Toppers Mountain

Following a partnership dissolution,Toppers Mountain is now solely owned by Mark Kirkby. Planting began in the spring of 2000, with the ultimate fruit salad trial of 15 rows each of innumerable varieties and clones. The total area planted was made up of 28 separate plantings, many of these with only 200 vines in a block. As varieties proved unsuited, they were grafted to those that held the most promise. Thus far, Gewurztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc hold most promise among the white wines, the Mediterranean reds doing better than their French cousins. The original 28 varieties are now down to 16; chardonnay, gewurztraminer, sauvignon blanc, tempranillo, shiraz and merlot are the commercial varieties, the remainder in the fruit salad block still under evaluation. Integrated Pest Management has been successfully adopted throughout the vineyard. Champion Winery of Show, New England Wine Show 11.

Author: James Halliday

CHILE THOUGHTS FOR SUMMER CHEER



UNUSUAL drop from Chile to enjoy
with spiced-up barbecued beef.



Wc14Nov11

David Ellis

WINEMAKERS in Chile have somewhat claimed the Carmenere grape as their own, even though it was once one of the original "Noble Grapes" of Bordeaux, where, interestingly, it's hardly known these days.

Eduardo Jordan is a winemaker in Chile whose name is highly respected internationally, particularly for his work with the De Martino company that was the first in his country to label a wine a Carmenere. More recently he's been making the varietal for Two Eights Australia, an interesting concept that sources wines from highly acclaimed winemakers and grape-growers around the world, and releases them under its Handpicked Wines label

RED and white in the one bottle:
enjoy with sweet 'n sour pork spare ribs.

Eduardo Jordan's Handpicked Wines' 2008 Selections Carmenere was made from fruit from Chile's dry and warm Maipo Valley and is a medium-bodied drop with a palate loaded with dark cherry, black fruits and spicy flavours. At $20 it's a delightful quaffer to enjoy with the coming of our warmer weather.

And its one of those medium-bodied reds that on a hot day responds well to a brief time in the ice-box as you barbecue some beef and capsicum kabobs marinated in garlic, coriander, oregano, paprika, cumin and a good splash of lime juice.



ONE FOR LUNCH: MARK Kirkby delights in telling people he has something of an "ultimate fruit salad" vineyard, as he's trialled something like 28 well- and lesser-known grape varieties at his Topper's Mountain vineyard in NSW's newest wine region, the New England, and aims to narrow these down to 8-10 star performers.

He and winemaker Mike Hayes have blended into a delightful drop Mark's red Pinotage and white Viognier, resulting in a 2010 Topper's Mountain Wild Ferment Pinotage Viognier that's nicely flavoursome with pronounced ripe plums to the forefront. Pay $35 and enjoy with sweet and sour pork spare ribs.

(NEED A FOOD/DRINK IDEA? Check out  http://www.vintnews.com/ )

  

Cabernet in the Cabinet for Koonowla

(from left) President Clare Valley Winemakers Association, Governor of South Australia Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce (middle) and accepting the trophy, Andrew Michael from Koonowla Wines

It was a Cabernet from Clare which took out the Trophy for Best Dry Red at the Clare Valley Wine Show last Friday 28th October. The team at Koonowla couldn't be happier to have had their 2008 Koonowla Cabernet Sauvignon (RRP $22) judged to be the top wine amongst some of the country's most renowned Shiraz.

Andrew Michael from Koonowla Wines was enormously proud of this win particularly due to the extremely high caliber of exhibitors in the class and across the board at the show and the regions fame for producing top quality Shiraz. He says of Koonowla's success "we were up against seriously high profile, expensive and top quality wines…for our Cabernet which you can pick up for just over $20 to receive this sort of accolade, it says a lot about the sort of value-for-money you can get in Australian wines from smaller Aussie producers".

This value-for-money statement is nothing new for Koonowla Wines, as late last year the team picked up the trophy for Best Red Wine under $25 at the Great Australian Shiraz Challenge for their 2006 Koonowla Shiraz ($22), which is sitting proudly in the winery's trophy cabinet!

The judging for the Clare Valley wine show went over two days, with 45 exhibitors and 352 entries in total, resulting in 144 medals awarded to those who stood out the most.

Koonowla Winemaking duo David O'Leary and Nick Walker are no strangers to success in the Clare Valley Wine Show, and this year was no exception as they picked up numerous medals for wines made under their own label O'Leary Walker Wines.

