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Varieties planted and produced from our Vineyards "Guichen Bay Vineyards"& "Wrights Bay Vineyards" have a well balanced planting of the five premium varieties:
The first wine released under the "Guichen Bay Vineyards" label was our 2003 Shiraz and 2003 Sauvignon Blanc. Since then the range has expanded to include Cabernet Sauvignon in 2004, Merlot in 2005 and Chardonnay in 2009. In July 2009 we released our 2007 cabernet sauvignon and shiraz to join our 2007 merlot which was released late last year and this year we produced our own chardonnay for the first time. The chardonnay is a fresh and acidic, low alcohol unwooded wine similar in style to our sauvignon blanc both of which were made for us in the Adelaide Hills by Simon Greenleaf. The two whites were released in September 2009. Cabernet Sauvignon When you think of the source of Australia's standout examples of cabernet sauvignon and merlot in Australia you think of Coonawarra and its terra rossa soil and Margaret River and its maritime climate. Mount Benson has both terra rossa soil and a maritime climate on a similar latitude to Margaret River. Mount Benson cabernet typically produces small bunches and berries and although it is always the last fruit to ripen, in most vintages it achieves good weight and length on the palate and intensity of flavours and aromas. We prefer to make a lower alcohol style of cabernet to complement food rather than overwhelm it. All of our reds are matured in French barriques usually 40/60 new /used. Prior to 2007 vintage we matured the cabernet in wood for one year however for the 2007 cabernet we have left it in wood for two years to better integrate the tannins. It was bottled in June for release in July 2009. Shiraz Shiraz from Mount Benson typically displays loads of colour and perfume. The vibrant purple/red hues are backed up with an abundance of plum, berryfruit, cloves, pepper, spice and gamey characters in aroma and flavour. Black pepper is usually a prominent characteristic. The weight is usually medium, with good length and soft tannins. The reputation of shiraz in Mount Benson got a significant boost during 1997 and 1998 when the prominent French winemakers, the Chapoutier brothers investigated a number of potential sites in South Australia and Victoria with the intention to secure supplies of premium fruit, mainly shiraz, for wine to supply their European and North American markets. Their base is in the home of shiraz in France, the Rhone Valley. They chose Mount Benson as the source of their South Australian fruit when they purchased an existing vineyard on the Southern Ports Highway and renamed it "Tournon". In 1998 Michel Chapoutier inspected the site chosen for the planting of shiraz in "Wrights Bay Vineyard", the swales and limestone strewn hills to the north of where the main shed now stands, and declared "it has the potential to grow the finest shiraz in Australia". While we have not achieved that potential yet it's an aspiration worth striving for.
above- the shiraz now planted in the stony terra rossa soil in "Wrights Bay Vineyards" which Michel Chapoutier enthused over in 1998 Our shiraz is matured in French barriques usually 40/60 new/used for ten to twelve months (twenty four months for the 2007 shiraz) and as with our cabernet we aim for a lower alcohol and more food friendly style although in 2005 and 2006 nature had other ideas and the shiraz turned out to be big "blockbuster" wines. Before crushing, the free run juice is drained off. From the 2006 Vintage we released our first Reserve Shiraz, made from an exceptional parcel of fruit. After twenty four months in barrel a parcel of fruit from the 2007 Vintage displays similar characteristics.
fermenting our 2005 shiraz in April 2005 showing its intense colour - this Vintage produced a really big wine. Merlot Merlot is one of those varieties that doesn’t like wind or cold in spring which are adverse to its fruit set and not a great deal of this variety has been planted in Mount Benson. Ours is one of very few straight merlots produced in the Region. While we have lots of wind and October and November are often cool to cold months, the substantial windbreaks around the perimeters of the Vineyards and between the blocks are proving very effective in shielding the vines from excessive wind and also raise the ambient temperature to assist fruit set. Our first "Guichen Bay Vineyards" merlot produced in 2005 gained awards and accolades including a Gold Medal in its class at the 2006 Australian Small Winemakers Show. Berry and plum characters stand out and the tannins are soft. As with the cabernet and shiraz we aim to make a lower alcohol, food friendly merlot, with the fruit picked as early as ripening will allow.
