Bourgogne Pinot Noir (Henri) 2010 $20–$25 The success of new world varietal labelling convinced some French producers to follow suit. They saw, for example, that “pinot noir” added to “Bourgogne” (Burgundy) enlightened those not up on French wine lore – essentially that regional names like Burgundy also convey varietal meaning for those in the know. Henri, imported by Coles for its 1st Choice and Vintage Cellars outlets, offers a bright, clean, modern expression of the world’s original pinot noir – sealed hygienically under screwcap. It’s medium bodied, with savoury character and fine, firm backbone of tannin separating it in style from the generally fruity, soft Australian styles.
Climbing Orange Pinot Gris 2012 $18–$24 The press release accompanying this new release reports on the phenomenal growth of pinot gris/grigio production in Australia – from 2000 tonnes in 2004 to 54 thousand tonnes in 2012. Those figures equate to about 140 thousand and 3.8 million dozen bottles respectively. A good deal of it’s pretty insipid. But this version, made in Orange’s suitably cool climate, captures the “gris” style pretty well. It’s fresh and crisp, with subtle, pear-like varietal flavour and plush, velvety texture. Winemaker Debbie Lauritz says she picks grapes at various levels of ripeness to capture fresh acidity, varietal character and full body.
Brokenwood Cricket Pitch Red 2011 $14.95–$20 Cricket Pitch’s mixed ancestry gives it the appeal of the family’s warm and friendly “bitza” dog – a well-travelled mixed breed at that. The winemakers threw everything into the vat: cabernet sauvignon, shiraz, merlot and petit verdot. And they sourced various bits and pieces from the Central Ranges and Hunter Valley, NSW, Beechworth, Victoria, and McLaren Vale, South Australia. So the wine doesn’t much resemble any single one of those varieties or regions. What you get though is a frisky, fruity red with the body of shiraz and the various spikes and bones of cabernet, merlot and petit verdot – a decent, warming red at a fair price.
The recent release of Penfolds Grange and Henschke Hill of Grace at record prices raises the age-old question of what they’re really worth. The short answer is, they’re worth what people pay for them. And as Penfolds and Henschke sell out every year, the answer has to be that they’re not overpriced, notwithstanding substantial domestic discounting in the case of Grange.
The discounting reminds us that we don’t all pay the same price. Indeed the gap between recommended retail and price on special may run to $100 or more a bottle. But over time, both wines tend to appreciate in value, though not at an even or predictable rate. So whether or not a purchase stacks up as an investment, as many buyers hope, depends on paying the right price at the right time (and not drinking it while you wait). Achieving this is no easier than picking stock price movements.
A story published in the Canberra Times on 30 May provided a real-life glimpse of Grange as an investment. The story reported prices Jackie Chan is said to have paid on a buying spree at Jim Murphy’s Fyshwick store in 1999.
Chan’s purchases included four vintages of Grange – 1991, 1990 and 1989 at $390 a bottle each and 1983 at $300, according on an order form retained by a former Murphy employee. Based on the current retail prices of those wines in the same store, the report concluded, “at least some of his purchases may now be proving a savvy investment”.
Unfortunately for Chan, though, it doesn’t work like that. A private owner has little chance of selling at retail prices. Why? Because people wanting to buy old Grange don’t phone Jackie Chan. If they’re in a rush, they’ll visit a retail store. And if they’re not, they might go to auction and save a great deal of money.
Collectors wanting to sell wine, generally don’t have customers, so they go to auction or to an upmarket retailer. In other words, they sell into a wholesale market. And from my experience as one of those retailers, auction prices continue to provide the best guide to current wholesale value.
So if Chan took the Granges he bought in 1999 to auction today, the result could be sobering. In nominal terms, he’d be ahead on the 1990, 1991 and 1983 vintages and behind on the 1989 vintage. However, after inflation adjusting his 1999 dollars, he’d be seriously behind on all four vintages. The position would be even worse were we to calculate the opportunity cost of money tied up without return for 14 years. The table below shows the detailed estimates.
The same table shows the net price you’d pay as a buyer at auction after adding the auctioneer’s quaintly named “buyer’s premium” and GST. Comfortingly, these prices, with the exception of the 1983, sit well below the retail prices quoted in the Canberra Times report – underlining the value of auctions.
And to illustrate the importance of timing, those who bought Grange1983 at $50 in 1988 could pocket a tidy profit – nominally $377 a bottle, or $325 after adjustment for inflation.
