Voyager Estate

Voyager Estate
Voyager Estate PO Box 319 Cottesloe 6911 W.A. Australia
Telephone: +61 8 9385 3133 Facsimile: +61 8 9383 4029
winemaking
According to Winemaker, Cliff Royle, Voyager Estate’s winemaking philosophy is simply to make the best wines we possibly can. Traditional methods are applied and the latest technology is utilised.
The winemaking process, however, begins in the vineyard. To ensure we can produce the best possible wines, our winemakers work very closely with the viticultural team during the ripening period and harvest. On the whole, though, he believes that the best wines come from minimal winemaking intervention and allowing the fruit to speak for itself.
"We make wines from the classic grape varieties that are suited to the Margaret River region, and we put as much effort into making a lighter-style wine such as Sauvignon Blanc Semillon as we do our Chardonnay," Cliff says. In Cliff’s view, it is essential to respect the varietal characteristics of the fruit and so, when it comes to the use of oak, he is very careful not to overdo it. "The best fruit in the world can be ruined by heavy-handed or uncomplimentary oak usage. Careful oak integration is so important – we want to enhance the fruit, not overpower or spoil it."
There is one final key component to good winemaking – people. On this point, Cliff is quite clear: "Have good staff, train them well and look after them". And we agree with him. After all, he is Winestate Magazine’s 2002/03 "Australian Winemaker of the Year".
Wine
1998 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Winemaker notesThe Voyager Estate 1998 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit is sourced from the best parcels of many of our oldest vines at Voyager Estate, which were planted in 1978. These vines are extremely low-yielding and produce outstanding quality fruit.
The fruit is tasted rigorously around harvest time and picked on flavour ripeness, generally at around 13° – 14° Baumé. In 1998 the fruit was harvested between the 24th March and the 4th April. Those batches of fruit deemed of suitable quality for the Reserve label are separated from the remainder of the harvest before processing, and treated individually throughout the entire vinification process to allow the winemaker to craft them into unique regional wines, reflecting the best quality fruit this Estate is able to produce, complemented by dedicated winemaking and quality oak. The grapes are gently crushed and transferred to both open and static fermenters where they are inoculated with selected yeast strains to begin fermentation. Following the completion of fermentation a number of batches undergo extended skins contact for up to one month in order to modify the tannin structure and gain texture in the final blend. After fermentation the wines are transferred to 50% new and 50% 1 and 2-year-old French oak barriques and matured for a period of 2 years. At this point the wines are tasted and the ten best barrels are hand selected for inclusion in the Reserve label. These select barrels are blended together then replaced into 2-year-old barrels for a further year of maturation. This process ensures that while the oak plays a large part in the style of these wines, it is well integrated and in unison with the concentrated fruit flavours. After maturation the wines are fined and minimally filtered prior to bottling, with the aim of preserving as much of the inherent fruit, colour and aromatics as possible.
Margaret River is known for its varietal, structured Cabernet Sauvignons, displaying concentrated cassis fruit and quality cedary oak, which are built to age. Voyager Estate’s 1998 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, having been matured for a total of 6 years, is deep garnet in colour with a brick rim. The nose displays aged characters of leather and spice with dark berries, mocha and earthy overtones. The palate is mellow and appealing, with ample blackcurrant fruit, soft, supple tannins, chocolate complexity and a long persistent finish. This is a unique wine which has been selected for its purity of character, aged in oak for 3 years, then in our temperature and humidity controlled cellars for a further 3 years in order to offer you a complex, mature wine which is drinking superbly now, but will cellar for another decade. Tasting Notes Colour: Deep red with a brick rim. Nose: Bottle maturation has afforded this wine complex aged characters of leather and spice with dark berries, mocha and earthy overtones. Palate: Mellow and appealing with classic aged Cabernet fruit, soft, supple tannins and leathery complexity. Cedar and chocolate characters dominate with earthy hints and a long, persistent finish. 1999 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Winemaker notesThe Voyager Estate 1999 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit is sourced from the best parcels of fruit from our oldest vines on the estate, which were planted in 1978. These vines are extremely low yielding and produce outstanding quality fruit. The 1999 vintage is widely regarded as outstanding for Cabernet Sauvignon in Margaret River. In fact, Voyager Estate’s 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot was awarded a gold medal at the London International Wine and Spirit Challenge, against many of the world’s top Cabernets.
Fruit is tasted rigorously around harvest time and picked on flavour ripeness, in the case of the Cabernet Sauvignon, generally at around 14° Baumé. In 1999 the fruit was harvested between the 14th and 23rd of March. After hand picking and sorting, the grapes are gently crushed and transferred to both open and static fermenters where they are inoculated with selected yeast strains to begin fermentation. Following the completion of fermentation a number of batches undergo extended skins contact for up to 6 weeks in order to modify the tannin structure and gain texture in the final blend. After fermentation the wines are transferred to 50% new and 50% 1 and 2-year-old French oak barriques and matured for a period of 2 years. At this point the wines are tasted and the ten best barrels are hand selected for inclusion in the Reserve label. After maturation the wines are fined and minimally filtered prior to bottling, with the aim of preserving as much of the inherent fruit, colour and aromatics as possible.
Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon is known for its elegance, varietal cassis fruit, fine oak expression and structure well suited to cellaring. Voyager Estate’s 1999 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is a unique regional wine reflecting all of this, crafted from the highest quality fruit the Estate is able to produce. Having been aged in oak for 3 years, then in our temperature and humidity controlled cellars for a further 3 years, the result is a complex aged Cabernet which is drinking superbly now, but will cellar for another decade.
