Ten of the best new wineries
As ever, ten of the best, not the best ten, although this year the outcome was nearly the same thing. The Barossa Valley provided half of the wineries, perhaps a reflection of the storehouse it has of great shiraz.
Allies Wines Mornington Peninsula
Barney Flanders and David Chapman calls Allies a collaboration. Both are originally from a restaurant background, Barney on the floor and David in the kitchen. One thing led to another as they followed separate paths into the wine industry, and then joined forces on the Mornington Peninsula, producing quite beautiful wines, albeit in limited quantities.
Chapman Grove Wines Margaret River
Bruce Duckes is the contract winemaker for Chapman Grove, which has 30 ha of high-quality vineyards. Top label wines under the Atticus label are singularly impressive, led by (what else?) chardonnay; the 2005 and '06 vintages are both stunning.
First Drop Wines Barossa Valley
If nothing else, this shows what a virtual winery can achieve. The business is owned by Matt Gant and John Retsas. Matt was led away from his geography degree from the University of London by lecturer Tim Unwin, who took students on a field trip to Burgundy and Champagne, leading Matt to Australia, where he won the Wine Society's Young Winemaker fo the Year Award in 2004, and the Young Gun Wine Award in '07. John learned his trade at St Hallett, Chain of Ponds, and is now general manager of Schild Estate.
Larry Cherubino Wines South Australia Zone
It should have come as no surprise to anyone that when Larry Cherubino set up his own business in 2005 he hit the ground running. His distinguished winemaking career started at Hardys Tintara, then Houghton for a number of years, and thereafter as a Flying Winemaker in high demand in Australia, NZ, South Africa, the US and Italy. This, too, is a virtual winery operation.
Maverick Wines Barossa Valley
A perfectly timed exercise by four very astute wine professionals who acquire four vineyards in the Eden Valley and Barossa Valley during the 2004-06 years of surplus. Their 30 ha are the foundation for a singularly impressive portfolio.
Rohrlach Family Wines Barossa Valley
Brothers Kevin, Graham and Wayne Rohrlach, with wives Lyn, Lynette and Kaylene, and third-generation growers of 95 ha of prime vineyard land. Until 2000, the grapes were sold to two leading Barossa wineries, but in that year some of the grapes were held back for vinification under the Rohrlach label. In 2003, the family received the ultimate accolade when the Barons of the Barossa gave them the title 'Vignerons of the Year'. It is not hard to see why.
Russell Wines Barossa Valley
John Russell (and wife Rosalind) came to the Barossa in 1990 to create the Barossa Music Festival (with great success). The wine bug bit, and in 1994 they planted the first 14 ha of vines, now increased to 32 ha on three vineyards. Shawn Kalleske makes the wines, optimising the quality of grapes he receives for the label.
The Old Faithful Estate McLaren Vale
This is a fifty-fifty joint venture between American specialist wine importer John Larchet (with one half), and a quartet of Nick Haselgrove, Warren Randall, Warren Ward and Andrew Fletcher, all of whom know McLaren Vale like the back of their hand (with the other half). Focused on the US market, the venture is able to pay top dollar for top-quality grapes, and the wines are skillfully made by the equally experienced Nick Haselgrove.
The Story Wines Grampians
This is a story indeed, taking the varied backgrounds of people who have made their way into the wine industry one step further, for founder, owner and winemaker Rory Lane had as his qualification a degree in ancient Greek literature. Not wanting to put this to the test of real world wealth creation, he enrolled in a post-graduate wine technology and marketing course at Monash University, and the rest is history.
Yalland & Papps Barossa Valley
This is the venture of Michael and Susan Papps (nee Yelland, set up after their marriage, in 2005. Michael lived in the Barossa Valley for 20 years working at local wineries, bottling facilities and wine technology businesses, while Susan worked in New York for a year, studying at the Widows of the World Wine School. Once again, a virtual winery, the production limited by the scarcity of the high-quality grapes they have managed to secure. The prices are a breath of fresh air.
Barney Flanders and David Chapman calls Allies a collaboration. Both are originally from a restaurant background, Barney on the floor and David in the kitchen. One thing led to another as they followed separate paths into the wine industry, and then joined forces on the Mornington Peninsula, producing quite beautiful wines, albeit in limited quantities.
Chapman Grove Wines Margaret River
Bruce Duckes is the contract winemaker for Chapman Grove, which has 30 ha of high-quality vineyards. Top label wines under the Atticus label are singularly impressive, led by (what else?) chardonnay; the 2005 and '06 vintages are both stunning.
First Drop Wines Barossa Valley
If nothing else, this shows what a virtual winery can achieve. The business is owned by Matt Gant and John Retsas. Matt was led away from his geography degree from the University of London by lecturer Tim Unwin, who took students on a field trip to Burgundy and Champagne, leading Matt to Australia, where he won the Wine Society's Young Winemaker fo the Year Award in 2004, and the Young Gun Wine Award in '07. John learned his trade at St Hallett, Chain of Ponds, and is now general manager of Schild Estate.
Larry Cherubino Wines South Australia Zone
It should have come as no surprise to anyone that when Larry Cherubino set up his own business in 2005 he hit the ground running. His distinguished winemaking career started at Hardys Tintara, then Houghton for a number of years, and thereafter as a Flying Winemaker in high demand in Australia, NZ, South Africa, the US and Italy. This, too, is a virtual winery operation.
Maverick Wines Barossa Valley
A perfectly timed exercise by four very astute wine professionals who acquire four vineyards in the Eden Valley and Barossa Valley during the 2004-06 years of surplus. Their 30 ha are the foundation for a singularly impressive portfolio.
Rohrlach Family Wines Barossa Valley
Brothers Kevin, Graham and Wayne Rohrlach, with wives Lyn, Lynette and Kaylene, and third-generation growers of 95 ha of prime vineyard land. Until 2000, the grapes were sold to two leading Barossa wineries, but in that year some of the grapes were held back for vinification under the Rohrlach label. In 2003, the family received the ultimate accolade when the Barons of the Barossa gave them the title 'Vignerons of the Year'. It is not hard to see why.
Russell Wines Barossa Valley
John Russell (and wife Rosalind) came to the Barossa in 1990 to create the Barossa Music Festival (with great success). The wine bug bit, and in 1994 they planted the first 14 ha of vines, now increased to 32 ha on three vineyards. Shawn Kalleske makes the wines, optimising the quality of grapes he receives for the label.
The Old Faithful Estate McLaren Vale
This is a fifty-fifty joint venture between American specialist wine importer John Larchet (with one half), and a quartet of Nick Haselgrove, Warren Randall, Warren Ward and Andrew Fletcher, all of whom know McLaren Vale like the back of their hand (with the other half). Focused on the US market, the venture is able to pay top dollar for top-quality grapes, and the wines are skillfully made by the equally experienced Nick Haselgrove.
The Story Wines Grampians
This is a story indeed, taking the varied backgrounds of people who have made their way into the wine industry one step further, for founder, owner and winemaker Rory Lane had as his qualification a degree in ancient Greek literature. Not wanting to put this to the test of real world wealth creation, he enrolled in a post-graduate wine technology and marketing course at Monash University, and the rest is history.
Yalland & Papps Barossa Valley
This is the venture of Michael and Susan Papps (nee Yelland, set up after their marriage, in 2005. Michael lived in the Barossa Valley for 20 years working at local wineries, bottling facilities and wine technology businesses, while Susan worked in New York for a year, studying at the Widows of the World Wine School. Once again, a virtual winery, the production limited by the scarcity of the high-quality grapes they have managed to secure. The prices are a breath of fresh air.