The top of the table shows Langton’s auction prices for various vintages of Grange and Hill of Grace. The generally high prices confirm their desirability. But it also demonstrates an age-old pattern – you can generally buy beautiful mature old vintages for less than you’d pay for a current release.
For drinkers rather than investors, though, there’s comfort in buying and cellaring a wine on release. That way, as the decades tick by, you know exactly where the wine’s been and how it’s been cellared. I suspect this is where Jackie Chan’s coming from.
And Grange and Hill of Grace sit at the top of the auction pile because they will cellar reliably for decades. I reviewed the new-release 2008 Grange a few weeks back, and last week had the opportunity to taste the just-released Hill of Grace 2008.
Ainslie Cellars hosted a customer tasting of Henschke wines, including the two single-vineyard flagships, Mount Edelstone Shiraz 2009 ($115) and Hill of Grace 2008 ($650).
I’ll review the range over the coming weeks. For today, though, let’s consider just the majestic 2008 Hill of Grace, sourced from 150-year-old shiraz vines in the Eden Valley. It’s deeply coloured but limpid and just beginning to show a little age at the rim. The complex, multi-faceted aroma suggests a big, powerful wine, built on intense, ripe black-cherry-like fruit, laced with sympathetic oak. The palate surprises after the aroma as it’s ethereal and elegant in structure, though waves of intense fruit and tannins sweep across the palate. It’s a classy and idiosyncratic shiraz, as gnarled and stately as the ancient vines it springs from.
Penfolds and Henschke blue-chip reds – market prices
Wine
RRP
Mean hammer price
Seller gets
Buyer pays
Grange 2008
$785
No sale
No sale
No sale
Grange 2007
$425
$383
$537
Grange 2006
$550
$495
$695
Grange 2005
$445
$400
$562
Grange 1996
$475
$427
$600
Grange 1990
$555
$500
$702
Grange 1986
$550
$495
$696
Grange 1983
$475
$427
$600
Hill of Grace 2008
$650
No sale
No sale
No sale
Hill of Grace 2007
No sale
No sale
No sale
Hill of Grace 2006
$445
$400
$562
Hill of Grace 2005
$400
$360
$506
Hill of Grace 1999
$365
$328
$461
Hill of Grace 1990
$480
$432
$607
Hill of Grace 1986
$360
$324
$455
Hill of Grace 1983
$220
$198
$278
The Jackie Chan Granges
What Jackie paid 1999*
What he’d get now
What you’d pay now
Grange 1991
$390/$575
$450
$632
Grange 1990
$390/$575
$500
$702
Grange 1989
$390/$575
$320
$449
Grange 1983
$300/$443
$427
$600
Auction price sources: langtons.com.au
Seller’s price assumes 10% commission to Langton’s
Buyer’s price assumes 15% commission to Langton’s and GST
*Nominal price/inflation adjusted price in brackets
Ravensworth Shiraz Viognier 2012 $30–$33 Ravensworth vineyard Murrumbateman, Canberra District, NSW Winemaker Bryan Martin writes, “A small crop survived the hail and biblical downpour of the 2012 vintage”. The surviving fruit, however, made a terrific wine. On first opening, heady floral aromas dominate and are reflected on the palate. But after a good splash, the aromas expand to include spices, pepper, ripe, red berries and a light stalky/stemmy character. These are all consistent with high quality, cool-grown shiraz co-fermented with viognier – and in contact with whole bunches (and hence stems). The flavours on the medium bodied palate reflect the aroma, while fine, persistent tannins add grip and length to the smooth, deeply textured palate. It’s a fragrant, elegant, fine-boned shiraz with good medium-term cellaring potential. See ravensworthwines.com.au for stockists.
Torbreck Woodcutters Shiraz 2012 $21.45–$23 Barossa Valley, South Australia David Powell makes a number of Barossa shirazes and blends, including his flagship Run Rig ($275) and one-off The Laird 2006 ($700) from Malcolm Seppelt’s vineyard near Seppeltsfield. Powell’s more earthly, entry-level shiraz comes from younger vines grown across the Barossa’s diverse sub-regions: Marananga, Greenock, Ebenezer, Gomersal, Moppa, Lyndoch and Kalimna. It’s generous but round and beautifully balanced red, centred on ripe Barossa fruit flavours and the region’s typically soft tannins. We enjoyed ours with a rare sirloin and chips at Edgar’s, Ainslie – hearty food for a hearty wine. Price there was a reasonable $44 a bottle, but expect to pay half that retail.
