Featuring 12 Local Winemakers this Festive Season!
Collector Wines – Alex McKay
What’s your go to wine on Xmas day?
I look forward to a small glass of Moscato or something similar. One of the best around is the Montevecchio from Chalmers.
What are you expecting from vintage 21?
After good rains, nice bunch weights and high quality, especially from the white varieties.
Are you doing anything new this year?
We’re fairly set in our ways, but using a little more large-format oak, and just working on the one percenters!
How would you describe your wine style?
Very faithful to what the vineyard delivers.
What wine in your range is hot right now?
Our Rose Red City Sangiovese from the Canberra District is walking out the door.
What is the one Kauri product you can’t live without?
We love FermControl BIO. We use it on every vineyard parcel, regardless of whether we use a specific yeast strain or run a wild ferment. It’s important to us that it’s a certified organic product. In every aspect our winemaking, from vineyard to winery, we respect and respond to the site and its fruit, and FermControl BIO is central to us delivering on our wine style (see above!)
And finally, if you could make wine anywhere, what wine and where would it be?
There are so many beautiful and compelling places to make wine! However nothing beats your own backyard – I love our region. What I really enjoy is trying to solve the puzzle of why/where/how should we grow, make and package this grape – and who is going to buy it? Current fancy? Cabernet Sauvignon.
Springvale Wines – Barry Kooji – TAS
What’s your go to wine on Xmas day?
2020 Melrose Pinot Noir – Very versatile slurpable Pinot that can be slightly chilled if it’s a warm day.
What are you expecting from vintage 21?
After 2 drought induced lean years we are expecting a decent crop thanks to soaking winter rains and a mild, dry late spring.
Are you doing anything new this year?
We have a new addition to our range – the recently released 2020 Melrose Chardonnay. A vibrant, citrus driven style with moorish texture and funk.
How would you describe your wine style?
Vibrant and balanced. The aim is every component in balance.
What wine in your range is hot right now?
The 2020 Rose is our hottest seller in cellar door at the moment. A equal blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Syrah.
What is the one Kauri product you can’t live without?
FermControl – the most consistently reliable fermentation aid I have come across.
And finally, if you could make wine anywhere, what wine and where would it be?
Tassie Pinot Noir – a never ending trail in sites/clones/vineyard management/winemaking techniques etc etc.
Justin McNamee – Samuel’s Gorge Wines – SA
What’s your go to wine on Xmas day?
Well to be honest there are many wines. It’s absolutely essential we start the day with highly charged Jamaican rum-based eggnog. Then we always scoot down to our local beach for French fizz, and the merriness begins from there.
What are you expecting from vintage 21?
It’s early days but we’ve had good winter rains to set up vine health for the summer ahead. Fingers crossed for our trademark blue skies without too much fierce heat.
Are you doing anything new this year?
There’s always some mischief and alchemy bubbling away in the background at the winery but I won’t let the cat out of the bag just yet.
How would you describe your wine style?
Our house style is based around aromatic textural reds that express the landscape the live in, our culture and our climate. Our wines are aromatically engaging and we have a bent toward savoury rather than opulence of fruit.
What wine in your range is hot right now?
There’s a growing celebration of all things Grenache and for us that encompasses 2 multi-varietal blends and a single varietal Grenache. PS. We tend to cringe at the word “hot” around here…
What is the one Kauri product you can’t live without?
To be honest, our resident dog ‘Chunk’ can’t do without his favourite toy; the silicone bung! But we’ve been very fortunate to acquire one of the large format Saury Cuves and will be moving towards more of these big boys in the future.
And finally, if you could make wine anywhere, what wine and where would it be?
I’ve only got one life and I’ve chosen McLaren Vale… but don’t tell too many people; we are working on a Gamay project on the southern tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula. Very exciting.
Radburn Cellars – Kate Radburn – Hawkes Bay
What’s your go to wine on Xmas day?
First sip of the day is always fizz, I don’t mind if it is NZ or French but must have lovely autolysis, fresh crisp acidity and be super chilled. Great jump starter.
What are you expecting from vintage 21?
I am expecting an early vintage start, as early as Feb is looking likely and working with small parcels of the best fruit possible across Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet.
Are you doing anything new this year?
I am going to look particularly at slightly cooler fermentation temperatures on select parcels of our reds to encourage elegance and fragrance.
How would you describe your wine style?
Great food wines which display elegance, purity of fruit and focussed acidity. Refined wines which age beautifully.
What wine in your range is hot right now?
Our 2018 Radburnd Cellars Chardonnay is our current highlight, very fitting as it is the first wine released from our very new business which is very exciting. >>> BUY IT HERE <<<
What is the one Kauri product you can’t live without?
