According to an article in The Age (18.08. titled “The singles scene”), Steve Flamsteed, the winemaker of Giant Steps in Healesville in the Yarra Valley allegedly said that “the future is in single-vineyard wines”. In fact one of his own single-vineyard wines, a 2005 Sexton Chardonnay, only recently won a gold medal at the Royal Melbourne Wine Show. And his second single-vineyard wine, a 2005 Terraford Chardonnay, won a silver medal at the same event.
It is easy to be a supporter of single-vineyard wines when you have only a single vineyard, like me (Two Hills Vineyard has only one site). However, where I come from, the Mosel River valley, single vineyard wines are very common, rather the rule than the exception. It comes as no suprise to me that if you have selected the perfect site and planted the right grape variety, your fruit and with it your wine must be exceptionally good. The proliferation of the industry and also the expansion to second grade locations must have a negative effect on quality, which will show somewhere.
Well, the vintners at the Mosel had about 2000 years to select the right sites and the right varieties. We in Australia are not as fortunate as far as the time frame is concerned. But our entrepreneurial spirit, our love for quality and the beauty of the land allow for exceptional finds and with it for exceptional wines. Its great to contribute to this, especially if you are only a miniscule vintner with a very small and rather new vineyard in the Upper Goulburn Wine Region. Let’s move it.
The Man from Mosel River 