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There are two superb high altitude sites in Carey Gully and Piccadilly Valley, which yield an extraordinary quality of Sauvignon Blanc. Knappstein take the top cut of each harvest, crushing the fruit for a long cool vinification, treating a batch to the added richness of oak barrel ferments for texture, complexity and weight. Riposte» |
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Pinot Meunier like no other, certainly the most distinguished bottling of its kind anywhere in the new world. Mostly old vine Concongella Pinot Meuniere, from grapes picked off parcels established 1970, with the inclusion of a priceless component of ancient vines 1868 Pinot Noir. Bests» |
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Twice Gold Medal Challenge International du Vin! Moscatel and Gewürtztraminer grapes, grown to estate vineyards on the mountains of the Upper Penedes, form the backbone of fruit for Viña Esmeralda, a delicate but strunningly fragrant wine. The dry fig and raisin characters of Moscatel de AlejandrÃÂa give Esmerelda it's luscious and flavourful palate, fleshed out by the orange of Frontignac or Moscatel de Grano Menudo as the Spanish say, further enhanced by the complex aromaticness and spice of the vivacious Traminer.. Torres» |
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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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Excellent Langtons Classification. Elderton Command has established an enviable reputation, truly one of Australia's most esteemed flagship wines. Elderton» |
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Yealands Seaview Vineyard is exposed to some of the toughest growing conditions in Marlborough, high sunshine and billowing winds wind, cool nights and low rainfalls for a smaller, thicker skinned Pinot Gris of exciting intensity. Fruit from the relatively flat, coastal L6M block, provides a pure mineral elegance to the structural backbone. Yealands Estate» |
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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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Take a lesson from the well versed Rosé rectors on the Cotes du Rhône and you'll be adding a measure of the arcadian Cinsault grape into your Grenache ferments, conceiving an animate and engaging ochre pink wine. There's a real affinity between the balmy maritime climes of McLaren Vale and the swarthy, effusive varietals that hail from the French south. Bondar» |
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A collation of superior vineyard parcels, crafted by a boutique estate which has been recognized as one of Australia's leading wineries. Clonakilla are dedicated to making distinctive, handcrafted wines, only ever released in limited quantities, anything by Clonakilla can be hard to find, but they are worth the search. Clonakilla» |
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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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Villa Maria possess the magic touch with Pinot Gris, regularly clearing international wine events of prestigious trophies. Private Bin has been included in the Decanter Top 50 Best Under £10 and identified as a Decanter favourite. Villa Maria» |
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An auspicious construct of Barossa Shiraz, which has claimed significant awards throughout its illustrious history, including gold at the prestigious London International. Peter Scholz is one of the Barossa's most capable and respected winemakers with a heritage that dates back to early settlement. Willows» |
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Keith Brien
About Keith Brien - the Winery
Keith Brien
A former commercial pilot, Keith Brien gave up his career in the clouds to start a new life from the ground up
Keith trained with prestigious winemakers in the Burgundy commune of Pommard, founding the Cleveland wineworks on the Macedon Ranges in 1989. He continues to observe, teach and participate in viticultural and winemaking experiences throughout the world. Brien quickly learned that a combination of the most up to date technology and traditional practices produce the finest wines. He also learned that as vines grow older, they begin to struggle and produce lesser yields of more expressive grapes. The fruit of Old Vines is highly prized because of its intensity and depth of character, a quality for which there is no substitute in the art of winemaking. The fruit for the Old Vines Vincenzo range comes from plantings established in the early 1960s. The gnarled, fully mature vines show a natural suitability to the rugged soils and warm climate.
When Brien began working with the late Vincenzo Conte’s eldest son in 2003, the vineyard required extensive re-working to achieve maximum quality fruit. Since then, Brien and Vince have worked to establish new trellis and pruning techniques to improve the viticultural management. Through continued care and dedication, the reinvigorated vines will lay new quality standards. It brings Brien great pleasure to walk amongst these old vines which display their struggle for survival through gnarled and twisted trunks rising from the meagre soil that feeds them.
The Macedon ranges create a unique environment in Australian terms with climatic conditions similar to those of Rheims in the Champagne area of France. Three hectares of vineyard were planted on the Cleveland property in 1984 to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and a mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot in the lower northern paddock. The first vintage was in 1988 and the remaining samples of Chardonnay still drink extraordinarily well to this date.
The Croucher vineyard at Whitlands lies on the back road to Mt. Buller at the high end of the King Valley at an altitude of 780m above sea level presenting as the highest Riesling vineyard in Australia. The rich red volcanic loams are set in a mountainous, ultra cool climate and no irrigation ensures the vines are not too vigorous. The site was previously source for Brown Bros Patricia Reserve, its longer ripening period yelds some of the highest quality Riesling to be found anywhere.
Keith Brien has been a winemaker for decades. He left Cleveland Estate in 2003 after twenty five years of meritorious service and established his own label under the banner of Silver Wings. He now serves as chief winemaker for Marquee Artisan, acting as consultant for the brand since its inception. Brien continues to pursue his passion for making long lived single estate wines. He is consumed by his love for the old vines styles of the Valley Rhone, Shiraz, Mourverdre and Grenache, assembling the noble trio into exquisite wines of rich, spicy rich flavours supported by deep and delicious, tannic complexities. He has also established a new genre of luxury sparkling with a highly praiseworthy Late Disgorged Macedon, liquering the Cuvee with X.O. Cognac, aged eighteen years on lees, it exists in a class of its own.
Brien takes great interest in offering a taste of rare and interesting wines from his own personal and private collections at the estate Cellar Door, quartered in a restored art deco warehouse at Munster Terrace in North Melbourne. Keen enthusiasts should avail themselves of the opportunity savour a unique experience across a hand chosen range of truly exciting wines.
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