a fine bunch of merlot ready for picking in April 2006 handpicking the merlot for our 2006 "Guichen Bay Vineyards" label Sauvignon Blanc Sauvignon blanc is ideally suited to Mount Benson's cool maritime climate. We pick the fruit for our label at around 12 to 12.5 baume, ferment it in stainless steel tanks and don't let it anywhere near an oak barrel. The style of sauvignon blanc we aim to make is lower in alcohol, light, crisp and zesty. Passionfruit and gooseberries are typically prominent in the aromas and on the palate. An ideal summer drinking wine, as an apperitif or to accompany the excellent crayfish (lobster) for which South Australia's Limestone Coast is famous. The fruit for our 2009 sauvignon blanc was picked on 11 March and released in September 2009. Chardonnay Chardonnay is the most significant white variety planted in Mount Benson's vineyards. Other wineries have made great examples of this varietal using Mount Benson fruit, mainly in an oak matured style. For example Kingston Estate Wines uses our chardonnay fruit usually blended with fruit from the Adelaide Hills for its super premium "Echelon" label and a chardonnay produced in Fosters' Robe vineyard won the trophy for the "Best Wine of the Show" in the International Cool Climate Wine Show held in Victoria in February 2009. In 2009 we released our first chardonnay from our own fruit, made by Simon Greenleaf in Lobethal in the Adelaide Hills. As with our sauvignon blanc it is unwooded and meets our objective to produce a lower alcohol wine, light and crisp with a tangy acidity to complement seafood in particular. The fruit for our 2009 chardonnay was picked on 2 April and released in September 2009. Current release wines 2009 Mount Benson Sauvignon Blanc Recommended Retail Price $16.50 per bottle. "Mates' Rates" Price $11 per bottle by the dozen or mixed dozen. Another good year for sauvignon blanc in Mount Benson. The 2009 was sourced from “Wrights Bay Vineyards”and picked on 11 March. The wine was again made for us in Lobethal (Adelaide Hills) by Winemaker, Simon Greenleaf. The wine has aromas of kiwi fruit, citrus and mint with subtle herbaceous notes. The palate is crisp and fresh with good length of tropical kiwi fruit. Alcohol /volume is 12.7%. 2009 Mount Benson Unwooded Chardonnay Recommended Retail Price $16.50 per bottle. "Mates' Rates" Price $11 per bottle by the dozen or mixed dozen. This is the first chardonnay we have made and we are very happy with the outcome. The fruit was sourced from "Guichen Bay Vineyards" and picked on 2 April. As with our Sauvignon Blanc this wine was made in Lobethal by Simon Greenleaf. His tasting notes describe the chardonnay as having "ripe orchard and stone fruit aromas balanced with citrus and tropical notes. On the palate there is great texture and volume with persistent orchard fruit finish with well balanced acidity". Alc/vol.12.9% The full range of current release reds are now on sale: Join the Wine Club now?
2007 Merlot, 2006 Reserve Shiraz, 2008 Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Mount Benson Sauvignon Blanc Recommended Retail Price $16.50 per bottle. "Mates' Rates" Price $11 per bottle by the dozen or mixed dozen. Join the Wine Club now?