Analysis:Alcohol: 13.7%Total Acidity: 6.4 g/LpH: 3.62
Tasting Notes Colour: Deep garnet. Nose: Bottle maturation has afforded this wine complex aged characters of cigar box, leather and mocha with a classic Cabernet fruit core. Palate: Dark berries, chocolate and spice are complemented by fine, silky tannins and a long, cedary, cassis finish. This wine shows great structure and balance, promising aging potential for years to come. 2001 Reserve Semillon Sauvignon Blanc
Winemaker notesThe Voyager Estate 2001 Reserve Semillon Sauvignon Blanc is a blend of 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc. The fruit is all Estate-grown, sourced from the best parcels of many of our oldest vines at Voyager Estate, which were planted in 1978. The vines are extremely low-yielding and provide fruit of exceptional quality to produce wines of finesse and distinction. The wine is created in the image of the white wines of Graves, Bordeaux, where similar stony soils contribute to the production of unique regional wines.
The fruit is tasted rigorously around harvest time and picked on flavour ripeness, generally at around 12° – 13° Baumé. In 2001 the fruit was harvested between the 5th and the 18th March with the Semillon showing classic Voyager Estate citrus and cut hay characters while the Sauvignon Blanc showed typical green gooseberry/passionfruit and white peach flavours. The fruit showed intensity and balance, and clean, crisp acidity.
Those batches of fruit deemed of suitable quality for the Reserve label are separated from the remainder of the harvest before the winemaking begins. They are handled separately throughout the entire vinification process to allow the winemaker to craft them into unique regional wines, reflecting the best quality fruit this Estate is able to produce, complemented by dedicated winemaking and quality oak. The grapes are gently crushed and pressed with minimal skin contact, after which the juice is partially settled and then racked to 80% new French oak barriques where fermentation takes place in the presence of solids. Aromatic yeast strains are carefully selected for inoculation of the juice to begin primary fermentation. After this fermentation is complete the wines are sulphured to prevent malolactic fermentation, then matured for a period of 10 months with topping and stirring (batonage) taking place every two weeks. This process ensures that while the oak plays a large part in the style of this wine, it is well integrated and in unison with the concentrated fruit flavours.
While Margaret River is known for its fresh, vibrant blends of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, the Reserve is a unique style of wine that is treated more like a Chardonnay in its creation. The 2001 is mid-straw in colour, displaying fresh citrus and hay characters, crushed basil and creamy, cedary notes contributed by the French oak. The palate is concentrated and persistent, with ample fruit weight to support the oak component, and a backbone of minerality offering vitality and structure. The wine is built to age, easily handling 5 - 8 years cellaring. Tasting Notes Colour: Mid straw. Nose: Semillon dominates the nose with citrus and crushed basil, complemented by wet stone and cedary nuances from French oak maturation. Palate: Citrus fruits and freshly cut grass with tight acidity and minerality provide this wine with a structure for ageing. Barrel fermentation imparts hints of nuttiness and a creamy texture with a long, dry finish 2002 Reserve Semillon Sauvignon Blanc Winemaker notesThe Voyager Estate 2002 Reserve Semillon Sauvignon Blanc is a blend of 60% Semillon and 40% Sauvignon Blanc. The fruit comes from estate grown, low yielding, old vineyards planted in 1978. These vineyards provide fruit of exceptional quality and produce wines of finesse and distinction. This wine was created along the same style parameters as the great white wines of Graves, Bordeaux, where similar stony soils and a maritime influence contribute to the production of unique regional wines.
While the 2002 vintage was extremely low yielding, it is regarded as a great year for white wines from the Margaret River region, with wines generally showing intensity, balance and tight acid structure. The fruit was tasted regularly during the growing season and harvested between the 1st and 23rd March 2002. At harvest the Semillon fruit showed citrus and cut hay characters distinctive to Voyager Estate, while the Sauvignon Blanc showed typical green passionfruit, gooseberry and citrus blossom flavours. After hand-picking, the fruit was chilled, then gently whole bunch pressed. The juice was partially settled then racked to 60% new French oak barriques where fermentation was carried out in the presence of grape solids, adding texture, minerality and complexity to the wine. The juice was then inoculated with carefully selected aromatic yeast strains to begin primary fermentation. After fermentation the wines were sulphured to prevent malolactic fermentation, then matured for a period of 12 months with topping and stirring (battonage) taking place every fortnight. This process ensures that while the oak plays a vital role in the style of this wine, it is well integrated with the concentrated fruit flavours.
While Margaret River is known for its fresh, vibrant blends of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, Voyager Estate’s Reserve Semillon Sauvignon Blanc is a unique style showing a higher level of complexity and greater cellaring potential than is typical of the regional unoaked blends. Having spent one year in oak and a number in bottle prior to release, this intriguing wine shows great concentration, minerality and complexity, yet will cellar well until at least 2008.
Analysis:Alcohol: 13.1% v/vTotal Acid: 7.6 g/L pH: 3.17
Tasting Notes Colour: Pale straw with green tinges. Nose: Aromatic gooseberry and blossom nuances reveal the Sauvignon Blanc with Semillon contributing citrus depth. Minerality and cedary oak provide complexity. Palate: Citrus peel and herbal notes are complemented by stony austerity and fresh acidity. Barrel fermentation provides a distinct nutty texture and a long finish reminiscent of minerals and fresh herbs.
http://www.voyagerestate.com.au