The ultimate state of Australia we visited on our tour is Tasmania. After a flight from Melbourne in a small aeroplane we bought on our tour bus and drove to Ghost Rock, the place we had been welcomed by proprietor Justin Arnold. To begin he took us for a stroll in his vineyards and informed us in regards to the vineyard in addition to the Tassie wine scene normally.
Ghost Rock was based in 1998 by Justin’s mother and father and has 30 hectares of vineyards. In 2001 they began planting the present vineyards. Justin took over from his mother and father in 2007. Pinot Noir is the primary selection with over 60% of the plantings.
To compensate for the fertile soil, the vines are planted additional aside and with a better fruiting line. This provides more room to the ocean breeze, which helps to maintain the grapes dry and to maintain the vigor of the vines in verify. This vineyards within the North of Tasmania are the most recent to be picked, as a result of the South is hotter than the North (in summer time — within the winter it’s the opposite means round).
The bottom winery of Ghost Rock is picked two weeks earlier than the very best winery. This isn’t due to the (small) distinction in altitude, however as a result of the upper winery will get extra of the (cooling) wind. The vineyard picks by machine, so no complete bunch fermentation is utilized.
Tasmania produces lower than 1% of the quantity of Australian wine in quantity, however about 5% of the worth. It solely has some 2,800 ha of vineyards, however has grown significantly from solely 500 ha in 2000. The wineries are predominantly family-run. Viticulturists used to convey their grapes to a couple central services and get them again as bottled wine, however now an increasing number of have their very own vineyard. There are about 25 wineries in Tasmania. All of Tastmania is one wine area, regardless that their are clear subregions (north, east, south). Tasmania is an agricultural state, so the wineries largely concentrate on rising the very best fruit (quite than fixing unhealthy fruit within the cellar). Pinot Noir is the primary grape number of Tasmania. The local weather was once too cool, however because of international warming it’s now the candy spot for Pinot Noir. The west of Tasmania will get loads of rain, as much as 4 meters, whereas the east will get solely .4 meters. This is the reason irrigation is required to convey the water from the west to the place the vineyards are. The east of Tasmania is extra impacted by the climate patterns of El Niño/La Niña than the north.
In fact there was wine to be tasted as nicely:
- Supernatural PetNat (30% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Gris, 20% Chardonnay, 20% Riesling): recent, clear for petnat, fruity
- Zoe Brut Rosé 2018 (largely Pinot Noir, seccond fermentation within the bottle, aged 3-4 years on the lees): bruised apple, tender mousse
- Catherine Cuvée Exceptionelle (65% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 20% impartial oak, second fermentation within the bottle, aged 3-4 years on the lees): inexperienced apple, brioche, tender mousse.
- Supernatural Phantasm 2023 (blanc de blancs of Pinot Noir): coloration of white wine, however aroma of rosé, crisp.
- Property Pinot Gris 2023: pear aroma.
- Psycho 2023 (largely Gewurztraminer with some Pinot Gris and Riesling): roses, peaches, recent, and fruity.
- Property Riesling 2023 (7.5 grams of residual sugar): crisp, elegant.
- Property Chardonnay 2022 (French oak barriques, 30% new): oak, stone fruit, balanced, good mild acidity, lovely.
- Supernatural Pinot Noir 2023 (low sulfur): spicy, juicy, velvety tannins.
- Property Pinot Noir 2022 (11 months in French oak, 30% new): restrained aroma, superb texture.
- Property Pinot Meunier 2022: restrained aroma, velvety texture.
- Climat Pinot Noir 2022: didn’t like this wine.
- La Filles Pinot Noir 2022 (hotter winery): restrained aroma, construction. Wants time within the bottle.
- Bonadale Pinot Noir 2022 (cooler winery, picked with the identical potential alcohol as La Filles): aroma of grass, tender tannins.
We completed our go to to Ghost Rock with an exquisite lunch. The wines had been good, however the lunch was excellent. It included:
- Salmon rillettes
- Oysters
- Tortillas with refried beans and chutney
- Burrata and citrus salad
- Gradual-roasted lamb shoulder
- Crispy potatoes
- Whiting
- Roasted cauliflower
- Grilled asparagus
- Qual with lentils and rice
Our remaining tasting for this present day was at Home of Arras, which makes a speciality of glowing wines made with second fermentation within the bottle (identical methodology as for Champagne). It was based in 1995.
Grapes from throughout Tasmania are used, sourced from a number of growers, and vinified and blended on the vineyard within the North. The title refers to medieval tapestries, because the wines are weaved collectively from many parcels. Arras makes a speciality of late disgorgement, which suggests a very long time of growing older the wines on the lees. The excessive pure acidity provides the wines longevity, to allow them to be disgorged as much as 16 years after the harvest. They do trial disgorgements to determine when a wine is able to be disgorged and the way a lot residual sugar must be added to steadiness out the acidity. The very long time on the lees supplies creaminess by way of autolyse of the yeast, so just a few grams of sugar suffices to get a balanced end result.
The grape varieties used are the identical as in Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier.
Pinot Meunier will get its title from the ‘wool’ coating that the shoots have in spring.
We tasted 4 totally different glowing wines:
- Brut Elite Rosé (1801, which suggests 1st cuvée from classic 2018, largely Pinot Noir): advanced aroma with cherries, nice mousse
- Grand Classic 2015 (65% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir): mineral, excessive acidity however balanced
- Blanc de Blancs 2015 (Chardonnay): restrained aroma, excessive acidity however balanced
- EJ Carr Late Disgorged 2008: advanced, developed, aroma retains creating within the glass, very nice mousse and regardless of the low residual sugar the wine may be very clean.
We had dinner on the Blue Café, which was after all accompanied by Australian (largely Tasmanian) wine.