Koonowla Wines, set amongst the rolling broad acre hills of the Clare Valley, with 250 acres of vineyard and beautiful stone buildings is a truly iconic property consistently creating top quality Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling.

With the Summer of Riesling campaign about to kick off, timing couldn't be better for Koonowla with the new addition to the Koonowla Ringmaster range with their 2011 Ringmaster Riesling (RRP $16). This wine brings the entire Koonowla portfolio to a rounded six wines, and is a true Clare Valley style Riesling with lemon lime flavours and a crisp dry finish.

Distributors:  Young  &  Rashleigh  Wine  Merchants,  P:  02  9967  5900,  
E:  wines@youngandrashleigh.com,  W:  www.youngandrashleigh.com

Frog Rock - A fabulous fizz for summer

Media release:

Local Legend Frog Rock Wines of Mudgee are gearing up for a very busy fizzy summer and have released their first sparkling wine suited to all tastes and budgets just in time for the silly season…

Frog Rock Wines Fizzy Frog 2009  (RRP $30)

This wine, like the rest of the fantastic value-for-money Frog Rock range, is to be taken seriously (despite its name-sake!) as it delivers wonderful structure and flavour and is made in a similar fashion to those created in France's best Champagne Houses.

The Fizzy Frog is a classic French inspired blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, with small parcels of grapes which were hand selected to create a vintage cuvee that is light salmon in colour.

Frog Rock is owned and run by long time locals the Turner Family, and they're thrilled with their debut sparkling wine (which sits right next to their award-winning desert wine 'Sticky Frog'). According to owner Rick Turner at Frog Rock "this little beauty has an interesting complexity that arises from secondary fermentation, providing a lifted fruit nose and lengthy mid palate flavor with a fine persistent bead".

Fizzy Frog is designed to be enjoyed as an aperitif in the sun this summer with good friends and your favourite music.

Frog Rock Fizzy Frog can be purchased online at www.frogrockwines.com and can be found at good independent liquor stores Australia wide.

If you would like a sample of the Frog Rock Fizzy Frog 2009, or for any other media enquiries please contact Winestream Communications E: info@winestream.com.au

Check out the Frog on Facebook…. www.facebook.com/frogrockwines

GREAT POSITIVES FROM WEATHER’S ADVERSITIES

NICE drop to take along to
your favourite Chinese BYO.

Wc07Nov11

David Ellis

WHILE few had anything positive to say about the 2011 harvest in the Clare Valley – and most of the rest of a very sodden South-Eastern Australia for that matter – Koonowla winemaker Andrew Michael says it was one of those times when small proved sound.

"It was certainly a challenging time, particularly for larger commercial producers, but being a small operation we had more 'hands on' time with the vines, and our micro-climate escaped the worst of the weather," he says.

And he is particularly pleased with his 2011 Koonowla Ringmaster Clare Valley Riesling. "It bursts with mouth-filling citrus flavours and has a zesty long acidic finish," Andrew says of this wine that came out of some of Australia's worst vintage weather in recent history, with deluging rain and floods across most South-Eastern growing areas.

At $15.99 this is a good-value drop to take along to your local Chinese BYO.

AND one for not-too-spicy Indian dishes.

ONE FOR LUNCH: ANOTHER small South Australian maker to see the positive side of the 2011 vintage was McLaren Vale's Kangarilla Road.

"Our 2011 Kangarilla Road Primitivo Rosé actually benefitted from the mild summer and that cool, wet vintage," says winemaker Kevin O'Brien. "While McLaren Vale is rightly famous for its reds (such as) Shiraz, it's also capable of producing lighter reds when conditions allow, so we jumped at the opportunity to produce some of the finest Rosé wines we've ever released."

With a palate loaded with zesty rhubarb and a spicy finish, at $22 this is a great companion with not-too-spicy Indian dishes.

Kangarilla Road also produced an excellent Chardonnay from that trouble-some 2011 vintage, one full of lemon and grapefruit flavours. Value at $18.

(NEED A FOOD/DRINK IDEA? Check out  http://www.vintnews.com )

New World of NSW Wines

Last week's 2011 Citibank NSW Wine 'Best of the Best' Tasting was a huge success with over 300 trade and consumers seizing the opportunity to meet the State's most talented winemakers and taste the Top 40 wines from the 2011 Citibank NSW Wine Awards, including Trophy winners and the 2011 Citibank NSW Wine of the Year.

