Sourced from a small vineyard in the Pokolbin area (Lower Hunter Valley), our harvested fruit showed outstanding varietal character and intensity of flavour. I was particularly impressed with the high skin to juice ratio of the berries, which lent themselves to a good level of flavour extraction. This ratio also meant however, that a greater level of phenolic material would be drawn through a normal press cycle. In light of this, the pressing cut was made early, and the juice was fined quite heavily prior to fermentation. Following a clean ferment, the wine was racked from yeast lees and prepared for bottle.

Wandin Valley produced its first Rosé in 2000. Since then, under three different winemakers, the style of our Rosé has understandably varied and evolved. We have however been able to develop a loyal following for the wine and often sell out well before the next vintage is available.

Our latest vintage is blend of estate grown Shiraz (45%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (55%). Juice from the Shiraz was drawn through Saignée after one or two days cold soak. All of the Cabernet, and some of the Shiraz was picked exclusively for the Rosé; it was crushed and destemmed, left to soak for three days with an enzyme addition, and then drained off the skins. Two thirds of the juice was then fermented cold, in tank, whilst the remainder underwent a full barrel ferment in new oak. The tank fermented component was racked from its lees promptly after ferment; the barrels after two weeks.

In 2007 we hand picked four parcels of Semillon for our Reserve blend. The vineyards, whilst all situated in Pokolbin, showed remarkable individual qualities due to unique soil profiles and microclimates. Each vineyard was harvested at ideal ripeness levels between 10.0 and 11.0 Baumé. Juice was racked twice to minimise solids, and then fermented cool at around 13 degrees Celsius. Post ferment, the wines were racked from their lees after a minimal settling period before blending, and finally bottling just two months after harvest.

This is the first Semillon Wandin Valley has produced from a single parcel of fruit. Each year we harvest our Semillon vineyards at varying sugar levels to produce a more complete wine with a fuller flavour spectrum. In 2006 one block of fruit from a vineyard on Oaky Creek Rd in Pokolbin showed unique varietal expression and great flavour. We decided to pick this vineyard later than the others and to not adjust the acid pre-ferment. This meant that the resulting wine, with its higher alcohol (11.0%) and lower acid (6.0 g/L), proved to be eminently drinkable. Considering those consumers that find the more traditional guise of young Hunter Semillon too challenging we decided to release the wine six months later than usual to really enhance its overall appeal. Without resorting to obvious sugar additions to soften the palate, we are hoping this style of wine will show another side to the Semillon grape, and encourage less educated wine consumers to experience the virtues of this fantastic variety and perhaps move on to our blended Reserve Semillon which fits the more traditional mold of Hunter Valley Semillon.

We seek to make a sophisticated, elegant sparkling red that really shows off the quality of our vineyard. The Malbec fruit was hand picked at 12.5 Baumé and fermented in open tanks. The wine was matured in a mixture of one and two year old French oak barriques for 12 months before tirage. After bottle fermentation the wine was then left to rest on its’ lees for almost 24 months. The generous maturation time on yeast lees has given this wine a greater level of complexity and texture. The wine is quite dry relative to the market (10 g/L residual sugar) in an attempt to highlight the quality of our fruit and to emphasise the effects of the extended maturation time. We are only disgorging 150 cases at a time, and trying to stagger the release of the remainder of the wine as much as demand will allow.

Our entry level Shiraz has become a bit of a surprise package over recent years. Since 2002, the wine has been a blend of two regions. This release is a blend of Hunter Shiraz, harvested from our younger vines, and around 40% Barossa Valley Shiraz, from an old dry grown vineyard. All fruit was hand picked. During the 5 day cold-soak period, 10% of the juice from the Hunter fruit was bled off to our Rose to concentrate flavour and structure. Fermentation was in open top fermenters, and plunged by hand. Following ferment, MLF took place in barrel, where the wine was sulphured and left to mature for 18 months. The oak for this wine is around 80% French, 20% American, 50% of which is new. In terms of style, we try to produce a wine that is distinct from the Bridie’s Reserve in ways other than simply the amount and quality of new oak. To achieve this we use the multi-regional fruit characters, and focus on achieving a full style, that is both powerful and immanently drinkable.