Translation missing: en.Grower Champagne + Fighting Gully Road + Meet the Maker - Jauma Tasting Friday 11th 4:30pm-6:30pm: Grower Champagne + Fighting Gully Road + Meet the Maker - Jauma Tasting Friday 11th 4:30pm-6:30pm
Grower Champagne
Welcome to the vast and varied world of growers in Champagne. Grower Champagne differs from the Grandes Marques in that these growers own and work their own vineyards themselves, rather than buying in fruit from others. There is a larger focus on creating terroir-expressive wines rather than on moulding the wines to an aggregate consumer taste as the bigger houses do. I had the pleasure of attending a trade tasting a couple of weeks ago that showcased many of the best Grower Champagne that is imported into the country, being able to taste so called "entry-level" offerings through to the top stuff from the best growers which opened my eyes to what is possible in Champagne and provided context to their portfolios.
Off the back of that tasting we ordered in some of these to share with you. I have selected a handful of wines from some great growers below which I believe represent some of the best value amongst the vast array of Champagne that is out there. I have tasted the top wines of most of the selected growers and can vouch that these entry-level offerings definitely hold their own, especially considering those top wines can creep up to 3-5x the price. If you have wanted to explore the world of grower Champagne but didn't know where to start, take your pick out of these below, or if you simply love good Champagne (as all people should) stock up on some of these for the upcoming summer months!Fighting Gully Road
Fighting Gully Road are one of the most exciting producers coming out of Victoria's Beechworth, specialising in Italian varieties that showcase a sense of place. Mark Walpole fell in love with Sangiovese in Tuscany in 1995 due to its great acidity, colour, aromatics, tannin (but not too much) that was perfectly suited to Italian cuisine. Once they noticed the climatic similarities between northern Italy and Beechworth, they were set on planting Sangiovese and the rest is history.
"We make wines that are inspired by our site, our experience and our sense of curiosity."
The Fighting Gully Road site is cool, breezy and sits at 530m-580m above sea level on top of the escarpment that overlooks the fertile Murmungee basin, south of Beechworth. Eagles regularly soar over the vineyard (hence the logo) which inspires them to explore and test themselves as the eagles do. The vineyard receives roughly 850mm of rain a year; however, the winds that come in from the northwest are low in humidity, reducing both vegetative growth in the vine and disease pressure. The slopes surrounding the vineyard help to ensure that the cold night air drains away so that only the lowest points of the vineyard are susceptible to spring frost.
We have 4 different wines spanning 3 different Italian grape varieties from Fighting Gully Road. The '22 'Sangiovese Rose' is dry, savoury, with great texture and an absolute bargain. We also have the '22 'Verdicchio' which is saline, fruity and floral - a no-brainer for anyone who loves central Italian whites. Then we have Mark's baby, the '23 'Sangiovese' which is the wine that he is aiming to set the benchmark for Australian Sangiovese with. Finally, the '18 'Aglianico' which is drinking beautifully now with 6 years of age and coming from a slightly cooler climate than where it is typically grown in southern Italy. All fans of Italian wine (which should be all of you) should give these a shot and support some Australian expressions at fantastic prices!MEET THE MAKER
Jauma Tasting Friday 11th
4:30pm-6:30pm
Join us this Friday evening to meet the maker - James Erskine, behind Jauma wines. Jauma have been trail-blazers in the minimal-intervention wine scene in Australia for some time, building a strong following of loyal drinkers. These wines are sourced from organic vineyards with zero additions or subtractions during the winemaking. These are the wines from the new release that James will be pouring for you:
Lulu Old Cine Chenin
Lilies Old Vine Grenache
Like Rain Drops
Somewhere on Another Hill
Ralphs Dry Grown Grenache
Why Try So Hard