Translation missing: en.Chilled Reds + Ochota Barrels: Chilled Reds + Ochota Barrels
Chilled Reds
This week we wanted to highlight some of our great chilled reds. During these weeks of ambiguous weather where things are finally drying and heating up but not quite making the full leap yet, a chilled red is the perfect answer. What is a chilled red anyway? Quite simple, a chilled red is a red wine that you should chill before drinking. That's it. The styles of red that lend themselves well to this chilling tend to be light-bodied, juicy and fruity - often made with carbonic maceration yet still have enough intrigue to keep these wines interesting. These are the wines you go for when you feel like a wine but not quite sure what you feel like.
The Brave New Wine 'Small Town' is a red/white blend of Shiraz, Vermentino, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, a little Gewurztraminer and Viognier. The concoction of grapes helps to increase the complexity and floral nature of this wine. The Unkel 'La De Da' is a mixture of direct pressed and carbonic maceration Pinot Noir, Merlot and Gewürztraminer that has been in aged in a mixture of old puncheons and stainless steel. This serves as a bridge between a heavier rose and light-bodied red. The Scintilla "Joy's Wild Fruits' is a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir that is best served only slightly chilled so as not to mute the lovely aromas. These are just a handful of our great chilled reds to choose from.Ochota Barrels
Ochota Barrels is the resulting enterprise following Taras and Amber Ochota's surf trip along the west coast of Mexico in the late '00s, at which point they decided to make holistic wines back at home in South Australia. Taras played bass in a number of punk bands in his youth before graduating with a degree in oenology from Adelaide University, working at wineries around the world and finally settling with a nice steep slope in the Basket Range of Adelaide Hills.
Taras was understandably heavily influenced by the important people and characters that he met during his time working at wineries around the world, most of all from the small biodynamic producers he encountered in the south of France. Their approach of organic vineyards planted on soil with vitality, minimal intervention and picking decisions based on retaining natural acidity to produce wines with energy and tension are what resonated the most deeply with him. Ochota Barrels use low-yielding old vines with small berries, whole bunches when the stems are right, careful pigéage, as well as some skin contact and batonage to develop texture and complexity. They have also been experimenting with much lower sulphur levels based on the specific cuvee to produce pure wines that speak of their terroir.
We've recently stocked up on their latest 2024 release which we're excited to share as they all represent great value. From the whites, we picked up the 'Weird Berries in the Woods Gewurztraminer' which is always one of their most iconic wines. We also have the 'Surfer Rosa' rose which we already started selling through hardly half an hour after we put it on the shelf. In reds, we picked up the 'Green Room Grenache', 'Texture like Sun Field Red', 'Mark of Cain Pinot Meunier' and 'Where's the Pope? Syrah'. Every single one of these is worth trying. We also have the 'Botanicals of the Basket Range Vermouth', though technically not a vermouth as it's not fortified but drinks just like one and tastes incredible. We also have some of the more premium '23 releases left including a single bottle of the 'Control Voltage Chardonnay' and some 'Impeccable Disorder Pinot Noir'. Ochota Barrels have quickly become one of Australia's favourite wineries, pick some of these up to see what the fuss is about!