout the growing season is warm to hot, but differs from the Hunter Valley in terms of overall rainfall, especially in summer. For over 150 years wine has been made here and the fruit produced is generally accepted as good quality. Mudgee produces full-bodied reds, mainly from Cabernet Sauvignon and also some excellent white wines from Chardonnay here

Riverina
The Riverina district is one of the largest grape growing areas in Australia. After both World Wars the area welcomed many European migrants, of whom many were Italian, and it is their influence that has shaped the Riverina wine industry. The Riverina is very hot and has the ability to produce high yields, which are possible due to the Murrumbidgee Irrigation scheme.
Summer rain helps to provide the humidity to produce botrytis cinerea (noble rot). It is the sweet wine style from the botrytis-affected Semillon for which the region is famous. The Riverina is planted with Semillon, Chardonnay, Marsanne, Verdelho, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The region supports many wine styles, from medium bodied dry red and white wines, to sparkling and fortified and also the sweet whites.

VICTORIA
The main Victorian wine regions are:1. Yarra Valley2. Mornington Peninsula3. Geelong4. Macedon Ranges5. Goulburn Valley6. Bendigo7. Rutherglen

With more than 20 wine regions in Victoria, only a selection have been described.
Victoria's wine history began in 1838 and Victoria was the premier wine State in Australia until the spread of phylloxera, a change in taste/market demand and the expansion of the wine trade in South Australia stunted growth in the State. However the industry has gone from strength to strength since the 1970's with viticultural regions once again encircling Melbourne.

Yarra Valley
A premium wine region east of Melbourne, the Yarra Valley is so close to the outer fringe of Melbourne that there is a danger of the urban sprawl restricting future growth. The climate is cool making it ideal for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay bottled wines for which it is renowned, as well as sparking wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling are also grown.

Mornington Peninsula
Directly south of Melbourne and approximately one hour's drive, this picturesque region comprises mostly small boutique wineries. Cool climate also, this region produces excellent Pinot Noir, Chardonnay as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Riesling.

Geelong
Located west of Melbourne, Geelong was devastated by Phylloxera in the late 1800's but was reborn in the mid 1960's. Geelong remains a small but premium cool climate region strongly influenced by its windy coastal location. The region is famous for some of Australia's best Pinot Noirs, as well as Shiraz, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Macedon Ranges
Similar in climate to the Champagne region in France, production here concentrates on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, often used as a base for sparkling wine.

Goulburn Valley
Established in the 1850's this region is located in central Victoria and growing Marsanne, Viognier, Roussanne and Shiraz. The region claims to be the 'home of Rhone varieties' in Australia. The climate is generally hot with slightly cooler areas within and is also known for its gutsy Shiraz.

Bendigo
Located in Central Victoria approximately 120 km north-west of Melbourne, Bendigo's climate is warm and dry making it renowned for red wines, especially minty Cabernet Sauvignon and rich berry fruit Shiraz.

Rutherglen
Situated on the banks of the Murray River, close to the NSW border, the wineries around Rutherglen are rich in history. The former gold mining town became a major centre for red and fortified wine once the gold ran out. Today it is Australia’s capital for fortified wine, especially liqueur Tokay and Muscat.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

The main wine producing regions of Western Australia are:1. Swan Valley2. Margaret River3.

Great Southern

Australia's biggest state, Western Australia has the country's most isolated wine regions in its southwest corner. Since 1970 the area has undergone many changes with many new regions coming into existence, some of which are described here:

Swan Valley

The wine industry of Western Australia began in this area which is situated on the outskirts of Perth. One of Australia's hottest regions, the major varieties planted include Chenin Blanc, Verdelho and Shiraz. Typically the wines are soft, flavoursome, medium to full-bodied styles.

Margaret River

Located on the coast some 260-km south of Perth, this region, in a little over 30 years, has become a flourishing centre for an internationally recognised wine industry. The climate is maritime with long cool ripening periods and free draining soils, making it ideal for premium quality fruit. Responsible for only 1% of Australia's production, the region makes up as much as 20% of the premium wine market. Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Semillon, Pinot Noir and Shiraz varieties have won many accolades and are sought after both nationally and in international markets.

Great Southern

Great Southern is Australia's largest and Western Australia's coolest viticultural region and consists of five sub regions with a range of continental and maritime influences. Varieties that perform well include Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling.

TASMANIA

Tasmania is a small island with a sublime landscape off the southeast corner of Australia. The climate of the Tasmanian vineyards is cool, ideally suited for the production of superb, tightly structured sparkling wine from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and crisp, delicately flavoured bottled wines from Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, wines notable for their finesse and naturally balanced acidity.

QUEENSLAND

Not surprisingly, due to the warmer and humid climate, Queensland only produces a small amount of wine compared with the other States. However, like other regions, vineyard developments are steadily on the increase. Queensland boasts the closest vineyard to the equator. Vineyards require a high altitude site to compensate for Queensland's hot climate.
The major region is called the Granite Belt. Vineyards are also found in the Roma, Mt Tamborine, Purga, and Amberley districts. Typically the wines are well-flavoured medium to full-bodied styles, mainly made from Semillon, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Part content courtesy of the Australian Wine Guide by Clive Hartley.

Now that you know where the grapes are grown, you might like to learn about the different grapes that make up the Australian Red and White Wine Varieties.

