Geoff Merrill
Its history begins over 100 years ago when it was built by a young Englishman, Mostyn Owen, who purchased 200 acres of prime Reynella hillside and built a winery in 1897. Set in the Hurtle Vale Ward just behind Reynella (Hurtle Vale was named after Sir James Hurtle Fisher, the first Mayor of Adelaide). Of these 200 acres, 150 were planted with vines. Mostyn Owen ran the winery and vineyards until he passed away in the mid 1940's.
"+ "The winery itself was innovative for its time, using the principles of gravity to feed wine throughout the cellars. Because of this the building is now state heritage listed.
"+ "Today, Mount Hurtle Winery is an oasis among suburbia. Nestled in four acres of vineyards and landscaped gardens. It is hard to believe when Geoff purchased Mount Hurtle Winery in 1985 it was a derelict building, run down and dilapidated and had been used as a stable for many years. It required two years of love, hard work and a special vision by Geoff and his supporters to restore the winery to its former glory.
"+ "While retaining an almost Tuscan charm, the original winery and the 1500 square metre barrel maturation cellar, completed in 1998, now perfectly copes with the rigors of modern day winemaking.A large family of geese and ducks also inhabit the winery grounds and dam near the front entrance to the estate.
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" Senior Winemaker, Geoff Merrill
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" Geoff Merrill was born in 1953 and was raised on a sheep station in the far north of South Australia until he was 11 years old. The Merrill family then moved to the Barossa Valley where Geoff's first links with the wine industry were formed. His formal education was gained at local Barossa Valley Schools and the Institute of Technology in Adelaide. "+ "From 1970 to 1973 Geoff undertook a winemaking traineeship at B Seppelt & Son. A position as Experimental Winemaker with Stellenbosch Farmers Winery lured him to South Africa for a year in 1974, after which he travelled through Europe. "+ "By the end of 1975 Geoff was back in Australia and had joined Chateau Reynella as Assistant Winemaker. In 1977 he was promoted to Senior Winemaker, a position he held until 1985. "+ "Whilst working a Chateau Reynella Geoff also managed to find the time to make wines under his own 'Geoff Merrill' label. These wines were first released in 1983 with the 1980 Cabernet and 1981 Semillon. "+ " | |
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" When Thomas Hardy & Sons purchased Chateau Reynella in 1982 Geoff stayed on, continuing to make the Chateau Reynella wines. By 1985 he had become a Consultant Winemaker for Hardy and Chateau Reynella's red wines. At the same time he was on the lookout for a winery where he could base his own operations. He found the beautiful, but run-down, Mount Hurtle Winery in 1985, which he restored and by 1988 Geoff had left Hardy's to run his own operation. "+ "Since 1988 Geoff has concentrated on the winery and his wines. He has continued to gain national and international recognition for his distinctive style of winemaking and his zest for life. September 1993 marked a new stage in Geoff's winemaking career as he took up a position as a Consultant Winemaker in Italy to UK supermarket Sainsbury and Gruppo Italiano Vini in Italy. "+ " | ||
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"1. Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 "+ //wine tasting notes " A blend of approximately 80/20 McLaren Vale and Coonawarra fruit, spending 24 months in first American, then French oak. A much more minty and eucalypt character than the regular Cabernet bottling, with ripe, very dense blackcurrant aromas with terrific purity.
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"2. Chardonnay 2004 "+ //wine tasting notes " Nicely vegetal touches to very good, ripe fruit, with a citrus and buttery tone. Nice leesy, creamy character without too much oak. On the palate really bright fruit sweetness, with tropical, pineapple tones and good oak. Becomes quite toasty, and though the lemony acidity seems a little unknit, a very nice Chardonnay. "+ //wine grape varietals & image "
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"3. Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre 2004 "+ //wine tasting notes " Hugely opulent plum and black coffee nose, with spices and a luscious, ripe black cherry quality. On the palate a big, densely structured, very fruity wine, with high extraction and a mouthfilling texture.
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"4. Reserve Shiraz 2000 "+ //wine tasting notes " 29 months in American then French oak in this selection of Shiraz. It has a very complex nose with incense and lots of gamy, animal notes, as well as ripe, bloody and plummy plum fruit. The palate is savoury and full of finesse, with cedar and all sorts of gamy nuances to a solid core of fruit.
