The ultimate wine area we visited in Victoria is Geelong. Within the 1860s Geelong was the biggest exporting area of wine in Australia. Nevertheless, it was contaminated with phylloxera in 1875, which led to the downfall at the moment. Solely for the reason that Nineteen Seventies viticulture has been reintroduced. The vineyards are unfold out over the Geelong peninsula, with most of Geelong in use for different sorts of agriculture.
The primary vineyard we visited in Geelong was Farr. Gary Farr was the winemaker of Bannockburn from 1978, the primary vineyard with an important status in Geelong (sadly it was not potential to suit it into our itinerary). Most wineries in Geelong have been working with Riesling, Cabernet, and Malbec as a result of these varieties have been widespread again then, however Farr additionally made Pinot Noir and Chardonnay as a result of he preferred these himself. Within the Nineteen Eighties these wines have been inconceivable to promote, so he constructed up ‘museum inventory’ that helped to set the status within the Nineteen Nineties by demonstrating the growing old potential of the wines.
Gary Farr saved working for Bannockburn, but additionally began his personal vineyard and managed to construct probably the most famend vineyard of Geelong. His son Nick has now taken over the reigns. Farr focuses on Pinot Noir, but additionally produces Chardonnay, Shiraz, and a few Viognier. The vineyards have been planted in 1994. There are 5 totally different soil varieties. The discerning issue right here is limestone, which supplies the wines minerality and energy. The climate has been difficult after 2016, with crops lowered by greater than 50% as a result of moist and chilly climate. They’ve 20 hectares of vineyards. There are additionally some experimental plantings of Garganega, Nebbiolo, and Gamay. Gary has taught Nick to experiment and be taught from his errors. Thus they’ve tried totally different planting densities. As an example, 10,000 per hectare as is widespread in France turned out to be too excessive; 6000 to 8000 vines per hectare produced the very best outcomes. It’s noteworthy that that is the primary vineyard the place corks have been used for all of the wines slightly than screw caps.
We began by Nick giving us a tour of the vineyards. They place straw on the bottom to maintain the soil cool. The decrease temperature slows down the ripening of the grapes, permitting extra time for the aromas to develop.
It was nice that we obtained to style two vintages of every wine (mini vertical tasting). These are the wines we tasted at Farr:
- Viognier by Farr
- 2022: peach, recent, steadiness.
- 2019 (scorching classic): restrained aroma, construction.
- Irrewarra Chardonnay (from a winery 1 hour to the south, cooler than on the property)
- 2022: crisp
- 2021: much more crisp
- Chardonnay by Farr
- 2022: complicated, steadiness, recent
- 2018: stone fruit, creamy, steadiness
- GC Cote Winery Chardonnay
- 2022: younger (wants time within the bottle for the oak to combine), construction
- 2017: stunning aroma, physique, balanced, juicy, complicated, construction
- By Farr Farrside Pinot Noir (50% new oak)
- 2021: spicy, easy
- 2015: restrained aroma, construction, recent, tannin
- By Farr RP Cote Winery Pinot Noir
- 2021: recent, spicy, construction
- 2016: earthy, recent, smoother tannins
- By Farr Sangreal Pinot Noir (richest soil, hottest publicity, picked first)
- 2021: younger, recent, construction
- 2018: construction, balanced, nonetheless may use extra time within the bottle
- By Farr Tout Près (excessive density planting, 100% complete bunch, 100% new oak)
- 2021: herbaceous, excessive acidity
- 2013: bitter cherries, properly aged, softened tannins
- By Farr Shiraz (with 4% Viognier)
- 2021: barely herbaceous, recent
- 2010: blackberry jam, recent, velvety tannin, stunning
This was one other winemaker that was happy with the acidity in his wines. There have been some very nice wines on this tasting, however they don’t seem to be low-cost (AU$ 160 for the Cote Winery Chardonnay and Pinot Noir).