The tasting highlighted some exciting wine trends in the world of NSW wines…

·         New Wave Chardonnays

Six Chardonnays featured in the Top 40, including the 2011 Citibank NSW Wine of the Year ~ Mistletoe Wines 2009 Reserve Chardonnay from the Hunter Valley.

According to Chief Judge Huon Hooke, these wines were "refined and restrained", in contrast with earlier more full bodied Australian styles. Huon also commented on the high quality of Chardonnay from all of the State's wine regions. Whether from traditional or emerging, warm or cool regions, the wines were equally delicious, showing how winemakers all over NSW are embracing the production of a modern, more elegant style of Chardonnay which is enticing consumers back to this most famous of white grapes.

·         New Hunter Heights

Thirteen of the Top 40 wines, including five of the ten Trophies were claimed by exciting wines from the Hunter Valley. The Hunter is Australia's oldest wine region and home to just over 100 wineries who have consistently produced wines of exceptional quality and outperformed the region's size. While steeped in history, a 'new generation' of Hunter winemakers is emerging who are not content to rest on the region's laurels and are pushing the wines of the Hunter to new heights.

·         Central Ranges ~ Top Awards

The Central Ranges is a 'wine zone' that encompasses the central western wine regions of Orange, Cowra and Mudgee and their surrounding vineyards. This area at the heart of NSW is starting to beat very strongly with eleven wines (six classified as Orange, two classified as Mudgee, three classified as Central Ranges) making it into the NSW Top 40 and the Logan 2009 Weemala Merlot and the Winburndale Wines 2008 Fontana Cabernet Sauvignon from the Central Ranges continuing on to collect a coveted Trophy. The wines and winemakers of the Central Ranges are definitely ones to watch.

·         Great Grape Diversity

A pleasing result from this year's Awards is the emergence of a range of high-quality Pinot Noirs, two of which received Top 40 status. Our emerging cool-climate regions, such as the Southern Highlands, Canberra and Orange, are working hard to show that this high-maintenance red variety can thrive here.

As well as Pinot Noir, there were also some excellent wines made from Viognier, Verdelho, Merlot, Tempranillo, Durif and Zinfandel. In fact, 14 different grape varieties or blends were used to make these "best-of-the-best" wines, demonstrating the huge diversity of NSW wines.

Another exciting Citibank NSW Wine Awards for NSW wine lovers with plenty of great success stories, and anticipation growing for the 2012 Sydney Cellar Door which will kick start the 2012 Citibank NSW Wine Festival on Saturday and Sunday 25th & 26th February.

The Citibank 2011 NSW Wine Awards Top 40 (in alphabetical order)

