Sweet breakfast

January 31, 2010

Yummy waffles with strawberries

Our daughters Lucy and Charlotte surprised us today with waffles for breakfast. They had to try out the new waffle machine which we acquired yesterday. The sweet waffles cried out for a wine. Well, why not, I thought, starting this Sunday in style.

2008 Hardy’s Riesling Gewuerztraminer’, medium dry

We had this bottle of ‘2008 Hardy’s Riesling Gewuerztraminer’ (11.5% vol. alcohol.), an unusual blend for my taste buds, left over from last night. With the sweet breakfast it went much better than with the spicy bean soup. The strong lemon aroma of the wine is quite nice but its also oily like petrol (or good Alsatian and Australian Riesling). However, medium dry is “too sweet” for me somehow.

Great colour in the glass

I asked myself why one would blend these two varieties which stand on their own perfectly well? I rather enjoy them as single varieties, I must say. I only know of Australian blends of these two grape varieties.
If the purpose of a blend made of different grape varieties is to add more complexity to the flavour and texture of a wine, I am not sure if the Hardy winemakers succeeded.

But as Shakespeare has Hamlet say:

“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy”.
(Hamlet Act 1, Scene 5, 159–167)

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The Australian Wine Industry: oh boy!

January 7, 2010

The new year has started slow for me as a wine blogger. I have a couple of pieces in the making, for instance on my winery tour in Thailand where we visited three wineries and tasted their produce. But reading through the mail on the internet does not lend itself to optimism if you are an Australian vintner like me.

Here are some of the facts, suggestions and ideas for 2010 and beyond:

– rip out 35,000 ha of vineyards to restore a balance between demand and supply

– overproduction of 20-40 million cases of wine equivalent to 300,00 to 500,000 tonnes of fruit, ergo the need to rip out between 20,00 and 40,000 ha

– “clean skin” bottled wine available for A$ 1.99 or “two buck chuck”

– wine surplus being sold for 50 cent a litre

– grape prices of around A$ 150-200 per tonne of fruit

– in only seven years, I guess from 1995 to 2002, Australians planted 75,000 ha which was meant to be planted over a 25 year period

– estimated financial losses in the Australian wine industry of about A$ 124 million in 2009

-medium-sized producers such as De Bortoli Wines (our neighbour in the Yarra Valley) posted a loss of A$ 1.6 million in 2008-2009

– vineyards are unsellable, Cockatoo Ridge Wine, for instance, could not sell its Monash Winery (valued at $14.3 million) in Riverland

– more than 300 grape-grower contracts cancelled in the Murray

– Murray Valley Winegrowers removed about 2,000 ha of vineyards.

I could continue this list of bad news (for instance mentioning the strong Australian dollar) but do not want to depress you further. However, there is good news too. Consumers can finally enjoy good quality wines at much more affordable prices. I can feel this even in my Bangkok supermarket where Australian wines sell cheaper than last year.

I personally think that Australian wine prices were too high in the past. In my native Germany, many family wineries survived on much lower producer prices for many years. In my hometonw Trier you can get an excellent Riesling wine bought from the producer directly for about 5-8 EURO/bottle (A$ 8-12). These are Riesling wines from ultra steep cliffs, and everything is done by hand. On an aggregate, of course, German farmers and vintners are supported by various government subsidy schemes which we (alas) do not have in Australia.

Peolpe who say, that “the Australian wine industry did not know where to stop” are of course mistaken in their analysis. In a market economy the “overshooting” is punished by declning prices and unsold produce which in turn will lead to the reduction in production capacity. But since wine is an agricultural good which relies on a three to four year growing period before you can have additional grapes, the delay in decision-making can be costly.

The “irrational excuberance” was in fact the result of rational decision-making. Investors wanted to make a profit. That some of it was tax-fuelled is proof of irrational government interference by providing wrong incentives (tax credits). The second group party blamed for the glut is “lifestyle winemakers and vintners” to which I also belong. I still hope that my long-term view will “save” me and that I can indulge in grape growing and wine making after my retirement for a couple of more years. Since there is no succession plan, our enterprise might be short lived but such is life.

