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Polperro + Danjou Banessy + Alain Voge + Haddow & Dineen tasting this Saturday!

by Annandale Cellars

Polperro Wines

Single Vineyard Release

Sam Coverdale's first Polperro release was in 2014, as an evolution of the Even Keel label that he started in 2006. Even Keel is the multi-regional range that uses fruit from Mornington Peninsula in Victoria all the way out to Tumbarumba in New South Wales, and focuses on producing more accessible styles.

The Polperro range, on the other hand, is the more serious side of things. The focus here is on producing a premium range of wines that are classic examples of the region. Their approach is vineyard-first, so all their sites are grown using organic, biodynamic, or biological techniques. This enables them to push their vineyards to produce top-quality fruit while also regenerating soil health across all their sites.

The Single Vineyard range focuses on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, highlighting the impact of site, aspect, soil, and clones coming together to produce a suite of wines that are some of the best we've tasted from the region. - Pete L

 

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Danjou-Banessy

Winemaking is undoubtedly in the blood of the Danjou-Banessy brothers, Benoit and Sébastien. Through the passage of generations, the cultivation of grapes and winemaking has remained an integral part of their family's legacy. Their family had been producing fortified and dry rancio wines in the region for generations, and in 1950, their father decided to expand their holdings and purchased more vineyards, which they still farm today. Over the years, he amassed a library of rancio wines which their importer, Ludo, says is still there!

Benoit collaborated closely with his grandfather, and their shared journey culminated in their final vintage together in the year 2000. In 2001, Benoit took over the estate, a responsibility he embraced wholeheartedly. Five years later, Sébastien joined him, transitioning from his role as an English teacher to embrace the family's winemaking heritage. Venturing into new territory, the brothers introduced a contemporary dimension to their legacy. They unveiled still wines – dry whites and reds crafted from the venerable vines of indigenous grape varietals, including the uncommon Carignan Gris.

Central to their winemaking philosophy is a steadfast commitment to biodynamic principles and non-interventionist methods. This harmonious approach yields wines of remarkable quality, characterized by liveliness, elegance, and some of the best wines from the region.

Nestled in the idyllic setting of Espira, a short distance from Rivesaltes, is their 17-hectares of vineyards. The brothers adhere to a single-vineyard approach, nurturing vines with an average age of 60 years. The Estaca vineyard soils are packed with marl and schist, interlaced with traces of silica and iron. The Truffière vineyard, as well as the Myrs, is grounded in black schist and limestone. Meanwhile, Clos des Escounils is composed of clay and limestone, adding yet another layer of complexity to their wines. The Clos des Escounils that I tried last year would be in my top 5 wines for the year. A truly shocking bottle that blew everyone's expectations out of the water.

Danjou-Banessy has become synonymous with the production of premium wines in the Roussillon region. They've gained notoriety across the globe and are found in the best wine bars, restaurants, and shops across France and beyond. We are very lucky to get an allocation of these gorgeous wines. - Pete L

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Haddow & Dineen

Tasting this Saturday

September 9th

3pm - 6pm

This Saturday we will have the new releases from Haddow & Dineen on tasting! We've loved the wines since their first release and have been pretty vocal about that. We even featured their wines in our COVID lockdown inspired foray into the world of YouTube.... Is It Called Wine Time?! Hopefully never to be repeated!

For those who luckily didn't see those videos or haven't heard of Haddow & Dineen before, here's the short version of the story. Jeremy Dineen, who used to be the head honcho at Josef Chromy and Nick Haddow, the bloke behind Bruny Island Cheese Co joined forces to create Haddow & Dineen. Initially the project centred around a tiny vineyard in Yorktown near the mouth of the Tamar River in Tassie. Their idea being great fruit plus great care in the vineyard and winery equals great wine and it turns out they were correct. As with all good things wine, they've grown their holdings and expanded their range, now including a Riesling. The fruit for this is sourced from a new vineyard they are now sourcing fruit from in Sorrel, so not only will we be showing their Methode Ancestrale Sparkling, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir but we will also have their new Riesling open to taste too. - Pete L

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Alain Voge

Alain Voge is regarded as one of the top producers in Cornas and Saint Peray, attributed with not only helping to elevate Cornas's status as a top-tier region for Syrah on the world stage but also drawing much-needed attention to the appellation of Saint Peray and the decadent white wines made in the region.

Henri Voge, Alain's great-grandfather, had moved the family to the Northern Rhone in the early 20th century, where the family began to farm a variety of produce, including grapes. Alain was born in 1939 and, at the age of 22, took over the estate with the help of his mother due to the untimely passing of his father. Voge obviously had a vision and saw the true potential their holdings offered. He worked to replant and regenerate vineyards on land that had been neglected for over 30 years and began estate bottling their wines. At the time, there was very little commercial interest in the region or its wines. A case of Cornas was cheaper than a case of peaches, so pursuing winemaking was a gutsy choice. It wasn't until the mid-80s that he started to see a real return as reviewers and the wine world began to take notice of the region and producers like Voge.

In 2004, Alberic Mazoyer, former cellarmaster of Michel Chapoutier, joined the domaine as Alain developed some health issues that meant he needed to step back. Alberic is a strong believer in the benefits of biodynamic farming, so in 2006, the domaine began the conversion process, initially to organics and gradually to biodynamic practices in 2013.

A little while ago, we were lucky enough to purchase the remaining bottles of Cornas Les Chailles 2013 from the previous importer, and they were fantastic! Fully integrated and still remarkably youthful... These wines really can age! Our allocation for this year is quite small as it's the first time their new importer has offered the wines, so if you've missed these wines or are yet to try them, we can confirm they are as good as ever! - Pete L

 

 

 

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