1.       Angullong 2010  Bulls Roar Tempranillo, Central Ranges ($25)
2.       Audrey Wilkinson 2011 Winemakers Selection Semillon, Hunter ($25)
3.       Ballabourneen 2011 Majors Lane Semillon, Hunter ($25)
4.       Barwang "842" 2009 Chardonnay, Tumbarumba ($35)
5.       Brangayne Of Orange 2009 Tristan Cabernet Shiraz Merlot, Orange ($30)
6.       Brokenwood 2011 Forest Edge Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Orange ($25)
7.       Capital Wines 2011 The Whip Riesling, Canberra District  ($19)
8.       Centennial Reserve 2010 Pinot Noir, Southern Highlands ($30)
9.       Centurion Wines 2011 Verdelho, Hunter ($19)
10.    Cherry Tree Hill 2006 Riesling, Southern Highlands ($25)
11.    Constable Estate 2010 Premium Semillon, Hunter ($24)
12.    Coolangatta Estate 2006 Semillon, Shoalhaven Coast ($45)
13.    De Bortoli 2009  Deen De Bortoli Durif, Riverina ($13)
14.    De Bortoli 2008 Noble One, Riverina ($64) TROPHY WINNER
15.    De Iuliis Wines 2009 Steven Vineyard Shiraz , Hunter ($40)
16.    Eden Road 2010 Gundagai Shiraz, Gundagai ($45)
17.    First Creek Wines Winemakers Reserve 2010 Chardonnay, Hunter ($40)
18.    First Creek Wines Winemakers Reserve 2010  Shiraz, Hunter ($42) TROPHY WINNER
19.    Freeman Vineyards Secco Aged Release 2004 Rondinella Corvina, Hilltops ($75) TROPHY WINNER
20.    Grove Estate 2006 Shiraz-Viognier,  Hilltops  ($40)
21.    Hedberg Hill 2010 Claudia's Viognier, Orange ($20)
22.    Lillypilly 2002 Noble Blend, Riverina ($40)
23.    Logan 2009 Weemala Merlot, Central Ranges ($18) TROPHY WINNER
24.    Logan 2009 Cabernet Merlot, Orange ($25) TROPHY WINNER
25.    Lowe 2009 Zinfandel, Mudgee ($75)
26.    Mistletoe Winery 2009 Reserve Chardonnay, Hunter ($40) TROPHY WINNER & CITIBANK NSW WINE OF THE YEAR
27.    Mount Majura Vineyard 2010 Tempranillo, Canberra District ($40)
28.    Nick O'Leary 2010 Shiraz, Canberra District ($30)
29.    Philip Shaw 2010 No 11 Chardonnay, Orange ($35)
30.    Pokolbin Estate 2005 Reserve Shiraz, Hunter ($50)
31.    Printhie Wines2010  Mt Canobolas Collection Chardonnay, Orange ($35)
32.    Ravensworth 2009 Shiraz Viognier, Canberra District ($27)
33.    Saddlers Creek 2008 Supreme Botrytis, Riverina ($36)
34.    Tertini 2009 Pinot Noir, Southern Highlands ($30)
35.    Thistle Hill 2011 Organic Riesling, Mudgee ($40)
36.    Thomas Wines 2006 Braemore Semillon, Hunter ($45) TROPHY WINNER
37.    Tulloch Wines 2011 JYT Selection Semillon, Hunter ($25)
38.    Two Rivers 2011 Stones Throw Semillon, Hunter ($16) TROPHY WINNER
39.    Tyrrell's Vineyards 2008 Vat 47 Chardonnay, Hunter ($50)
40.    Winburndale Wines 2008 Fontana Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Ranges ($30) TROPHY WINNER

FROM LAUNDRY TUB TO WORLD-WIDE SALES

GREAT buying at $10.95 to enjoy
with seafoods or Asian stir fries.

Wc31Oct11

David Ellis

WHEN one of the NSW Riverina's early pioneers Francesco Calabria, who'd arrived from Italy in 1927 with wife Elizabeth, decided he needed a glass or three of good home-made red or white to ease the pains of a day on the family's fruit farm in the new-fangled irrigation area, he didn't have the money to invest in all the necessary equipment to make it with.

So he took over Elizabeth's laundry tubs, and improvised from his workshop from there. By 1945 he was making wine full-time under the Calabria Wines label, and today son Bill is at the helm of the family-run business that's now called Westend Wines, helped by wife Lena, sons Frank, Michael, Andrew and daughter Elizabeth, selling world-wide, and amassing more trophies and medals than Francesco could ever have packed into his wife's little laundry.

Westend's Richland range is dedicated to the family founders who pioneered that "rich land," and is the premium commercial of a half-dozen labels that cater for all budgets. The 2010 Richland Sauvignon Blanc is a particularly excellent wine with great varietal flavours including passionfruit, garden peas, limes and mangoes – and even better is that its great buying at just $10.95.

BUY now, drink later – or if you can't wait,
enjoy with meatballs in an Italian-style tomato sauce.

With a dry, crisp and refreshing finish it's a great partner with seafoods such as oysters, mussels, prawns, crabs and lobsters, sushi and tuna, or Asian stir fries with lemongrass and plenty of coriander, tomato, onion and garlic.

ONE FOR LUNCH: ANDREW Margan has crafted a excellent Shiraz with the intention of buyers putting it away in a safe place for the next ten years – the $20 price tag making it a good investment as it is pleasant for enjoying now, but will become all the more so up to around the early 2020s.

Andrew picked the fruit for this 2009 Shiraz "al dente" (firm but not hard) off 40-year old Lower Hunter Valley vines; with nice savoury black fruit flavours its already an ideal match with meatballs in an Italian-style tomato sauce.

(NEED A FOOD/DRINK IDEA? Check out  http://www.vintnews.com )