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| Stephen Pannell is one of Australia's most decorated winemakers, Jimmy Watson and twice Max Schubert Trophy winner, London International Winemaker of Year and Chairman National Wine Show. He found time in between tours of duty at Wirra Wirra, Tintara and BRL Hardy, to do vintage in Burgundy, at the illustrious Mouton Rothschild and amongst the grand old vines of Barolo. SC Pannell» |
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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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| A single vineyard, strongly terroir wine by maestro Ken Helm AM, from fruit picked off neighbour Al Lustenberger's property, only released under the premium black label if it reaches the highest quality benchmarks. Since 2005 the collaboration of Lustenberger and Helm has claimed more than fourteen trophies. Helm» |
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| By one of the most consequential winemakers in the greater Canberra GUI, crafted from Shiraz grown to mature vines at Kyeema, on an elevated granite saddle near Murrumbateman. Reserve Shiraz has enjoyed a series of compelling national trophy wins, including Best Red Sydney Royal Wine Show. Collector» |
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| Galli Estate produce a variety of quality wines from fruit grown on their vineyards at Sunbury and Heathcote. Galli Estate have been very well received by reviewers, and have been recognised for quality at competitions, already receiving Gold for their Pinot Grigio, a varietal that the winemaking team find very exciting. Galli Estate» |
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| Mandoon are a Swan Valley operation of great provenance, their homestead vineyard being an ancient block established on the first rural grant in Western Australia, circa 1929 at a property named Sandalford. Always on the lookout for exceptional parcels of fruit, the highly decorated Mandoon team have focused on a northern block of Research Station Vineyard in Margaret River. Mandoon» |
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| Vintaged from a single block of magnificent old vines on the cooler climes of Eden Valley high. Heirloom are all about identifying and rejuvenating superior parcels, a patient and painstaking approach to the resurrection of venerable elder plantings, for the realization of profoundly structured, powerful yet elegant wines. Heirloom» |
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| The term Terra rossa means red earth, a rich, free draining soil that is considered by many as the viticultural equivalent of discovering gold. Beneath the strata of red earth at Wrattonbully sits a layer of ancient limestone, a winegrower's dream as it allows free drainage of water, yet ensures vine roots stay close to the surface, putting natural stress on the vine and limiting its vigor and yield. Smith Hooper» |
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| The five most most exclusive parcels of old vine Shiraz, a secret component of the Barossa's most memorable vintages, hand picked off the De Fazio and Hillview vineyards at Belvidere and Moppa. Batches are crushed into traditional open top fermenters for a week of pumpovers, gently pressed into an extravagantly high proportion of new French oak hogsheads for two years maturation, followed by the final assemblage, unfiltered and unfined. Pirathon» |
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| Daniel James Wilson would write DJW rules on school book covers, desks, garden edgings and wet concrete whenever the opportunity arose. In 1997 DJW established a small 5½ acre plot of Riesling in the highest and most fertile corner of the family property. Wilson Vineyard» |
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| The wines of Wignall were met with resounding success from the first release, inaugural vintages saw amazing results, attracting conspicuous gold medal and trophy victories. Fruit driven and voluptuous to drink, Wignall have refined the style of their Albany Pinot Noir to be bliss for the most discerning palates. Wignalls» |
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| After several decades of crafting Australia's most memorable vintages, Mike Press is more sanguine than ever that great wine can only come from the finest vineyards. His dedicated hands on approach means that he is personally involved in every stage of the winemaking, from pruning the vines and inspecting grapes, right to plunging the ferments and bottling his finished wine. Mike Press» |
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About Coldstream Hills - the Winery
Coldstream Hills
Since its first vintage in 1985, Coldstream Hills has grown to be one of the Australia’s leading small wineries, with a reputation for producing an outstanding range of wines
Coldstream Hills was established in 1985 by James and Suzanne Halliday. As a winemaker for over 30 years, James Halliday expressed his passion through involvements with other winemakers, devoting his time to crafting some of Australia's most memorable labels. From its initial vintage of 450 cases, Coldstream Hills has grown to become one of Australia's leading small wineries, its wines sold in some 16 countries and a reputation out of all proportion to its size. Coldstream Hills maintains its small winery essence with most of the wine literally being hand made. Situated in the cool and beautiful Yarra Valley, about one hour's drive east of Melbourne, its steep, close-planted vineyards have become a signature of the region. So too have its wines (most notably Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs) which reflect a climate cooler than Bordeaux and a little warmer than Burgundy.
France also provides all the oak barriques (1500, but increasing year by year) and no small amount of inspiration for the winemaking team. To create the specialties of the Coldstream Hills winery each year outstanding parcels of grapes are earmarked for special attention during making, using new French barriques.
The emphasis at Coldstream Hills is on the varietal fruit and length of flavour which the Yarra Valley bestows on each grape variety. The varietal wines are designed to be enjoyed upon release - attractive when young, but will certainly reward careful cellaring. The wines are quite literally, hand made, mainly using small open fermenters (of three to four tonnes capacity) for the red wines, while the white wines are barrel fermented.
These techniques are directed to making wines which are characterised by elegance and finesse, by silky supple texture, length of flavour, subtle oak and the ability to develop extra dimensions of complexity with bottle age. These are not weighty, extractive, tannic or alcoholic styles, however impressive well-made examples of these may be.
When the resulting wine is regarded as outstanding it forms the strictly limited quantity of wine bearing the Reserve label. While the fruit remains the driving force, there is more focus on structure and complexity. The Reserve wines are designed to improve for at least five years, and live for a decade or more.
Coldstream's founder James Halliday, is one of Australia's most distinguished wine journalists, consultants and judges. With two other Sydney lawyers, he founded Brokenwood in the Hunter Valley in 1970. After moving to Melbourne for his law firm in 1983, he and his wife established Coldstream Hills in 1985. He worked as a hands-on winemaker at Brokenwood, at Coldstream Hills, and several stints in France, before increasing age persuaded him that jumping in and out of open vats could be a terminal health hazard. As a journalist he has written over 45 books and several thousand newspaper and magazine articles, winning a number of major wine writing awards in Australia and the United States. He was also awarded Australia's most prestigious wine award - the Maurice O'Shea Award - for Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Wine Industry in 1995.
Not withstanding the glory and success, there has been and will be no significant change in the winemaking techniques or philosophies inherent to Coldstream Hills. The fruit is hand pruned and partially hand picked; the wine is made mainly using small open fermenters (of three to four tonnes capacity for the red wines, while the whites are principally barrel fermented). Winemaking techniques and philosophies haven’t changed with the growth in production either; all designed to produce elegant wines with a long finish.
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