Ravensworth “The Grainery” 2012 $27–$30 Ravensworth vineyard, Murrumbateman, Canberra District, NSW In the rain-reduced 2012 vintage, Bryan Martin chucked all of his white varieties together – bar riesling. The Rhone Valley varieties – marsanne, roussanne and viognier – joined chardonnay in the blending vat, creating an idiosyncratic mix of great interest. It’s a full-flavoured, soft dry white with a rich, lightly viscous texture, and a subtle, pleasantly tart and savoury element – probably derived from tannins in the fruit. Pushing through these textural and savoury elements is a delicious little bubble of apricot-like flavour, presumably from the viognier component. It’s available online and through selected stockists – see ravensworthwines.com.au for details.
Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz 2010 $130 Magill vineyard, Adelaide, South Australia While the prices of Grange and Bin 707 confidently roar ahead internationally, Magill appears to be stalled. Certainly the auction price of past vintages suggests this year’s asking price to be way ahead of the market. The highly regarded 1996, for example, fetches $75–$95 under the Langton’s hammer; and the 2008 $50–$70. Price quibbles aside, the 2010 is as good a Magill as I’ve tasted since the inaugural 1983 vintage. Within the world of burly Penfolds’ reds, it’s medium bodied; and in 2010 with delicious ripe fruit seductively layered with fruit and oak tannins and attractive soy-like savouriness.
Oakridge “Over the Shoulder” Pinot Noir 2012 $17–$23 Yarra Valley, Victoria The lowest priced of Oakridge’s pinots combines fruit from five Yarra sub-regions – Coldstream, Yarra Glen, Seville, Woori Yallock and Gembrook. Applying “traditional methods” to hand picked grapes from these vineyards, David Bicknell made one of the best pinots I’ve seen at this price. It combines the vibrant, aromatic and red-berry varietal character of pinot with savouriness, earthiness and, in particular, texture and fine tannic grip on the palate – vital pinot elements offing missing from less expensive attempts. It’s just a delight to drink and bound to convert yet more pinot doubters to the fold.
Tar and Roses Pinot Grigio 2012 $18 Central Victoria, Victoria The light bronze tint of Tar and Roses points to the origin of pinot grigio (or pinot gris, literally “grey pinot”) – a mutant of Burgundy’s noble red variety, pinot noir. Like the red version, the white mutant grows best in cool climates. But the range of flavours (or lack of it) and styles varies so widely in Australia, it’s sometimes hard to believe they’re all made from the same variety. This one, however, captures much of the elusive pinot character, in this instance a full-bodied, crisp, richly textured, bone-dry white with a notably savoury, tannic bite.
Ravensworth Canberra District “Le Querce” Sangiovese 2012 $23–$25 I don’t know why it’s called “the oak” as it’s not at all woody – in fact, quite the opposite, packed with the black-cherry wholesomeness of Italy’s ubiquitous red grape variety, sangiovese. The county’s 69,790 hectares (in 2000) produce an amazing diversity of wine styles, from profound to forgettable. Most are probably not as memorable as Bryan and Jocelyn Martin’s Murrumbateman version. To begin with, it’s clean and fresh and hygienically sealed with screw cap. And the vibrant cherry-like varietal flavour comes with attractive herbal, spicy, savoury notes. A combination of acid and fine, persistent tannins provide vibrance and structure to the medium body.
Paxton AAA McLaren Vale Shiraz Grenache 2011 $18–$20 Paxton’s blend comprises 62 per cent shiraz and 38 per cent grenache from the family’s biodynamic certified vineyards in McLaren Vale. The maker fermented five shiraz components and three grenache components separately, using both closed and open fermenters. The different techniques resulted in a wine with both bright fruit more mellow winey character – a tasty combination in a red designed for early consumption. It’s a medium bodied dry red, combining the rich earthiness of shiraz and fragrant, spicy lift of grenache. The cool vintage means a less fleshy, tauter style than usual, but delicious nevertheless.
Yellowtail Shiraz 2012 $8–$10 Yellowtail’s huge success in America attracted bricks and bouquets in large volumes. Its fans say it opened American palates to fresh, fruity Australian wines. Detractors, on the other hand, say it created a cheap and cheerful stereotype that closes American minds to our better wines. But we should never lose sight of the great benefits the brand delivers to independent grape growers across southeastern Australia. The company’s 12 million-case production requires about 160 thousand tonnes of grapes annually, sourced from an estimated 10–11 thousand hectares of vines. The latest shiraz offers ripe, round plummy flavours on a soft, smooth palate.
