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Adam Jackson bought the first blocks of land at the heart of Marlborough and took up farming in 1855. His wife planted a gumtree along Jacksons Road, it remains a regional icon and can be seen on the Jackson estate label. Jackson Estate» |
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Whole bunches and oak barrel ferments, the costly extravagance of three years tirage on sedimentery yeast lees, each bottle individually riddled by hand, disgorged and sent to cellar for the ultimate indulgence of extra age before release, Pamela is the zenith of the sparkling winemaker's art. Her luxurious effervescence exudes brioche, tarte tatin and French boulangere, her creamy textural mousse unravelling ribbons of rich yeasty autolysis, crème caramel and baked fruits. Wicks» |
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Richard Bailey planted one of the first Glenrowan vineyards in the 1860s. The Bailey estate survived the downturn of the Victorian gold rush, the ravages of phylloxera and excesses of the Kelly gang, it endures to this day, producing some of the nation's most intensely flavoured and historically significant wines. Baileys Glenrowan» |
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Stoney Rise is all about drinkability, the creation of complex, fully approachable food friendly wines, without any excessive oak or uber ripeness. Pinot Noir goes into the oldest barrels available to soften the tannins and refine textures without overpowering the sensual fruit characters. Stoney Rise» |
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Stella Bella have won resounding critical acclaim and a reputation for producing artisanly crafted Margaret River wines of great expression, personality and quality. Stella Bella have established an almost peerless reputation after receiving numerous accolades at significant competitions, including coveted Gold and Mission Hill Trophy at the London International, the only southern hemisphere Chardonnay to win such a prestigious award.. Stella Bella» |
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Streicker's Bridgeland property yields harvests of the finest Shiraz. Crafted to traditional winemaking techniques, a regimen of old fashioned plungings and open ferments, into a pure, single vineyard Rhone style Syrah. Streicker» |
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Considered an undistinguished vintage, it won a trophy, five Gold, four Silver and six Bronze medals between 1974 and 1982.. . Penfolds» |
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Elizabeth is a classic Hunter Valley white which has established itself as one of Australia's benchmark Semillon. Named in commemoration of the first ever visit to Australia by a reigning monarch in 1954, Elizabeth has claimed over fifty trophies and multi gold throughout it's long and illustrious history. Mount Pleasant» |
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She's such a special wine, that a distinctive hand blown bottle was designed just for her. Tempus Two is the definition of romance and desirability, elegance and finesse, all who have countenanced her endowments agree. Tempus Two» |
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Pietro D’orsa found work in Australia as a winegrower circa 1868, quenching the thirst of miners during the Victorian gold rush. Several generations later, Pietro's progeny returned to viticulture. Sanguine» |
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David O'Leary really knows about things Cabernet Sauvignon, having claimed a Jimmy Watson Trophy and twice International Red Wine Maker of the Year. From low yielding vines up to fifty years of age, grown to superior sites within the Armagh Valley and Polish Hill River districts, the O'Leary Walker team create a powerful and complex, exquisitely perfumed and seamlessly layered Cabernet Sauvignon, framed by judicious oak and supported by graceful tannins, reflecting the idyllic growing climes of Valley Clare. OLeary Walker» |
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Zilzie know from good Shiraz, they have grown the finest fruit for decades and now retain access to the most splendid vineyards. The quality of their winemaking has claimed thirty trophies since they embarked on their own label. Zilzie» |
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About Vasse Felix - the Winery
Vasse Felix
Planted by Dr Tom Cullity in 1967, Vasse Felix was the first vineyard and winery to be established in the Margaret River region
Situated in the sub-region of Willyabrup, Vasse Felix is now owned and operated by the Holmes a Court family. Visitors to the winery are welcomed by a unique underground cellar, a spectacular restaurant overlooking the original 1967 plantings and an exquisite art gallery, making Vasse Felix one of the great drawcards of the region. Margaret River enjoys perfect conditions for viticulture. It's Mediterranean climate features mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers - ideal for the growth of high quality fruit. By comparison with Bordeaux, Margaret River enjoys less rain during a longer, drier moderate growing and ripening period. In 1965 Dr John S Gladstones emphasised the region's suitability on his report "The Climate and Soils of Southern WA in relation to Vine Growing". Two years later Dr Tom Cullity planted his Vasse Felix vines.
The name Vasse Felix was inspired by an early event in the district. Thomas Vasse was a French seaman who disappeared after his longboat overturned near the site of Busselton whilst exploring the treacherous coastline of Western Australia. (An expedition of Captain Hamelin’s Naturaliste and Captain Baudin’s Geographe) Felix was Hamelin’s middle name, and ironically, is the Latin word for lucky.
The Vasse Felix logo is a peregrine falcon. When Dr Tom Cullity’s first vines began to bear fruit, native birds or ‘silvereyes’ as they are commonly known, had a keen appetite for the sweet berries, so Dr Cullity trained a falcon to deter the pests. Although much time and effort went into this exercise, upon the falcon’s first free flight it soared into the sky and was never seen again. The Vasse Felix logo endures to this day.
The estate's low yielding, dry grown vines are planted on some of the world’s oldest soils. The sites enjoy long, warm growing seasons and cooling summer breezes from the nearby Indian and Southern Oceans. This moderating effect is responsible for creating wines of exceptional concentration and intensity whilst retaining elegance and finesse – these cooling summer breezes from two oceans are unique to the southwest corner of Western Australia.
The vineyards are mostly sited on gravel loam and loam soils. Principal red varieties planted are Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot while Chardonnay, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc comprise the white varieties. Parcels of ultra premium fruit are fermented separately in small, static fermenters to retain the unique character of individual vineyards sites before being basket pressed and sent to the finest of French oak barriques.
The continuing worldwide demand for premium wines created the need for a new state-of-the-art winery at Vasse Felix. To meet the demands, the philosophy has always been that wines should be unique, distinctive and expressive of their surroundings. Though production levels have increased, the completion of the new Barrel Hall has provided the winemaking team with further control to maintain the quality of the wines. An impressive expanse, the Barrel Hall holds up to 5000 barriques in conditions that ensure efficient barrel fermentation and a controlled environment. Making use of the best equipment available, utilising the best production processes and an unwavering attitude to quality control, has made Vasse Felix winery one of the best in Western Australia.
Vasse Felix continues to be one of the most highly reviewed and esteemed wineries in Australia. The portfolio of Vasse Felix represents a definitive expression of variety and sense of place, wines that are consistent, elegant and complex with pronounced varietal character and aroma. The fermentation, maturation and bottling of all Vasse Felix wines takes place within the estate walls, ensuring the highest level of quality and consistency is maintained throughout the entire winemaking process.
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