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Given the scarcity of Best's prestige, limited release, old vineyard icons, Bin #1 affords enthusiasts their first taste of the Great Western Shiraz style and leaves them eager to discover more. A classic, cool climate, aromatic wine, floral and spicy, peppery and elegant, retaining vital Great Western fruit character. Bests» |
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Earnscleugh Valley was the site of a gold rush in the 1860s, the industrious miners dug a watercourse through the valley which today serves to nourish the world's southernmost appellation of Pinot Noir. The Last Chance is a small scenic terrace, planted to a special Burgundy clone of Pinot Noir which yields a magnificently structured, generously proportioned wine. Two Paddocks» |
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Don Lewis spent thirty five years crafting the nation's most memorable vintages while at Mitchelton. Nowadays he travels to Spain each year where he makes wine for Merum Priorati, returning to Australia just in time for vintage. Tar Roses» |
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From parcels of Pinot Noir, planted to the foot of tailings, left behind by waves of prospectors who pursued their fortune amongst the open pits and mines on Adelaide Hills during the gold rush of the 1850s. Crushed and destemmed straight into the press with minimal time on skins to extract the perfect pink, its blushing lipstick hues presage a cornucopia of lifted strawberry and cherry blossom characters, ruby grapefruit and luscious jube over a length of tasty, toothsome tannins, the perfect Rosé for lazy afternoons or late night soirées. Bird In Hand» |
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Characterized by its controlled power, elegance and finesse, a very special Pyrenees wine which redefines the great Cabernet virtues of stature, structure and length. The inaugural release claimed Gold and Best Wine ahead of two timeless Bordeaux icons, Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Cos d'Estournel. Taltarni» |
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There are two superb high altitude sites in Carey Gully and Piccadilly Valley, which yield an extraordinary quality of Sauvignon Blanc. Knappstein take the top cut of each harvest, crushing the fruit for a long cool vinification, treating a batch to the added richness of oak barrel ferments for texture, complexity and weight. Riposte» |
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A passionate, family owned and operated winery who've been rewarded with highly coveted Royal Melbourne Gold for their impressive Langhorne Creek reds. Temple Bruer have been waving the magic wand with their brilliant efforts at Merlot, scoring further medals at the Small Winemakers and Rutherglen Wine Shows. Temple Bruer» |
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Have you ever imagined yourself sipping on a luscious effervescent red wine? Vixen makes makes it very real. Your friends will be jealous, past party escorts will seem dull by comparison and all eyes will be on you as you stride into your next party with Vixen on your arm. Fox Creek» |
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Named for the Chapel district of Lenton in Nottingham, Brae is Scottish for a small hill, which is what the Lenton Brae vineyard is situated on. Fortuitously placed within the very epicenter for superior Margaret River Cabernet, the site was planted after advisement from the proprietors of nearby Moss Wood, with which it shares a similar terroir and microclime. Lenton Brae» |
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Outstanding Langtons Classification. The locals around the Lovedale property say that the sandy soils are so poor, that even the rabbits have to bring a tucker box just to survive! The lean and mean terroir is elemental to the long lived, fine boned style. Mount Pleasant» |
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Of particular importance to Shadowfax are the very close relationships with a select group of growers who provide harvests of the most intensely flavoured fruit. A prolific trophy winner, Shadowfax are a refreshing new wave, vigorously fruit driven, livelier than her Victorian siblings, characterised by slatey, flavoursome acidity, a touch of lees complexity and judicious dryness. Shadowfax» |
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Whole bunches and oak barrel ferments, the costly extravagance of three years tirage on sedimentery yeast lees, each bottle individually riddled by hand, disgorged and sent to cellar for the ultimate indulgence of extra age before release, Pamela is the zenith of the sparkling winemaker's art. Her luxurious effervescence exudes brioche, tarte tatin and French boulangere, her creamy textural mousse unravelling ribbons of rich yeasty autolysis, crème caramel and baked fruits. Wicks» |
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Vasse Felix
About Vasse Felix - the Winery
Vasse Felix
Planted by Dr Tom Cullity in 1967, Vasse Felix was the first vineyard and winery to be established in the Margaret River region
Situated in the sub-region of Willyabrup, Vasse Felix is now owned and operated by the Holmes a Court family. Visitors to the winery are welcomed by a unique underground cellar, a spectacular restaurant overlooking the original 1967 plantings and an exquisite art gallery, making Vasse Felix one of the great drawcards of the region. Margaret River enjoys perfect conditions for viticulture. It's Mediterranean climate features mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers - ideal for the growth of high quality fruit. By comparison with Bordeaux, Margaret River enjoys less rain during a longer, drier moderate growing and ripening period. In 1965 Dr John S Gladstones emphasised the region's suitability on his report "The Climate and Soils of Southern WA in relation to Vine Growing". Two years later Dr Tom Cullity planted his Vasse Felix vines.
The name Vasse Felix was inspired by an early event in the district. Thomas Vasse was a French seaman who disappeared after his longboat overturned near the site of Busselton whilst exploring the treacherous coastline of Western Australia. (An expedition of Captain Hamelin’s Naturaliste and Captain Baudin’s Geographe) Felix was Hamelin’s middle name, and ironically, is the Latin word for lucky.
The Vasse Felix logo is a peregrine falcon. When Dr Tom Cullity’s first vines began to bear fruit, native birds or ‘silvereyes’ as they are commonly known, had a keen appetite for the sweet berries, so Dr Cullity trained a falcon to deter the pests. Although much time and effort went into this exercise, upon the falcon’s first free flight it soared into the sky and was never seen again. The Vasse Felix logo endures to this day.
The estate's low yielding, dry grown vines are planted on some of the world’s oldest soils. The sites enjoy long, warm growing seasons and cooling summer breezes from the nearby Indian and Southern Oceans. This moderating effect is responsible for creating wines of exceptional concentration and intensity whilst retaining elegance and finesse – these cooling summer breezes from two oceans are unique to the southwest corner of Western Australia.
The vineyards are mostly sited on gravel loam and loam soils. Principal red varieties planted are Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot while Chardonnay, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc comprise the white varieties. Parcels of ultra premium fruit are fermented separately in small, static fermenters to retain the unique character of individual vineyards sites before being basket pressed and sent to the finest of French oak barriques.
The continuing worldwide demand for premium wines created the need for a new state-of-the-art winery at Vasse Felix. To meet the demands, the philosophy has always been that wines should be unique, distinctive and expressive of their surroundings. Though production levels have increased, the completion of the new Barrel Hall has provided the winemaking team with further control to maintain the quality of the wines. An impressive expanse, the Barrel Hall holds up to 5000 barriques in conditions that ensure efficient barrel fermentation and a controlled environment. Making use of the best equipment available, utilising the best production processes and an unwavering attitude to quality control, has made Vasse Felix winery one of the best in Western Australia.
Vasse Felix continues to be one of the most highly reviewed and esteemed wineries in Australia. The portfolio of Vasse Felix represents a definitive expression of variety and sense of place, wines that are consistent, elegant and complex with pronounced varietal character and aroma. The fermentation, maturation and bottling of all Vasse Felix wines takes place within the estate walls, ensuring the highest level of quality and consistency is maintained throughout the entire winemaking process.
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