Penfolds Bin 169 Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 $350 Coonawarra, South Australia Late last year, Macquarie analyst Greg Dring estimated sales of Penfolds wines represented five per cent of the total for parent company Treasury Wine Estates – but comprised around 50 per cent of pre-tax profit. The international strength of the Penfolds brand, built over many decades, means its top wines now command prices far beyond their cost of production. Bin 169, a newcomer to the Penfolds range, provides a contrast to the similarly priced, powerful Bin 707 style. It presents perfectly ripe Coonawarra cabernet matured in new French oak, rather the more aggressive American oak used in Bin 707. It’s a wine of great beauty and harmony – revealing the unique power and elegance of top-notch cabernet. In this expression, the fruit’s particularly intense and aromatic, with floral notes, and layered with ripe, supporting tannins derived from the fruit and the oak. It should evolve well for decades.
Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 $350 Barossa Valley, Padthaway, Coonawarra, Wrattonbully and Adelaide Hills, South Australia The deep, crimson-rimmed, red-black colour, assertive, cassis-like, ripe cabernet flavour, mixed with oak, and aggressive, desert-dry tannins set Bin 707 apart from the more fragrant, supple Bin 169. But despite the sheer dimension of the wine, the various flavour inputs harmonise well enough – although the mouth-drying affect of the tannin builds with every sip. This is all standard for a young 707. But I know from experience, extended bottle maturation transforms Bin 707, revealing its beautiful, complex fragrance, flavours and elegant structure. I rate this as an outstanding vintage and would expect it to be at its best between 15 and 30 years from vintage.
Combe Farm Chardonnay 2012 $32 Combe Farm vineyard, Yarra Valley, Victoria In 2011 the Vestey family engaged Nicole Esdaile to make wine and oversee their 60-hectare Yarra Valley vineyard. They’d previously sold most of the fruit to other wine makers, while making small quantities for their Combe Farm label. Esdaile’s 2012 combined two clones of chardonnay from the property, all hand picked, whole-bunch pressed and barrel fermented. The barrel inputs add texture to a wine that’s alive with rich but delicate, melon-like varietal flavours. It’s a really delicious example of modern chardonnay making, where carefully judged winemaking tricks enhance excellent fruit.
Courabyra 157 Pinot Noir 2012 $31.50 Revee Estate and Courabyra vineyard, Tumbarumba, NSW Courabyra is a collaboration between Stephen Morrison and his sister and brother in law, Cathy and Brian Gairn. The Gairns planted Courabyra vineyard in 1993. And Morrison owns the nearby Revee Estate, established in 1981 by Ian Cowell. Both properties enjoyed a long relationship with larger companies, providing fruit mainly for top-end sparkling wine. The relationship with Hardys led to the current arrangement where former Hardy winemaker, Alex McKay, makes wine for the Courabyra label. This is a delightful, fragrant, soft and fruity pinot noir that looks simple at first, but grows in interest as you work through the bottle – the slippery, silky texture being a particularly appealing feature.
Paxton Tempranillo 2011 $20–$25 Thomas Block and Landcross Farm vineyards, McLaren Vale, South Australia Paxton’s certified biodynamic tempranillo survived the cold, wet 2011 vintage to produce an attractive dry red for current drinking. The aroma suggests summer berries and spice – pleasant characters that come through on the medium bodied palate. Tempranillo’s tannin, however, keeps the palate lean, tight and savoury, making it good company for protein-rich or savoury food.
Chrismont Pinot Gris 2012 $26 Cheshunt, King Valley, Victoria There’s no formal definition of what makes pinot gris different in style from pinot grigio – they’re simply the French and Italian names respectively for a grey mutation of the pinot vine. But, in general, “grigio” denotes a leaner, tighter more savoury Italian style; and “gris” means richer, fatter, sometimes sweet wine, in France’s Alsacian style. Arnie Pizzini’s new “gris” style, complements his much-loved La Zona “grigio”, first made in 1999. The dry, savoury La Zona Grigio 2012 ($22) contrasts with the fuller bodied, richly textured new pinot gris – a plum, barrel-fermented style that makes me think of pork sausages and duck liver.