FermControl is my go to nutrient, staged additions during ferment. I am a huge fan of both Saury and Leroi barrels, with long seasoning, tight grain and not heavily toasted.
And finally, if you could make wine anywhere, what wine and where would it be?
I think a stint in Champagne, underground, making vintage champagne, most likely focussing on Blanc de Blanc….or perhaps it is just that time of year!!
Otelia Wines – John and Matilda Innes – SA
What’s your go to wine on Xmas day?
Sparkling red paired with opening presents a longstanding Innes ‘tradition’.
What are you expecting from vintage 21?
We’ve got high expectations for 2021, the season is off to a very promising start in the Limestone Coast. We’re looking forward to putting 2020 behind us!
Are you doing anything new this year?
This year we released our first Ottelia Graciano, 2019 vintage from Padthaway. We’re thrilled with the wine and are looking forward to sharing it. Matilda has also started her own label Taschini, the first release is a 2020 co-fermented Pinot Gris, Graciano and Sangiovese. Served chilled it’s ideal for Summer drinking.
How would you describe your wine style?
Our wine style is vibrant, fresh and food friendly. We believe that winemaking begins in the vineyard and the Ottelia wines are reflective of the sites they’re sourced from. We have a ‘back to basics’ approach in the winery, using small open fermenters, wild ferments and a basket press.
What wine in your range is hot right now?
Our Mount Gambier Riesling. The region is a having its well-deserved moment in the spotlight. It’s known for the super cool climate and pure limestone soils, creating wines with intense natural acidity and beautiful minerality.
What is the one Kauri product you can’t live without?
The Smart Analysis AKA the wine lab in a shoebox! It’s convenient, practical and makes analysis so easy.
And finally, if you could make wine anywhere, what wine and where would it be?
John: Riesling across Germany, my first white wine love!
Matilda: The Jura in France, making Vin Juane. I love the complexities and characteristics of the style, it would be incredible knowledge to gain and experiment with.
Elderton Wines – Brock Harrison – SA
What’s your go to wine on Xmas day?
I can’t go past Riesling, being summer.
What are you expecting from vintage 21?
High quality fruit and a lot more tonnes than the previous 2 vintages.
Are you doing anything new this year?
There are quite a few new projects in the pipeline, however I am not at liberty to release details as yet. Please keep an eye on the Elderton Web page and socials (Facebook and Instagram) throughout 2021.
How would you describe your wine style?
For our reds, they are regionally expressive, fruit focused with structured yet supple tannins. They are approachable as young wines, but will also age exceptionally well. Our Whites also aim to promote fruit, freshness and of course drinkability.
What wine in your range is hot right now?
2020 Elderton Eden Valley Riesling. A super pristine and delicate Riesling, showing lifted white florals and citrus, with an amazing natural acidity to complement the fruit.
What is the one Kauri product you can’t live without?
FermControl, it has always been super reliable and consistently resulted in a very clean fermentation and most importantly good fruit expression.
And finally, if you could make wine anywhere, what wine and where would it be?
Grand Cru Chardonnay in Burgundy.
Macaw Creek Wines – Rod Hooper – SA
What’s your go to wine on Xmas day?
Xmas is at Tiddy Widdy Beach on the York Peninsula with freshly caught Blue Swimmer Crabs and a glass or three of our Organic Clare Valley Riesling under our Em’s Table label.
What are you expecting from vintage 21?
A much better vintage …2019 and 2020 were tough due to the heat and drought conditions, a La Nina led spring in late 2020 has made 2021 vintage look much better in terms of fruit quality and yield.
Are you doing anything new this year?
After the dry conditions for the past 2 years we have pruned severely this winter and added Organic compost and organic fertilizers in spring to try and improve the soil moisture retention in the soil and overall vine health. So whilst our yields will be low the quality should be very good.
How would you describe your wine style?
We make a range of wines both Organic and Preservative Free and Conventional, but our overlying style is elegant with good varietal fruit definition balanced with quality oak.
What wine in your range is hot right now?
Our latest Reserve release is a 2018 Shiraz Malbec grown at Macaw Creek from 20 year old Shiraz and Malbec (Wendouree clone) which to me whilst still elegant and soft is like an iron fist in a velvet glove so drinks well now but has the tannin structure to age well. The wine is available online at www.macawcreekwines.com.au.
What is the one Kauri product you can’t live without?
FermControl BIO is our go to nutrient for our Organic ferments, certified Organic and produces clean wines from steady ferments which helps promote good varietal definition in our Organic wines and particularly important in our preservative free Organic Shiraz.
