AUSTRALIA

 

We have expanded and consolidated our Australian range with more emphasis on the differences in style between the major wine regions. True to our aim with European wines, we continue to deal with small family-run concerns where attention to regional character and quality is paramount.

Keith Tulloch, Hunter Valley , New South Wales

The history of winemaking in the Hunter Valley goes back to the 1840s and it was soon after that the Tulloch family emigrated from Scotland . Today their descendant Keith is the fourth generation winemaking Tulloch in the Hunter. The family company having been sold in the late 1960s, Keith learnt winemaking with a number of prestigious estates including Rothbury and the Evans’ Family Estate. James Halliday wrote in his Australian Wine Companion: “I cannot remember being more impressed with an initial release of wines than those under the Keith Tulloch label. The only problem is the small scale of their production, like that of Jeffrey Grosset in his early days. There is the same almost obsessive attention to detail, the same almost ascetic intellectual approach, the same refusal to accept anything but the best.”

2004	Semillon, Keith Tulloch	bottle	£14.00
	Following on admirably from Keith’s 2003 which was rated top Semillon in James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion.
2003	Chardonnay, Keith Tulloch	bottle	£14.00
	Toasty but not buttery, in fact quite Burgundian. Great finesse and structure.
2002	Syrah-Viognier, Keith Tulloch	bottle	£14.00
	Soft, spicy, smoky Syrah fruit. Lovely balance. Great for current drinking .
2001	Kester Shiraz, Keith Tulloch	bottle	£19.00
	Contains 5% Viognier which is vinified together with the Syrah/Shiraz and adds a little extra aromaticity. The Kester has more guts and core than the Syrah-Viognier and warrants keeping 2-3 years, yet it still has great balance and structure. Highly recommended.
2001	Botrytis Semillon, Keith Tulloch	half	£27.50
	We hope to get a little more of this wonderful stuff in the near future – please ask to go on the waiting list !

 

Red Wine Rosé Wine White Wine [O] – Organic [B] - Biodynamic

Hollick, Coonawarra , South Australia

Coonawarra, in South Australia ’s south-east corner, is cooler than many other Australian wine districts with a long growing season and is famous for it’s red “Terra Rossa” soil. Ian Hollick realised the regions potential and bought 22 hectares of prime land in 1974. Today the estate is over 100 hectares including vineyards to the north and south of the main Coonawarra region. Beautifully made wines and great value.

2004	Sauvignon Blanc - Semillon, Hollick	bottle	£8.99
	Vibrant citric, lemon & lime fruit with refreshing acidity. Great picnic white.
2004	Reserve Chardonnay, Hollick	bottle	£10.99
	Judicious use of oak gives a fresh elegance – not tropical or excessively buttery.
2002	Limestone Coast Shiraz-Cabernet, Hollick	bottle	£10.50
	From south of Coonawarra. Plenty of juicy ripe fruit but not excessively inky or tannic. Great steak or barbecue wine.
2002	Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot, Hollick	bottle	£11.50
	Prominent blackcurrant character with minty/eucalypt Terra Rossa character. Great example of a benchmark Coonawarra style.
2004	Limestone Coast Pinot Noir	bottle	£10.50
	Ripe, strawberry/raspberry fruit – great example of New World Pinot Noir.
2004	The Nectar Botrytis Riesling	half	£9.75
	Not a heavyweight “sticky” but rather a well balanced elegant style.

 

Fox Gordon, Barossa Valley , South Australia

A new estate using old vines. The wines are made by winemaker Natasha Mooney from Barossa Valley Estate, famous for her E&E Black Pepper Shiraz.

2002	Eight Uncles Shiraz , Fox Gordon	bottle	£12.95
	“Lovely spicy density to the ripe, nicely poised fruit. Good balance and a spicy finish. This is tasty, full flavoured warm, spicy Shiraz . Modern in style but has personality. Very good/excellent 90/100” Jamie Goode, Wine Anorak

 

Bremerton , Langhorne Creek , South Australia

Langhorne Creek is one of South Australia ’s less well-known regions to us in the UK . It has a dry climate and has a reputation for being disease free. The Bremerton estate was founded in 1988 by Craig & Mignonne Willson and today it is run by their daughters Rebecca (winemaker) and Lucy (marketing manager). James Halliday has described it as “One of Australia’s top 10 new wineries”.

