News
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Winery Spotlight - Bannockburn (Geelong)
“…Bannockburn produces outstanding wines across the range, all with individuality, style, great complexity and depth of flavour. The low-yielding estate vineyards play their role." James Halliday
There’s no doubt the reputation of Geelong has risen more sharply than any other Victorian wine region in recent years. This newfound glamour has been driven by the likes of the Farr family. Lethbridge and Clyde Park, but we should never forget the original trailblazer Bannockburn.
Stuart Hooper planted the original vineyards in 1974 in the Moorabool sub-region, just outside of the hamlet of Bannockburn. There are now 26 individual vineyard blocks, the most celebrated of these being the 'Serre' vineyard which can lay claim to being the oldest close-planted Pinot vineyard in Australia. Organic farming principles are firmly entrenched and the vineyard is progressively obtaining certification.
These principles flow through into the winery where winemaker Matt Holmes employs minimal additions, wild yeast ferments and low intervention winemaking results in wines that are made with integrity and that are distinctively Bannockburn.
With so many designated vineyard blocks on hand Bannockburn is fortunate to be able to make a number of celebrated single-vineyard wines. The 'SRH Chardonnay' comes off the oldest Chardonnay vines in the Olive Tree Hill Vineyard (12 rows of 39yr old vines), the aforementioned 'Serre' comes from a 35-year-old, organically managed, low-cropping vineyard that produces Bannockburn’s most individual Pinot fruit. Serré is close-planted to 9,000 vines per hectare and is trellised low with narrow rows—replicating the tough vineyard conditions and low yields per vine of Grand Cru Burgundy.
'De la Terre' Shiraz and 'De la Roche' Pinot Noir are more recent creations. 'De la Terre' is a sub one-hectare, organically managed vineyard planted to 10,000 Pinot Noir vines per hectare (the 2012 release was the source of James Halliday’s “reminiscent of a young DRC” quote) whilst the 'De la Roche' is a 0.8-hectare vineyard with cuttings taken from Best’s and Tahbilk and planted to 10,000 vines per hectare.We have updated our range to include some new releases but safe to say quality (& relative value) remains high across range.
Our favourites? The 2017 SRH ‘reserve’ Chardonnay $79 (Geelong’s oldest Chardonnay vines), a Northern Rhone look-a-like in the 2017 'De La Roche' Shiraz $59 and the 1314 AD ‘’baby’ Pinot Noir 2018 $27 (a recently developed entry-level label).
Drawn predominately from vines in the south-facing Winery Block (planted in 1990), along with some fruit from the Range Road site (planted in 1974) and some declassified De La Roche. (94pts James Suckling)
Drawn mostly from the Estate's Olive Tree Hill Vineyard (planted in 1976) and Winery Block (1981), on volcanic soils over limestone, the average age of vines sits around the 35-year-old mark. (95pts WineFront)
The oldest, lowest-yielding Chardonnay vines (12 rows @ 45yrs of age) in the Olive Tree Hill vineyard. (94pts WineFront)
"... A complex and appetising pinot." 96 points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
'1314 AD' Pinot Noir 2018 $29 (reduced from $31)
Bannockburn's 'baby' Pinot Noir from younger vines.
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New Releases & Highlights February 9th
Critics Favs
Canberra’s Mount Majura scored a spectacular Shiraz vintage in 2018 with Gold Medals @ the NSW Small Winemakers Wine Show and the Canberra & Region Wine Show. James Halliday is a fan as well, scoring the wine 96pts. Yet another classic case of an amazing low-key wine that gets hidden in the market place, or more precisely, our website.
There’s no shortage of amazing micro producers in the Adelaide Hills these days but Turon has really stood out from the pack with recent vintages. Beautifully crafted wines with a focus on proven classic varieties for the region. In particular we like the 2019 Chardonnay $32 (96pts Halliday) and the 2019 Pinot Noir $32 (95pts Halliday, 93pts WineFront)
"This is the thoroughly impressive venture of newlyweds Turon and Alex White. They have built a winery at their property in Lenswood and turned it into a co-operative winery from the outset, where young winemakers can work together, share equipment, resources and knowledge. Given the quality of the wines released under the Turon Wines label, one is tempted to say the sky's the limit. As it is, it was one of the top new wineries in the Wine Companion 2019." James Halliday
New Releases
There’s no doubt the reputation of Geelong has risen more sharply than any other Victorian wine region in recent years. This newfound glamour has been driven by the likes of the Farr family, Lethbridge & Clyde Park but we should never forget the original trailblazer Bannockburn. We have updated our range to include some new releases but safe to say quality (& relative value) remains extremely high across range. And if we had to make some recommendations? The 2017 SRH ‘reserve’ Chardonnay $83 (Geelong’s oldest Chardonnay vines; 14 rows at 45yrs of age), a Northern Rhone lookalike in the 2017 'De La Roche Shiraz $59 and the 1314 AD ‘’baby’ Pinot Noir $30 (a recently developed entry-level label).