This was a good year for sauvignon blanc in Mount Benson and we obtained an excellent parcel of fruit from “Guichen Bay Vineyards” – The wine was made for us in Lobethal (Adelaide Hills) by Winemaker, Simon Greenleaf. The wine shows strong herbaceous characters of gooseberry and green tropical fruit on the nose. The flavours are of fresh green tropical fruit matched with good palate weight with lingering herbaceous fruit carried by balanced acid on the finish. Alcohol /volume is 12.7%. James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion 2010 rated it 88/100 - "A clean bouquet: potent tropical/gooseberry fruit runs through the length of the palate, almost sweet on the finish, but with balancing acidity. To 2010." Winestate Magazine awarded it three stars (equivalent to Bronze) in its"Limestone Coast Regional Tasting" November 2008. " Abundance of delicate floral / passionfruit aromas and elegant palate with a touch of The full range of our reds is now released and on sale: 2007 Mount Benson Reserve Shiraz Recommended Retail Price $27 per bottle. "Mates' Rates" Price $17 per bottle by the dozen or mixed dozen or $20 per bottle in a six bottle pack. This wine was picked on 3 April 2007 and made for us in McLaren Vale by Mark Day. After crushing the grapes were fermented in open vats and then basket pressed. The wine was matured in new and one year old French barriques for 24 months and bottled in June 2009. The Winemakers notes ..."This wine is a vibrant , dense, dark plum red colour. The aromas are fruity florals with strong berry characters. The palate has intense flavours with strong red and black berries and plums, sweet fruit overtones, some chocolate and black pepper and a spicy finish. The wine is mouth filling with rich flavours and shows good structure, balance and depth of palate. Well handled French oak and fine integrated tannins add to its complexity". Alc/vol 14.7%. Awarded a Silver Medal at the 2009 Winewise Small Vignerons Awards. 2007 Mount Benson Merlot Recommended Retail Price $20 per bottle. "Mates' Rates" Price $13 per bottle by the dozen or mixed dozen Join the Wine Club now?
This wine was made by Mark Day and was bottled in September 2008. It gained Bronze Medals at the at the 2009 Winewise Small Vignerons Awards, 2009 Boutique Winemakers Awards, Winemaker’s tasting notes - “This wine is a deep ruby red colour. Rich aromas of raspberries, ripe plums and warm toasty oak with a floral finish. The palate shows mulberries, plums and red berries, is full bodied with good backbone, depth and “mouth feel” with a lingering finish. Fine dusty tannins typical of a good cool climate merlot give the wine lovely structure and length.”Alc/vol 15.0% 2007 Mount Benson Cabernet Sauvignon Recommended Retail Price $20 per bottle. "Mates' Rates" Price $13 per bottle by the dozen or mixed dozen Join the Wine Club now? This wine was made by Mark Day and was bottled in July 2009 after 24 months in new and one year old French barriques.. It gained Bronze Medals at the at the 2009 Winewise Small Vignerons Awards and the 2009 Cairns Wineshow. Winemaker’s tasting notes - “This wine has a deep and dense dark red colour. The aromas are fruity florals with strong berry and dusty characters. The palate is strongly blackcurrant and mint with herbaceous, earthy and leafy overtones and hints of plums, leather and licorice. The wine is mouth filling with rich flavours and shows good structure, balance and depth of palate." 2007 Mount Benson Shiraz Recommended Retail Price $20 per bottle. "Mates' Rates" Price $13 per bottle by the dozen or mixed dozen Join the Wine Club now? This wine was made by Mark Day and was bottled in July 2009 after 24 months in new and one year old French barriques. It gained Bronze Medals at the 2009 Cairns Wineshow and 2009 Cowra Wineshow. Winemaker’s tasting notes - “This wine has a deep and dense dark red colour. The aromas are fruity florals with strong berry, spice and pepper characters. The palate is strongly blackberries and plums with chocolate, spice and pepper overtones and a sweet fruit finish. The wine is mouth filling with rich flavours and shows good structure, balance and depth of palate."
Recommended Retail Price $27 per bottle. "Mates' Rates" Price $17 per bottle by the dozen or mixed dozen or $20 per bottle in a six bottle pack. Join the Wine Club now?