Red Knot by Shingleback Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 $11.39–$15 That the discounters frequently trim the price of Red Knot is a sure sign of popularity. And popularity, in this instance, proves that Australia’s savvy palates know a bargain when they see one. This is a great example of modern Australian winemaking – starting with good fruit, principally from the Davey family’s Shingleback vineyard, then capturing the varietal flavour structure in the winery. It’s a ripe, juicy, fruity, fresh, flavoursome, lovable, red made to enjoy now. The 2012 offers more fruit than the 2011 it replaces. Now exclusive to Woolworths’-owned Dan Murphy’s. Let’s hope this doesn’t spell an end to the discounting.
Chapel Hill McLaren Vale Chardonnay 2012 $16 Chapel Hill released its first unwooded chardonnay about 20 years ago. Like many other wineries at the time, Chapel Hill wanted a lighter offering than the heavily oaked styles that had become popular in the eighties. In 2011, however, winemakers Michael Fragos and Bryn Richards tweaked the style by fermenting a small portion in old French oak barrels. They’ve continued the practice in the far better 2012 vintage to good effect – retaining chardonnay’s attractive peachy flavour, while weaving in a little more texture and flavour. This is a really attractive white – full-bodied, flavoursome and fresh, but also fine and not at all heavy.
Coombe Farm Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2012 $32 In 2011 the Vestey family engaged Nicole Esdaile to make wine and oversee their 60-hectare Yarra Valley vineyard. They’d previously sold most of the fruit to other wine makers, while making small quantities for their Combe Farm label. Esdaile’s 2012 pinot seems a few notches better than any I’ve seen from the vineyard in the past. It’s a lighter style but captures much of pinot’s magic. The aroma combines ripe-berry varietal flavour with underlying stalky, gamey notes – characteristics reflected on the sensuous, supple, smooth-textured palate. Distributed by Zenith Wine Agencies, phone 1300 883 056 for stockists.
Vasse Felix Heytesbury 2010 $86–$90 Margaret River, Western Australia Dr Tom Cullity established Vasse Felix at Margaret River in 1967. He selected the region largely on Dr John Gladstones’ 1965 paper likening the Margaret River climate to Bordeaux’s. The Homes a Court family purchased the property in 1987. And today winemaker Virginia Willcock seems well on the way to perfecting the Bordeaux blend of cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot and malbec –the latter sourced from Cullity’s 1967 plantings. This is a beautiful, elegant cabernet blend that grows in interest with every glass and should cellar well for decades.
Courabyra 805 Pinot Noir Chardonnay Pinot Meunier 2001 $55 Gairn family Vineyard, Tumbarumba, NSW Courabyra is a collaboration between Stephen Morrison and his sister and brother inlaw, Cathy and Brian Gairn. The Gairns planted their vineyard in 1993. And Morrison owns Revee Estate, a vineyard planted by Ian Cowell in 1981 and originally named Tumbarumba Champagne Estates. A significant player in Australia’s quest for cool-grown fruit suited to sparkling wine production, the vineyard provided fruit to Seppelt (later part of Southcorp, which owned the vineyard for a time) and Hardys. This gold-medal winner, presumably originally made by Hardys for Kamberra, delivers delicate, fresh fruit flavours, brisk acidity and the patina of textures and flavours derived from a decade’s maturation on yeast lees.
Chapel Hill Parsons Nose Shiraz 2011 $15.20–$19 McLaren Vale, South Australia This is a great triumph from the cold 2011 vintage – no doubt the result of collaboration between viticulturist Rachel Steer and Chapel Hill’s two winemakers, Michael Fragos and Bryn Richards. The bright and savoury fruit gives delicious sweetness to the generous mid palate – made even more attractive, even irresistible, by the round, soft, juicy tannins meshed in with the fruit.
Half Moon Chardonnay 2012 $19.50 Braidwood, NSW Tiny Half Moon vineyard (1.6 hectares) currently offers the 2010 and 2012 vintage chardonnays, though they kindly sent the unreleased 2011 to compare with the other two. The wines share an elegance and finesse, though three distinct growing seasons left their marks. The 2010, still very young and fresh, shows a delicate, butterscotch-like character (probably derived from malolactic fermentation); the pale, high-acid, austere 2011 needs years more to evolve and probably will; and the 2012 appears the most complete. Its pale colour and taut structure suggest years of cellaring ahead. But the intense grapefruit-like varietal flavour and barrel-derived flavours and textures give it great drinking appeal now.
