Ten dark horses
This is a highly subjective selection of ten wineries who have excelled over the past 12 months. Thus, they are not new wineries, nor ten of the best, but do have that little bit extra.
Angoves Riverland
Has always offered great value with its estate-grown wines, but has significantly expanded the range with significant offerings from the Clare Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra and Padthaway, all priced under $20, some under $10 (not cheap and nasty). A gold medal Grenache Rose ($15) rounds off the portfolio to perfection.
Bay of Shoals Kangaroo Island
Jacques Lurton's The Islander Estate is the top producer on the island, but John Willoughby's 10-ha vineyard (planned in '94) is producing consistently good chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon. The cellar door is open seven days, great for tourists to the heaven-sent destination.
Cassegrain Hastings River
John Cassegrain has shrugged off the troubled and now terminated merger with Simon Gilbert Wines, producing a wide range of wines from grapes grown in New England and Hastings River, covering trendy varieties such as tempranillo and durif as well as long-term successes with semillon and chardonnay. This is another quality outpost for tourists on the north coast of New South Wales.
Domaine Epis Macedon Ranges
Qualifies in every way as a 'dark horse' - forgetting to send wine samples for the two prior editions of this book seems to have been a good way for the winery to keep under the radar. Long-term Essendon guru and former player Alex Epis has the equally legendary Stuart Anderson (Balgownie Estate founder, long since retired to the Macedon Ranges) as his consultant winemaker, and the meticulous care of Epis's two vineyards does the rest. The mail list is the best way to unearth these lovely wines.
Gemtree Vineyards McLaren Vale
Picking the best grapes from 130 ha of estate vineyards (and selling the remaining two-thirds) gives the Buttery family a huge advantage, and when only 1% goes to make its flagship Obsidian shiraz (the '04 was the Hyatt Advertiser Wine of the Year in 2007), the quality comes as no surprise. Then there are wines full of left-field interest such as Albarino, Tempranillo, and Petit Verdot and a White Lees Shiraz, using the lees from white wines to add texture.
Giant Steps/Innocent Bystander Yarra Valley
Consummate marketer/owner/winemaker Phil Sextion may be none-too-pleased to find his winery in the 'dark horse' category, but the fact is the wines from 2006 (predominately 2006, but also '05) are of consistently high quality, those under the second Innocent Bystander label offering compelling value for money. The capacious winery restaurant in the main street of Healesville is another drawcard
Henry's Drive Vignerons Padthaway
A 1992 decision by the Longbottom family to plant a few vines on their large grazing property (owned sine the 1940's) has been an acorn to oak story, but I'll wager that few wine professionals would know they now have 300 ha of vines and produce a jaw-dropping 170 000 cases of excellent wine (led by shiraz at four price points from $18 to $55), much of which is exported to the UK, the US and other major markets.
Paxton McLaren Vale
I should, I suppose, declare an interest here. David Paxton designed the original Coldstream Hills Vineyard and also two Upper Yarra vineyards associated with Coldstream Hills. He is a hugely experienced viticulturist and it is very interesting that his family's five McLaren Vale vineyards were certified biodynamic by 2006. Son Michael makes the wines to very high standards; definitely a label to watch.
Scorpo Wines Mornington Peninsula
Notwithstanding my disclaimer in the introduction, Scorpo was a contender for Winery of the Year, with seven wines rated at 94 points or above. Contract winemaker Sandro Mosele handled the 2006 vintage with impeccable skill, producing top results with chardonnay, pinot noir and shiraz. It makes the decision of veteran landscape architect Paul Scorpo to buy a derelict apple and cherry orchard in 1997 and plant 6 ha of vines look like a very astute move.
Tamburlaine Lower Hunter Valley
History shows that winery-generated wine clubs built as an add-on to mail/website lists seldom succeed, the benefits to member usually illusory. Tamburlaine is the exception to the rule, going from strength to strength as it has progressively doubled its production of Members Reserve wines from its Hunter Valley and Orange vineyards. Nine of its current wines rate 90 points or above, spanning all the core varieties other than pinot noir, all made with a sure touch by the winemaking team headed by Mark Davidson.