And speaking of trail blazers let’s move further west, 220km to be exact, to the rapidly emerging Riesling superstar region of Henty. Pioneering winery Crawford River singlehandedly put Henty on the map and in doing so firmly established itself as one of Australia’s greatest Riesling producers. Actually, some say THE best (myself included). Henty will never match the Clare Valley and Great Southern for output but I’m confident in time it be regarded as 'Numero Uno' for top quality Riesling. As it happens Crawford River have released a trio of new vintages covering the ‘entry level’ Young Vines 2019 $33, the ‘original’ 2019 $47 (“Pound for pound one of the greatest wines in Australia, by my reckoning, value and quality” – WineFront) and a new edition to the museum release program in the form of the 2013 $77.
Wine Show Results
David Bicknell and Oakridge just cleaned up big time at the Yarra Valley Wine show. I can’t recall the last time we witnessed such a dominate result from a single producer. How does 9 Trophies including Best Red and Best White sound? Not bad eh!
Lucky for you we have deep coverage of the expansive Oakridge range across all points and, as per usual, super-competitive pricing. All wines Vegan Friendly.
864 Single Block Releases
2018 Chardonnay ‘Funder & Diamond Drive Block $83
2018 Syrah ‘Close Planted Block’ $83 (Gold Medal, 97pts Halliday)
Local Vineyard Range
2019 Chardonnay ‘Willow Lake’ $37 was $39 (oldest vineyard in the Upper Yarra Valley)
2018 Chardonnay ‘Henk’ $33 was $37 (Gold Medal, 97pts James Suckling, 95pts Huon Hooke)
2019 Pinot Meunier $33 (2 Gold Medals)
Yarra Valley Range
2018 Chardonnay $29 (94pts Halliday, Gold Medal Sydney Royal Wine Show)
2019 Rose $27 (Gold Medal)
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New Releases & Highlights - 31st January 2020
Germany & Austria 2019
Seems folks are starting to get a little excited about just how good these ‘Northern’ European whites might be for 2019. Our full range from both countries can be found here and here.
“Will 2019 be the breakthrough vintage for German wine? Could it persuade Riesling-phobes to abandon their prejudices?” That was the question posed by the world's foremost wine writer, Jancis Robinson, who then asked her readers to indulge her as she reeled off reasons why Germany’s signature variety is the greatest white grape in the world. “The wines it produces particularly precisely express where they were grown (like Pinot Noir),” she continues. “They last and continue to evolve interestingly forever (at least as long as Cabernet Sauvignon). They are generally particularly refreshing and relatively low in alcohol. And they go superbly – generally better than white burgundy and other Chardonnays – with food. Nowadays most Riesling is dry, not sweet. And German dry Riesling is one of the wine world’s undervalued treasures.”
“Still not convinced?” asks Jancis. “Do give the 2019s a whirl. They are exceptionally good – especially but not only in the Mosel and Nahe.” Well said Jancis!
New Varieties
Chalmers, Australia’s pioneering ‘alternative varieties’ vine stock provider, have again introduced unusual varieties into the Australian market with the release of a Falanghina and the very hard-to-find Pecorino, the latter originally hailing from Le Mache in Italy. The entire Chalmers range can be found here.
Critics Favs
WA Swan Valley’s Corymbia is creating a stir with recent releases, particularly the Chenin Blanc. WineFront’s Mike Bennie said this would be "the next big thing" and now the Americans are onboard with Wine Advocate naming the 2019 in its Top 100 Wine Discoveries 2020. Critic Joe Czerwinski admired the wine’s "fleshy, grainy texture" and "fine, silky finish".
And how about Frankland Estate’s ‘Isolation Ridge’ Riesling from 2019……Wine of the Year - West Australian Good Food Guide Awards 2020, 94pts Halliday Wine Companion, 97pts Nick Stock, 96pts Gary Walsh….far out!
New ReleasesI can’t help but think Balnaves is always a bit underrated, perhaps unfairly, but I guess the same could be said of Coonawarra as a whole these days. This winery very successfully spanss a very wide price range starting with ultra-reliable Cabernet Merlot at just under $20 (“Really punches above its weight. So lovely! What easy charm! Insane value” – WineFront), all the way through to the uber-premium ‘Tally’ at $96 (2013 97pts Halliday, 96pts WineFront). Crazy to think the 2010 and the 2013 are the current releases!
