Translation missing: en.G.D. Vajra + Robert Weil + The Standish + Ravensworth Estate Tasting Sat 3pm-6pm: G.D. Vajra + Robert Weil + The Standish + Ravensworth Estate Tasting Sat 3pm-6pm
G.D. Vajra
G.D. Vajra have long been one of the most trusted producers in Barolo for making exceptional wines year-in, year-out at respectable prices. Milena and Aldo initially started the winery back in 1972, at first selling grapes to negociants from the vineyard that Aldo's father had planted in 1947 and then eventually bottling their first vintage themselves in 1978. Today there are about 40 hectares planted under vine and the wines are sold all over the world to those eager to have a taste of these spectacular bottles.
These wines are known for being able to be appreciated without decades of age on them like most Barolo, which is extremely unique considering that the winemaking is more traditional rather than modernist with 20-30 day maceration times and ageing in larger old oak formats.
"There is no vineyard, no terroir, without the land.
To love it is simple, but not easy. The land is generous and alive.
It is beautiful. It needs understanding and time.
It takes your breath away with its colors and many wonders."
High altitude vineyards basking in the sunlight of the Alps are what help create these wines where finesse and perfume blend into one. The purity of the light is balanced by the influence of the Alps and the proximity to the Tanaro river which enables the fruit to ripen slowly to perfection allowing the concentration of noble and delicate aromas.
"In each vineyard we are looking for unique characters and personalities, but in all of them we search for this note of ethereal beauty, like a sweetly whispered poem."
We've been lucky enough to secure an allocation of G.D. Vajra's wines across a spectrum of price points for you. We have the 2022 Langhe Rosso which is a blend of the 3 main Piemontese grapes: Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto and made in a style that is ready to drink on release. We have the iconic "Albe" Barolo from 2020 (and a couple leftover from 2019) which has earned its place amongst Barolo-lovers as the best value Barolo on the market and is also one that can be enjoyed a bit earlier than most Barolo with a good decant, although this can still comfortably age for 1-2 decades. Then we have 3 of their single commune bottlings all from 2020: "Coste di Rose", "Ravera" and the flagship bottle that has defined and guided them throughout the decades, "Bricco delle Viole". These are all wines of exceptional poise and elegance that will only improve with time in the cellar. G.D. Vajra is a producer to jump onto for lovers of Barolo without the top-end price tags, and makes a great staple in the cellar of those that can afford those top wines too. - Aaron C.
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Robert Weil
Robert Weil's wines need no introduction to Riesling lovers. Situated in the Rheingau, Robert Weil's wines have helped to establish the region of the Rheingau as one recognised for the production of high-quality Riesling (Rheingau has the most GGs in Germany) as their wines are sought after by wine lovers around the world.
Robert Weil have 100% of their 90 hectares of plantings dedicated to Riesling. This enables them to focus entirely on understanding each site and the differences between them to produce the finest and most distinctive expressions of Riesling possible which includes including the use of organic fertilizer, green cover and the elimination of all herbicides. The aim is to produce wines of elegance and complexity that can serve as the perfect pairing to a range of dishes but can also stand alone on their own merits without the help of food.
The harvest rarely starts before October and spans a minimum of 8-10 weeks and up to 17 intensive, hand-sorted passes through the vineyards to pick each bunch at optimal ripeness. The vineyards which are situated in an elevated position along the Taunus mountains contain vines which are up to over 50 years old, planted at a density if 5,000 - 6,000 vines per hectare which contribute to producing wines of extraordinary finesse and complexity. Weingut Robert Weil puts a strong priority on gently transporting the berry clusters: special vibrating grape trailers and a dogged reliance on old-fashioned gravity are used in conveying the grapes to the wine presses. After gentle pressing, the must is gravity-fed into reception tanks. Natural sedimentation is then used to fine the must. A combination of large old oak and stainless steel is used for ageing depending on the style suitable to the grapes and then they are aged in bottle for some time before release to soften the acidity and promote the development of other flavour profiles.
We've only been able to attain a small allocation of Robert Weil's highly-prized Rieslings to share with you. We have some of the '22 Rheingau Trocken Riesling which is a fantastic introduction to these glorious wines. This can be drunk on release but will definitely reward cellaring too. We only have 2 bottles of the '22 "Turmberg" Trocken Riesling which is a single vineyard Riesling from one of their top sites, bordering their famous "Grafenberg" site. This wine comes from much older vines from steeper slopes at a higher elevation resulting in a ridiculously complex and elegant wine that will continue to improve for decades in the cellar. There aren't many bottles to go around so if you want some get in quick. - Aaron C.
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The Standish
The Standish have without a doubt cemented themselves as one of (if not, the greatest) producer of Shiraz in the country whose wines could outperform Australia's so-called "flagship" wines: Grange and Hill of Grace for less than 20% of the price. Dan Standish started this winery in 1999 as a sixth generation Barossan while he was still working for Torbreck and wanted to dedicate it entirely to Shiraz. Dan bought a parcel of land from his family on which he had first learned to prune vines by his grandfather at just 6 years old, which is now the source for "The Relic", and has since purchased a few other plots of land that he believes are significant and unique.
Dan ferments and matures all batches of fruit separately and then employs a rigorous selection than can lead to up to 80% off the crop being sold off in bulk to other buyers, retaining only the best of the best batches to be bottled and bare his name. Of this new 2022 vintage, Dan has said:
"perfect vintage: wet winter, wet spring, followed by a hot but not crazy-hot summer. It was almost the perfect ripening season. [We had] a rain event in mid-January, and then we didn't get that two weeks of 40-plus [degrees Celsius that] we normally get at the start of February. We just didn't get it. It was long, slow, even ripening."
This is fantastic news for all of those looking to stock up on great wines like these in great vintages. There are 4 key wines here in The Standish portfolio, all sourced from different vineyards but made in a similar way and therefore speak to their respective terroir. First is the self-titled wine, sourced from the Laycock family vineyard in Greenock which is often thought to be a great introduction to Dan's range of wines. Next is "The Relic" which is a blend of northern-Rhone style blend of 99% Shiraz and 2% Viognier sourced from the Hongell family vineyard in Krondorf. The Viognier adds a pristine aromatic lift and suppleness to the wine, even with only 2% in the final cuvee that make this wine the most perfumed and sensual out of the range. Then we have "The Schubert Theorem" sourced from the famous Roennfeldt Rd in Marananga. This is the only wine to be aged in concrete egg which helps to retain a purity of fruit and chewy, chalky tannins. Finally, we have "Lamella" which is sourced from Hutton Vale Farm in Eden Valley. This bottling of Lamella has critics like Erin Larkin singing praises of it being the best one to date as well as the best amongst these 4 from this vintage. All of these wines can age gracefully over the next 2 decades or can be drunk earlier with a generous decant. We've already sold a few bottles from our allocation of this cult producer so don't hesitate if you are looking to add what is arguably the best Shiraz in the country to your cellars. - Aaron C.
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Ravensworth Estate Tasting
Sat 15th June
3pm-6pm
This is a reminder that we will be running a tasting of one of NSW's best producers this Saturday - Ravensworth. This is an excellent opportunity to taste some fantastic wines across a range of styles and to support NSW wines for once over SA and VIC. These are the wines that we'll be pouring:
Ravensworth Estate Riesling
Ravensworth The Grainery Field Blend
Ravensworth 7 Months (Orange)
Ravensworth Estate Gamay
Ravensworth Estate Sangiovese
Ravensworth Estate Shiraz/Viognier
See you all there this Saturday! - Aaron C.