Has always offered great value with its estate-grown wines, but has significantly expanded the range with significant offerings from the Clare Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra and Padthaway, all priced under $20, some under $10 (not cheap and nasty). A gold medal Grenache Rose ($15) rounds off the portfolio to perfection.
Bay of Shoals Kangaroo Island
Jacques Lurton's The Islander Estate is the top producer on the island, but John Willoughby's 10-ha vineyard (planned in '94) is producing consistently good chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon. The cellar door is open seven days, great for tourists to the heaven-sent destination.
Cassegrain Hastings River
John Cassegrain has shrugged off the troubled and now terminated merger with Simon Gilbert Wines, producing a wide range of wines from grapes grown in New England and Hastings River, covering trendy varieties such as tempranillo and durif as well as long-term successes with semillon and chardonnay. This is another quality outpost for tourists on the north coast of New South Wales.
Domaine Epis Macedon Ranges
Qualifies in every way as a 'dark horse' - forgetting to send wine samples for the two prior editions of this book seems to have been a good way for the winery to keep under the radar. Long-term Essendon guru and former player Alex Epis has the equally legendary Stuart Anderson (Balgownie Estate founder, long since retired to the Macedon Ranges) as his consultant winemaker, and the meticulous care of Epis's two vineyards does the rest. The mail list is the best way to unearth these lovely wines.
Gemtree Vineyards McLaren Vale
Picking the best grapes from 130 ha of estate vineyards (and selling the remaining two-thirds) gives the Buttery family a huge advantage, and when only 1% goes to make its flagship Obsidian shiraz (the '04 was the Hyatt Advertiser Wine of the Year in 2007), the quality comes as no surprise. Then there are wines full of left-field interest such as Albarino, Tempranillo, and Petit Verdot and a White Lees Shiraz, using the lees from white wines to add texture.
Giant Steps/Innocent Bystander Yarra Valley
Consummate marketer/owner/winemaker Phil Sextion may be none-too-pleased to find his winery in the 'dark horse' category, but the fact is the wines from 2006 (predominately 2006, but also '05) are of consistently high quality, those under the second Innocent Bystander label offering compelling value for money. The capacious winery restaurant in the main street of Healesville is another drawcard
Henry's Drive Vignerons Padthaway
A 1992 decision by the Longbottom family to plant a few vines on their large grazing property (owned sine the 1940's) has been an acorn to oak story, but I'll wager that few wine professionals would know they now have 300 ha of vines and produce a jaw-dropping 170 000 cases of excellent wine (led by shiraz at four price points from $18 to $55), much of which is exported to the UK, the US and other major markets.
Paxton McLaren Vale
I should, I suppose, declare an interest here. David Paxton designed the original Coldstream Hills Vineyard and also two Upper Yarra vineyards associated with Coldstream Hills. He is a hugely experienced viticulturist and it is very interesting that his family's five McLaren Vale vineyards were certified biodynamic by 2006. Son Michael makes the wines to very high standards; definitely a label to watch.
Scorpo Wines Mornington Peninsula
Notwithstanding my disclaimer in the introduction, Scorpo was a contender for Winery of the Year, with seven wines rated at 94 points or above. Contract winemaker Sandro Mosele handled the 2006 vintage with impeccable skill, producing top results with chardonnay, pinot noir and shiraz. It makes the decision of veteran landscape architect Paul Scorpo to buy a derelict apple and cherry orchard in 1997 and plant 6 ha of vines look like a very astute move.
Tamburlaine Lower Hunter Valley
History shows that winery-generated wine clubs built as an add-on to mail/website lists seldom succeed, the benefits to member usually illusory. Tamburlaine is the exception to the rule, going from strength to strength as it has progressively doubled its production of Members Reserve wines from its Hunter Valley and Orange vineyards. Nine of its current wines rate 90 points or above, spanning all the core varieties other than pinot noir, all made with a sure touch by the winemaking team headed by Mark Davidson.
