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Place Of Changing Winds + Jean-Marc et Thomas Bouley + Chalmers tasting this Saturday!

by Annandale Cellars

Place Of Changing Winds

Warekilla.

The Wurundjeri name could translate as "Happy Place".

Or "Place of Changing Winds".

Robert Walters searched for almost five years trying to find a site for his warekilla. He eventually settled on the place, Bullengarook on the southern foothills of Mount Macedon, to establish Place of Changing Winds. Years of experience in the wine trade and visits to the best sites and winemaking practices around the world all culminated in Rob's decision to put down roots around Macedon. The changing winds create a high diurnal difference in temperature, embraced by the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir fruit. Their vines are grown at extremely high density, ten times the norm, to encourage a community or single body of the plants as they develop their collective canopy, and dig their vines deep through the gravelly soils in search of water and nutrients, anchoring them against the wind. Fruit is low-yielding.

And as is the nature of the wind, Warekilla was not the only place for Robert, as his head was turned further afar in the pursuit of producing a series of Rhone inspired reds and whites from a site in Harcourt nestled in the foothills of Mount Alexander as well as continuing with the release of the Heathcote Syrah and his Syrah No. 2, a blend of fruit from both sites. These wines channel all the inspiration gained from working and learning form some of the finest producers in the Northern Rhone. These wines come highly recommended from the whole team. - Peta W

 

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Jean-Marc et Thomas Bouley

The Bouley family has winemaking in their DNA as the family has been involved in the winemaking process in various roles for over 600 years. Jean-Marc took the helm of the family estate in 1985, after the passing of his father.

The estate has been built up to now cover 12 hectares across Volnay, Pommard and Beaune with a selection of premier cru sites included in their holdings.

In 2002 Thomas joined the family business assisting Jean-Marc whilst also spending time abroad completing vintages in the New World in regions like Oregon and even with producers like Felton Road. He took over the winemaking role in 2006 and began to add his own flair to the family's wines, melding his Burgundian roots with the addition of techniques he learnt whilst overseas. He is part of a network of young winemakers who share ideas and techniques in the pursuit of elevating their family estates and leaving their mark on the Burgundy landscape for years to come, and Thomas has certainly begun to do that.

In his short time at the helm he has turned reviewers into evangelists and changed the trajectory of this estate to become one of Burgundy's rising stars.

His meticulous standards for every aspect of the process have culminated in a stellar 2020 release. Capturing fully mature fruit in the vineyard, he works with a specific cooperage to produce barrels specifically to his standard so he can age the wines gently in barrel for two years, ensuring what goes to bottle is a more evolved, elegant and complete wine. At every level his wines represent what we love about Burgundy and we hope you get as much enjoyment from these wines as we do. - Pete L

 

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Chalmers

Tasting 20th May

Saturday 3 - 6pm

The Chalmers family have changed the landscape of the Australian wine scene after introducing and cultivating one of the largest collections of Italian grape varieties in Australia. Their work began in the 80s establishing their first vineyard in Euston which at the time was one of the most of diversely planted vineyards in the country. From this site they developed a nursery business and began importing and selling a selection of 70 clones that were new to Australia.

After selling the site in 2008 the family purchased two new vineyards, the first in Heathcote, which would be responsible for producing the wines under the Chalmers label, and another in Merbein with the focus on this site being experimentation and cultivation to continue development of their nursery business.

We've loved their wines and the work they do since we first tried them and the evolution of the Chalmers project as a whole has been a fascinating one for us to watch. Not only do we often carry their wines but you'd be surprised by how many wines in-store are linked to the Chalmers project. Their work has enriched the Australian wine scene via their own wines and even more so from what others have been able to produce from their efforts.

We will be showing a selection of our favourites from their huge range of wines that we feel are some of the best representations of these varieties in their new Australian home. It's always a great opportunity to ask questions and try new varieties that well suited to the Australian palate and are certainly something different! - Pete L

 

 

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