New Product Releases: Wine

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1. SHOTTESBROOKE ESTATE SERIES

RRP: 2017 Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir ($19.99), 2016 McLaren Vale GSM ($19.99), 2016 McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.99) • Distributor: The Wine Company (QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC), Shottesbrooke Vineyards (SA, NT) and David Johnstone & Associates (TAS)

The Adelaide Hills pinot fruit used in Shottesbrooke’s 2017 release was sourced from two elevated sites in the sub-regions of Kuipto and Woodside, and was selected specifically for its subtle flavour and character. Wild ferment was a key part of the winemaking process, adding a distinctive element to the wine.

In the 2016 McLaren Vale GSM, grenache grapes, the most heavily represented in the blend, were aged in old French oak to complement the varietal’s natural finesse. The shiraz and mataro components, on the other hand, were aged in American oak to imbue a slight vanilla character into the wine to soften the spice of the grenache. After blending, the wine was bottled quickly to retain its bright colour and unique freshness.

Cabernet is the varietal championed by Shottesbrooke, and the 2016 McLaren Vale release has distinctive and plush dark fruit flavours due to the abnormally warm vintage. The round palate perfectly balances the characteristic green nuance and strong tannins of this varietal. FX10 yeast was used in the fermentation process to soften the wine and develop pleasant aromas.

2. GIESEN ESTATE WINES

RRP: 2017 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($19.99), 2017 Pinot Gris ($19.99), 2016 Riesling ($19.99) • Distributor: Oatley Fine Wine Merchants

The fruit for the 2017 Giesen Estate Sauvignon Blanc came from the Wairau and Awatere Valleys, and shows distinctive regional characteristics from both. The Wairau fruit adds a brightness to the wine, with tropical and citrus flavours, while the high-elevation Awatere grapes give the wine a full body, richness and unique, dry herb note. Harvest was performed over three weeks to ensure maximum sugar ripeness. This wine has been made in the signature estate style, but has boosted aromatics and a finer palate than previous vintages.

The fruit for the 2017 Giesen Estate Pinot Gris came from three regions – Marlborough, Waipara and Hawke’s Bay. This intense and flavoursome wine has lovely aromatics of nectarine, peach and red apple. There is a hint of creaminess on the palate and gentle spice, followed by a vibrant, off-dry finish.

The 2016 vintage of Giesen Estate’s Riesling lives up to the style that people know and love. The same soft, lifted aromas of previous vintages remain, however, a more moderate growing season is reflected in the flavour profile of the wine.

3. 2016 TYRRELL’S RUFUS STONE HEATHCOTE SHIRAZ

RRP: $25.00 • Distributor: Tyrrell’s Wines

Tyrrell’s Wines is celebrating twenty vintages of the Rufus Stone Heathcote Shiraz with the release of the 2016 vintage. The quality of fruit used in this shiraz surpasses that of previous years, due to the early harvest in February 2016. The fruit was fermented separately in both open and closed fermenters, before maturing in French oak barriques for 18 months. As a result, all the fruit stocks were selected for Rufus Stone, the range that always contains the best parcels from the Heathcote blocks. Overall, the Heathcote Shiraz is a complex wine, full and rich in texture, with a fresh, lingering finish. This is a wine that can be enjoyed now or cellared for a few years.

4. TYRRELL’S WINEMAKER’S SELECTION

RRP: 2013 Vat 1 Semillon ($85.00), 2015 Vat 47 Chardonnay ($75.00), 2017 Vat 63 Chardonnay Semillon ($55.00), 2016 Vat 9 Shiraz ($100.00) • Distributor: Tyrrell’s Wines

From 2018 onwards, Tyrrell’s Wines will be celebrating the new vintages of the Winemaker’s Selection range by releasing the wines each year on 1 July. Selected by third generation family member, Murray Tyrrell in 1965, the wines are named after the casks in which they have matured. The wines in the Winemaker’s Selection are only bottled in the years that provide the highest quality. The Winemaker’s Selection release this year is made up of Tyrell’s 2013 Vat 1 Semillon, 2015 Vat 47 Chardonnay, 2017 Vat 63 Chardonnay Semillon and 2016 Vat 9 Shiraz. All of them have been made with limited winemaker intervention, cellared in pristine conditions and released with a minimal bottle age. The Winemaker’s Selection has the ability to gracefully develop in bottle for years to come.