Its been one week now and following getting robbed in San Francisco the rage has subsided some what. It's given me a chance to focus on the winemaking more and get to know those with whome I'l be working over the next couple of months. The weather in the Barossa is hot, it was 45c degrees when I arrived and since then its been floating somewhere between 30 and 37c. There are vines down here which have really suffered, through poor irrigation they have dropped their leaves which means they have no way in synthesisizing energy. The grapes stop maturing, the phenolic development stops and they start to shrivel to raisins. It's sad to see these vines and you have to feel sorry for the viticulturalist who has put in the hard work, some vines won't even be harvested because they'l be losing money just by picking them.
Had a “Team building”, pre vintage party this weekend. Loaded up surf boards, beer and sun cream, jumped in the 4WD's and drove south making a small detour to the Maclaren Vale. Rolled up on Middleton, a small beach town, fired up the BBQ, cooked up some kangaroo, steak and sausages. Cracked some beers followed by a very interestuing blind tasting.
Woke up early on the saturday and went surfing with the wine maker here, Matt Wenk. It's always a bit of a risk entering the sea here with the sharks, jellyfish and various other friendly animals. Almost stepped on a ray when walking out that morning.
That evening we all went out and were treated to a fantastic meal, with some equally impresive wines alongside, see the list below. After dinner, the company opened up a bar tab and everyone proceded to knock back all manner of drinks reveling in the knowledge that come monday we'd be working 12hr shifts day and night.
It's lunch time, monday and i'm sitting in the kitchen, I drew night shift, work starts at 3pm and we'l be lucky to finish before 1am. Today we're bringing in the Frontignac, the first of the grapes to come in, destined for the Brilliant Disguise Moscato Bianco 2009.
2009 Pre-Vintage Dinner
Flight One- Aged Australian Chardonnay
1. 1997 Yarra Yering Number One
Touch past it, oxidative charaters coming through the nose, sherry and nuts. Not bad, though two years too late.
2. 1998 Bindi Quartz
lovely nose, very heavy giving an aroma of honey, honey, honey. Palette a bit flabby, rich full but a touch hot.
3. 2001 leeuwin Art Series
less on the nose, palette fresh, some good acidity, goos depth and use of oak which is nicely intergrated.
Flight Two – NZ and Oz Pinot's2004
1 Bell Hill, NZ
good cherry sandelwood nose, nice acidity. On palette meaty and herbal notes. There was also a green cannibis smell. Lovely and very interesting wine.
2 2005 Aston Hills reserve, South Australia
lovely note of asian spice infused with a sophisticated pefume. Fine tannins retaining their power. Lovely finished, that takes you through a whole gamut of flavours. Wine of the evening.
3 Providence reserve, Tasmania.
Less than impressive nose, smokey with dark fruits. More elegant style pinot.
Flight 3 – Oz Southern Rhonies
1 1997 Noon Eclipse
Corked
2 2002 Clarendon Hills Romas
slightly corkey, red fruit berries. Nothing exciting.
3 2004 Spinifex Tabor
good spice, fruit touch of pepper, great lengh.
Flight Four- 1994 Oz Shiraz
1 1994 Wendouree Shiraz/Malbec, Clare Valley.
Delicious smooth palette, rich and peppery. Lost some of the intense fruit that works to its advantage. Really good drink, much more approachable than following two wines.
2 1994 Kay's Block 6
very fruit focused. Palette drops off way too soon. Pretty but obvious.
3 1994 Peter Lehmann Stonewall
menthol and cappuciono on the nose. Quite firm tannins. On the palette the tastes include meat, BBQ sauce. Obvious sweet new oak.
Flight Six- Overseas Shiraz
1 2001 Alban Seymours, USA
Obvious and lush, but balenced.
2 2004 Bilancia La Collina, NZ
Spice and lavender, kinda reminds me of granache on the nose. Loads of tannic grip, some pepper and more restrained fruit.
3 1999 Chapoutier Cote Rotie La Mordoree, France
the biggest disapointment of the night. Dusty, leafy, some nice texture but really lacking. There was nothing interesting to it.
To Finish
1989 Domaine Trimbach Riesling Frederic Emile Vendage Tardive
by this time I was pretty loose and haven't written any notes down. I do remenber this wine though, awesome...unique.....balaced.......full and interesting.
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