What the ?????I think it's fair to say we've stooped to new lows at Good Soul Wines with our first ever listing of a wine from the 'old country.' Yep......a sparkler from Hampshire in the UK!!
But to be fair this is proper stuff. Hattingley Valley was established in 2008. It released its first wine in August 2013, and a year later was declared to have made the world's finest vintage rosé in the Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships.
Jancis Robinson justifiably cites Hattingley Valley as one of the producers that “have really put English vineyards on the world wine map”. -
Preservative Wines - A Quick Guide
Any assessment or discussion of Preservative Wines revolves nearly entirely around the absence of Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) or its wine label alter ego ‘added preservative 220’. It is important to note the use of the term ‘added’ as SO2 can be produced naturally during fermentation. So in this respect, technically speaking, any label proclaiming the wine to be ‘preservative free’ is not entirely accurate.
The Australian maximum legal limit is 300mg/L but it would be usual to find a wine’s content anywhere near this number. Sometimes winemaking notes or the back label may refer to ‘sulfites’. This refers to the presence of Bisulphite and Sulphurous Acid and must be disclosed if the wine contains more than 10mg/L.
The good news is that the use of such additives appears to be on a downward trend. As winemaking and viticulture skills constantly improve the underlying fruit is in better condition and this lessens the need for sulphur dioxide to patch up any weak spots.
The addition of sulphur dioxide nearly always bolsters the wine’s ability to remain ‘fresh’ for an expended period thus it’s always a good to stick to young wines when shopping for a preservative free drop.
For details on Preservative Free wines take a look at the Travelling Corkscrew's excellent overview here.
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Appellation Reference Guide - Champagne
Where?
The Champagne region is located 160km east of Paris and comprises of 5 regions within the broader boundaries.
The excellent Wine Folly website has a great map here.
What?
Champagne is of course the world’s pre-eminent producer of sparkling white and rose wines. There are 340 ‘houses’ and nearly 16,000 growers combining to produce a remarkable 350+ million bottles per year. The AOC covers 76,000 acres across 360 villages. Grand Cru villages number 17 whilst Premier Cru total 43.
Grapes & Wine Styles
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier make up substantially all the grape composition. Wines are defined through the following attributes:
- Vintage and Non-Vintage
- Blanc De Blanc (100% Chardonnay), Rose, Blanc De Noir (100% Pinot Noir) or most commonly a blend.
- Completely dry styles (Extra Brut / Non-Dosage) through to very sweet styles know as ‘Doux’ with over 50 grams of sugar per litre. Most common is ‘Brut’ with up to 15 grams per litre.
Echelles des Crus ('Ladder of Growth')
The Échelle des Crus (‘ladder of growth’) was established in the early 19th century to provide a framework for a fixed pricing structure and this system had a significant bearing on the classification of the Grand Cru and Premier Cru Villages. The price for a kilogram of grapes was set and vineyards owners would receive a percentage of the published price depending on the village rating where the grower was located. Vineyards in Grand cru villages receive 100% of the price while Premiers crus villages with a 95 rating receive 95% of the price and so forth moving down the classification ladder. This pricing outcome is not always strictly followed but it provides a good guide for grape prices in any given year.
Grand Cru vs. Premier Cru
It is very important to remember that in Champagne it is the village that enjoys access to the Cru classification, not specific sites (like Burgundy) or specific producers (like Bordeaux).
- Grand Cru: the original framework awarded ‘Grand Cru’ status to 12 villages however this number was expanded to 17 in 1985. Less than 9% of land under vine is considered ‘Grand Cru’. Villages comprise Ambonnay, Avize, Ay, Beaumont-sur-Vesle, Bouzy, Chouilly, Cramant, Louvois, Mailly Champagne, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Oiry, Puisieulx, Sillery, Tours-sur-Marne, Verzenay, Verzy
- Premier Cru: as can be expected the vineyards awarded 1er status are considerably larger covering around 22% of the broader Champagne region. 43 villages have been awarded this classification with 99% Echelle des Crus ratings applying to just 2 villages - Mareuil-sur-Ay and Tauxieres.
Appellation Rules & Restrictions
- Approved grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Arbane, Petit Meslier
- Maximum permitted yields per hectare – 6.275tn per acre (based on 3,240 vines planted per acre)
- Maximum permitted press yield – 102 litres per 160kg of grapes
- Secondary fermentation in the bottle, and minimum periods of maturation on lees: 15 months for non-vintage Champagne and three years for vintage Champagne