And finally, if you could make wine anywhere, what wine and where would it be?
Happy making great Shiraz and Riesling from Clare Valley but maybe making Assyrtiko on Santorini could be a good gig.
Billy Button and Shy Susan Wines – Glenn and Jo – VIC
What’s your go to wine on Xmas day?
2020 Jo and I both agree on this one – it’s definitely very chilled Sparkling Shiraz, we both come from a tradition of this!
What are you expecting from vintage 21?
Well, it has to be a very big one as we did not harvest any grapes from our Alpine Valleys region in 2020 due to catastrophic smoke taint levels. We had extra storage in place last year so we do have better more efficient capacity.
Are you doing anything new this year?
Yes we are… There is usually a new variety on the horizon for us but in 2021 we will be sourcing two different parcels of something more traditional – Pinot Noir. A Whitlands parcel (King Valley at 800m) and an Alpine Valleys (Kiewa Valley) both mature multi clone plantings. Also, we have recently purchased land with our new home just outside Porepunkah and are planning to plant small blocks of northern Italian reds that are currently not in our current portfolio.
How would you describe your wine style?
We currently work with 23 different varieties at Billy Button (well, North East Vintners for a wider group of labels) so ‘diverse’ would be a good description!!
What wine in your range is hot right now?
Our ‘Wildflower’ Prosecco is just going crazy at the moment….in WA to NSW.
What is the one Kauri product you can’t live without?
That’s very easy – FermControl has made our ferments far more problem free and more resulting in more expressive wines.
And finally, if you could make wine anywhere, what wine and where would it be?
Alpine Valleys Mencia!! …stay tuned.
Tim Smith Wines – Tim Smith – SA
What’s your go to wine on Xmas day?
Only one? I always like treating myself and family with Condrieu. And Champagne. Lots of it…
What are you expecting from vintage 21?
Nothing like 2020! We move into our new winery next week, so after 35 years in the wine industry, we have our own little winery…I don’t really know how that’s going to play out-but after this amount of time-I’ll take anything…
Are you doing anything new this year?
We’re running a fairly ‘straight bat’ vintage so we can ease into the new space and just focus on what works for us this year…
How would you describe your wine style?
Modern Barossa; We like bright primary fruits, with good oak support. We don’t follow fads. Although since our first vintage for TSW in 2002, our style has certainly evolved.
What wine in your range is hot right now?
2019 Tim Smith Wines Barossa Mataro Grenache Shiraz.
What is the one Kauri product you can’t live without?
Only one? We’ve used Saury American oak hogsheads since 2002 for Tim Smith Wines, and for quite a while before that when I worked for corporate wine factories…Ironically-and the sales guys wont like this one; but I’ve been using Saury French oak puncheons since 2008. Initially as part of our Viognier fermentation program, but with the view (back then, and still to this day) of then using them as older vessels for our ‘older oak’ maturation for Grenache and Mataro.
And finally, if you could make wine anywhere, what wine and where would it be?
Only one? Bandol, Mataro.
Wine Unplugged and Pacha Mama – Callie Jemmeson and Nina Stocker – VIC
What’s your go to wine on Xmas day?
Champagne! We kick start every Christmas morning with a glass of Champagne and some croissants.
What are you expecting from vintage 21?
Forever the optimists we’re expecting great things from V21. So far the vineyards are looking plush and healthy with a nice strong balanced crop. Let’s hope mother nature is kind to us this year.
Are you doing anything new this year?
We are always on the look out for interesting parcels of fruit that might pop up along the way that inspires a new project. This year we are looking at some small batches of alternative varieties from Central Vic. We’re also converting all our wines to vegan friendly!
How would you describe your wine style?
We’re all about creating delicious wines that showcase the incredible fruit our growers work tirelessly all year round to grow. We are hands off winemakers crafting wines that we want to drink with our friends and family. High quality, food friendly wines at affordable prices.
What wine in your range is hot right now?
Our Pacha Mama Yarra Valley Chardonnay has been a massive hit! So has our Cloak Sangiovese which is bright and juicy and is the perfect red for summer.
What is the one Kauri product you can’t live without?
Saury barrels! They are the secret weapon behind our Pacha Chardonnay and Pinot noir! We just love the way the oak seemlessly integrates with our delicate fruit.
And finally, if you could make wine anywhere, what wine and where would it be?
That’s a tough one! We’d really love to make another Gamay here in Vic! We’re all about highlighting Victorian wine regions and Gamay is such a fun and delicious grape variety. Now we just need to hunt some down!
