Hunter Valley und Mornington Peninsula – zwei Weingegenden DownUnder zukünftig gemeinsam unterwegs
Ich habe vor wenigen Tagen mit Scott Clarke gesprochen, er ist Business Development Manager der Inwinegroup und berichtet uns über den Merger der beiden privaten Weingüter Red Hill Estate aus Victoria und Arrowfield Estate aus dem Hunter Valley in NSW.
The views on the Mornington Peninsula
Hi Scott, thanks for joining us, we really would like to get some good insight into the merger between Victorian Red Hill Estate and Arrowfield Estate from the famous Hunter Valley.
downunderwines: How did the merger between Arrowfield and Red Hill work?
Scott: Prior to the merger, Arrowfield operated a fully owned subsidiary distribution business, Inwine, which featured additional wines from premium Australian wine growing regions. The initial discussion with Red Hill Estate was on a distribution basis but it was soon discovered that there were synergies between the two companies. Discussion then headed in that direction with the final merger in late 2006.
downunderwines: How do you work together being in two very different wine regions in Australia?
Scott: One of the strengths of the working relationship is that we have maintained the independence of both production facilities. As both wineries have remained independent they continue to focus on producing the best wines possible from their respective regions. From a portfolio point of view the wines are complimentary to each other with little conflict.
downunderwines: What were the surprises after the merger when making wines?
Scott: I think the greatest surprise to us was the way the wineries did not impact on each other. If we separate production and trade, the merger has more impact on trading than production per se.
downunderwines: Exporting into Europe: any major differences between the two?
Scott: Both entities have had experiences in trading in Europe prior to the merger. We now approach the EU as a blank canvas with one combined portfolio.
downunderwines: Current releases: 06 Arrowfield Estate Shiraz: what do you like specifically about this wine?
Scott: What I like about the 06 AE Shiraz: It is a great food wine, has nice savoury characters with good tannin and acid structure. The wine is subtle and elegant so it doesn’t overpower the food.
downunderwines: 08 Pinot Noir from Red Hill: any special news?
Scott: The 2008 vintage was characterised by favorable growing conditions, an early start and above average yields. A mild February enhanced aromatic characters and a hot week in March increased sugar levels but did not seem to be deleterious to primary fruit flavours. These conditions resulted in opulent wines with distinctive aromatics.
downunderwines: Exporting into Europe: what are the risks, why do you do it?
Scott: Our global strategy has been market by market or “bite sized pieces”. We have recently completed our successful market roll-outs in the USA, Ireland and Northern Ireland and the time has come to focus on the EU. Naturally with all export there are risks associated and it is the role of the exporter to minimize those risks where possible. Distance is a major setback exporting Australian wine to Europe as we do not have the luxury of easily “eyeballing” our prospective importer, nor they “eyeballing” us. We can not hop on a short flight to Germany to meet with an importer, this takes a full day’s travel at significant expense. Why do it? Sometimes I ask myself that, then I remember whose job it is and I know why! In all honesty our domestic market is so competitive and dominated by the major wine companies that international expansion is essential for the survival of all wine producers over 20,000 cases.
downunderwines: The German wine drinker: what do you know, expect, what would be different?
Scott: My understanding of the German wine drinker is that they are a lot more adventurous than their more conservative Italian or French cousins. It is this spirit of adventure that makes the German wine drinker more likely to approach a new world wine and historically Australian wines have performed well in Germany.
downunderwines: And finally, please let us know what your favourite wine in your portfolio is?
Scott: As a Hunter Valley lad born and bred, I like the wines from the Hunter Valley. The Arrowfield Estate Show Reserve Chardonnay, Semillon and Shiraz appeal most to my palate. Having said that; if I were to be eating my favourite food, duck, then the wines from the Hunter would not be the best match and I would need to drink a lovely Red Hill Estate Pinot Noir of which I am also fond.
downunderwines: And what is your favourite wine overall?
Scott: I tend to lean more towards fuller bodied red wines that reflect the characteristics of their regions. I am also influenced by occasion, company and cuisine. That being said it is certainly a matter of the right wine with the right food according to my guidelines or “rules of engagement”. Once that match is made correctly some wines take on a new personality and I immediately enjoy them.
downunderwines: Any German wine you like?
Scott: I really enjoy the Mosel Riesling, especially those made by JJ Prum from the Sonnenuhr vineyard: purity, focus and precision.
