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BIG FINE GIRL 2009 RIESLING

WINE

The 2009 vintage for Riesling in the Clare Valley is characterized by enormous generosity of flavour- the power and intensity are quite remarkable; so much so that at one point we thought we might have to use the stronger champagne bottles and closures just so we could keep all that flavour in. Do be careful when you open a bottle- there’s a lot in there waiting to get out! The Big Fine Girl has a marvellous nose of lychee, very ripe apple and lemon, with notes of orange oil and apricot. On the palate a veritable riot of fruit is beautifully entwined with crisp acidity to make a truly delicious drink of great depth and intensity. A stunning wine to enjoy now for its youthful exuberance or over the next few years as it gains some delicious maturity.

Try with a salmon steak drizzled is good olive oil and dusted in freshly ground sea salt, then cooked (just right) on the barbecue.

FRUIT

The winter of the 2008/2009 growing season, while again still well short of a good winter in rainfall terms, was still well ahead of the appallingly dry winter that preceded the 2007 vintage. Spring however was not so kind- in two months there was barely an inch of rain but a wonderful fall of 100mm in early December saved the season, and a combination of more rain at the right times together with the cool nights that the Clare Valley’s altitude gives the region, meant that the vines shrugged off the hideous heat wave that gripped the state for a sweltering fortnight from Australia Day.

And so well did the vines in the Clare Valley withstand the heat that the vintage moved back to the traditional March/April rather than the earlier February/March vintages that we had in the previous two years. Our first Riesling was picked on the 2^nd March and the last on 2^nd April, and the mosaic of thirteen individual parcels gives the Big Fine Girl real depth and complexity across a whole array of flavours.

VINIFICATION

All the fruit is handpicked and once it gets to the winery it is crushed and pressed immediately to tank, where it is cold settled before racking to its fermentation tank. Only the free run juice is used and where possible the individual parcels are fermented separately, as long and cold as we dare. After fermentation each tank is looked at to see how it fits into the blend, and the Big Fine Girl is then blended and bottled. All through the winemaking process we endeavor to do as little as possible, so as to preserve all the natural fruit flavours in the wine; what we taste on the vine, we want in the bottle.

THE WINE

The 2009 vintage for Riesling in the Clare Valley is characterized by enormous generosity of flavor- the power and intensity are quite remarkable; so much so that at one point we thought we might have to use the stronger champagne bottles and closures just so we could keep all that flavour in. Do be careful when you open a bottle- there’s a lot in there waiting to get out. The Big Fine Girl has a marvelous nose of lychee, very ripe apple and lemon, with notes of orange oil and apricot. On the palate a veritable riot of fruit is beautifully entwined with crisp acidity to make a truly delicious drink of great depth and intensity. A stunning wine to enjoy now for its youthful exuberance or over the few years as it gains some delicious maturity. Try with a salmon steak drizzled is good olive oil and dusted in freshly ground sea salt, then cooked (just right) on the barbecue.

A FEW NUMBERS

Alcohol: 12.7% pH: 3.05 TA: 8.2

Price: $19.00

STUMBLING BLOCK 2008 SEMILLON SAUVIGNON BLANC

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THE WINE

Pale yellow, the Stumbling Block is a great example of Clare Semillon given a subtle twist with the whisper of Sauvignon Blanc. Aromas of tropical fruits leap from the glass in the subtly powerful bouquet. Full and round in the mouth the Stumbling Block shows hints of gooseberries, banana and ripe honeydew melon, rounded off with a touch of spice and tangy lime. It has a lovely fresh dry lingering finish, best drunk cool, not cold to allow the fullness of flavour to emerge to its best advantage.

Glorious with grilled King George whiting drizzled with lemon juice fresh from the BBQ.

FRUIT

In 2008 our Stumbling Block vineyard yielded about 3 tonnes of Semillon, despite the ongoing drought and the local kangaroos taking their share. We picked it early, on 11th February, for zest and raciness and we picked our Penwortham Semillon in 2 passes, three and four weeks later for fullness and richness.

VINIFICATION

Following handpicking, the Stumbling Block Semillon was pressed and cold settled before the clear juice was racked to a fermentation tank and fermented using a cultured yeast over 3 weeks at low temperatures, while the Penwortham Semillon was fermented with wild yeast on full solids at much warmer temperatures (up to 20°C) to maximise texture and complexity, with some of the juice fermented in new and one year old French oak barrels. Post fermentation the three batches were blended prior to maturation, which included the new and one year old French oak. In mid April 2009 a small amount of Sauvignon Blanc completed the blend and the wine was bottled.

THE WINE

Pale yellow, the Stumbling Block is a great example of Clare Semillon given a subtle twist with the whisper of Sauvignon Blanc. Aromas of tropical fruits leap from the glass in the subtly powerful bouquet. Full and round in the mouth the Stumbling Block shows plenty of lemon flavours and aromas for which Semillon is renowned, together with hints of gooseberries, banana and ripe honeydew melon, all rounded off with a touch of spice and tangy lime. It has a lovely fresh dry lingering finish and is best drunk cool, not cold, to allow the fullness of flavour to emerge to its best advantage. Glorious with grilled King George whiting drizzled with lemon juice fresh from the BBQ.

A FEW NUMBERS

Alcohol 13.5% pH 2.95 TA 6.95

Price: $19.00

OAKEY DOKEY 2007 CHARDONNAY

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THE WINE

The Oakey Dokey is a full flavoured Chardonnay, but at the same time has a degree of restraint, epitomised by the relatively delicate yellow/green colour. On the nose it shows dried apple and apricot with a background of spice and honey. Like a young red wine, this wine too opens up with air – you can even try decanting it. Restrained but intense on the palate, the Oakey Dokey shows great spice and length into the warm finish.

Great with roast chicken rubbed with Cajun spice.

FRUIT

The Chardonnay grapes for the Oakey Dokey Chardonnay come from two absolutely top-flight growers – the Jones vineyard and the Faulkner vineyard. In the drought hit 2007 vintage the Jones vineyard in particular, managed to produce only a tiny fraction of its normal crop. The Faulkner vineyard, next to the church in Penwortham, fared better, and all the grapes were picked by hand over 3 days in the middle of February.

VINIFICATION

The grapes were pressed to tank and the ferment allowed to take place on full solids (with no racking of the juice) and with wild yeast for maximum flavour and texture. Fermentation took place at around 15°C and lasted for a month. 40% of the blend was aged in stainless steel and the balance in oak of which 80% was new and 100% French. The wine stayed in oak with weekly lees stirring (again to maximise flavour and texture) for 7½ months, when the blend was made up and the wine bottled in February 2008.

THE WINE

The Oakey Dokey is a full flavoured Chardonnay, but at the same time has a degree of restraint, epitomised by the relatively delicate yellow/green colour. On the nose it shows dried apple and apricot with a background of spice and honey. Like a young red wine, this wine too opens up with air – you can even try decanting it. Restrained but intense on the palate, the Oakey Dokey shows great spice and length into the warm finish.

Great with roast chicken rubbed with Cajun spice.

A FEW NUMBERS

Alcohol 14.0% pH 3.1 TA 7.2

Price: $19.00