2002	Selkirk Shiraz , Bremerton	bottle	£10.95
	Deep, vibrant colour with distinctive smoky Shiraz character – marked aroma of peppers, rich black cherry fruit and a hint of sweetness. Well-balanced structure and long spicy finish. Serve with red meats or cheese.

 

Coriole, McLaren Vale , South Australia

Coriole is a second generation, family-run wine estate in McLaren Vale. As well as the traditional Shiraz they grow some less traditional varieties such as Sangiovese, Grenache & Mourvèdre.

2003	Sangiovese, Coriole	bottle	£10.75
	With the colour of deep bright cherries & a floral aroma of raspberry, rose & cinnamon apples. Flavours of dark cherry, apple blossom and chewy liquorice on the palate. Well-balanced fruit & firm acid finish. Interesting stuff!
2002	Lloyd Reserve Shiraz , Coriole	bottle	£27.50
	From a single vineyard planted in 1919. Deep purple colour. Fig, blackberry and blueberry plus pepper & spice on the nose. Powerful full-bodied dark berry fruit flavour on the palate, with a little sweet oak evident on the juicy, rolling finish. Restrained ripe tannin and acidity. Great length.

 

Clos Clare, Clare Valley , South Australia

Clare Valley is famous for it’s waxy & limey dry Rieslings. The Clos Clare is a 5 acre block with an old house restored in the 1980s that was purchased in 1996 by Noel Kelly. The Riesling is made for Noel by no less than Jeffrey Grosset. Noel also has a Shiraz made for him by David Powell of Torbreck. Friends in high places!

2003	Riesling Clos Clare	bottle	£14.50
	Beginning to take on classic mature furniture polish flavours yet retaining lively citric fruit.

 

Yarra Yering, Yarra Valley , Victoria

Run by one of Australian wine’s great characters, Dr Bailey Carrodus, Yarra Yering was one of the pioneer estates in the Yarra Valley , a coolish wine region to the east of Melbourne . Please note that these wines are on allocation and we receive only very small quantities of each.

2002	Dry Red No.1 Cabernet Sauvignon, Yarra Yering	bottle	£35.00
	Intense blackcurrant and earthy character with firm but ripe tannins.
2002	Underhill Shiraz , Yarra Yering	bottle	£35.00
	Big, soft, almost sweet blackberry & black cherry fruit. Great stuff.
2002	Pinot Noir, Yarra Yering	bottle	£36.00
	A slightly eccentric take on Pinot Noir with earthy cranberry, strawberry, sweet and sour cherry, and forest floor aromas. These wines age well taking on mature leather flavours. Really interesting wine.

 

Red Wine Rosé Wine White Wine [O] – Organic [B] - Biodynamic  

Ashbrook Estate, Margaret River , Western Australia

The Devitt family purchased the land destined to be Ashbrook Estate in 1975 and are in the fortunate situation of being located on the now famous Willyabrup Block. The whites here are superb, combining fruit character and balancing acidity – great examples of the Margaret River style. We hope to get some dry Riesling before too long.

2004	Semillon, Ashbrook Estate	bottle	£10.95
	Marked lime & citric character. Lively. Good length. These wines mature well taking on more oily textures.
2003	Chardonnay, Ashbrook Estate	bottle	£14.75
	Very fresh and quite “un-Australian”. Half of the wines was malo-inhibited and aged in stainless steel. The other half was barrel fermented.

 

Glenmore Estate, Margaret River , Western Australia

Ian Bell combines being the viticulturist at nearby Moss Wood estate, with the planting and development of 4 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon at Glenmore, his family’s home for generations.

2000	Cabernet Sauvignon, Glenmore	bottle	£16.75
	Characteristic Margaret River style Cabernet Sauvignon – fine tannins with hints of mint and eucalypt running through restrained blackcurrant fruit.