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Terrazas
At the end of the 1950's, the famous French Champagne house, Moët & Chandon (LVMH group, Moët Hennessy - Louis Vuitton), realised there was an enormous potential for growth in South America. Therefore they decided to send their wine analyst, Renaud Poirier, to these far away lands to study the possibility of expansion. Monsieur Poirier, having experimented in Peru, Chile, Brazil and various other regions in Argentina, finally proved that Luján de Cuyo, a region within the province of Mendoza was the best place for the birth of fine wines.
"+ "In 1960, Chandon Argentina was established, the first subsidiary of Moët & Chandon outside France. In the past, Chandon Argentina made only sparkling and generic still wines, however at the beginning of the '90's fuelled by a political system more orientated towards an international market, a varietal wines project was born, to which Terrazas has now become the reality.
"+ "Situated in Perdriel (Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza), there is an old Spanish style winery that was used by Pedro Domecq to create his brandy. Renaud Poirier asked Domecq if he could use his equipment to make the first experimental vintages, between 1957 and 1959.
"+ "Thirty years later Terrazas de los Andes was born, a tributary of Chandon Argentina dedicated exclusively to the production of varietal wines. To make the Terrazas de los Andes wines, Chandon Argentina took the initiative to restore this building, located in the heart of Perdriel and at the foot of the imposing Cordón del Plata (a section of the Andes Mountain Range).
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" Winemaking Director,
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" Manuel is the winemaking director at Bodegas Chandon and Terrazas de los Andes. He was born in Portugal and comes from a well-known European winemaking family. "+ "Since his early childhood, spent in Caves Messias, the family winery, wine has been his passion. Before coming to Mendoza, Manuel was a researcher, professor and head of winemaking at Bodegas Rozes. "+ "Manuel has been living in Mendoza, Argentina for nine years, with his wife Alicia, and his three children, Manuel, Pedro and Maria. He enjoys scuba diving, horseback riding and sports. "+ "Manuel is an Agricultural Engineer and holds a graduate degree in Oenology Technology from the Polytechnic University of Madrid. "+ " | |
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"1. Malbec Afincado 2005 "+ //wine tasting notes " Again, much riper and fuller than the equivalent Terrazas wine, though perhaps with less immediate appeal. Not such clear varietal character as the Terrazas Cabernet, but bigger and with firm, dry tannins on the finish. Afincado “aims at concentration”, says Manuel, and this wine epitomizes that intention. "+ //wine grape varietals & image "
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"2. Reserva Chardonnay 2008 "+ //wine tasting notes " Grown at 1,200 meters, according to the label! Young, creamy, oaky, and a little bit smoky on the nose. Plump fruit and good length, though finishing a little bit “warm.” Slick and modern, with no sign of altitude sickness. Good for the price. "+ //wine grape varietals & image "
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"3. Reserva Malbec 2006 "+ //wine tasting notes " Warm, beguiling nose of plum and mulberry. The tannins are not too conspicuous and are well-integrated into the fruit, though the finish is a little rustic. Sweet and juicy structure on the finish, with more savory flavors emerging, too. Very drinkable, and again best enjoyed young. "+ //wine grape varietals & image "
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"4. Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 "+ //wine tasting notes " This takes a while to get going, but is a fine expression of high altitude/cool climate Cabernet. The nose epitomizes the tension created by growing at high altitude in a warm clime, with very ripe Cabernet cassis fruit underscored by something more savory - white peppers, perhaps. Very powerful finish, with strong Cabernet character again. "+ //wine grape varietals & image "
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Bordeaux
No other wine producing region resonates with same level of international acclaim and is heir to such instant recognition among lovers of fine wine. It is at the same time one of the most misunderstood and frequently disappointing regions for those who are not initiates to its often confusing maze of Chateaus, appellations, classified growths, and diverging styles.
"+ "Those expecting all the allure and promise of a first or even fifth growth in a common, generic “Bordeaux” are all but certain to be sorely disappointed. Likewise, price, naturally inflated by the demand for brand Bordeaux the world over, is not on its own a safe guide to the best wines of the region. It is useful to note that it is a huge region producing more wine than the entirety of Australia.
"+ "While famed for its red wines, produced from a number of varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, but also smaller amounts of Malbec and Petit Verdot as well, Bordeaux also makes the famous dessert wine, Sauternes, and some elegant and delicious dry whites from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.