Cheers folk, after such heavy stuff I need a drink. Maybe, as Jancis Robinson suggest in her latest column, a German Riesling. How about a Forster Ungeheuer from the Pfalz or a Van Volxem Riesling from the Saar?

2007 Forster Ungeheuer, Grosses Gewaechs

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What a vintner needs

December 29, 2009

A cup of tea, a digital camera, a hat, a note book, a pen, a tape measure (?), glasses (old vintners do), some coins and a knife.

Anything missing?

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A Sunday at Bloody Hill

September 21, 2009

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Great Yarra Valley views from the Mayer Vineyard (left to the dam)

On a beautiful Sunday in early August, we were in for a surprise visit to the Mayer’s. We bought some “nibblies” (Australian for cold meats, sausages, cheeses, condiments, etc.) and some wine in Healesville and drove up the steep drive to Bloody Hill on top of which their beautiful house (rammed earth) is situated. Alas, they were in and happy to welcome their unannounced intruders.

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The vineyard at the crest of the hill is very neat

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Some of the wines on “offer” (f.l.t.r.: a Silvaner from Franconia, Dr. Buerklin-Wolf, a Riesling from the Pfalz and a Dr. Mayer Pinot Noir from the Yarra Valley)

We came at the right time. A shipment of Riesling wine (about 60 cases) which Timo had made on a visit to Germany last year had just arrived and was ready for tasting. Moreover, as a member of the South Pack, Timo was in the preparation of a wine tasting tour to three Australian cities (Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane). The South Pack is a group of eight innovative young Australian wine-makers who have raised the bar for the selling of premium and super-premium wines in sluggish markets.

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The German Brotzeit

A quick “Brotzeit” was thrown up and the wine tasting could start. We did not drink in any kind of order but rather according to gusto and enthusiasm. First cap of the rank was the German Riesling Timo had made, Dr. Mayer Riesling of which I have no picture which speaks for itself. This was not a time for tasting notes but for joy and nourishment of body and soul, for Australian and Swabian story telling and song.

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Bloody Hill Pinot Noir

Timo is a native of a small hamlet, called “Grossheppach” (about 4,500 inhabitants), today part of the small town called Weinstadt (translated: wine city) in the Rems valley (the Rems is a small river), Wuerttemberg, about 15 km east of Stuttgart. As everything in Germany, Grossheppach has a long history.

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Coat of arms of Grossheppach showing the river Rems and four grapes on a vine

Furthermore, the village has a long tradition of vine cultivation and wine making. Timo comes from a family of small vintners (and farmers).

In 1279 a historical deed is the earliest written testament of the flourishing wine production in Grossheppach. Magister Rudolf, a local doctor, had bequeathed his house in Esslingen and three vineyards in Grossheppach to the Abbey of Bebenhausen which was witnessed by knight ‘Fridericus miles de Heggebach’.

Timo showed as a historical chronicle of Grossheppach with black and white photos which also depicted his family in the 18th and 19th century. Here we are, thousands of kilometres away from the old land and talking grape production, wine traditions and wine styles. To cut a long story short, Timo had made his first ever Riesling wine in Grossheppach and shipped it for sale to Australia.

It was not the time for tasting notes, I guess. We opened one bottle after the next. First the Riesling wines, then Chardonnay and finally Pinot Noir and Shiraz, all Mayer Vineyard wines and Timo Mayer creations.

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Mayer and Dr. Mayer Pinot Noir and a traditional German wine label with the coat of arms of Grossheppach

The Mayer Vineyard is only a small operation (2.5 ha under vines). All wines are hand crafted and from a single vineyard. Timo believes that wine is made in the vineyard, therefore there is minimal interference. The reds are unfined and unfiltered. Timo makes wines with a difference, with great character and individuality. As he says “he wants to bring back the funk”, and funky these drops are. James Halliday, “the wine pope of Australia”, has awarded his highest rating, a 5 stars, to the Mayer Vineyard.

The Dr. Mayer Pinot Noir is one of the newest creations from the masters hands; a great wine, elegant, whole bunch fermented if I am not mistaken. Timo assumed that all of it would be sold during the South Pack promotion tour together with the Riesling. By now there should be nothing left, I guess.

Needless to say that the day extended to the night and ended with a pasta feast for 9 hungry mouths.

