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Naturally Austrian: Muster and Werlitsch + Bloody Hill + The Hedonist tasting this Saturday + Aw Yeah Beer tasting this Friday!

by Annandale Cellars

Naturally Austrian

Muster & Werlitsch

Rare treasures like these only arrive once a year from Austria and are quickly snapped up by bars, restaurants and retailers like us who know the joy these wines offer. Muster & Werlitsch are both based in Styria, Austria and sit at the apex of minimal intervention winemaking in the region.

Sepp and Maria Muster took over Sepp's family estate in 2000 after spending time abroad in India and Australia where their fascination with biodynamic farming began. It was obvious to them that soil health is the key to growing the best quality grapes so they quickly converted their estate to biodynamic practices. An easier task than it would normally be as their vineyards had never been treated or sprayed with chemicals. They approach caring for their vines like caring about a friend, supporting them as best they can with the hope their "friends" reward them each year with the highly aromatic bounty of their vineyards.

They work with a mix of varieties like Sauvignon Blanc, Welschriesling, Gelber Muskateller, Morillon (the local clone of Chardonnay), Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch. All planted to the regions Opok soils, a mixture of limestone, clay and silt. The wines are aged in a variety of older barrels and amphora for at least 18 months, with some even being bottled in amphora like vessels too. They are detailed, aromatic, powerful, extremely long, contemplative wines that unfurl with air and time in the glass.

Ewald Tscheppe, winemaker and owner at Werlitsch took over the family estate at 26 from his father. He and his brother both make wine in Styra but Andreas bottles it under his own name, Andreas Tscheppe. Once again they share the same mindset of the Muster's celebrating and caring for their unique Opok soils. Ewald produces some of the most fascinating white and skin contact wines in the region focusing on three varieties, Morillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Welschriesling. His vineyards are split into parcels depending on how exposed the Opok soils are and elevation. If you were to look at it from above it would seem like it is one continuous set of rolling hills packed with vineyards in an idyllic setting like something from The Hobbit.

Like Muster, the wines are all spontaneously fermented, treated in a very hands off manner and left in barrels for at least 18 months (sometimes up to 3 years) to evolve and settle. Due to their extended time in barrel the wines are very stable, accessible in their youth and really open and expand over a few hours in a decanter. There is layers and layers of detail and savoury nuance making the wines a truly epicurean experience. - Pete L

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Friday Tasting

September 22nd

3pm - 6pm

Aw Yeah Drinks

Beer Promo Launch

Aw Yeah All Dayer 6 packs are now on promo for $19.50 in-store.

 

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The Hedonist

Tasting this Saturday

September 23rd

3pm - 6pm

We are constantly hunting for and tasting new wines in the hope we can find new additions to the shop that balance quality and value at all price points. Unfortunately, with the price hikes we are seeing across all sectors including wine, it's becoming harder and harder to find that balance, especially under $30 so we were very excited to recently taste the range from The Hedonist.

The Hedonist wines are a family run operation started by Walter Clappis, who's been making wines and winning some pretty serious awards for over 40 years, assisted by his daughter Kimberly, making the leap of from architecture to winemaking and her husband James, who switched teams and went from wine retail to training alongside Kimberly at CSU in Wagga Wagga. Both then joining Walter at The Hedonist vineyards situated at Willunga foothills in McLaren Vale.

Their vineyards, plus the vineyards they work with are all either in conversion to organics and biodynamic farming or are already certified. What stood out for us at the tasting was the quality of the wines and the shock came at the end when we found out the price... All of them were below $30!

We are very excited to have these open on Saturday so make sure you drop in. - Pete L

 

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Bloody Hill

2023 Villages Release

In the vibrant world of Australian wine, we find the charismatic Timo Mayer, originally hailing from Germany and now calling the Yarra Valley home. Timo's boundless energy, magnetic charm, and the exceptional quality of his wines have thrust this larger-than-life winemaker into the limelight.

Timo embodies the philosophy that exceptional wine begins in the vineyard, often referring to himself simply as a 'farmer.' Yet, his role extends far beyond that title. He employs a minimal intervention approach, embracing whole bunch fermentation to authentically capture the unique character of the vineyards where the grapes are grown. Furthermore, all of his wines remain unfined and unfiltered, preserving every ounce of flavor and texture. The outcome is a splendid collection of wines renowned for their elegance, finesse, and layers of complexity and balance. And to top it off, they are utterly delightful to savor.

As we eagerly await the release of Mayer Estate wines, we're thrilled to reintroduce the much-anticipated return of the Bloody Hill label to our shelves. Timo has entrusted the stewardship of this label to his son, Rivar, who has been skillfully crafting these wines in recent years. Together, Rivar and Timo collaborated in the meticulous selection of fruit and the production of these wines, working closely with the growers they've built lasting relationships with over the years.

As with all of Timo Mayer's wines, these offerings are in limited supply, and once they're gone, they're gone. - Pete L

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