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ACellars Newsletter 29th September , 2022 - Chiara Boschis + MMAD and Tolpuddle New Releases + Wine Of The Week

by Annandale Cellars

E. Pira e Figli

Chiara Boschis

 

The Pira family has a history in winemaking that goes back to the 17th century, but it was the way the plots were tended across Cannubi, San Lorenzo and Via Nuova, that ensured a future for these great sites of Barolo. Gigi Pira believed that just as cows must graze in the best pastures to produce excellent milk, only the best vineyards should be chosen for wine. As his neighbours turned to the use of machine to aid their production, in the late 1970s, Gigi was one of the last remaining winemakers to carry out all work on the vineyard by hand, or by foot as it was in the case of the pressing of the grapes.

In 1981, the plots were sold to close family friends, Franco and Ida Boschis whose family, like the Pira family, had been producing wine in Barolo for more than 8 generations. Their young daughter Chiara had just graduated from an economics degree, but after learning the ins and outs of winemaking from her brothers, she was keen to get her hands dirty. By the end of the 1980s, Chiara was one of Barolo's first female winemakers.

Joined in the vineyards and the cellar by her brother Giorgio in 2010, the siblings have expanded their Barolo holdings to include Mosconi, Ravera and Gabutti. The legacy of Gigi Pira is continued with all labour remaining completely manual, and the sites being certified organically since 2014.

Since the beginning, Chiara has worked to tame the powerful beast that is the Nebbiolo of Barolo, resulting in wines that are approachable, lush, textural, aromatic and elegant, and her 2018 release is no different.

A true Queen of the King of Wine!

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MMAD

 

MMAD Men: what happens when the guy from marketing buys a vineyard with a group of winemakers. Whilst the project might be missing a Don Draper, the creative is certainly not lacking from this team!

MMAD takes its name from the first initials of Winemakers Martin Shaw and Adam Wadewitz, and Masters of Wine Michael Hill Smith and David LeMire. Or as you may know them, Martin and Michael, the cousins and founders of Shaw + Smith of the Adelaide Hills and Tasmania's Tolpuddle, Adam their Chief Winemaker, and David, their head of Sales and Marketing.

2021 blessed the four men with idyllic conditions for their first vintage of the Blewitt Springs site. The Grenache, Shiraz and Chenin Blanc grown on the property are all from old vines, the Grenache planted in 1939, and the sandy soils of Blewitt Springs, together with the cooling sea breezes, result in fresh and aromatic wines, seductively perfumed.

With such pedigree in the vines, the selection of site and the winemaking, you would be mmad to miss these!

 

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TOLPUDDLE

 

And whilst the MMAD wines might have taken the MMad Men back to South Australia, the Tolpuddle Vineyard of Tasmania's Coal River has certainly put Shaw and Smith on the map. The idea for a move to the cool climate of the Apple Isle presented itself to the cousins over a bottle of Roederer and Bonneau du Martray at Launceston's Stillwater Restaurant as they discussed the local climatic data and the potential for Tasmania to produce the country's best Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with experts in the field. Two days later, they had found their perfect site.

Fittingly appropriate to celebrate this Labour Day long weekend and just how far we have come with our 8-hour WFH days, the vineyard takes its name from the Tolpuddle Martyrs, the English convicts transported to Tasmania for forming an agricultural union.

 

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WINE OF THE WEEK

Bernard Moreau Bourgogne Passetoutgrains 2020 

There's definitely more than a hint of gamay in this wine, with that bubbly red fruit and slight bit of candied character, but there's also a fair share of intensity and power here. There's a slight chalky tannic thing on the back end, but also some really endearing red fruit. As far as Passetoutgrains goes, this is definitely a top-notch edition. Chris L

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