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The pasta sauce in the making

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The magician at work, this time in the kitchen and not in the wine cellar

We had a great time. The children played all afternoon. We walked the vineyard and Timo showed me where he shot a deer. Then we went to get some of that venison for us to take home. The “Brotzeit” led to dinner and then it was time to drive home to our own vineyard in Glenburn. Good news is that Timo is planning to make Riesling again in 2009 and maybe the following years.

For sales and enquiries contact:
timomayer@bigpond.com.au

The following wines are for sale:
Bloody Hill Chardonnay
Bloody Hill Pinot Noir
Big Betty Shiraz
Mayer Close Planted Pinot Noir (also as the Dr. Mayer Pinot Noir)

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Vineyard profile: Rocky Passes Estate, Upper Goulburn, Victoria

August 25, 2009

During our last week together in Glenburn, we decided to go on an outing and visit a boutique winery near Yea: Rocky Passes Estate, a micro vineyard and also a member of our Upper Goulburn Winegrowers Association. Rocky Passes estate is owned and operated by Vitto Oles and Candi Westney. Candi had left a message on my blog inviting us over to get to know them and their wines.

We went the long way passing through Yea and Trawool, then through some bushland searching for Highlands Road. It was a very beautiful drive through the Victorian countryside. On the hills one sees those rock boulders as in the photo below.

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Rocky terrain

The only vineyard in the area is on the right hand side: Rocky Passes Estate, about 15 minutes east from Seymour. A sheep shed stands in the middle of the vineyard.

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Rocky Passes Vineyard

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Vineyard near the house

The house and the cellar door are very pretty. Vitto is not only a talented vigneron and winemaker but also a carpenter by profession. He has applied his skills to the winery as well. I just loved the tasting room which is quite cosy.

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The house and the picnic area

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Charlotte and Lucy with the emblem of the estate: the eagle

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The tasting room

Rocky Passes Estate is a boutique winery in the artisan tradition, inspired by the simplicity of the Argentinian cantinas. It produces biodynamically grown fruit. Yields are kept low to achieve outstanding wine qualities.

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Margit tasting the Rocky Passes wines

Rocky Passes Estate produces exclusively Syrah grapes (1.6 ha) and wines. Vitto had recently planted some Viognier (0.4 ha) which will extend the product range. We tasted all of the released wines. Excellent drops, I can confirm it.

James Halliday awarded to the ‘2005 Rocky Passes Syrah’ 94 Parker points and ranked the estate as a top winery (five stars). This is a great achievement. Nothing to add. The verdict is clear: these are top of the rank wines. Also the other vintages show their character as fine cool climate wines of Central Victoria. We bought a mixed dozen bottles and took one of the 2005 vintage back to Bangkok.

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Vitto, the artisan, and Margit in the winery

Vitto also introduced us to the wines in the making, some blends of Cabernet and Shiraz, and straight Cabernets. The vineyard is an extreme cool site and prone to late frosts in some years. Everything is hand made, from pruning to harvesting as well as the work in the small winery.

Established in 2000 total production is only about 800 cases. The wines are very reasonably priced. The 2005 Syrah with the 94 points cost only A$ 25 at the cellar door. The winery is worth a visit. Vitto and Candy are excellent hosts and extremely kind, full or energy and enthusiasm. Vitto has lots of interesting stories to tell. Give them a ring before going there.

We drove back along Highlands Road directly to Yea. Also this drive is worth it. What a lovely outing this was on a fine winters day in rural Victoria. Don’t miss it.

Address:
Vitto Oles & Candi Westney
Rocky Passes Estate
1590 Highlands Rd
Whiteheads Creek
Vic 3660
Australia
+61 3 5796 9366

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Wine shopping in Healesville, Yarra Valley

August 16, 2009

Barrique

For a long time I wanted to write about my wine shopping experience in Healesville, a charming tourist town in the Yarra Valley, about an hour’s drive from Melbourne. One can find a jewel of a wine store in this rural retreat, called Barrique. I took the photo above Christmas last year.

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This is the old shop front

When visiting Healesville again in July 2009, I was shocked to not see the above signpost in the old place. I was afraid that the global financial crises and the bush fires might have let to the closure of this little wine shop. Alas, it had only moved a block further along the main street into the city centre. I was so happy when I found it again.

