I’ve just returned from a visit to the Barossa Valley, always a great pleasure, to research an “wine trail” piece for the Air New Zealand in-flight magazine, Kia Ora. I took a number of pics to illustrate the piece. I confess to getting more pleasure from seeing my photos in print than my words so I’ve posted a fairly pictorial piece with the “best of” from the ten wineries visited. I’ve also added a memorable wine from each.
YALUMBA
Most memorable wine (there were many): Yalumba 2008 Bush Vine Grenache A$20 – Elegant, taut red with subtle spice and a silken texture. This is poor man’s Pinot Noir. A great buy at this price. Also loved Pewsey Vale 2004 “The Contours” Riesling and Eden Valley 2009 Viognier (Yalumba is Australia’s best Viognier maker by a long way from whoever comes second).
ROCKFORD
Most memorable wine: Rockford 1998 Basket Press Shiraz A$51
This flagship wine was sold out when I visited (latest vintage is 2007)
but I was able to taste a previously opened wine. Intense, slightly rustic red very mush in an Old World style. Strongly fruit-focused wine with plum and berry flavours.
SEPPELTSFIELD
I was given the top-of-the-line tour which included tasting very old soleras of Oloroso, Amontillado (can’t use the “sherry” word), Tawny, Liqueur Muscat, Liqueur Tokay and brandy plus the 1910 vintage tawny (pictured) and a tawny from my birth year (1947 if you must know).
Don’t quibble over the A$79 price tag – you’ll get to taste spectacular wines that you’ll never forget. Priceless!
CHARLES MELTON
Charlie Melton is a great guy (I’m sure everyone who meets him says the same thing). He’s smart, personable, hard-working and very focused on making great wine and managing what appears to be a thriving winery.
Most memorable wine: Charles Melton 2007 Nine Popes A$49.90 Charlie was proficient enough at French to think that Chateauneuf-du-Pape meant “castle of nine Popes” so that’s what he christened his Grenache, Shiraz, Mataro blend. He couldn’t work out why there were only seven Avignon Popes until he discovered that a more correct translation was “castle of the new Popes”. By then it was too late. It’s an intense wine with a lovely silken texture and a mix of ripe berry and savoury/spice flavours.
GRANT BURGE
Grant Burge - the man behind the label
This is a picture of a man who loves what he does. It was a pleasure to meet the man behind a brand that I’ve long admired for its ability to deliver consistently high quality and value.
Most memorable wine: Carryton Park 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon A$34.95 First vintage from a brand new vineyard that’s technically in the Eden Valley. Only 600 cases were made. Burge believes that this will become a truly benchmark label.
PETER LEHMANN
Visitors (mostly Kiwis) enjoying lunch and a glass or threeTasteful cellar door entrance
Classy cellar door entrance
Most memorable wine: Eight Songs 2004 Shiraz A$40
Rich, opulent Shiraz with a seasoning of French (rather than American) oak. Classy wine with a backbone of firm but very ripe tannins.
HENSCHKE
Hill of Grace vineyard - Shiraz vines planted before 1860!
I took this photo on an earlier visit. It was close to sunset and a beautiful pink light tinged the vineyard shortly before I clicked the shutter. Photoshop unnecessary.
Most memorable wine: Henschke 2005 Hill of Grace Shiraz A$510 It is worth very penny.
SALTRAM
Mamre Brook house - built in 1844, subsequently enlarged
Most memorable wine: Saltram 2005 The Journal Shiraz A$125 First release of a new flagship wine that’s aged in large vats rather than barriques. Dense sweet fruit with layers of dark berry, spice and bitter chocolate flavours. Linear and potentially very long-lived. Think of Penfolds St Henri and amplify slightly.
TORBRECK
Winemaker Graig Isbel
Torbreck’s legendary founder, Dave Powell, was overseas when I called but I’ve enjoyed company of this wild man in the past. His latest exploit happened in a restaurant in Finland at the end of a long evening. The restaurant had a branding iron that they use to burn their logo onto various things. Powell and his distributors were in a relaxed mood and, yes, you’ve guessed it, he agreed to be branded on his bum. Silliest thing he’s ever done, he later admitted, but he’s become something of a hero in Finland.
Most memorable wine: (I didn’t taste the flagship wine RunRig on this occasion) Torbreck 2006 Les Amis A$187.50 Old vine Grenache – exquisite aromatics and a great texture. Very complex with layers of ripe berryfruit and spice flavours.
THE WILLOWS
Peter Scholz - owner, viticulturist and winemaker
I warmed to this powerfully built and sharply intelligent man. Liked his wines very much. They offer great value.
The Willows 2006 Semillon A$14 My kinda’ Semillon – taut, fine-boned, edgy wine with chalky mineral and apple flavours. Unbelieveably good value.
Bob Campbell is one of only 264 Masters of Wine in the world. An international wine judge, Bob judges wine professionally in ten countries and contributes regularly to publications around the world. His specialty is New Zealand wine which he reviews from an international perspective.