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"1. Chateau D’Angludet 2000 "+ //wine tasting notes " Deep red/black color with the start of some bricking on the edge. Claret nose with damp earth, a little cedar and plum. Palate is clear and clean with a soft structure and the remains of the tannins on the finish. Nice clean claret, starting to drink well. "+ //wine grape varietals & image "
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"2. Chateau Monlot St Emilion Grand Cru 2004 "+ //wine tasting notes " This wine boasts dusky, slightly smoky, dark cherry and damson fruits on the nose. On the palate, there is a scented, almost curranty quality, damson fruit, and notes of chocolate and fruitcake-like spice. Mineral, mouth-filling, there is a naturally assertive structure here, but it is far from over-extracted. The freshness and bright acidity of the vintage lifts the substantial fruit and leads to a long, poised finish. "+ //wine grape varietals & image "
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"3. Chateau Haut Bages Monpelou 2003 "+ //wine tasting notes " Chateau Haut Bages Monpelou is the second wine of chateau Batailley (5th Cru Classe). For a Pauillac it is a pretty light body. However it shows all the qualities of a great wine; opulent bouquet with aromas of blackcurrant and cedar. It is very well structured with a light but elegant finish. "+ //wine grape varietals & image "
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"4. Chateau Terre Rouge 2004 "+ //wine tasting notes " Delicate color. On the nose, hints of wood, herbs, stringent fruit and a whiff of cherries. Medium bodied some tannin although pleasant and balanced. Loads of barnyard on the nose initially, that softened up somewhat to allow a bit more fruit through with hints of dried cranberries and smoky oak. "+ //wine grape varietals & image "
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Beringer
Beringer Vineyards is the oldest continuously operating winery in the Napa Valley. In 2001, the estate was placed on the National Register for Historic Places as a Historic District. With the present use of state-of-the-art technology applied to age-old traditions, Beringer Vineyards'' wines continue to reflect a single-minded dedication to the making of memorable wines from great Napa Valley vineyards.
"+ "The volcanic soil was ideal for growing the same grapes found in Europe's great winemaking regions. Best of all, the hills could be dug out to provide storage and aging tunnels that would maintain the constant temperature needed to produce fine wines.
"+ "Beringer's focus on excellence is illustrated in its commitment to sustainable practices, and theirs wines express this attention to the environment. There are a total of 14 vineyards and at each Beringer vineyard, with its own distinctive soil, climate and terrain, lends itself to particular grape varietals. These vineyards have become recognized as the primary sources of Beringer wines.
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" WineMaker, Laurie Hook
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" Grew up in Sacramento, California, she never dreamed of becoming a winemaker. Laurie Hook transferred to the winemaking program at the University of California at Davis, training ground for noted winemakers in California and around the world. After graduation in 1984, she traveled to Australia to work in a small Melbourne-area winery for six months. "+ "In 1986, Laurie came to Beringer as an enologist, a job that allowed her to solidify the scientific side of her training. In 1997, she was named Assistant Winemaker to Winemaster Ed Sbragia, and in 2000 was promoted to Winemaker for Beringer Vineyards. "+ " | |
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" Laurie is a member of the American Society of Viticulture and Enology, the Trellis Alliance, and the Napa Valley Wine Technical Group. Outside of the winery, Laurie has a myriad of interests and hobbies revolving around travel, gardening, the study of history, collecting antique and regional cookbooks and funny quotes about wine. She's also a passionate animal lover. "+ " | ||
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"1. Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 "+ //wine tasting notes " The blend of course is Beringer's beautiful 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve, always proving that the sum is better than the component parts. Dark ruby/purple color is accompanied by a big, sweet nose of smoked meats, black currant jam, chocolate. "+ //wine grape varietals & image "
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"2. Beringer Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2006 "+ //wine tasting notes " Clear almost colorless - just a slight hint of pale straw - Youthful. Clean and expressive nose (mod) of guava and lime. Dry with crisp citrus on the palate with mod+ acid and alcohol and moderate body. Very creamy finish that's a bit hot from the alcohol. "+ //wine grape varietals & image "
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"3. Beringer Clear Lake Zinfandel 2005 "+ //wine tasting notes " Deep purple in colour, this wine shows earth, spice and white pepper on the nose. The palate shows dense berry fruit and tobacco. Nice finish with good balance and rounded tannins. "+ //wine grape varietals & image "
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"4. Knight Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 "+ //wine tasting notes " This deep, juicy Cabernet could define the Beringer style, a lot of fruit crafted with a lot of oak.....pure black currant, the oak age bringing out spice, a creamy richness to the texture, a solid structure. The flavor of those tiny round black berries is the flavor that lasts. "+ //wine grape varietals & image "
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