Translation missing: en.Olivier Rivière + Crawford River + Renaud Boyer + Red Mill Rum Tasting Friday 28th 5pm-7pm + Selected Spanish Tasting Saturday 1st 3pm-6pm: Olivier Rivière + Crawford River + Renaud Boyer + Red Mill Rum Tasting Friday 28th 5pm-7pm + Selected Spanish Tasting Saturday 1st 3pm-6pm
Olivier Rivière
Olivier Rivière was born just south of Bordeaux in Cognac and studied Enology at Montagne, St-Emilion with a focus on biodynamic farming. Olivier also picked up some important practical experience working in Bordeaux and Burgundy at the likes of Elian da Ros & Domaine de Chassorney and even the legendary Domaine Leroy. Olivier spent a few years consulting for producers in Rioja and came to fall in love with the terroir of the region, eventually starting his own label in 2006 and has become one of the region's pioneers of site-specific wines.
Terroir is at the forefront of Olivier's wines and approach to winemaking. Unlike the vast majority Rioja, Olivier does not name his cuvées on arbitrary political boundaries or time spent in oak. Rather, Olivier names his wines after most important thing - the soil. Olivier is an advocate of the Burgundian hierarchy of classification to promote and understand quality, with generic Appellation and Village wines at the base and Premier and Grand cru wines at the top. In keeping with his education and advocation, nearly all of Olivier’s vineyards are farmed organically with biodynamic practices. The grapes are hand-harvested and each variety is fermented separately. Depending on the source, it may be partially destemmed or fermented whole cluster. Fermentations are with indigenous yeasts, macerations are gentle and short and aging takes place in stainless steel, cement tanks, foudres, or barrels, with each container chosen to benefit the expression of the terroir. SO2 is kept to a minimum with only a touch added before bottling.
We've recently picked up some more of Olivier's wonderful wines across a range of price points so there is something for everyone here. The '23 'Rayas Uva' is a vibrant and fruity blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Graciano. This is his most popular wine for good reason. The '22 Garbaxo' is a blend of 50% Garnacha, 45% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano and aged for 15 months in oak vats. This is a tastefully riper and dark Rioja than the entry one. The '22 'La Bastid Blanco' is a blend of 70% Viura and 30% Garnacha Blanca fermented in concrete, oak foudres and 600-liter barrels, where it matured with lees for one year. This is a fresh, floral and spicy rendition of white Rioja. We also have a single bottle of the '19 'Las Vinas de Eusebio' which is a blend of Tempranillo and Graciano matured in a combination of 225-, 300-, 500- and 600-liter oak barrels, of which 15% are new, for a period of 28 months. This step up is bold and elegant and has not been made since the 2020 vintage so there are not many of these going around. Finally, we have a couple bottles of the '19 'Mirando al Sur Blanco' which is Viura matured in sherry barrels for 22 months after fermenting and aging with lees in 600-liter oak barrels for six months. This is an incredibly unique and distinctive wine that anyone exploring alternatives to Burgundy should pick up. Don't hesitate to pickup these seriously delicious and thoughtful wines that standout amongst the majority of Rioja!
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Crawford River
Crawford River have become one of the icons of the Australian wine landscape after making initial plantings in 1975 in the relatively unknown region of Henty in southwest Victoria. Following research and inspiration from around the globe, founders John and Catherine Thomson saw potential in the geography and geology of this site for high quality viticulture despite its obscurity. John shortly after enrolled in a degree of Viticulture and Oenology at Charles Sturt University. This estate has been family-owned and run since its inception and is now onto the second generation with daughter Belinda holding the reins.
Crawford River run the vineyard with respect to sustainability and do not use any herbicides, pesticides or fungicides. The use of organic compost and mulching of their pruning canes helps maintain the soil health, carbon levels and biodiversity. Sheep will graze the grass after vintage and pruning to limit the need for additional tractor passes and naturally fertilising their soils. The site enjoys a cool, long and even growing season with moderating influence from the Southern Ocean which helps cool the hot summer days, while elongating ripening hours during the late Summer and Autumn ripening period. The site is planted in a natural amphitheatre with N-NW aspect on a gentle slope with duplex soils comprising gravelly loam or friable clay, over an ironstone-rich clay loam layer, ultimately lying above a limestone base. All of these aspects come together to help produce intense flavour profiles with maintaining sufficient acidity and balance.