The subsequent vineyard was Austin’s Vineyards, at the exact opposite of the worth spectrum; particularly their worth model “6ft6” (named after a 6ft6 tall (198 cm) convict who escaped in 1803 and lived among the many Wallarranga indigenous tribe for 32 years). The very best barrels go into the Austin’s label and the remaining results in the 6ft6 vary (like second wines in Bordeaux). The vineyard was based in 1982 and expanded in 1995. They produce 300,000 bottles from 60 hectares of vineyards, of which the bulk is Pinot Noir. This a part of Geelong is shielded from the maritime local weather, making it extra dry and fewer cool than different components. Second era proprietor Scott Austin confirmed us round, along with winemaker Dwane Cunningham.
Earlier than tasting some wines we had a lunch with native cheese and native fruit, accompanied by a glass of 6ft6 Prosecco.
We tasted these wines:
- Austin’s Riesling 2022 (5 months on the lees): fruity, simple to drink
- Austin’s Chardonnay 2022 (picked at three totally different occasions, French oak, 20% new): oak, buttery, stone fruit, balanced acidity
- 6ft6 Pinot Noir 2023: spicy, simple to drink
- Austin’s Pinot Noir 2022 (high 5-10% choice of the very best barrels, 25% new oak, some complete bunch): restrained aroma, balanced acidity, wants time within the bottle
- Austin’s Woolshed Naturel Shiraz 2023 (with out sulfur, ‘pure’, no oak): black pepper, fruity, tender tannins, vibrant acidity, recent (in no way ‘tainted’ by being made with out sulfur)
- Austin’s Shiraz 2022 (14 months in French oak, 15-20% complete bunch): eucalyptus, recent, agency ripe tannins
After the wine tasting Scott took us on a tour by means of the vineyards in his all-terrain automobile, which was a whole lot of enjoyable.
The ultimate vineyard we visited in Geelong doesn’t simply have vineyards in Geelong, but additionally in Ballarat, Macedon, and Henty. It’s Provenance, owned by Scott Eire (who can be the winemaker) and Sam Vogel. The vineyard was constructed within the 1870s, however Scott and Tom began right here in 2016 (earlier than that, Scott was winemaker at Austin’s). It’s a small vineyard that produces round 100,000 bottles per 12 months.
Macedon and Ballarat are extra inland with greater elevation (500-800 meters above sealevel), whereas Henty is nearly midway to Adelaide. The grapes in Ballarat are harvested final with the very best acidity. Winemaking is completed with minimal intervention to indicate the terroir (i.e. provenance) of the grapes. The ferment is began with wild yeast, however then midway it’s inoculated to verify the ferment will full.
At Provenance we tasted these wines:
- Henty Blanc de Blancs 2016 (Chardonnay, second fermentation within the bottle, aged 5 years on the lees): inexperienced apple, tender mousse
- Henty Riesling 2023 (aged on the lees slightly than leaving residual sugar to steadiness the acidity): stone fruit, excessive acidity
- Henty Pinot Gris 2023 (with a splash of Gewurztraminer): pear, steadiness.
- Golden Plains Chardonnay 2021 (produced from the barrels ‘left’ after choosing for the three single area wines; all Chardonnays are made in French oak, 30-40% new): stone fruit, oak, recent.
- Ballarat Chardonnay 2021: tropical fruit, oak, creamy, steadiness (my favourite of the Chardonnays right here)
- Henty Chardonnay 2021: oak, buttery, citrus.
- Geelong Chardonnay 2021: oak, citrus.
- Golden Plains Pinot Noir 2022 (produced from the barrels ‘left’ after choosing for the three single area wines): strawberry, recent, velvety.
- Henty Pinot Noir 2021: sweet, ripe tannins.
- Macedon Pinot Noir 2021: bell pepper, drying end.
- Ballarat Pinot Noir 2021: oak, barely herbaceous, ripe tannin.
- Geelong Shiraz 2021 (no complete bunch): blackberry, recent, agency ripe tannins.
- Geelong Ironstone Shiraz 2021 (choice): oak, agency ripe tannin, energy, wants extra time within the bottle.
Sadly we didn’t style any again vintages, as a result of particularly the only area reds wanted extra time within the bottle to have the ability to totally respect them. I believe each Austin’s and Provenance supply good worth for cash, with Provenance at a barely greater stage of each value and high quality.
We completed the day with an Italian dinner, with “BYO” (Convey Your Personal) Autralian wine.