Half Moon Riesling 2011 $19.50 Braidwood, NSW Rhine Valley move over. In the cold 2011 season, Braidwood’s Half Moon vineyard produced riesling of gum-searing acidity. That’s not a bad thing, though, as the acidity accentuates the limey, grapefruit-like varietal flavour. And winemaker Alex McKay balanced the acidity with residual grape sugar – much as Rhine and Mosel River makers do in their traditional styles. The result is an intense, taut, racy, light-bodied wine, featuring a delicious tension between the acidity and delicate sweetness.
Grant Burge Holy Trinity Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre 2010 $28.50–$42 Barossa Valley, South Australia Grant Burge made the first Holy Trinity blend in 1995. But, following a trip to France’s Rhone Valley with winemaker Craig Stansborough, he refined the style dramatically over the following vintages. In particular a move to extended post-fermentation maceration created silky, soft tannins; and a shift away from American to older French oak meant an altogether more subtle wine. The beautiful 2010 vintage matches anything else to date under the label, and provides smooth, satisfying, supple, spicy, vibrant drinking. It’s an excellent example of this distinctive Barossa style.
Hewitson Baby Bush Barossa Valley Grenache 2011 Even in the cold, wet 2011 vintage Dean Hewitson produced a delicious mourvedre, a very late-ripening variety. The wine seems a tad lighter in colour than usual, though being mourvedre, that’s still pretty dark. It’s also a little lighter bodied and shows more pronounced peppery and spicy notes. But the medium body and spicy flavour suits the fine, grippy tannins, which add a savoury dimension. Hewitson makes the wine from bush vines he established from cuttings off old southern-Barossa vines planted in 1853.
Rolling Central Ranges Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre 2012 $18.95 The vineyards at Cumulus Estate wines roll in and out of the official Orange winemaking district. Vines situated below Orange’s defined altitude claim the “Central Ranges” appellation and are released under the Rolling label. The latest release is the first appearance of the late-ripening varieties grenache and mourvedre, though the two were planted in 1999. The unoaked wine comprises 48 per cent grenache, 40 per cent shiraz and the rest mourvedre. Medium bodied, spicy and peppery with vibrant fruit and fine soft tannins, the wine offers quite a departure from the bigger styles from Australia’s warmer areas.
Mud House Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012 $18–$22 The massive flood of Marlborough sauvignon blanc now washing around the world began as a trickle in the early eighties. Montana, now Brancott Estate, planted its first vines there in 1973 and by 1981 had attracted some attention in Australia. But chardonnay dominated the dry-wine market in Australia until the late nineties and was finally swamped by sauvignon blanc early in the new century. Marlborough’s cool but sunny climate and broad acre plantings make the mass production of the style seemingly effortless – wines like Mud House that flaunt the variety’s pungent, grassy, capsicum-like flavours and fleshy mid palate.
A few strokes on Lisa Perotti-Brown’s laptop – 100 points – gave the world its headline – “The perfect Grange”. And like catatonic chooks, eyes glued to a single point, the world’s editors obsessed on one wine of the seven Penfolds released on 2 May.
What a lot of fun they missed. But Grange makes the news every year one way or another. It’s always controversial and always delivers in the robust, long-lived style Max Schubert developed in the early 1950s.
Successive winemakers over the decades refined Grange, so that today its fruit is probably a bit brighter and the oak more refined. But it remains inky blank, powerful and layered with winemaking inputs that add more aroma, flavour and textural dimensions than fruit alone could give.
And it’s always released in good company nowadays – alongside remarkable wines, some inspired by Schubert, some created long after his death in 1994, but all made by winemakers who knew him and his wine styles well. Schubert retired in 1973, but he maintained an office at Magill winery for the rest of his life and enjoyed regular contact with his successors – Don Ditter, John Duval and Peter Gago.
The new red releases include St Henri, an elegant, supple counterpoise to Grange, but equally long lived and created by John Davoren, not Schubert. Bin 707, or Grange Cabernet as some call it, is essentially Grange made from cabernet sauvignon instead of shiraz. It’s Grange’s match in power and individual character and as good a wine at half the price. Schubert made the first vintage in 1964.
Max Schubert saved Magill Estate from urban subdivision. Extract from Schubert's hand-written business case presented to the board of Adelaide Steamship Company, owner of Penfolds. Document courtesy of Barrie Woodward.
