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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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Zilzie know from good Shiraz, they have grown the finest fruit for decades and now retain access to the most splendid vineyards. The quality of their winemaking has claimed thirty trophies since they embarked on their own label. Zilzie» |
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Pinot Meunier like no other, certainly the most distinguished bottling of its kind anywhere in the new world. Mostly old vine Concongella Pinot Meuniere, from grapes picked off parcels established 1970, with the inclusion of a priceless component of ancient vines 1868 Pinot Noir. Bests» |
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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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A highly prolific wine industry trophy winner, including best single vineyard and best Shiraz at the hotly contested McLaren Vale Wine Show. A magnificent collation of old vines fruit from several pickings on the illustrious Rayner property, including a judicious measure of grapes as whole bunches, are treated to a wild indigenous yeast ferment and course of age in barrels of well seasoned French oak. Bondar» |
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Grove Estate became the go to vineyard for esteemed national brands on the hunt for stellar quality Hilltops Shiraz, some very choice parcels of Grove Estate found their way into the winner of the Finest Australian Shiraz Trophy. Immediately identified by early settlers who planted vineyards and made great wine, the Hilltops are renowned for a unique confluence of superior winegrowing aspects. Grove Estate» |
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Twice Gold Medal Challenge International du Vin! Moscatel and Gewürtztraminer grapes, grown to estate vineyards on the mountains of the Upper Penedes, form the backbone of fruit for Viña Esmeralda, a delicate but strunningly fragrant wine. The dry fig and raisin characters of Moscatel de AlejandrÃa give Esmerelda it's luscious and flavourful palate, fleshed out by the orange of Frontignac or Moscatel de Grano Menudo as the Spanish say, further enhanced by the complex aromaticness and spice of the vivacious Traminer.. Torres» |
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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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Positioned half way between Avoca and Ballarat, the modestly sized Amherst have only ten acres under vine. The small yields translate into extraordinarily structured, powerfully intense wines, brimming with fine aromatics and lined with silky tannins. Amherst» |
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White Label is a McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon of the highest eminence, having been nominated for the George Mackey Memorial Trophy, awarded to the most outstanding Australian export. Crafted from fruit grown to some of the oldest vines at Pirramimma and McLaren Vale, it has twice claimed Gold in San Francisco and competed well against a formidable host of distinguished growths at the prestigious London International. Pirramimma» |
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Elderton Cabernet was winner of the prestigious Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy in 1993, the following years it claimed back to back Gold and Trophy at the Barossa Wine Show. The 1994 vintage gave Elderton its first international Gold medal in London, an unbroken tradition of remarkable vintages have embossed the Elderton Estate name as a national champion, being chosen by Qantas for service in first class. Elderton» |
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Only the best vintages are selected for the Premium Rare Old Muscat, all releases win significant awards at major international competitions. In blending, a range of vintages are used, the older wines giving intensely concentrated luscious flavours and aged complexity and the younger wines imparting the fresh fruit character. Morris» |
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Castle Rock
About Castle Rock - the Winery
Castle Rock
Castle Rock Estate is nestled on the eastern slopes of the Porongurup mountain and is named after a prominent nearby landmark
Castle Rock vineyard is planted on Porongurup Road in the shire of Plantagenet. It is set high in the Porongurup Ranges, which are 40 km north of Western Australia's south coast regional center Albany. The altitude, 350 meters, and the position of the vineyard, which exposes the vines to cooling south-east breezes results in a prolonged growing season, enables the fruit to develop maximum varietal flavour and ripeness. The vineyard has a cool and elevated northerly aspect, resulting in intensley flavoured wines. The first varieties (Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon) were planted in 1983. Those first two hectares were followed in 1986 with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with further plantings of Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. Later planting included Merlot and Cabernet Franc. In 1996, the 10th anniversary of the first vintage, preparation commenced with an additional area planted with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
Towards the end of 1981 the 55 hectare property was specifically selected by Angelo and Wendy Diletti to grow premium quality table wine grapes. The choice was based on the altitude, an approximate eastern slope, well-drained soils and excellent water catchment potential. The wide arc of magnificent views has been the bonus. The wines from Castle Rock Estate were made under contract at Alkoomi winery from 1986 to 2000. The next phase of growth was to make wines on site at Castle Rock Estate. After the 2000 vintage the decision was made to bite the bullet and proceed with plans to build a 200 tonne winery on the estate. Despite having nearly twelve months, it was only just completed on time, the first tanks arriving only four days before the first grapes arrived.
The winery building makes use of the natural slope of the land and is built on two levels. The winery is a blend of age old, proven techniques and some equipment which is state of the art. The upper level houses four six tonne red fermenters.
The grapes are crushed and fermented on the upper level of the winery, then gravity fed into the press below, thus doing away with the need to pump the must. This is very important for Riesling as it reduces skin and seeds which give the juice hard phenolics. When the reds have finished fermenting, the press can be positioned below and filled simply by opening the door!
The press, de-stemmer/crusher and refrigeration system were bought brand new to be sure of their ability, performance and reliability. The use of gravity ensures the right balance to maximise quality. Castle Rock's wines are bottled on site by a portable bottling line which is set up on the back of a semi trailer. This is an ideal arrangement to avoid sending the wine away in a bulk tanker. Bottling on site means Castle Rock can be sure that the quality and freshness of the wine is maintained. Everything done at Castle Rock places a priority on growing great fruit and making exceptional wine. Mother Nature sets the environment, the growers and viticultural team maximize the gifts of the elements. All that's left for the winemaker is to complete the natural process which translates superb quality fruit into an outstanding range of magnificent Great Southern wines.
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