Latest news with #vineyard
The Australian
a day ago
- The Australian
The Australian Wine Club deal on WA chardonnay
You can point to so many things that make a bottle of West Australian chardonnay so gloriously distinct – the landscape where it grows, the breezes coming in off the coastline, the oak it matures in. But eucalyptus? Not so much. And yet, should you open a bottle of Willow Bridge's G1-10 Geographe chardonnay as part of this week's special offer case from The Australian Wine Club, the influence is real. Not in a literal sense, not on the nose or the palate. Nobody wants chardy with a streak of eucalypt. But at the Willow Bridge vineyard planted some 30 years ago by a farming family, the gnarled Marri trees are part of the circle of life that has delivered a run of sophisticated vintages and helped to turn a little pocket of WA into a unique hotbed of elegant wines and gourmet food. Founder Jeff Dewar can appreciate the role the Marri trees scattered across Willow Bridge's rolling acres in the Ferguson Valley, 175km south of Perth, have played in its past and present. The vineyards are planted in the Marri soil so prized by winemakers in WA, layers of red gravel and loam that typically host the red gums. Dewar and his wife, Vicki, were well aware of the Marri trees' influence in 1996 when they bought the site, and knew also that their flowers were a perfect lure for birds from the neighbouring state forest that otherwise might come pecking at the vines. 'Because there's no way we could net 150 acres of vine,' laughs Dewar. 'But probably 70 per cent of the time the Marri trees do blossom, so the silvereyes would much rather stay in the forest and eat the blossom and leave the grapes alone.' Vicki and Jeff Dewar on their Willow Bridge vineyard with children, from left, Cameron, Adele, Luisa and Kyle. The birds' loss is our gain, with the G1-10 Geographe Chardonnay one of a quartet of chardonnays from WA, offering a spread of varietal variation at an average bottle price of just $23.99. Also in the selection is the West Cape Howe Styx Gully Great Southern Chardonnay, with 92 points from the Halliday Wine Companion, the Lange Estate Providence Road Great Southern Chardonnay, also 92 points from Halliday, and the Risky Business White Knuckle Margaret River Chardonnay, with 90 points from Wine Orbit. Some might argue 'risky business' is an appropriate label for the rolling seasonal challenges of winemaking, but Dewar's farming background gives him a valuable sense of perspective. 'We just have to accept there will be factors outside your control – like birds, like the weather – and understanding that definitely comes from having an agricultural background,' he says. 'You accept that every year is going to throw up challenges and you just have to deal with it, otherwise farming and agriculture isn't the space that you probably should be in. 'But it's nice to reflect on taking the challenge to do something on this scale, in a so-called unknown region. Now it's an area that quite a few of the Margaret River brands are buying fruit from. 'It's a very consistent region, only 20 kilometres from the coast and that nice maritime breeze definitely has an impact on the quality.' Willow Bridge G1-10 Geographe Chardonnay 2023 Appropriately there's a sea-breeze salinity on the nose that softens the citrus fruit wash and lemon sherbet tartness. More sherbet follows on the palate, a little more salinity too plus grapefruit notes and savoury oak. The finish is savoury, the palate nicely weighted, and its best friend could well be a piece of fish pan-fried to a crispy skin. 13.3% alc, RRP $35 a bottle. SPECIALS $31.99 in any dozen, $23.99 in WA Chardonnay dozen. West Cape Howe Styx Gully Great Southern Chardonnay 2023 Flecks of green point up the pale gold hue on first pour and hint at the lemon, pear and honey notes on the nose – seguing to nectarine and white peach, and just a hint of chalk. The palate offers more lemon and lime along with grapefruit pith, and the balance is just so elegant. A good acidity keeps it lovely and fresh, and there's a hint of savouriness from the oak. 12.5% alc, RRP $36 a bottle. SPECIALS $29.99 in any dozen, $23.99 in WA Chardonnay dozen. Lange Estate Providence Road Great Southern Chardonnay 2023 A super-fresh chardy that's bursting with toasty oak and mandarins, nectarine and ripe melon on the nose – with just a hint of spice and clove. On the palate there's oatmeal, melon and nectarine, ripe citrus and spicy oak. The tangy acidity keeps it all fresh and delicious. 13% alc, RRP $35 a bottle. SPECIALS $29.99 in any dozen, $23.99 in WA Chardonnay dozen. Risky Business White Knuckle Margaret River Chardonnay 2023 A ride that's more dreamy than white knuckle, this has a gorgeous golden hue and aromas that leap from the glass – stone fruits such as peach and yellow nectarine, and some gooseberry and vanilla for good measure. In the mouth there's a delicious balance between fruit and oak, the stone fruits coming again with hints of lemon and a very more-ish mouthfeel. 12.5% alc, RRP $25 a bottle. SPECIALS $21.99 in any dozen, $23.99 in WA Chardonnay dozen. WA CHARDONNAY DOZEN Three bottles of each wine above for $23.99 a bottle. SAVE $105. Order online or phone 1300 765 359 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm AEST and quote 'ACCJ'. Deals are available only while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaites Wine, LIQP770016550.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
All the celebrity rosé wines ranked: From Angelina Jolie to Cameron Diaz and Meghan Markle... one A-lister will be left VERY sour
It seems every celebrity has a side hustle these days, and many of them start in a vineyard. Earlier this month, Meghan Markle finally released her anticipated As Ever rosé priced at a whopping $30 per bottle.
The Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- The Herald
Wines inspired by an adventurous cow
SA's indigenous Nguni cattle are known for their adaptability to different, often harsh, environments and their resilience to pests and diseases, as well as being particularly beautiful animals with their distinctive horns and wide variety of coat colours and patterns. What might these cows and wine have in common though? There's the adaptability of grape vines to different wine-growing regions; the fascinating variety of grapes, winemaking styles and blends; and the resilience required of both vines and winemakers to survive in a business subject to the vagaries of weather, pests, red tape and Trump tariffs, and still produce an intriguing, beautiful product. Which makes Survivor a pretty apt name for a wine brand whose story starts with an Nguni cow. The story goes that this particular cow was being transported through the Swartland on the back of a truck when she spotted a chance at freedom and leapt from the truck into a vineyard alongside the road. The unsuspecting cattle farmer discovered her escape only some kilometres later and was in search of the wayward bovine when he encountered the grape farmer who had just found the surprise of an unknown cow happily grazing in his vineyard. The cow, uninjured by her gymnastic feat, was gifted to the grape farmer, who named her Survivor and then offered her name to a winemaking customer looking for a name for a new wine brand, and Survivor Wines was born in 2014. Sadly, Survivor departed her happy existence last year, but she lives on in the names and labels of Survivor wines. Cellarmaster Pierre Wahl, in the Bay recently to share some of the latest releases, sources grapes from a diversity of wine-growing regions — from the arid Swartland to cool-climate Elgin — making some into terroir-specific wines and also using the diverse building blocks in his love of complex and intriguing blends. You could say the Survivor range is as diverse and distinctive as the patterns unique to each Nguni's hide. In the Survivor Terroir range, Swartland Chenin (R160 ex-cellar), half of it wild-fermented and matured in barrels before blending, is juicy and crisp, peachy in flavour with the zing of pineapple for bright acidity and a mineral streak to finish. By contrast, Survivor Reserve Chenin (R350), from old, low-yielding bushvines in a different Swartland site, is 100% barrel fermented and aged for 11 months. Here the characteristic pineapple turns grilled and caramelised, the wine fragrant with lemon grass, citrus zest, delicate nuttiness — a delicious wine of complexity and depth. The Survivor Cellar Master Chardonnay, from Tradouw outside Barrydale, (±R400), is creamy and full-bodied, but fresh with ripe yellow fruit, vanilla notes and a zingy citrus finish and a touch of cool-climate minerality. Partly wooded in untoasted and older barrels, the oak influence just lending structure and texture. Pinotage, with which Wahl put Rijk's in Tulbagh on the map, is a strong feature through the ranges. Survivor Terroir Pinotage, from the cooler Swartland area of Darling (R200), has juicy black cherries with savoury, spicy notes blended with delicate florals; fresh, flavourful easy drinking. The Reserve Pinotage (R465) is a decadent exploration of the grape's darker side — deep, rich and full-bodied, with inky dark fruit, salted liquorice and cigarbox spice, the layers unfold and shift with every sip. The first, and well deserved, Platter's 5* for Survivor. The pinnacle of Wahl's love of pinotage and of blending comes in the Cellar Master Reunion (R515), uniting pinotage with its parent grapes of pinot noir and cinsault in blend that combines vibrant fresh cherries and strawberries with finely woven layers of darker fruits, spice, flintiness and earthy mushroomy umami notes, all integrated into a harmonious whole; a rare and very desirable treat. Just for some more fun- and pun-filled survivalist cow antics, search Google or YouTube for 'cows with guns' and have a laugh at the graphics and lyrics, which play very well with a glass of Survivor Pinotage.
