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Elizabeth is a classic Hunter Valley white which has established itself as one of Australia's benchmark Semillon. Named in commemoration of the first ever visit to Australia by a reigning monarch in 1954, Elizabeth has claimed over fifty trophies and multi gold throughout it's long and illustrious history. Mount Pleasant» |
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A collation of superior vineyard parcels, crafted by a boutique estate which has been recognized as one of Australia's leading wineries. Clonakilla are dedicated to making distinctive, handcrafted wines, only ever released in limited quantities, anything by Clonakilla can be hard to find, but they are worth the search. Clonakilla» |
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An auspicious construct of Barossa Shiraz, which has claimed significant awards throughout its illustrious history, including gold at the prestigious London International. Peter Scholz is one of the Barossa's most capable and respected winemakers with a heritage that dates back to early settlement. Willows» |
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Willow Creek has quickly gained a reputation as one of the leading Mornington wineries, producing ultra fine Pinot Noir. From the first multiple trophy winning 1994 edition it was clear that Willow Creek was an exceptional site yielding superlative fruit. Willow Creek» |
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Streicker's Bridgeland property yields harvests of the finest Shiraz. Crafted to traditional winemaking techniques, a regimen of old fashioned plungings and open ferments, into a pure, single vineyard Rhone style Syrah. Streicker» |
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The inaugural release of Hanging Rock Shiraz was vintage 1987 and what an event it was, immediately claiming gold and inspiring comparisons to Grange by the industry press. From from fruit grown to the estate Athols Paddock, a complex Heathcote style, more Syrah than Shiraz, boasting several trophies and over fifty gold to its distinguished history, big, powerful and rich, yet exhibiting an elegance and finesse that's rare in Australian wine. Hanging Rock» |
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The marvelous S1 block is a sheltered, relatively warm site within the splendid vistas of Seaview Vineyard, on a north facing plateau at 160m above sea level, refreshed by maritime winds that blow in from the Cludy Bay coast. Fruit is crushed and destemmed, chilled and gently pressed, the clearest juices are racked off for a long, cool ferment to capture the full opulence of S1 vineyard grapes on the vine. Yealands Estate» |
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Widely regarded as one of New Zealand's leading winemakers, Alan McCorkindale has over three decades experience at crafting some of the South Island's most memorable vintages. McCorkindale's efforts have claimed many trophy and gold at prestigious competitions including twice International White Wine of Year at the distinguished London International Wine Challenge. Munamuna» |
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In commemoration of the year Samual McWilliams planted his first vines, 1877 is a national flagship, crafted from the best fruit of vintage. The choicest parcels of estate grown Shiraz are sourced from superior mature vines on the original McWilliams plantings at Barwang among the Hilltops. McWilliams» |
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David O'Leary really knows about things Cabernet Sauvignon, having claimed a Jimmy Watson Trophy and twice International Red Wine Maker of the Year. From low yielding vines up to fifty years of age, grown to superior sites within the Armagh Valley and Polish Hill River districts, the O'Leary Walker team create a powerful and complex, exquisitely perfumed and seamlessly layered Cabernet Sauvignon, framed by judicious oak and supported by graceful tannins, reflecting the idyllic growing climes of Valley Clare. OLeary Walker» |
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Rob Sticks Dolan's career in the wine industry began under the tutelage of Greg Clayfield and John Vickery at the enduring Rouge Homme. Dolan established his affinity for Pinot Noir on the international stage when he claimed the prestigious Bouchard-Finlayson Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir at the prestigious London International. Sticks» |
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The High Trellis paddock has been yielding the most splendid vintages of wine since the late 19th century, so nicknamed as the vines were the first to be trained above knee height following acquisition of the property by dArenberg. For decades, High Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon has been released to unanimous critical acclaim by the wine industry press and international cognoscente. dArenberg» |
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About Crawford River - the Winery
Crawford River
Inspired by its potential to produce superior quality grapes, John and Catherine Thomson planted their vineyard in 1975 at Crawford River, in south west Victoria, a relatively unexplored wine growing region
Crawford River is located in the Henty winegrowing region on the Upper Hotspur Road between Hotspur, on the Casterton/Heywood Road and Condah, along the Henty Highway, half way between Hamilton and Portland. The winery is less than an hour from Port Fairy, Dunkeld, Portland and Mt. Gambier in South Australia. The beautiful cellar door building added in 2000 was designed by Graeme Gunn. Visitors can drink in the glorious views of the vineyard that sweep down to grazing cattle and sheep as they sample the wines.
Situated approximately 50 kilometres inland from the Southern Ocean and lying at the alluvial edge of a volcanic lava flow, the 11.5 Ha vineyard has its roots in an unusally complex, mineral- rich soil base. Gravelly, friable, basalt loam overlays permeable clay which lies above limestone created by an ancient, risen seabed. Rainfall is generally reliable, with much of the 650mm average falling in Winter and Spring . At Latitude 38° South and 110 metres above sea-level, temperatures are cool.
All wines are crafted entirely from fruit grown at the Crawford River vineyard, vinified and bottled on site. The hand picked grapes are brought in to the winery in small batches where meticulous attention is paid to detail. Patience and time are of the essence throughout the winemaking process. Minimal interference and movement during vinification, in preference of the fruit naturally expressing the special terroir. This approach influences the pure, elegant quality of the end product.
White wines are cool fermented to dryness exclusively in stainless steel tanks. Red wines are fermented in small, open fermenters and hand plunged. Small parcels are given extended maceration and a further portion are barrel fermented to create wines with finesse, multi-layered flavours and complexity. Individual blocks and treatments are kept separate throughout their maturation of twelve to twenty four months in a varitey of French oak. Malolactic fermentation proceeds naturally in the spring.
Presiding over gently undulating grazing lands with sprawling forests in the distance, Crawford River has paved the way for the industry in what is traditionally a wool, beef and dairy region. The cool southerly latitude together with the maritime environment, complex soil structure and favourable micro-climate create a terroir which has justified that initial vision. The winery atop the hill and the vineyard hugging the slope nestle in the midst of a large sheep and cattle station that John’s great- grandfather settled in 1884.
The splendid site enjoys its moderating maritime influence whilst managing to escape most of the Autumn sea mists. The combination of these factors produces a long and even growing season helping to produce grapes with intense fruit flavours and high natural acidity. Whilst the dry grown vineyard enjoys low yields, some years require careful manipulation of bunch numbers, ensuring the highest possible fruit quality. Budburst is usually mid- September with picking from mid April to mid May. Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon are the two main varieties in the vineyard, with smaller plantings of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. All the pruning, picking, shoot and fruit thinning, leaf plucking and general canopy management are done entirely by hand.
Due to the long ripening period and consequent late picking dates, there can be an onset of Botrytis Cinerea. In these years the ability to hand select botrytis affected fruit is crucial, as the dry table wines can only be made from clean fruit. The sweet, botrytised fruit is reserved for the estate's renowned dessert wines. These are fermented to comparably low sugar levels in order to find an ideal balance between sugar, acid and alcohol so the purity of the style is expressed with a clean, crisp finish.
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