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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»
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»
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»
The first and final word in world class Barossa Cabernet, aged in a luxurious selection of completely new French oak hogsheads. The Ashmead block is so low yielding that it was almost gutted and re established to more productive plantings. Elderton»
The enthusiastic maritime climes of Martinborough are heaven sent for a style and quality of Sauvignon Blanc to rival the world's finest. Mother nature sets the stage, but ultimately it is the thoughtful viticultural practices of the Palliser Estate team, which ensures a harvest of ripe and intensely flavoured Sauvignon Blanc at every vintage. Palliser Estate»
. . Bottega»
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»
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»
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»
Tim Knappstein began his apprenticeship under the family owned Stanley Wine Company. Within a decade, Tim had won more than 500 show awards, gold medals and trophies for the premium Leasingham range. Riposte»
Paringa Estate has established an unassailable repute over the last twenty years as one of the leading small winery vineyards in the country, named Australian Winery of the Year by James Halliday. Paringa Shiraz won a total of six trophies including Best of Show at the 2006 Royal Sydney, sweeping the field with five Gold Medals and five Trophies, including the prestigious Best of Show and Best Shiraz at the 2009 Royal Sydney, as well as Best Shiraz Trophy Royal Melbourne. Paringa Estate»
Blackjack has claimed the eminent M.Chapoutier Trophy for Best Shiraz at the prestigious Le Concours des Vinson on no fewer than three occasions. Block 6 is a superior parcel of distinguished vines, renowned within the Bendigo district for producing a very high quality, intensely fruit driven Shiraz. Blackjack»
Passing Clouds
Passing Clouds Graemes Blend $371.88/Case of 12
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Currently out of stock
Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz by Passing Clouds of Bendigo. Rich complex aromas of blackberry, blackcurrant and spice follow through onto the palate, lined by a veneer of gentle oak. Graeme's Blend is the Passing Cloud flagship. Passing Clouds is a small hands on operation employing traditional techniques. A superb balance of tannin and acidity complemented by lingering fruit, beautifully balanced on a length of fine chalky tannins.
FromPassing Clouds
VarietalCabernet Sauvignon Shiraz
RegionBendigo / Victoria

Passing Clouds

http://www.passingclouds.com.au/ - Passing Clouds - Tasting Notes On Australian & New Zealand wines
Passing Clouds is a small hands on operation using traditional winemaking techniques, sheltered by hills of ironbark forest, an ideal growing climate for premium red wine

The story begins in 1973 when Graeme Leith and Sue Mackinnon great friends and partners decided that they wanted even more challenges in life than were possible for them in their careers as electrical contractor and journalist; Graeme was the electrical contractor. They wanted to brave the elements, face the challenges of the land, and like so many before them pursue the holy grail of the best wine in the world.

http://www.passingclouds.com.au/ - Passing Clouds - Tasting Notes On Australian & New Zealand wines

Working on the principle that enthusiasm triumphs over professionalism, the first vines were planted at Kingower by Sue Mackinnon, Graeme Leith, Anne and David Brown (who then wisely took up cheese making) in November 1973 by the headlights of the van from which they had driven from Melbourne after work. They didn’t want it to be dependent on pesticides or insecticides so they chose a site in a dry area north west of Bendigo on old gold diggings, where the soil had been dug over a hundred and twenty years before by goldminers.

They laid out the wires, measured the distance between the vines, dug the holes with shovels and planted 150 vines, initially shiraz and cabernet sauvignon to make a classic Aussie blend. There were also riesling vines planted, that Tom Lazar had left over from his last plantings at Virgin Hills, and which he had kindly donated. They then had some supper and drove back to Melbourne. They were younger, then.

After several years of nurturing their plantings, they experienced the first real Passing Clouds vintage, and released their inaugural wine. They were successful, and the first wine they showed at the Melbourne Wine Show, the 1982 shiraz cabernet won gold. Since then the vineyards produce has won numerous medals for magnificent wines, presently including not only the predominant Graeme’s Blend shiraz cabernet, but The Angel, a cabernet sauvignon merlot cab franc, some spectacular shirazes, and over the last few years the pinot noir made from Coldstream grapes.

http://www.passingclouds.com.au/ - Passing Clouds - Tasting Notes On Australian & New Zealand wines

White wines are made too, but Passing Clouds is famous for its reds, reds of great character, individuality and superb quality. As one wine writer said "I have a lot of sample bottles on my table at the end of the day, but whenever there’s Passing Clouds, it’s the one we drink with dinner!"

The first Passing Clouds, a glorious concentrated red had too little chemical input, no sulphur was added as a preservative and the wine had a very short life span. From then on all wines have had minimal sulphur additions to keep them alive and well, as Winemaker Graeme Leith accepted that the Romans had it right two thousand years ago when they burned sulphur in their amphorae. Unirrigated, ripe fruit, traditional methods of hand plunging in small fermenters and hand presses cranking down the cake late into the night was the formula for the next twenty years and many superb wines were produced.

Some more sophisticated wine making equipment has been added over the last ten years or so, including an air bag press. Today's Passing Clouds are as good or better than the Gold winning 1982 shiraz cabernet. Winemaker Graeme Leith has always enjoyed the challenge of different styles, different varieties. Passing Clouds now releases The Angel cabernet, three different shirazes, cabernet franc, grenache, Graeme’s Blend shiraz cabernet, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc and lately the highly regarded pinot noir, crafted from Coldstream fruit. The estate also makes the highly acclaimed Three Wise Men pinot at Kingower with fruit transported from Narre Warren East.

Generally speaking the best wines over the years have been made in dry seasons, the wetter seasons have produced weedier wines. All of the Passing Clouds reds are of exemplary quality and have the power to age gracefully, plus something special no other Bendigo district wines seem to have. According to many, what distinguishes Passing Clouds from other Bendigo wines, is a fleshy full bodied weight, an opulence and plushness that makes many other Bendigo reds seem skeletal by comparison.

http://www.passingclouds.com.au/ - Passing Clouds - Tasting Notes On Australian & New Zealand wines

Graeme sometimes says that making wine is not all that dissimilar to making a fruit cake, good ingredients, a guiding hand, and get the timing right! He also says that making wine is 20% winemaking and 80% cleaning up. Graeme Leith has passed the winemaking baton onto his son Cameron, and everyone expects the quality and uniqueness of Passing Clouds to be suitably nurtured and improved upon.

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