Scott, thank you very much for your time and we wish you the best of luck on your European endeavours.
Michael Brecht
Ein total verregneter Sommer in Australien – rain, rain and more rain
Nun sitzt Michael seit wenigen Tagen in Deutschland und staunt nicht schlecht über den vielen Schnee, da senden wir ihm aus Australien diese Nachricht, dass dieser Sommer hier extrem verregnet ist.
Lethbridge Wines in Geelong Victoria
Regen bringt Segen, das gilt ganz bestimmt in Australien, insbesondere wenn man an die Dürrekatastrophe der vergangenen Jahre in vielen Landesteilen denkt.
Doch für einzelne Winzer ist der Regen auch ein echtes Problem. Meist kommt er in Massen, selbst wenn es nicht gerade Hagelschauer sind, so gibt es Gegenden in denen auch schon einmal mehr als 100mm über Nacht fallen.
Fast so schlimm geschehen bei Lethbridge Wines, deren Weine wir in den vergangenen Jahren immer wieder getestet haben. Die Familie nutzt regelmässig einen erweiterten Freundeskreis für die Ernte und musste gestern allen hilfsbereiten Pflückern absagen. Lesen Sie selbst:
“After hoping and praying for rain for the past 10 weeks, it finally came last weekend, at just the WRONG time. Fortunately we had no damaging storms or hail, but 60 mm of rain just when the grapes are ready to pick inevitably means that the sugar levels go down as the berries take up water.
We were hoping for a quick recovery, but after sampling all week it looks like we still have another week or so until the berries lose some of that water. After establishing a reputation for powerful Pinot Noir the last thing we want is watery wine.
Harvesting Crew Downunder
If you had booked for the picking this weekend (14th March) then we are sorry to disappoint, but the event is being re-scheduled for the following Saturday 20th March. If you are available to pick on that day we would love to see you, click here to book, same start time, approx 9:00 am, hope you can make it… ”
Ansonsten willkommener Regen – jetzt zur falschen Zeit – wir sind schon in einer seltsamen Industrie und leider, oder vielleicht zum Glück ist zumindest das Wetter hier in Australien unberechenbar.
Ihre Anabel
Over the Shoulder – Helene’s favourite Pinot Noir from the Yarra Valley in Australia
Vor einigen Monaten hatten Freunde zu einer Nachahmung des legendären ‘Duck & Pinot walk’ des australischen Kochlegende Chong Liews aufgerufen. Inhalt dieser tagesfüllenden Aktivität war, die besten Entengerichte in Adelaides China Town in Kombination mit australischem Pinot Noir zu probieren. Ganz nach australischer BYO Kultur hatte jeder mindestens eine Flasche seiner Wahl mitzubringen.
Pinot Noir from Yarra Valley
Wie man sich denken kann, kam da recht was zusammen. Dennoch waren wir uns alle einig, dass eine Kombination absolut gewonnen hatte: Bei ‘Over the Shoulder’ aus dem Yarra Valley mit Peking Duck Pancakes schlugen einfach die Funken.
Woche für Woche habe ich im Anschluss versucht, bei meinen Freitagseinkauf auf dem Adelaider Central Market mehr von diesem wunderbaren Wein zu finden. Vergeblich – Immer ausverkauft! Nun hatte ich endlich Glück und habe mich auch gleich entsprechend eingedeckt.
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A few months ago, I got to know a great Pinot Noir at an informal “Pinot & Duck” tasting at China town in Adelaide: ‘Over the Shoulder’ from the Yarra Valley!
Since then, I have been desperately looking for it all over Adelaide. Finally, I had luck at the Central Market bottle shop, where it is usually sold out week after week. No surprise!
Helene Luckner from Adelaide
Aged Pinot Noir – does this work?
Am vergangenen Sonntag habe ich in dem Tiefen meines Weinkellers zwei Kisten Wignalls Pinot Noir 2005 entdeckt. Ein wenig erschrocken ob dieses Fundes, habe ich mich sofort gefragt: Pinot Noir, der ein paar Jahre gelagert wurde, ja geht denn das überhaupt?
2005 Wignalls Pinot Noir 
Da half es also alles nichts: wir mussten umgehend ein paar Flaschen öffnen. Meine erste Sorge des ‘Korkens’ war schnell aus dem Weg geräumt: Wignalls nutzt wie fast alle fortschrittlichen Wineries in Australien den Schraubverschluss, ohne Korken keinen verkorkten Wein. Too easy!