Jacob's Creek

Jacobs Creek
The history of Jacob's Creek begins with the settlement of South Australia. Colonel William Light who surveyed the city of Adelaide in 1836 made his way north east in 1837 to the Barossa Valley, which he named after a famous English land victory at Barrossa in the south of Spain.
When William Jacob first surveyed the Barossa Region in 1839, he and his brother John took up land in the Hundred of Moorooroo. Moorooroo is derived from an aboriginal word meaning ‘meeting of two waters’. The two waters involved were the North Para River and creek, which fed into it. The latter was called ‘Cowieaurita’ – which took its rise in the high land around Mount Crawford – and means “yellow-brown water”, the colour produced from the iron laden soil.

The creek was later renamed Jacob’s Creek after William Jacob and the Jacob brothers' small cottages still stand, overlooking Jacob's Creek.

In 1846 a German immigrant, Johann Gramp, purchased land further up stream. A year later he planted the Barossa Valley's first commercial vineyard, on the bank's of Jacob's Creek.
His first vintage was in 1850, and he continued to make wine in his small ironstone winery beside Jacob’s Creek until his death at the age of 84.

On the original site by the creek, which meanders through the folds of the Barossa Ranges, Johann Gramp’s cellar still stands, preserving the heritage of what is now Australia’s most successful wine enterprise. A major catalyst for this success came in 1976, with the introduction of a striking Shiraz Cabernet Malbec from the 1973 vintage. It was named after the site of Johann Gramp’s first vineyard on the banks of Jacob’s Creek.

Jacob's Creek's fresh, easy drinking style and excellent quality has been extremely popular in both Australia, and around the world.

Jacob's Creek has been the most popular brand in Australia and Australia's leading export brand for more than a decade and is widely recognised as spearheading the country's export growth.
Orlando was rewarded for its international success in 1993, by being named Australian Exporter of the Year - a title strongly contested by companies from all industries.

Then, in 1994, Jacob's Creek was honoured with one of the Australian Wine Industry's most prestigious prizes - the Maurice O'Shea Award. It was the first time the award had gone to a wine rather than a person and paid tribute to the enormous contribution Jacob's Creek has made to Australian wine exports.

An ongoing commitment to quality has resulted in Jacob's Creek being a regular winner at wine shows in Australia and overseas. Over the last three years Jacob's Creek has been awarded more than 800 medals in wine shows globally.

More than 80% of Jacob's Creek is now enjoyed in over 60 countries around the world - making it Australia's most popular wine and Australia's Top Drop.

Yet today you can still walk the historic vineyard site, marvel at the magnificent River Red Gums that line the waterway, inspect Johann Gramp’s original cellar and feel a real sense of place and ‘soul’ for Jacob’s Creek.

Winemaking Philosophy
From the vine to the bottle, the mission for Jacob's Creek is simply to improve the quality of each vintage.

The fruit for Jacob's Creek is sourced from different regions within South Eastern Australia, enabling the winemakers to overcome seasonal variations in any particular region, improve the quality of the wine, and select fruit that will best suit the wine style.
The philosophy behind Jacob's Creek is to offer a fresh, fruit-driven, easy drinking wine that can be consumed without years of cellaring. It must also offer excellent value and consistency.
Jacob's Creek wines promise to always over deliver in quality, for the price. Every aspect of the winemaking process is geared to achieve this result.

Saturday, October 6, 2007

Penfolds


For over 160 years Penfolds has been a producer of remarkable wines.
Through our obsession with quality and our commitment to producing fine wine, a tradition has evolved which has had a profound influence on the entire Australian industry and is recognised worldwide.


Penfolds is able to source quality fruit from a diverse range of vineyard sites, including some of the best and oldest vineyards in South Australia.


This provides a tremendous resource which allows our Winemakers to achieve a remarkable consistency of style and quality across the entire portfolio.

Futhermore, the Penfolds Winemakers are custodians of a great tradition of innovation: pioneering the understanding of the chemistry of wine; developing and refining the concept of multi-regional blending; and producing an incredible list of Special Bins and experimental wines.
This tradition continues today with the development of new regions, the pioneering of new grape varieties and the refinement of both modern and classical winemaking techniques.

From the development of the iconic Penfolds Grange in the 1950s, the creation of the red wine portfolio in the 1960s through to today's Winemaking Trials, Penfolds distinct philosophy and integrity has resulted in international acclaim for both its winemakers and wines.

http://www.penfolds.com/winemaking/

Terra Barossa Eden Valley Pinot Gris 2005

Wine Tasting Clip of Terra Barossa Eden Valley Pinot Gris 2005 selected from Majestic on 12 July 2006.WINE: Terra Barossa Eden Valley Pinot Gris 2005VINTAGE: 2005PRODUCER: Thorn-ClarkeGRAPES: Pinot GrisREGION: Barossa, Eden ValleyCOUNTRY: AustraliaONE WORD: WaxyTASTING: Hints of peach and pear blossom and beeswax. This could be so much more exciting at yet remains a fairly innocuous wine which has both weight and body, but little charm.FOOD MATCH: Moreton Bay bugs with a citrus butter

Wine Week gives you tips on the best value wines in Australia. No esoteric wine jargon, just great advice on what you should be looking out for the next time you head off to buy some wine!
Wine Week are Danny and Brad, the wine guys. We are two blokes who love their wine and want to share the good ones that we've come across.
Hometown: MelbourneCountry: AustraliaWebsite: http://wineweek.com.au