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The “new” Barrique, a block further up the main street

I could not resist the temptation. Previously, I had bought German wines from this shop. I dashed in to see what was on offer. The wines are beautifully displayed. There was so much out there. I could not stop browsing through the shelves.

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The inside of Barrique

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So many bottles

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Wines from all over the world

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The “German box” with selected Riesling wines from various German wine regions

The box above announces some of the best German Riesling producers from Mosel, and Nahe. I just love Riesling wines. In the end I picked up four bottles, one from the Pfalz, three from the Mosel. I will not tell you what they were today. More about the tastings of these wines later. Stay tuned to the Man from Mosel River.
Cheers

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The South Pack: Young Australian winemakers on a mission

August 15, 2009

The wine glut in Australia makes wine marketing a true challenge. Many vignerons and wineries have to knock on endless doors of wine outlets, restaurants and retail shops. You get sick of it. Among others, that’s one of the reaosns why eight young independent winemakers from Victoria have created “their own thing”. They call themselves “The South Pack”.

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Three years ago they started their own roadshow to Melbourne and Sydney. Instead of going out and selling wine, they decided that people should come to them. They look for a suitable location, a restaurant, a hotel or any other suitable facility and invite the top trades and restaurant people to come for a tasting: meet the maker and his wines. Usually it’s accompanyied by food and music and great fun.

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The eight young winemakers (actually they are nine people) knew each other through the wine business and are friends and mates. This year the roadshow will be conducted for the third time. Last year, also Brisbane was included. Attendence is by invitation only but numbers at the shows have multiplied every year. This year will be no different. There is a great interest to meet the originators, the magicans, the winemakers and have them talk about their products: hand carfted artisan fine wines of ourstanding qualities. These wines are not like the industrial liquids, technically well made wines but a bit ordinary, normal, faceless.

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Meet the unusual. I only know one of the eight personally, Timo Mayer, a longtime friend. Timo is the winemaker of Gembrook Hills in the Yarra Valley and has his own vineyard and label. He made our award winning ‘2002 Two Hills Sauvignon Blanc’. He told me all about South Pack. I was exited to learn about this initiative and its immediate success.

Even if you have not been invited, just pick up some of their wines. Most of them you can buy online. Here is where to find and contact them:

Luke Lambert: mainly Syrah from St. Andrews, Yarra Valley and Nebbiolo from Heathcote.
www.lukelambertwines.com.au

James Lance – Punch: The winery in the Yarra Valley was severely affected by the bushfires, produces Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon
www.punched.com.au

Gary Mills – Jamsheed (named after a famous Persian king): Shiraz and Gewuerztraminer
www.jamsheed.com.au

Timo Mayer: Bloddy Hill he calls his vineyard on the top of a windy peak overlooking the Yarra Valley, most of his 2.5 ha are under Pinot Noir, some Chardonnay and some Shiraz
www.timomayer.com.au

Mac Forbes: wines come from the Yarra Valley (lots of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) but also the Strathboogie Ranges (Riesling). The so called “alternative wines” are made from fruit from other wine regions in Victoria. Here you’ll find varieties such as Barbera, Gruener Veltliner, and Blaufraenkisch
www.macforbes.com.au

Adam Foster -Syrahmi: another winery from Heathcote with beautiful Shiraz wines
I could only find references ot his wines but not a proper website.

William Downie: solely Pinot Noir wines are made by William, the fruit comes from the yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Gippsland
www.williamdownie.com.au

Barney Flanders and David Chapman – Allies: Allies is a collaboration between Barney and David. They produce a variety of wines (one label is called “Garagiste”, implying garage wines of made of excellent fruit; there must be a lot of French influence!?). Their Pinot and Chardonnay wines come from the Mornington Peninsula, the Shiraz comes from Heathcote (no surprise).
www.allies.com.au

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In the air again

August 13, 2009

I left the vineyard last Sunday, a beautiful sunny winter’s day. It was a sad moment; in fact it always is. We drove down Two Hills road; Margit, Lucy, Charlotte and me. I drove our old pick-up truck. We were all able to control our emotions somehow. it was just such a good time we had together. They dropped me, a quick hug, a kiss, and they were gone.

