Translation missing: en.Brash Higgins + Domaine Guiberteau + Laherte Frères + By Farr + Gullyview Estate Tasting Wed 24th 5:30pm-7:30pm: Brash Higgins + Domaine Guiberteau + Laherte Frères + By Farr + Gullyview Estate Tasting Wed 24th 5:30pm-7:30pm
Brash Higgins
Brash Higgins is one of Mclaren Vale's most exciting organic producers making wines that authentically speak to their origin with a minimalist approach in the winery. Brad Hickey set up base in Mclaren Vale after meeting Nicole Thorpe who had a vineyard called Omensetter planted to Cabernet and Shiraz at the time. This was during a period of severe drought in the region so they sought out other varieties to plant that may be more resilient to such conditions. A conversation with local wine legend Steve Pannell piqued their interest in Nero d'Avola as a fit for the Vale which then saw them travel around Sicily and visit wineries such as COS and Frank Cornelissen and ultimately to the grafting of Nero d'Avola onto their vineyard which earned them the reputation as the pioneers for this grape in Australia.
The Omensetter vineyard and the Brash Higgins winery sit on 7 hectares of red-brown clay over limestone on the southwestern lip of McLaren Vale. They boast some stunning views and cools breezes from the water where they are situated with an eastern-sloping aspect between the Willunga Escarpment and the Gulf of St. Vincent. While the estate was initially only planted to Cabernet and Shiraz, Brad planted some Nero d'Avola back in 2009 which was the first in Mclaren Vale and one of the first plantings in the country of this Sicilian variety. The initial 2011 release of this wine sent shockwaves through the Australian wine scene that can still be felt to this day. The vineyard and winery are both certified organic and they are dedicated to working with the land and the climate to grow grapes using environmentally sound techniques, inside the winemaking facility and in the vines, and produce wines that are pure expressions of the fruit, the soil, and the vintage.
In addition to paving the way for the success of Nero d'Avola in Mclaren Vale, Brash Higgins are also the biggest advocates of clay amphora vessels in the country. Brad was deeply inspired by the wines of COS from Sicily and Gravner from Friuli and their use of clay amphorae in being able to produce "diabolical, challenging, sometimes ethereal/scary, yet always thought-provoking wines." Brash Higgins were the first winery to adopt clay amphora as the core component of the wine-making in Australia. Today they have 32 200L vessels that have been made by Adelaide potter John Bennett using local clay and lined with McLaren Vale beeswax. A truly local expression!
We've always loved supporting Brash Higgins in our store and we've just received a shipment of a nice selection of his wines. One of our favourite orange wines 'ZBO Zibibbo' is in stock amongst all his other reds we have. The '21 'MRLO Merlot', '21 'GRM Grenache/Mataro' and '22 'FRNC Cabernet Franc' all offer extraordinary value for money. We also received the '21 'CBSV Cabernet Sauvignon' for those that love those bigger Mclaren Vale wines and of course I can't forget the flagship '22 'NDV Nero d'Avola' that earned Brad his success. These are sensational wines that don't break the bank made organically with local materials. What's not to love?
P.S. This Saturday 20th July 3:00pm-6:00pm, we will have a bottle of this emblematic '22 'NDV Nero d'Avola' open for those that want to pop by and have a taste. See you there!Domaine Guiberteau
Domaine Guiberteau are making some of the best wines in the entire Loire Valley and and my few tastes of this estate have sent me down the Chenin rabbit hole. Romain Guiberteau has held the reigns of the Domaine since 1996 after inheriting some top parcels of land from his family across a few communes in Saumur, including the honorary 'Grand Cru' Brézé. With incredible terroir and help from mentor Nady Foucault of Clos Rougeard and Benjamin Dagueneau, Romain has sculpted some ridiculosuly impressive and age-worthy wines.
Based in the heart of the Loire Valley, Domaine Guiberteau work across 17 hectares with the classic Loire grapes: Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Like many of the other best Loire producers, Guiberteau farms organically and has done since 2003. Cover crops are grown between the rows (pictured above) to work the lower soils, no synthetic products are used with only sulfur, copper, essential oils and plant admixtures being used in the vineyard, and of course, everything is hand-harvested. All the wines are made with as little intervention as possible. Only the smallest amount of sulphur needed at bottling is added and there is absolutely no addition through the process of yeasts, enzymes or any other stabilising products.
We just recently picked up a nice selection of this Domaine's wines from their 'entry-level' offerings through to their prestigious single-vineyards expressions. We have some of the '21 and '22 vintages of the 'Saumur Blanc' which is absolutely outstanding for the price. I don't know what more you could ask for from a Chenin at this level so don't sleep on this one. We have some more exclusive expressions too in smaller quantities, namely: '20 'Brézé', '21 'Le Bourg', '21 'Clos de Guichaux' and the '19 'Clos des Carmes'. These are some of the best expressions of Chenin you can find and have the ability to improve for decades in the bottle. I would personally tuck some of these away and drink the 'entry-level' wine, but even this will age well too. It's the same deal for the reds; we have the entry-level '21 'Saumur Rouge' which is fantastic for the price just like it's white counterpart. The more exclusive Cabernet Franc offerings are: 'Les Arboises' in '18, '19 and '20 vintages (perfect chance to collect a mini vertical lineup), '22 'Les Moulins' and the '21 'Les Chapaudaises'. I'm sure that Domaine Guiberteau is already on the radar of Loire-lovers, but for those that have not yet explored what this region is capable of, fall down the rabbit hole with me.Laherte Frères
Jean-Baptiste Laherte established the estate in 1889 in the village of Chavost, Champagne. Today the estate is in the hands of sixth and seventh generation family working across 11 hectares in total to create wines that are pure, sincere and authentic. Aurélien Laherte is one of these seventh generation family members that has added a new dynamic to the winery since 2005 following in the footsteps of his father Thierry and his uncle Christian.