In 1983, Don Ditter made the first vintage of Magill Estate Shiraz, the single-vineyard wine that saved Penfolds’ Adelaide vineyard from urban subdivision. In late 1982, Max Schubert hand wrote a business plan, including details of the wine, for a board meeting of the Adelaide Steamship Company, then owners of Penfolds. Penfolds Managing Director Ian Mackley (ISM in the document above), and General Manager Jim Williams (JLW), convinced the board to retain the vineyard on the basis of Schubert’s proposal.
RWT Barossa Shiraz arrived in 1997, following John Duval’s quest (the ‘red wine trial’, hence RWT) for an elegant, aromatic Barossa Valley Shiraz, matured in French oak. The wine contrasts starkly with the power and American oak character of Grange shiraz.
And the newest arrival, Bin 169 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon is to Bin 707 what RWT is to Grange. Its creator, current winemaker Peter Gago, says Bin 169 and RWT take the pressure off Bin 707 and RWT. Gago believes the two new styles deflected criticism from some quarters that Grange and Bin 707 needed “modernising” – lightening up and moving from American oak to less aggressively flavoured French oak.
The lone chardonnay in the line up began as the “white Grange” project in the early nineties, under John Duval. Duval’s team sought a white equivalent of Grange. With no restrictions on grape variety or region, the winemakers initially sourced semillon, riesling and chardonnay from a diversity of regions. The search quickly narrowed to chardonnay, initially from mainland regions, including Tumbarumba, the Adelaide Hills and McLaren.
The first vintage released under the new flagship chardonnay label, Yattarna 1995, combined fruit from the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale. However, the continuing search for suitable fruit soon took Penfolds to Tasmania – just as Hardys had done for its flagship, Eileen Hardy. The just-released 2010 vintages combines fruit from Tasmania and the Adelaide Hills.
Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2009 $95 Modern St Henri reveals something of Australia’s massive vineyard expansion of the nineties. Fruit from Robe and Wrattonbully on the Limestone Coast and the Adelaide Hills now joins material from the warmer, traditional Clare Valley, Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. But the style remains unchanged. St Henri 2009 is a little lighter coloured than Grange or RWT, a tad less crimson than RWT and a tad more crimson than Grange – precisely reflecting their ages. St Henri fruit is chosen for its elegance and, as well, it’s aged in old 1,460-litre vats – meaning maturation without picking up woody flavour. St Henri seems gentle and soft compared to RWT and Grange. And its supple, sweet, plummy fruit comes layered earthy and savoury notes and fine, silky tannin. This is a big, warm St Henri but still elegant and built for long cellaring under good conditions.
Penfolds RWT Barossa Valley Shiraz 2010 $175 In 2005 I judged the Barossa Valley wine show with Huon Hooke and Lester Jesberg. Over dinner one night, we concluded Penfolds RWT 1998 was perhaps the best Barossa shiraz any of us had tasted. It now has a rival in the 2010. Tasting it alongside Grange accentuates RWT’s heady, floral aroma and opulent, chewy, juicy palate. It’s a dense and concentrated wine, saturated with aromatic shiraz character that’s beautifully complemented by sweet and spicy French oak. While it’s harmonious and easy enough to drink now, the sheer concentration and youth of the fruit flavour suggest a beautiful flavour evolution ahead.
Penfolds Grange 2008 $785 Max Schubert’s encounter with magnificent 50 year-old Bordeaux reds in 1950 inspired Grange. And tasting the inky deep, tannic wines of the new vintage, he realised Grange would have to be similarly powerful to last the half century he had in mind. He realised great wine requires more than just good fruit. And so, the 2008 Grange, like those before it combines the inky deep colour, flavour and tannins of fully ripened shiraz. And the fruit’s layered with the flavour and tannin of American oak and a distinctive hint of volatile acidity, deliberately encouraged during winemaking to give extra lift to such a huge, powerful wine. A description of the parts, though, can’t adequately convey the sense of a remarkable and unique wine. From tasting every vintage back to 1951, some of them many times, I conclude that age is perhaps the best fining agent of all. Over time Grange becomes finer – in the words of Max Schubert, “it has a similar elegance [to those ancient Bordeaux reds tasted in 1950], even after starting from a big, rough Australian red”. 2008 is a particularly powerful expression of the style, destined to evolve for decades.
Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay 2010 $130 With Yattarna, Penfolds aim for finesse, harmony and longevity – a style inspired by the elegant chardonnays of Puligny-Montrachet, Burgundy. Suitable fruit comes from the coolest growing regions – in 2010 from Tasmania and the Adelaide Hills. Fermentation and maturation in French oak barrels, 57 per cent of them new, produced a fine, complex wine, its rich but delicate fruit meshed through with barrel-derived character. It seems very young and fresh at three years and should evolve well for another five or six years.
Andrew Thomas Kiss Shiraz 2011 $60 Pokolbin Estate vineyard, Hunter Valley, NSW Andrew Thomas released four Hunter shirazes this month, each outstanding in its own way. But none matches the dimension of Kiss, Thomas’s flagship from a vineyard planted in 1969. The wine presents another unique, and idiosyncratic, face of Australian shiraz, far removed, say, from the sheer power of Grange or savoury twang of Mount Langi Ghiran “The Langi”. Kiss is medium bodied, and its intense, underlying bright fruit flavour is cut through with earthy, savoury notes and fine, soft tannins. The wine grew more interesting and better to drink over four days on the tasting bench – a pretty good guide to future complexity and longevity.
Tyrrell’s Vat 47 Chardonnay 2009 $69 HVD, NVC and Short Flat vineyards, Hunter Valley, NSW While the quest for fine chardonnay drew Australian winemakers ever further south, ultimately to Tasmania, Tyrrell’s stuck to the Hunter. Forty years after first producing the variety, the family makes a range of beautiful Hunter chardonnays, including the $13 Old Winery, $20 Moon Mountain, a couple of individual vineyard wines (Belford $35 and HVD $45) and the flagship, Vat 47. The 2009 is probably about as good as Hunter chardonnay can get – a rich, fine, slow-evolving, barrel-fermented style that looks very young at four years.
Hewitson Miss Harry 2011 $22–$24 Barossa Valley, South Australia Fungal diseases caused by a cold, wet vintage destroyed much of the Barossa Valley’s grape crop. Winemakers salvaged good grapes here and there, but from what I’ve tasted the pickings appear pretty lean – the wines sometimes marred by a lack of fruit flavour and hard tannins. While Dean Hewitson’s 2011 blend of grenache, shiraz, mourvedre, cinsault and carignan lacks the opulence of the 2010 vintage, it nevertheless captures the attractive floral aroma of grenache, followed by a leaner, spicy, peppery palate. The tannins stand out against the light fruit, ruling it out as a standalone wine. But food of any kind masks the tannins, shifting the fruit flavour back to the fore.
Half Moon Eclipse Riesling Pinot Gris 2012 $19.50 Half Moon vineyard, Braidwood, NSW Canberra winemaker Alex McKay (owner of Collector Wines) makes wine for Braidwood’s 1.6-hectare Half Moon vineyard. This unique white appears to be inspired by the unctuous whites of Alsace, France, where pinot gris and riesling live happily side by side (though not usually blended together). Riesling adds an appealing floral boost to the slippery, round palate. Vibrant acidity balances the wine’s delicate sweetness. This combination probably makes the wine a good match to pork sausages and pate or to the spiciness of Asian dishes.
Scarborough Green Label Semillon 2012 $22 Hunter Valley, NSW Hunter semillon’s an excellent choice when you’d prefer a light bodied but tasty dry white. Grown in the lower Hunter Valley, semillon develops ripe flavours before grape sugar levels (and hence alcohol levels) climb too high. The warm Hunter region excels at the style but sometimes requires cellaring to soften the austere acids. But Scarborough’s version offers a soft, easy-drinking expression of the variety, with bright, lemongrass-like flavour and snappy, bone-dry finish.
Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 $30–$40 Margaret River, Western Australia Virginia Wilcock’s outstanding red combines cabernet sauvignon (88 per cent) with 10 per cent malbec and a splash each of petit verdot and cabernet franc. There’s a violet-like floral lift to an aroma that includes varietal blackcurrant and a sweet, cedary character from the French oak. All these flavours flow through to the elegant palate, which, despite its supple smoothness and fleshy, fruity, core, finishes with the fine, lingering bite of the variety – perhaps a shade more solid than the 2009. It’s easy to drink now but has the intensity and structure to cellar well.
Bourgogne Pinot Noir (Henri) 2010 $20–$25
Climbing Orange Pinot Gris 2012 $18–$24
Brokenwood Cricket Pitch Red 2011 $14.95–$20
