Waterwheel Vineyards

Waterwheel Vineyards

Water Wheel Vineyards PO Box 61 Raywood Road Bridgewater on Loddon 3516 Bridgewater on Loddon 3516 Victoria, Australia Victoria. Australia Phone: +61 3 5437 3060Fax: +61354373082
Winemaking and wineShirazVintage: 2006
Established in 1972 and purchased by the Cumming family in 1989, there is an emphasis on producing high quality varietal table wines. Now over 300 acres of vineyards, only estate grown fruit is used in the production of our wines.
Soil is deep ripped before planting. Vines are spaced at approx one metre, with around 20 buds per vine, and hedged trellised, exposing the grapes to the sun to achieve maximum ripeness. They are cane pruned one year in four followed by three years of spur pruning. All vines are irrigated from the nearby Loddon river with ground level mini sprays. Red wine grapes are planted on heavy clay soil with pieces of limestone present in the soil.
Open stainless fermentation tanks. 18-22 degrees Celsius. Combination of pump-overs and plunging. Pressed at dryness with malolactic fermentation occurring before oak maturation.
Egg white fining and coarse filtration before going to bottle.
Aged in new, 1&2 year old American Hogsheads for 9-12 months.

Winemakers Tasting Note
Brilliant deep purple in appearance. There are strong berry and vanilla spice characters on the nose.

The palate is full and rich, typical of Water Wheel wines, with noticeable berry and liquorice flavours. The wine has excellent length with a long and persistent finish balanced with fine, chalky tannins.
It is ready to drink now and will continue to improve in the medium term.
A superb table wine, ideal to serve with a wide variety of red meat dishes.
Cabernet SauvignonVintage: 2005
Red grapes are planted on heavy clay soil with pieces of limestone present in the soil.
Vines are hedged trellised, exposing the grapes to the sun to achieve maximum ripeness. All vines are irrigated from the nearby Loddon river with ground level mini sprays. Cropped at 3 tonne per acre.
The wine is fermented in open stainless steel fermentation tanks. 20-22 Degrees Celsius. Cap pumped over and plunged. Pressed at dryness.
It has been aged in new, one and two year old American oak Hogsheads which were seasoned and coopered in Europe.

Winemakers Tasting Note
This wine is bright violet in colour. There are strong blackcurrant aromas with a hint of mint on the nose.

The palate is full and rich with mulberry flavours combining with vanillan oak and mint characters.
It is well balanced and has a smooth, persistent finish with some fine tannins present.
The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon will cellar well in the medium term.
The wine is ideally suited to red meat dishes including beef casseroles and herb flavoured roast lamb.

ChardonnayVintage: 2006
Soil is deep ripped before planting. Vines are hedged trellised, exposing the grapes to the sun to achieve maximum ripeness. All vines are irrigated from the nearby Loddon river with ground level mini sprays. White wine grapes are planted lighter, better drained soil.
Fifty percent fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks with fifty percent fermented in American oak hogsheads. At end of fermentation in oak the wine under went lees stirring on a weekly basis, with a small percentage going through malolactic fermentation. The wine was protein and cold stabilized prior to filtration and bottling under screwcap closure.
Bentonite fining only, for protein stability. Course earth filtration followed by sterile filtration going to bottle.
Aged seven months in American oak hogsheads seasoned and coopered in France with medium toast level.

Winemakers Tasting Note
The 2006 Chardonnay is a clear golden straw colour with tinges of green evident. On the nose there are honey dew melon and confectionary aromas along with hints of oak.
The palate has citrus and pear flavours, a creamy mid palate balanced with integrated oak characters. The wine has a smooth, clean and persistent finish.
Ideal with a variety of food styles including scallops and pasta. Can be drunk know through to 2009.

Sauvignon BlankVintage: 2007
Vines are hedged trellised, exposing the grapes to the sun to achieve maximum ripeness. All vines are irrigated from the nearby Loddon River with ground level mini sprays. Sauvignon Blanc grapes are planted on light, well drained soil and cropped at 3 tonne per acre.
Stainless steel fermentation at 12- 15 degrees Celsius. Made cold stable. Earth filtered then sterile filtered to bottle.
Winemakers Tasting Note
Pale golden straw with a green tinge in colour. There are lime and tropical aromas on the nose with some herbaceous characters also present.

The palate is forward and full with abundant ripe fruit characters, pineapple and green apples, and has well balanced acidity.
The wine has a clean, crisp and persistent finish. Best drinking now - 2009.
It is well suited to seafood and lighter summer dining.

Mensie RedVintage: 2006
87% Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon 7%, Malbec 6%.
In 1833 John Catto left his native Scotland to seek his fortune in the new colony of Australia. He settled near what would become Bendigo, calling his new home Memsie after the village from where he had come, and planted a vineyard on clay soil rich with limestones. Memsie now produces delicious, round, full flavoured wines perfect for immediate consumption.

Soil is deep ripped before planting. Vines are hedged trellised, exposing the grapes to the sun to achieve maximum ripeness. All vines are irrigated from the nearby Loddon river with ground level mini sprays. Red wine grapes are planted on heavy clay soil with pieces of limestone present in the soil.

During fermentation the cap was plunged and pumped over three times daily. After pressing in a Membrane press and completion of Malolactic Fermentation, a percentage of the wine under went Micro Oxygenation with the balance of the wine spending time in American Oak Hogsheads. Following Albumen and Bentonite finings the wine is Earth filtered and then Sterile filtered to bottle.
Aged in 2&3 Year old American Hogsheads hogsheads for 6 - 9 months with monthly rackings.

Winemakers Tasting Note
The 2006 Memsie red has a dark cherry / purple colour. There are obvious blackcurrant, plum and spice characters dominating the nose.

The palate is fresh with voluminous and forward, spice, berry and plum flavours obvious.
These flavours are complimented by hints of sweet oak. The wine has great length with a persistent, smooth and clean finish.

Ready to drink now to 2010 with a variety of food styles including risotto and red meats.
Mensie WhiteVintage: 2007

Chardonnay 44%, Sauvignon Blanc 32%, Semillon 13%, Roussanne 11%.
In 1833 John Catto left his native Scotland to seek his fortune in the new colony of Australia. He settled near what would become Bendigo, calling his new home Memsie after the village from where he had come, and planted a vineyard on clay soil rich with limestones. Memsie now produces delicious, round, full flavoured wines perfect for immediate consumption.
Soil is deep ripped before planting. Vines are spaced at approx one metre, with around 20 buds per vine, and hedged trellised, exposing the grapes to the sun to achieve maximum ripeness. They are cane pruned one year in four followed by three years of spur pruning. All vines are irrigated from the nearby Loddon river with ground level mini sprays. White wine grapes are planted lighter, well drained soils.

Winemakers Tasting Note
Golden straw in colour with brilliant clarity. The palate has a veritable fruit salad of flavours with hints of apple, melon and pear combining with cashew and honey to produce a smooth, rich and viscous mouth feel.

The wine has a clean, persistent and well defined finish balanced with some tantalizing acidity.
Ready to drink now to 2009. Memsie wines are great with a variety of foods.
Try this as an aperitif or with a wide range of white meats and seafood.

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