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Woodhenge is about big ideas, in the manner of cyclopean fences built by Australia's early settlers. A wine of great elemental sculpture, the assemblage of individual vineyard and sub-regional characteristics is the key to success of the style. Wirra Wirra» |
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Samuel Dunn was an early Amherst resident, one of the first settlers to plant grapes in the Pyreness. His land was exploited for sheep grazing, until diggers found the locality alive with gold. Amherst» |
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The top cut, off a mere four hectares Pinot Noir, eighteen different rootstock and clone, all picked by hand and separately fermented. Parcels are treated to minimalist vinification and the extravagance of a Vaslin Bucher basket press, followed by a year in the finest French oak barriques and three years cellaring before release. Pressing Matters» |
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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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Bloodstone was originally intended for the UK Oddbins retail chain. It turned into a runaway success and went on to claim a litany of international accolades, 5 Cuisine Magazine Stars & Best Buy, as well as Gold & Double Gold at the prestigious San Francisco International. Gemtree» |
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Classically structured with a well established estate styling, Hunter's have won more than 100 gold at international wine competitions, including Marquis de Goulaine Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc in the World at the International Wine & Spirit Competition. Jane Hunter is a highly qualified viticulturist with a long family history of wine growing, she worked closely with eminent Australian oenologist Dr Tony Jordan to achieve the quality of harvests which are benchmarks in the world of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.. Hunters» |
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Tim Knappstein began his apprenticeship under the family owned Stanley Wine Company. Within a decade, Tim had won more than 500 show awards, gold medals and trophies for the premium Leasingham range. Riposte» |
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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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Yealands Seaview Vineyard is exposed to some of the toughest growing conditions in Marlborough, high sunshine and billowing winds wind, cool nights and low rainfalls for a smaller, thicker skinned Pinot Gris of exciting intensity. Fruit from the relatively flat, coastal L6M block, provides a pure mineral elegance to the structural backbone. Yealands Estate» |
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Villa Maria possess the magic touch with Pinot Gris, regularly clearing international wine events of prestigious trophies. Private Bin has been included in the Decanter Top 50 Best Under £10 and identified as a Decanter favourite. Villa Maria» |
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Haan have claimed a breathtaking tally of world class accolades for such a small, boutique Barossa estate. Conspicuous trophies and medals at the prestigious London International, Australian Wine Producer of Year and Trophy for Best Blended Red. Haan» |
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David O'Leary and Nick Walker have amassed hundreds of gold medals and trophies between them, including the prestigious Jimmy Watson. A shared confidence in the quality of Clare Valley fruit was the catalyst for them to establish their own winery. OLeary Walker» |
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Kaesler
About Kaesler - the Winery
Kaesler
Kaesler - a century of tradition based around the Old Vines, nurtured and handled by some of the most caring hands in the Barossa
The Kaesler Vineyards were established in 1893. The family, sprung from Silesian pioneers who came to the Barossa Valley in the 1840s, took up 96 acres in 1891. They cleared the scrub and in 1893 planted out the entire holding with Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro (Mourvedre) and White Hermitage vines.
Some of the gnarled dry-grown Shiraz vines still remain and provide the backbone for the intense wines produced from the sandy loams of this prime viticultural block. In the early sixties, Arthur Kaesler saw no future in dried fruit, and pulled out the fruit trees to replace them with vines, mostly Shiraz and Grenache, still mainly for port. He also planted Mataro, just to have something different, Clare Riesling (Crouchen) and some Semillon.
The Kaeslers did not make their own wine. Traditionally, they sold their grapes to the Seppelts. The exceptional Kaesler wines now being produced had their beginning in 1997 when a young winemaker at Cellarmaster just a few hundred metres away at Dorrien noticed the power and intensity of the fruit. The old vine material was there. Led by 3.7 acres of 1893 Shiraz, more than 70% of the red vines in the vicinity of the vineyard were 40 or more years old. The Shiraz thrived on the sandy loam over clay. The Grenache was on the rockier patches, restricting the crop from this prolific producer.
Today's Kaesler Wines springs from a worldwide search for a property to produce the best possible grapes for red wine. Winemaker Reid Bosward and his co-owners, a group of international wine lovers, searched areas such as the Napa Valley, the south of France, Marlborough, and other parts of Australia before deciding on the Barossa. "No other area can produce the intensity of flavor that we have in the Barossa," says Reid.
The first site that the winelovers acquired comprised 26.3 acres of vines, eight acres of Shiraz, 5-1/2 acres of Grenache, 2-1/2 acres of Mataro, eight acres of Semillon and just over two acres of Cabernet Sauvignon. The inaugural 2000 vintage was difficult throughout the valley. Kaesler made a crush of 19.6 tonnes off the twenty six acres, but it was good stuff. In 2001, they added the crop from the newly acquired neighbouring 28.5 acres, six acres of Shiraz, eight acres of Grenache, six of Semillon, some Riesling, and some fresh plantings of Voignier. This was a variety that Reid had experience with in France as a straight white wine, and as a fascinating blend with Shiraz. The first major decision was to intensify the fruit even further. Growers who send their fruit to outside wineries may tend to keep their tonnages up. Growers who make their own wine can opt to restrict the output to increase the quality. By pruning responsibly and reducing water, Reid has already cut the yield on red wine grapes by nearly 40%. The result is density and exquisite flavour. Baume, the measure of sugar content, is high - allowing wine to be made with up to 15% alcohol.
Why make such powerful wines? "Because we can," Reid explains. "Lean wines are for a lean area. The Barossa allows us to have a high intensity of flavour. Most other places can't do this."
It is part of the partners determination to make great wine and to develop a style that offers a choice. Kaesler is built on providing a difference. The partners do not plan to take Kaesler up to 300,000 cases. The determination is to concentrate on producing excellent wine. The only thread that holds Kaesler together is the production of excellent wine.
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