Wignalls ist ein kleiner familiengeführter Betrieb in der Albany Region, also an der Südküste von Western Australia gelegen. Das dortige Klima ist recht einzigartig, denn die dortigen Tage sind für WA recht kühl und die Nächte maritim warm. Und als Pionier der Pinot Noirs in WA gab es schon Anfang der 90er Jahre Pinots von Wignalls.
Mein 2005er hat die letzten Jahre gut überstanden, seine Nase verspricht dunkle Waldfrüchte, sein weicher und voller Abgang ist geradezu typisch für die Pinot Noirs aus WA, schliesslich gibt es dort nicht gar so viele Winzer, die diese Rebsorte anbauen.
‘Kurzfristiges Kellern wird den geneigten Investor sehr zufriedenstellen’ steht auf dem Label, dem ist nichts mehr hinzuzufügen.
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I bought two cases of Wignalls Pinot Noir a few years ago and kind of forgot about them in my wine cellar. When I discovered them last Sunday, an instant question popped up in my head: aged Pinot Noir – does this work?
It certainly does, the 2005 Wignalls Pinot Noir is still a standout of this variety coming from WA. The unique micro climate of the vineyard, the 2005 year being outstanding and the fermentation techniques of this winemaker, who is the pioneer for Pinot Noirs in Western Australia – it all adds up and makes this wine a great sample.
Michael Brecht
Clos Pierre Pinot Noir 2008
We had a report on its former yearling the 2005 Pinot Noir a few months ago: we called it an entry Pinot Noir that was hard to beat.
Clos Pierre Pinot Noir 2008
To tell you the truth: the 2008 yearling is exactly that: a great wine with wine making expertise in the fifth generation from a great vineyard in Victoria. With 13.2% we are talking about a Pinot Noir that holds back where necessary and still allows to enjoy a serious drop.
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Ein prima Pinot Noir aus Victoria ist der 2008 Clos Pierre des französischen Weinmakers Pierre Naigeon – der Wein überzeugt durch seine fruchtigen Aromas, seine Kirsch und Pflaumenaromen und seine ausgewogene Länge bedingt durch diverse Monate in Eichenfässern.
Lassen Sie diesen Wein eine Stunde lang offen stehen und geniessen Sie ihn zu Ente oder einem asiatischen Fondue.
A nice Pinot Noir from Orange in Australia
Wine making family Shaw from Orange are well known for their various brands here Down Under.
Philip Shaw's No. 8 Pinot Noir
Last night we tried the 2006 Philip Shaw No. 8 Pinot Noir – brought along to dinner by close friends of our. “Pinot is a hard variety to classify, with everyone having an opinion on what it should be – I can eliminate what it shouldn’t be but the rest is the gamble” says Philip on their website.
And he is right: Pinot Noir is such a difficult variety – many winemakers here in Australia get sleepless nights when they think about their Pinot grapes.
Well, the gamble in 2006 has worked out well for the Shaw family – its lifted and spicy nose comes out immediately, a soft fleshy palate and a lightly savoury finish really make this Pinot Noir a great representative for that year.
The Orange Wine region is so much into growing grapes from this hot and warm climate to be added to wines from other regions, who need the volume (or taste). Well, the No 8 shows its own character, its vineyard named Koomooloo is established on 900m altitude, a nice altitude comparable to most cool climate regions from Australia.
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Gute Freunde brachten gestern abend eine Flasche 2006 Philip Shaw No. 8 Pinot Noir zum Abendessen, ein schoener Tropfen mit Pinot typischen Gewuerzaromen und einer schoenen Laenge.
Die Trauben der Orange Weingegend werden von vielen Winzern hier Down Under gerne als ‘add-on’ fuer ihre eigenen Weine genutzt, dieser Pinot Noir No. 8 von Philip Shaw hat seinen eigenen Charakter.
Ihr Michael Brecht
Cool delights in the Southern Highlands
Last weekend saw the first ‘Cool Flavours’ event of its kind here in the Southern Highlands. The tourism bureau in Mittagong had labeled this long weekend the ‘Event of Cool Delights’ and the event met all expectations: great food, a great selection of wines to taste from the region and it was cool – extremely cool.
