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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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| A mostly Cabernet wine with a tenth of Merlot, a jot of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, representing almost a third of Hollick's annual production. Previous vintages of Tannery Block have won numerous prestigious awards, including the pre-eminent Jimmy Watson, Robert Bryce and Arthur Kelman Trophies. Hollick» |
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| Widely regarded as one of New Zealand's leading winemakers, Alan McCorkindale has over three decades experience at crafting some of the South Island's most memorable vintages. McCorkindale's efforts have claimed many trophy and gold at prestigious competitions including twice International White Wine of Year at the distinguished London International Wine Challenge. Munamuna» |
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| Bedecked with gold medals, significant trophies and countless five star commendations. Clonakilla is a wine that's ultimately determined in the vineyard, where hard work is required to open up the vine leaf canopies, limiting yields and encouraging vines to make grapes with riper flavour profiles. Clonakilla» |
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| Originally released in 1976, the Koonunga Hill range has established a sound reputation for quality and consistency, while availing red wine enthusiasts of the opportunity to approach the enduring Penfolds style. The inaugural 1976 vintage of Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet was a legendary wine, still drinking well at Penfolds red wine recorking clinics. Penfolds» |
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| Amherst is a town rich with colourful history and local folklore, site of the first official gold find in 1851, it launched a mining rush which expanded throughout central Victoria. The district's long association with viticulture is also prolific and colourful. Amherst» |
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| Brookland Valley Estate made a conspiuous impression through their stirling efforts at Cabernet Merlot when they claimed several significant trophies, including the hotly contested Qantas Best Wine of Show. Expressing fully the generous palate structure and aromatic richness of the stylish Margaret River Cab Merlot accord, beautifully perfumed, bramble flavoured wine, brimming with the quality and elegance which has earned Brookland Valley Estate a five star reputation. Brookland Valley» |
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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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| Belford Vineyard paradoxically produces the bigger yet softer of all Tyrrell's premium Semillon wines. Belford is the Hunter Valley archetype, showing a tightly structured palate with considerable length and breadth of citrus honey flavours. Tyrrells» |
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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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| The top shelf in toothsome and dulcetly fragrant, fruit forward frizzante wines, fashioned for those who know what they like and take their Moscato seriously. Brown Brothers make the best Moscato in the land, their dedicated Muscat vineyards have been trained to deliver harvests of the most luscious fruit. Brown Brothers» |
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| Bleasdale are Australia's second oldest family owned winery, established 1850 by English migrant Frank Potts. Potts built much of Adelaide's early colonial works before settling down to his homestead at Langhorne Creek. Bleasdale» |
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Mount Horrocks
About Mount Horrocks - the Winery
Mount Horrocks
Mount Horrocks Wines is operated by proprietor and winemaker Stephanie Toole, who restricts production to approximately 4,500 cases per annum to achieve her aims of quality and single vineyard expression
Mount Horrocks Wines was established in 1982, was acquired by Stephanie Toole in 1993, and in April 1998 opened a cellar door in the renovated Auburn Railway station, around the corner from Grosset, her husband’s winery, where she makes her wines. Substantial renovations and landscaping of the station and surrounding railway yards have resulted in a showpiece for Auburn and the Clare Valley. Stephanie carefully crafts her wines, which she describes as "essentially hand made food wines with emphasis on structure as well as generous fruit flavours" All grapes are hand picked, and only the finest French oak is used for those wines spending time in barrel.
"Mount Horrocks has well and truly established its own identity in recent years, aided by positive marketing and, equally importantly, wine quality which has resulted in both show success and critical acclaim. Stephanie Toole has worked long and hard to achieve this, and I strongly advise you (or anyone else) not to get in her way!" -James Halliday
Mount Horrocks Wines has vineyards at three sites totalling 10 hectares, in the Clare Valley. Stephanie produces six wines under the Mount Horrocks Wines label: Watervale Riesling, Cordon Cut Riesling, Watervale Semillon, Watervale Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Watervale Shiraz.
Every autumn, Stephanie Toole goes through her 25 acres of vineyards in Clare Valley carefully slicing part way through the fruiting Riesling canes. Then she leaves the grape bunches to raisin naturally on the vine. Several weeks later, if it hasn’t rained excessively, Toole harvests the grapes to produce the Cordon Cut, a sweet wine of astonishing richness and vivid flavour. A vein of refined acidity runs through the sweetness to balance the wine, making it feel vibrant and framing the heady lime-accented green plum, pineapple and apricot flavours.
In some vintages, a mineral component in the Cordon Cut is present. But the wine is unaffected by botrytis, so it never gets too honeyed. The 2005 Mount Horrocks Cordon Cut was served to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at a four course lunch in London to celebrate her 80th birthday. Only four wines were served and the Mount Horrocks Cordon Cut was the only Australian wine in the lineup.
Under Stephanie's direction, Mount Horrocks Wines has been widely recognised by experts and wine lovers alike: James Halliday, 2006 Australian Wine Companion: Five Star Rating "Outstanding winery capable of producing wines of the highest calibre." Decanter Magazine 2004 World Wine Awards: Gold Medal and Trophy for Best Australian Sweet White over £10 - Mount Horrocks Cordon Cut Riesling. Max Allen, Decanter Magazine February 2004: one of Australia's "Ten Most Exciting Names to Watch." The developments over the past decade have been keenly followed by many and once again perhaps best observed by Australia's leading wine authority James Halliday: "Mount Horrocks has well and truly established its own identity in recent years, aided by positive marketing and, equally importantly, wine quality which has resulted in both show success and critical acclaim."
Stephaine Toole was nominated for Australia's most prestigious winemaking award, the Australian Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine's Winemaker of the year. Chairman of Judges Peter Forrestal says that Stephanie was nominated because her wines have been outstanding, and for "painstaking attention to detail in the vineyards and winery, a focus on single vineyard wines and an ability to reinvent traditional Clare wines"
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