Winestate Magazine
Our Reserve Shiraz is improving all the while in the bottle and has gained six awards recently. • Winewise 2008 Small Vigneron Awards awarded it 55.5 points and a Gold Medal: “Highly recommended- this is a lively, complete young wine that delivers clear-cut dark berry and spice varietal characters backed by fine tannins and good acidity. Excellent value”; • National Cool Climate Wine Show 2008 – 18.5 points, Gold Medal; • Australian Small Winemakers Show 2008- 51.0 points, Silver Medal; • Cowra (NSW) Wineshow 2008 – 51.5 points, Silver Medal; • Winestate Magazine awarded it 5 stars (equivalent to Gold Medal and equal top in its class) in its “Shiraz & Blends” Tasting published in September/October 2008. The Winestate judges described it as “Beautifully dense ruby red wine with intense aromas- smelling of plums, cloves, sweet mocha and nutmeg and leading on to a hot spicy nutmeg of a palate that has plenty of length and great structure”; • James Halliday’s “Australian Wine Companion 2009” rated it 91/100 and described it as “Deeply coloured; the bouquet has very good fruit concentration along with oak; full bodied and full flavoured with chewy tannins and lots of dark fruits on the finish”. This is a powerful wine similar to our 2005 shiraz but with a more elegant and complex structure. Mark Day made this wine for us in his McLaren Vale winery. Winemaking Cabernet, shiraz and merlot- In 2009 reds were made by Mark Day in McLaren Vale. In 2008 reds were not made due to contractual arrangements with third party wineries. were all made by Mark Day in McLaren Vale. Vintages from 2004 to 2006 were made at Ralph Fowlers Winery in Mount Benson. The 2003 shiraz was made by Derek Hooper at Cape Jaffa Wines in Mount Benson. Sauvignon blanc and chardonnay: In 2009 we made an unwooded chardonnay for the first time - it and the sauvignon blanc were made by Simon Greenleaf at Lobethal in the Adelaide Hills; The 2008 sauvignon blanc was made by Simon Greenleaf; In 2007 whites were not made due to contractual arrangements with third party wineries; Vintages from 2003 to 2006 were made by Derek Hooper at "Cape Jaffa Wines" in Mount Benson; Awards & accolades Wines no longer available: 2006 Mount Benson Shiraz **** (Silver) Winestate Magazine “Shiraz & Blends Tasting” September 2007- “A good wine with enough of everything – fruit most of all. Simple menthol nose has a bit of licorice and the red fruit flavours are complemented by the tannins and oak.” 2005 Mount Benson Shiraz **** ½ (Silver) Winestate Magazine “Shiraz & Blends Tasting” Sept 2006 “Lovely licorice and dark chocolate aromas. The palate is big and solid and very youthful, with excellent length and intensity of sweet fruit, seamlessly balanced with the tannins and acid.” “Dark colour; massively rich and potent prune and blackberry jam flavours; better picked earlier, but you cannot deny the richness and the US market will adore it.” 2004 Mount Benson Shiraz **** (88/100) James Halliday, “Australian Wine Companion 2005” “Light to medium bodied; clean fresh blackberry, plum and cherry; subtle oak.” 2003 Mount Benson Shiraz: **** (89/100) James Halliday -“Australian Wine Companion 2006” “Good purple red colour, light to medium bodied, black cherry & spice, fine tannins but needs more flesh.” 2005 Mount Benson Cabernet Sauvignon **** (88/100) James Halliday, "Australian Wine Companion 2008" “Very powerful, focused and intense cassis and blackcurrant supported by solid tannins. Has more varietal flavour than the thunderous merlot.” 2006 Mount Benson Merlot *** (Bronze) Winestate Magazine “Limestone Coast Tasting” November 2007 “Nose a combo of leafy, dark fruits and black olives. Long, firm palate with fine tannin backbone.” & Australian Small Winemakers Show 2007 & Murrumbateman (NSW) Cool Climate Wineshow 2007; 2005 Mount Benson Merlot Gold Medal – Australian Small Winemakers Show 2006; Silver Medal – Cowra Wineshow 2006 & Winewise Australian Small Vignerons Bronze Medal – Boutique Wines of Australia 2006 & National Cool Climate Wine 2003 Sauvignon Blanc: **** (88/100) James Halliday – “Australian Wine Companion 2005” “Aromatic tropical gooseberry bouquet, a clean, crisp and fresh palate, albeit with less fruit than the bouquet promises.”
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| Copyright © Guichen Bay Vineyards Pty Ltd 2009. Last edited 16 September, 2009 | |||||||||