"Wine is mainly about sensitivity, about feelings."
Throughout the year, these guys are working hard in the vineyard, tending to the vines and learning to appreciate their beauty by observing, feeling, tasting, listening and touching. The Laherte family take the pursuit of 'terroir wines' seriously and aim to work with their sites in such as way as to preserve their purity and distinctiveness. The chalky and limestone mother rock throughout their sites is essential for drawing out finesse and elegance in high-quality Champagne. This is backed up with a delicate touch in the cellar to help the wine reaches its own true potential rather than moulding it to meet international tastes. Massal selection, plot by plot vinification, immediate and delicate pressing, and minimal dosage are the key elements to achieve this pure expression in the cellar. This conscious and sensitive approach defines Laherte Frères and shapes every cuvee they make.
We have 4 of their beautiful bottles to share with you. The 'Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature' is an excellent introduction to this small Champagne house. 100% Chardonnay with no dosage from a site of soft clay and chalk. This is one of their most emblematic cuvees. We also have the 'Ultradition' which boasts 60% Meunier in the blend and a small dosage of 4.5g/L to build a bit more texture on the palate than the lean Blanc de Blancs. We have the extremely unique 'Rose de Meunier' made from 100% biodynamically-grown old vine Meunier grown in the Vallée de la Marne with a tiny 2.5g/L dosage. Finally we have the 2018 'Les Longues Voyes Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature' - 100% Pinot Noir from silty, sandy and clay soils. This wine is intense, but full of finesse and can comfortably age in the cellar. This is an exciting Champagne estate that still manages to keep prices in check despite the smallish scale of production and the care taken in the vineyard and cellar. Drink up!By Farr
Some of you may have seen the email on Tuesday regarding the 'Farr Rising' and 'Irrewarra' sub-labels of By Farr. Good news, a new shipment of the main line By Farr arrived yesterday and we're excited to share the new release from arguably the greatest Pinot producer in the country. The By Farr estate is located in Moorabool Valley, about halfway between Geelong and Ballarat - a region that they've become synonymous with and helped put in the spotlight of wine-lovers around the world.
Gary and Robyn Farr purchased the original property in 1994 and the second section in 1998, the second parcel in 1998 and finally the last parcel in 2011 comprising a total of 130 acres, of which 36 is dedicated to vines and the rest for grazing and cropping for the cattle and horses on the estate. Gary is one of the most significant figures in Australian wine, bringing his experience from Domain Dujac in Burgundy, Cristom in Oregon and Calera in California into his winemaking at home in the Geelong region. Gary still maintains a strong relationship with Domaine Dujac - one of Burgundy's greatest producers, making the pilgrimage to the estate practically every year for the past 2 decades and even having his son Nick work vintages there too. With such experience and passion for wine, it's easy to see how they make what legendary wine connoisseur Len Evans called “Australia’s best pinot”.
The rich volcanic soil and continental climate at the estate produces premium fruit with a flavour, bouquet and colour that is unique to the surrounding area. The estate is planted with a range of different clones, rootstocks and varieties. The varieties grown on the estate range from Viognier and Shiraz; influenced by Gary's travels to the Rhône, Gamay, and of course, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. We've been lucky enough to secure a case of the '23 Viognier which is very limited and easily the best (I don't have to use the word 'arguably' here) Viognier in the country. We also have a few cases of the legendary '23 Chardonnay, which is easily the best in the region and always deserves a spot in the conversation of best Chardonnay in the country. We have great supply of the '22 'Farrside' Pinot which comes from a vineyard of northeast-facing slope and consists of limestone topped with black volcanic soil. This is the most masculine and robust Pinot in their range. We have both the '21 and '22 vintages of the fan-favourite 'Sangreal' Pinot which is always fantastic year-on-year. My first taste of By Farr was a Sangreal with 10 years of age which made me fall in love with this producer. The '22 Shiraz is also a fantastic option for those that like those cooler climate expressions as opposed to the ripe, oaked Barossa renditions and we have a couple bottles remaining of the '21 'RP/Cote's Vineyard' left too. By Farr are deservedly one of this country's best producers. Those that have drunk these wines before know, those that haven't this is your chance to see what all the fuss is about!MEET THE MAKER Gullyview Estate Tasting Wednesday 24th 5:30PM-7:30PM
This is just a reminder that we'll be having Jono Koerner of Koerner wines showcasing his solo label - Gullyview Estate in store on Wednesday next week. Jono has been making wines out of Clare Valley for some time now and decided it was time to go his own way with this range. These are the wines that he'll be pouring:
24 Brothers Riesling
23 Alberts Vermentino
24 Brothers Light Red
23 The Fruitful Grenache
23 Countryside Cabernet Sauvignon
Pop into the store to have a chat with the man himself and taste some great wines that don't break the bank. See you all there!
Wishing you all a great week from the team: Chris, Pete and Aaron.