At Melbourne airport I checked the wine section. Everywhere was the campaign “Put Victoria on your table”. In the wine from Victoria section I even found some wines from our region, the Upper Goulburn Wine Region. But most wines cam from the Yarra Valley.

While browsing through the bookshop, I picked up a copy of the biography of Led Zeppelin (by Mick Wall, titled “When giants walked the earth”), a genre of books which I usually do not buy. I felt a bit nostalgic, I guess and I bought it: reading material for the nine hours flight back to Bangkok and already “Stairways to heaven” in my mind.

The tune of “Stairways to heaven” was in my mind. I had just left heaven (we Adams are used to leave paradise). There is nothing better in life than fond memories and a good tune.

And ever since I have not produced a singel blog entry. Until today. I must have arrived somewhere.

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On the farm

July 31, 2009

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Morning visitor: a kangaroo

Life on the farm is just wonderful. Mornings are misty, sometimes cold with frost. Groups of kangaroos graze on our paddocks and come very closed to our house. The little joeys following their mothers.

It is so quiet, the air so clean. Winter in Victoria is like an Irish summer. Everything is green which nurtures the illusion that everything is fine. It is not. We are in the middle of a draught.

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Our dams are at their lowest ever

Finally, we got a reasonable amount of rain. Last night according to the rain gauge we got 10 mm, the most since early July. The other times it was between 2 and 3 mm, and once we had 7.5 mm. Fact is that the draught is still on. The soil is dry. You just need to dig, and you will know.

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Wombat wholes are big

I am still busy chasing the Wombat from his home which it made in one of our dam walls. Not a good idea. Every day I carry some rock down and fill in the whole. It has to go. The beast will dig until it gets through. Then of course it is going to be flushed out but I will have lost a dam.

We applied organic fertilizers to the Sauvignon Blanc and the Pinot Noir. 10 more rows need to be done but because of the rain yesterday, we had to stop. The wire dropping is finished too.

I plan to roll up the barbed wires of my burned out windbreak. The second windbreak has its fence almost intact. Many trees, all local varieties, look dead. Only the larger gums seem to have survived. I have given up on the windbreak near the house but plan to replant the one on our second hill. Also our little wood needs replanting. I will have to wait a bit longer for the assessment of what has survived.

The weekend, my last one for this visit, will be full as usual with socialising, and wine drinking. Heaven on a stick, paradise pure.

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Wine tasting: Upper Goulburn selection

July 30, 2009

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Three of the four wines

When up on our vineyard in Glenburn, Central Victoria we do not only drink our own wine, but sample also quite a few, mainly local wines. Some of them I have introduced to you before (Rees Miller Estate and Kinloch Wines).

The four wines, we tried recently, were the following:

– Lost Valley Winery, ‘2004 Hazy Mountain Merlot’ (14.0% alc.), from the Upper Goulburn
– Mount Samaria, ‘2005 Shiraz Cabernet’ (13.5% alc.), Upper Goulburn
– Girdwood Estate, ‘2005 Pinot Noir’ (16.0% alc.!!!), Alexandra, Upper Goulburn

The fourth wine came from the King Valley, just north west of The Upper Goulburn wine region.

– DALZOTTO, ‘2002 Cabernet Sauvignon’ (13.5% alc.), King Valley

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Mount Samaria has a wombat on his label.

I do not want to describe each wine (I hate tasting notes), but a short summary is warranted.

Unfortunately, the Pinot Noir from Girwood Estate was somehow off. I had a strange smell and must somehow gone bad. We will have to try again.

I loved the Merlot from Lost Valley Winery. What a ripper wine with all the qualities of an excellent single variety wine. Also the Shiraz Cabernet from Mt. Samaria is a very nice wine and need to be praised. Both wines show that members of our association produce outstanding cool climate wines.

Also the King Valley wine from Dal Zotto was just lovely (excellent). It seems that we will not be able to visit this cool climate wine region during this visit. After the bush fires, there is just too much to do out here on our farm. Moreover, winter is an ideal time for cleaning up the bush, the land and the vineyard.

We will continue tasting various local wines. Soon more, stay tuned.

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