We've stocked up on some classics from Crawford River that represent excellent value for how good these wines really are. The '24 'Strata Riesling' comes from younger vines planted in 2000-01 and is excellent value with stone fruit and white floral characteristics. The '24 'Riesling' comes from a blend of 2 of their oldest vineyards and is built to age gracefully. Belinda recommends decanting this if you want to drink it now. Finally, we have the 2019 'Cabernet Sauvignon' comes from 3 different blocks which are blended to increase complexity and balance the structure of the wine and spends 22 months in French oak. This is one of Australia's most underrated Cabs. This is an iconic Australian estate doing wonderful things from a region that is too often overlooked. Pick up some of these wines and see what the fuss is about!
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Renaud Boyer
Renaud Boyer is an anomaly in Burgundy - coming from a family of winemakers but falling into winemaking from a matter of opportunity. Renaud was an engineer but came into winemaking when he had chance to take over his cousin's (Thierry Guyot) vineyards in Saint-Romain in 2001 which has been farmed organically since 1986. He then studied viticulture and oenology in Beaune then did a 4-month internship in South Africa before taking over his grandfather's small former cellar which he still uses to this date.
Renaud has a very different approach to his father when it comes to winemaking. His father works his vines in Meursault (which will eventually become Renaud's) conventionally and having having worked in big negoce houses, works in the cellar with a very technical approach. Renaud is not concerned with meeting his father's, or Bugundy's expectations for that matter, on how wines should be produced. Organic and hands-off winemaking is something of a rarity in Burgundy as vignerons are less likely to take as many risks with the price of land being so expensive. Less than 10% of the land in Burgundy is farmed organically. Renaud has had the help and guidance of many likeminded vignerons along the way such as: Patrick Meyer, Pierre Overnoy and Philippe Jambon. As you would expect his work in the cellar is kept to a minimum. His Chardonnays are slowly directly pressed over 6-7 hours, while the Pinot Noir is whole bunch macerated for roughly 3 weeks without pump-over and only one pigeage at the end of maceration. Renaud is not looking for extraction or colour, instead opting for purity and immediate drinking satisfaction. Renaud works with gravity for transfer to barrel where the wine rests for 12 months minimum. All wines are unfined and unfiltered and sulphur usage was ceased in 2008.
We have already sold quite a few of Renaud Boyer's wines but have a little bit left for those lucky enough to get in first. Only 1 red remains - the '22 'Coteaux Bourguignons En Attendant' which is roughly 2/3 Pinot and 1/3 Gamay from a few different sites throughout Nuits-St-Georges and Vosne-Romanée. We also have the '22 'Saint-Romain' and the '22 'Saint-Romain Cerisier', the latter being from older vines from higher altitude. These are both incredibly zesty, fresh and mineral with heaps of complexity despite still being in their youth. Finally, we have a bottle of the '22 'Puligny-Montrachet Les Reuchaux' which is incredibly detailed and opulent. These are cult Burgundy wines for a reason. Don't miss out on these last few bottles!
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Red Mill Rum Tasting
Friday 28th
5pm-7pm
Come on down to the store after work tomorrow to taste some of these incredible locally-made rums!
Red Mill rum are an iconic Sydney distiller with history tracing back to 1933 when they were based in Pyrmont. Bill Fesq returned from the war in 1946 to find that the family business was struggling. Red Mill then went on to sell 300,000 bottles of rum annually in Sydney during the 50s and the “Your Shout” campaign covered buses and trains for the next decade or so. Red Mill were eventually sold in 1979 but have been recently revamped and reimagined in 2020 by David Fesq, now based around the corner from us in White Bay and their first bottlings coming out last year.
Red Mill have experimented with all kinds of barrel types and sizes and have one of the most impressive barrel regimes in the southern hemisphere. These are the 3 rums that will be available to taste:
Red Mill Classic Rum
Red Mill Coconut Rum
Red Mill Spiced Rum
Finish off your week on a high note and taste some stellar local rums!
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Selected Spanish Tasting
Saturday 1st
3pm-6pm
This Saturday we'll be showcasing some fantastic Spanish wines! Some of you may have met our most recent employee - Pedro who helped us through the Christmas period and into the New Year. Pedro is from Valencia and spent a few years working in Rioja as well as many top restaurants around the world. Pedro has picked 4 of our Spanish wines to pour and share with you on the day. These are the wines he'll be pouring:
Sierrade Tolono Viura Blanco 2022
Olivier Riviere Rayos Uva Rioja Tinto 2023
Cesar Marquez Parajes del Bierzo Mencia 2022
Casa Castillo Monastrell 2021
Come down this Saturday to meet Pedro and drink some excellent Spanish wines!
Wishing you a great week from the team: Chris, Pete and Aaron.