Cool Delights at Tertini Cellar Door
A Queens Birthday weekend is usually the start for the cold winds in the Southern Highlands and that is what we got. Colder temperatures with a very chilly breeze invited all of us to focus on red wines and find our spot close to the next open fire. The cellar door of Tertini Wines luckily had both and so we indulged in their Italian cheeses, great Pinot Noirs and I didn’t move from the fireplace myself.
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Im Juni wird hier in Australien der Geburtstag der Koenigin gefeiert, auch wenn der tatsaechliche Geburtstag der 21. April ist. Sei’s drum, der Montag ist anerkannter Urlaubstag und so entschloss sich die hiesige Region in den Southern Highlands, das Wochenende zum ‘Food and Wine’-Wochenende zu vermarkten. Bei eisig kalten Winden wurden vor allem die roten Weine probiert und gekauft, ich selbst positionierte mich bei Tertini Wines an deren offenem Feuer und genoss italienischen Kaese zu feinstem Pinot Noir. Cool climate eben.
Ihr Michael Brecht
Interview with James Tilbrook from Tilbrook Estate in the beautiful Adelaide Hills
Here I find myself driving up the Adelaide Hills towards Lobethal – 43 degrees and not a German in sight. Lobethal as well as the slightly more advanced Hahndorf were both named by German settlers in the early 19th century. Both are tourist attractions representing German heritage downunder. On top of that these two villages deserve their fame for their exceptional winemakers working in scenic vineyards. The region is considered cool climate, but on such a hot day I am very happy about my cool climate rental car which provides comfort.
I have an appointment with James Tilbrook, he immigrated from England in 1998, bought his first 8 acres vineyard in 1999 and has become a real shooting star since then. We meet in his cellar door right in the middle of Lobethal, about an hours drive away from Adelaide.
downunderwines: Thank you for your time James, especially in the summer months when tourists come to visit the cellar doors.
Tilbrook: no worries, I actually haven’t sold a single bottle so far (it is 11 o’clock) – lots of lookers but no buyers around today.
downunderwines: Can you tell us a bit about your personal background please. What made you become a winemaker here in the Adelaide Hills region?
Tilbrook: I have been working for Majestic Wines, a big wine retail group in London and received such a fantastic insight in tasting wines from all over the world. I highly appreciated the tastings of different styles from countries that have highly diverse ways of making wine. I spent eight years with them and decided that it was time to become involved in wine-making myself. But my background has more been in retailing the wines.
downunderwines: And how did it work out for you here in Adelaide Hills?
Tilbrook: We had our first harvest in 2001, which was exciting. Over the years we have added plantings and now grow a wider range of cool climate wines, from Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay to Shiraz, Sangiovese and Pinot Noir.
downunderwines: So what is your personal favourite?
Tilbrook: I like to try out things, we are a small winery and make everything here in this building. My favourite wine though at the moment is my Pinot Noir, we have a 2007 Tilbrook Reserve Pinot Noir, which is sensational. Unfortunately we only make low quantities of this wine.
downunderwines: And all these grapes are planted in the same area?
Tilbrook: Yes, our vineyards are situated towards Lenswood at about 440m altitude. We currently have 50 acres under vines and are planting more.
I then had the chance to taste a few of James Tilbrook’s wines, starting with his 2006 Chardonnay, which was complemented by 15% Sauvignon grapes. Twelve months in 15-20 year old barrels had helped this wine to display his fruity characters. I tasted melon and stone-fruit, the wine has a great length and clearly represents the new generation of Australian Chardonnays. A great wine with food.
No doubt, we will stay in contact, James Tilbrook is a highly unusual and interesting figure in Australia’s wine making scene, his wines are outstanding. Thanks for your time James and see you soon again.
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Bei 43 Grad geniesse ich die Fahrt im klimatisierten Mietwagen von Adelaide in die malerischen Adelaide Hills. Hier treffe ich James Tilbrook, aus England eingewanderter Winzer, der seit 1998 in der Naehe Lobethals Wein macht. James ist ein interessanter Typ, hat er sich die Kunst des Weinmachens selbst beigebracht, seine ersten Erfahrungen hat er acht Jahre lang in einem grossen Weinhandel in London gemacht.
Typisch fuer die cool climate Region Adelaide Hills ist das Portfolio von Tilbrook Estate, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc und Pinot Gris und Noir sind die Weine in seinem Angebot. Er selbst hat einen phantastischen 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir kreiiert, leider gibt es davon nur wenige Kisten im Jahr.
Viel Spass beim Lesen des Interviews mit James Tilbrook.
Michael Brecht
