New wave Aussie chardonnay
A masterclass led by Phil Sexton from Innocent Bystander/Giant Steps, and Martin Spedding from Ten Minutes by Tractor, explores new wave Aussie chardonnay from the Yarra Valley
Skinny – a new era for Aussie chardonnay?
Forget skinny lattes, skinny is a new model for Aussie chardonnay – lean, maybe a bit mean, very clean, even edging to green. The style has been around for a while, as Tom Carson, winemaker at Yabby Lake in the Mornington Peninsula explained “these wines have been here in Australia but they didn’t have too much of a voice. Now, everyone is talking about these wines, and how fine they are.”
Minerality quote, unquote 4
A recent visit to Australia turned up some interesting views on minerality.
Louisa Rose on viognier
Yalumba planted 1.2 hectares of viognier in 1980. Head winemaker Louisa Rose took the variety to heart and has become an acknowledged expert, and one all too willing to share her passion.
Texture, structure, savouriness and sense of place – the new Aussie mantra
The bywords for the next generation of Aussie winemakers look set to be texture, structure, savouriness and sense of place, (the French would call it terroir), as producers look to express greater individuality in their wines. They’ve cottoned on to the fact that the patch of dirt where the vines grow, and its complete environment, really is the thing that can’t be replicated elsewhere.
Jansz
What’s now known as Jansz (from Abel Tasman’s middle name), was established in 1975, in the Pipers River area of north-east Tasmania. The 24 hectare vineyard had been part of the original Heemskerk property, and a new lease of life began in 1998 when the Hill-Smith family bought it.
Eldridge Estate
David Lloyd of Eldridge Estate on Red Hill is a self-confessed ‘hillist’ of Mornington Peninsula. He used to think the “best pinot noir [came] from ‘the downs’ because it’s warmer” but he was persuaded by early pioneer Nat White of Main Ridge to focus on pinot noir from the hills.
Ten minutes with … Nick Farr
Nick Farr, of By Farr Vineyards, discusses soils, moisture and future-proofing in Geelong, Victoria.
Tassie pinot noir
With 42% of total Tasmanian vineyard plantings, pinot noir is the island state’s lead variety. Still red pinot noir wine is getting to be a force to be reckoned with, with even latent sub-regional undertones becoming apparent.
Tasmanian regions – the south
Tasmania’s capital city Hobart lays claim to be the second driest state capital in Australia, after Adelaide. There are fewer frosts in the south, and as is to be expected in a cool climate, especially one where there is nothing between the south of the island and the Antarctic, proximity to sea level is important for vineyards to capture as much warmth as possible.