Daily Telegraph
7 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Daily Telegraph
Hotel Review: Cupitt's Estate, Ulladulla, NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. The priority for most people in retirement is rest or travel. Not so Griff and Libby Cupitt. Over 18 years, the former farmers and one-time owners of the Bowral Hotel in the NSW Southern Highlands have turned a former South Coast dairy farm into a destination vineyard, winery, brewery and restaurant, adding accommodation three years ago and creating a legacy for the next generation of their family who have now taken the reins. The location Cupitt's Estate is set on 75ha on the outskirts of Ulladulla, five minutes from town, and three hours' drive south of Sydney on the NSW South Coast. It's ideally situated to give guests the best of country and coast in a weekend getaway – Mollymook's beaches, golf club and restaurants are minutes away, and we also spend a few hours wandering the historic village of Milton with its antique shops, galleries, boutiques and cafés. The property has views across sauvignon blanc vines and paddocks to the Budawang Ranges and the upper reaches of the Burrill Lake wetlands. The free-standing one-bedroom villas are surrounded by gardens, settle the structures into the landscape and give guests greater privacy. The arrival After our customary lunch stop at Hayden's Pies in Ulladulla – pass at your peril – we find Washburton Road, and the entry to Cupitt's Estate. At reception, a cute cottage which was part of the original Washburton dairy farm, we are pointed further down the drive to parking in front of a sloping row of 10 free-standing one-bedroom villas (including one that's wheelchair-accessible), designed by Sherson Architecture and constructed off site by Wagga Wagga modular builders Prefabulous. They were installed in 2021-22 and in the seasons since, the surrounding gardens designed by Rosie – a trained horticulturalist and winemaker – have flourished to better settle the structures into the landscape and give guests greater privacy. The villa is tastefully decorated in cream and graphite tones with Scandi touches, and is comfortably furnished. What's inside Entering our villa, one of four with a bath-tub on their private deck, I'm distracted by two stunning monochrome marine prints on the living area wall. I recognise the artist, South Coast printmaker Peta West, from my Instagram feed and I'm happy to be able to gaze at the real thing for a while. There is more coastal-inspired art in the separate bedroom and central bathroom, all sourced and purchasable from Gallery Alchemy in Milton. The deck, with its views across lush paddocks, becomes another source of contentment for our stay, as we sit and debate whether a hole in the hillside yonder is a wombat burrow, watch a fox steal through the dusk, and weigh up the therapeutic value in watching grazing cows – Griff's black angus herd numbers 70. My villa is one of four with a bath-tub on their private deck. The villa, with its high ceilings and timber flooring, is tastefully decorated in cream and graphite tones with Scandi touches, and is comfortably furnished. It has a kitchen – a breakfast hamper with way more provisions than needed is included in the room rate – and if you fancy buying from the mini-bar, it includes a kit for assembling cocktails premixed 'with love' by the bar team as well as wine and beer made on-site. Tea drinkers will note the English breakfast from Tea Journeys in Nowra, and the drip coffee is local too, from Guerilla Roasters in Moruya. The bathroom has a rain shower and marble-topped vanity with quality Leif products by the basin. Our package includes a two-course dinner at the dining room, which is a two-minute walk from the villas. Food & drink Our package includes a two-course dinner at the dining room, which is a two-minute walk from the villas, past the outdoor 'wine garden' casual dining space that hums at weekends but is still on a cool Thursday evening (dinner is served Thursday Saturday and lunch seven days). Menus change with the seasons, executive chef Jonathan Pryor looking to the estate's own kitchen garden, wider local produce and Mediterranean influences for inspiration to match head winemaker Wally Cupitt's drops made only metres away with cool-climate grapes grown mainly around Tumbarumba and the NSW Hilltops region. And there's more below the surface, literally – a wine cave under the restaurant is a stop on a behind-the-scenes tour that runs three days a week. Tastings are also conducted in an 1851 building that was once the original dairy's creamery, with Ruby's rosé – named for a Cupitt granddaughter – among more popular bottles. Menus change with the seasons. Extras Live music sessions are on Fridays and Sundays and the restaurant runs a calendar of special events. What's hot Sustainability matters at Cupitt's Estate. They operate a closed-loop waste system throughout and EV drivers will find a charging station outside reception. Cupitt's Estate is a complete, all-in-one country getaway. What's not I can't afford the artwork. Verdict - 8.5/10 Cupitt's is a complete, all-in-one country getaway. The writer was a guest of Cupitt's Estate. An overnight Winter Gourmet Getaway package including dinner, breakfast hamper and wine tasting, is from $499 a couple from Sunday to Thursday. Originally published as We stayed at Cupitt's Estate in Ulladulla, the complete country getaway
CTV News
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Kin Vineyards: Exploring Carp's unique winery & local partnerships
Ottawa Watch We explore Kin Vineyards, a unique winery in Carp, Ont., and discover what makes them special.
