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| Characterized by its controlled power, elegance and finesse, a very special Pyrenees wine which redefines the great Cabernet virtues of stature, structure and length. The inaugural release claimed Gold and Best Wine ahead of two timeless Bordeaux icons, Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Cos d'Estournel. Taltarni» |
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| De Bortoli hold an extensive collection of barrel aged wines. Stocks of fortified and botrytised Semillon are drawn on from time to time to assemble into a wickedly decadent wine of rare opulence. De Bortoli» |
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| The highly opportune Pinot Noir vines at Bird In Hand are planted on the site of an ancient gold mine, a godsend of fortuitously fertile soils, magnificent growing conditions for stellar quality Adelaide Hill wines. Fermented in own bottle and aged five years on lees in true Méthode champenoise, the term of extended maturation imparts luxurious biscuit notes, chantilly crème and frais de bois. Bird In Hand» |
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| Campbell's Topaque is the most wickedly intense, lusciously rich elixir, laden with candied peel flavours, honeycombed fruit and amber complexities. Painstakingly crafted to the old world Solera system, a bespoke tradition of fractional blending and elevage, achieving the most indulgent concentration of flavour through a laborious racking of barrels as the angels take their share. Campbells» |
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| Scotsdale was acquired by Howard Park as a pastoral property, specifically chosen and planted to make a single vineyard wine. Shiraz is harvested according to flavour with little regard for analytical data. Howard Park» |
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| Peter Lehmann has always been Riesling's most outspoken advocate, he has claimed best Riesling trophy at the prestigious London International on more occasions than any other, he declares Riesling to be his wine of choice if marooned on the proverbial desert island. Early picking of fruit from a superior single vineyard in the salubrious climes of Eden Valley has produced a fresh, lively Riesling, expect this captivating wine to exhibit genuine charm and offer great longevity as it narrowly missed being bottled behind Lehmann's flagship Riesling label.. Peter Lehmann» |
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| Glenrowan is a place of great natural endowments, it grows the finest fruit and hosted a famous gold rush. Glenrowan has remained quarantined from any exchange of viticulture since the 1890s, a felicitious quirk of history which has preserved the provenance of some great old vineyards. Baileys Glenrowan» |
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| Willow Creek has quickly gained a reputation as one of the leading Mornington wineries, producing ultra fine Pinot Noir. From the first multiple trophy winning 1994 edition it was clear that Willow Creek was an exceptional site yielding superlative fruit. Willow Creek» |
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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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| 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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| A solid Cabernet Sauvignon with profound structure and vigorous fruit, the essential Coonawarra style, exuding rich bramble, berries and cassis aromas characters over soft, elegant tannins. Extended maturation in the finest French oak contributes to the wine's overall balance and drinkability. Hollick» |
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| The uncompromising pursuit of excellence brings the Yealands team to the extreme viticultural climes of Gibbston Valley in Central Otago. It is here under the frigid cloudless night skies that Pinot Noir vines, planted to undulating granite schist soils, struggle to yield harvests of parched grapes, redolent with cherry berry perfumes, bursting with an intensity of flavour and wrapped in a muslin of seamless, velvet tannins. Yealands Estate» |
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Bowen Estate
About Bowen Estate - the Winery
Bowen Estate
Owned and operated by the Bowen family, Bowen Estate lies towards the southern end of the famous Coonawarra wine region
Proprietor/ winemakers Doug and Emma Bowen, graduated from Roseworthy College in 1971 and Charles Sturt University in 1996, respectively. Starting with bare paddocks that had until then been part of a dairy farm, the vineyard area was originally 12 hectares. Established in 1972 on prime Terra Rossa soil, the first vintage from Bowen Estate was 1975. The Cellar Door tasting and sales facility was opened to the public in 1977. The South Block, originally a sheep farm was purchased in 1986. In 1996 a property with some established vines, was purchased directly on their northern boundary.
The property now consists of three blocks, South, Home and North and the total vineyard area is 34 hectares. Bowen Estate vineyard is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz with smaller plantings of Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. After several vintages of wine produced under the stars, a Mount Gambier limestone winery was built. The Honourable David Tonkin Premier of South Australia officially opened this building on 2nd November 1980.
In the vineyard at Bowen Estate, all vines are individually pruned by hand to ensure each vine produces maximum quality. Hand pruning enables the winemakers to restrict the crop size that results in wines that are full in body and have great depth of colour and longevity. The pruning and trellising of the vines is done with specific consideration being given to the growing habits of each variety of grapes in the vineyard.
This has allowed the production of a very open crop of grapes that is well ripened in the cool Coonawarra climate. Crop levels are restricted to approximately 6 tonnes per hectare for red varieties and 8.5 tonnes for Chardonnay. At this cropping level Doug Bowen feels maximum quality is ensured.
The grapes are harvested and crushed within an hour of picking. In the winery, the grapes are fermented at cool temperatures and after fermentation the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are aged in French and Russian oak and Shiraz in American Oak barriques. Approximately one third new oak is used each year and after 22-24 months in wood the wine is bottled ready for release.
Much of the philosophy for the style of wine produced begins with the vineyard. Firstly, the location of is on the traditional prime terra rossa soil of Coonawarra. This is of the utmost importance. Secondly, there is a very strong belief in the traditional hand pruning of vines, combined with an arch cane trellis system. This improves the evenness of budburst, bunch exposure and ripeness, but more importantly, this method of pruning ensures a balanced vine. Therefore the vine will produce fruit of optimum quality. It is this optimum fruit that makes bench mark wines which reflect the true characteristics of Coonawarra - strong varietal aromas, big flavours and soft balanced tannins.
Bowen Estate expresses the winemaking and viticultural skills of Doug and Emma Bowen and have become, over the years, Classic Coonawarra benchmarks. The wines produced consistently reflect the true characteristics of the Coonawarra area, exhibiting strong varietal aroma, big flavour and soft balanced tannin.
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