New Wines from Australia: 91 Point Vasse Felix Chardonnay; Ancient Vine Shiraz from Langmeil; "Certified Organic" Yalumba Chardonnay Aloha All: Here s three new recent "Aussie" additions to arrive in Hawaii from Negociants USA... I d like to remind everybody of this outstanding group of artisan producers from Australia --- All family-run operations, Negociants USA comprises some of Australia's oldest, most venerable properties... All are worth checking out... From the Barossa's Langmeil estate-grown, highly allocated, ancient vine shiraz s, to the Margaret River s superstar Vasse Felix, and back to South Australia's banquet/by-the-glass friendly Organic wines from Yalumba... They compose some of the most sought after and highly acclaimed wines available in the US from "Down Under"... AJ Vasse Felix, Margaret River, Western Australia Aussie chardonnay is finally getting the recognition that it deserves...planted in 1967, Vasse Felix was the first vineyard to be established in the Margaret River wine region of Western Australia... Family owned and operated by the Holmes a Court family, Vasse Felix is internationally recognized as a leading Margaret River winery, and is found in the heart of Margaret River's famous sub-region: 'Willyabrup'... Long growing seasons, ancient soils and cooling sea breezes from the Southern and Indian Oceans provide the Vasse Felix vineyards with ideal viticultural conditions to craft consistent, elegant and complex wines with pronounced varietal character and aroma... This magical region, coupled with visionary winemaking and pioneering vineyards have resulted in some exceptional new releases.
Vasse Felix Estate Chardonnay, Margaret River 2010 (#8671) 6/750ml $18/Bottle Chardonnay is the best performing white variety in Margaret River and this wine comes from Vasse Felix s best vineyards in the region. Aged in 100% French oak, 10 months (34% new, 66% 1-2 year old). It was fermented in individual parcels with wild yeasts and matured in French Oak for nine months. The Vasse Felix Chardonnay has developed significantly over recent years to a modern style embracing the fruit, some solids in the juice and the natural yeast from the vineyard. All batches were fermented wild with no yeast addition and were stirred throughout the ten months of maturation, allowing the yeast to impart further complexity... As bright, natural acidity is priority, no malolactic fermentation was encouraged. Vasse Felix has developed a modern style of Chardonnay, embracing the fruit, some solids in the juice and the natural yeast from the vineyard. They do not stimulate malolactic fermentation which in turn results in greater preservation of the natural acids from the vineyard. The fruit is picked earlier which also helps to preserve the natural acids and keep the alcohol lower, resulting in a tighter, more refreshing style of Chardonnay. Additional complexities are gained from barrel fermentation and lees stirring which also helps to build texture. 91 points: Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: Barrel fermented with wild yeast in French oak, 34% new, and matured for 10 months in oak, the 2010 Chardonnay offers a youthfully closed nose of fresh peaches and cream, cedar, lightly toasted bread and apple tart. Medium bodied and packed with nervy flavor intensity in the mouth, it has crisp acidity and a silken texture, finishing long with lingering honeyed toast notes. Still very tight, consider drinking it 2012 to 2016+. 90 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: Light yellow. Nectarine and lemon curd on the nose, with complicating notes of smoky lees and white flowers. Spicy, gently sweet orchard fruit flavors show very good depth and clarity, picking up a toasty note on the back half. Finishes broad and
smooth, with the nectarine and spice notes repeating. This is already delicious but its depth suggests it will reward aging. 89 points Wine Spectator: Fresh and vibrant, this is smooth in texture, with deft balance to the nectarine, pear and lime flavors, lingering nicely. Drink now through 2014. Yalumba Organic Chardonnay, South Australia 2011 (#8667) 6/750ml $15/Bottle Sourced from two certified organic vineyards in South Australia, this chardonnay has lovely rich fruit and good weight in the mouth, finishing fine and dry. Made with organic winemaking techniques with very little winemaking intervention. Pale straw in colour with green hues, the aroma of the Yalumba Organic Chardonnay 2011 has aromas of peach, melon and ripe stone fruits, which are complemented by a touch of funk from the wild yeast fermented characters. The palate is a beautiful layering of distinct flavours starting with stone fruits and hints of lemon rind, leading to a creamy custard apple finish. As part of its ongoing commitment to environmental management, Yalumba recently introduced a new brand-category, comprising of three new wines (Chardonnay, Viognier & Shiraz) --- all of which have been made from organically grown grapes. All of the grapes were selected from South Australian vineyards that have been certified by the Soil Association of the UK and NASAA Australia as approved organic producers. Located on the Murray River at Loxton, the Barich Family have a beautiful organic vineyard that produces some wonderful Chardonnay. They have been joined in the 2011 Vintage by the Carypidis Family of Virginia (South Australia) who have been producing Chardonnay of a high quality for Yalumba for some time but have only recently been certified organic. Meticulous work in both vineyards ensures that the grapes are in perfect condition when they are picked, and together they have created a wine that showcases the variety for the first time under
Yalumba s Organic label. Langmeil Hangin' Snakes Shiraz Viognier 2010 (#8666) 12/750ml $192/case; $16/Bottle 88 Points: Robert Parker s Wine Advocate (#199; Feb. 2012): Containing 4% Viognier in the blend, the 2010 Hangin Snakes Shiraz Viognier offers a deep garnet-purple color and aromas of blackberry preserves, blueberries, tar, tree bark, yeast extract and Mediterranean herbs. Medium to full bodied with a generous amount of fruit in the mouth, it gives a medium level of rounded tannins, lively acid to balance and a long finish. Drinking now, it should keep to 2016. The wine s unique name puts everybody s imaginations on overload, but most of you will be disappointed by the real genesis of this wine s name --- but it s still quaintly funny ---- something to do with the reluctance of a certain grower in the Barossa Valley to emit a curse word during the heat of the vintage... And speaking a local dialect known as 'Barossa-Deutsch' (a blend of German and English that embodies much of the history of the district) replaced it with hangin snakes...since rejuvenating the abandoned 19th Century vineyards and cellars, in less than two decades Langmeil has created an enviable worldwide reputation for its coveted Shiraz. Langmeil Winery Barossa, Australia Family owned and operated, Langmeil Winery is where cutting-edge meets old-school... Langmeil is the home to the oldest vines of shiraz in planted in Australia (& possibly on earth!)... The majority of the fruit for Langmeil wines still comes from old, pre-phylloxera and own-root vineyards throughout the region. Named after the village where it is located, Langmeil has been highlighted as one of the emerging Australian icon wineries with Langton's.
Although less than 2 decades since the Bitter and Lindner families reestablished the abandoned winery, Langmeil has had considerable success --- having been awarded Five Star rating in the James Halliday Australian Wine Competition six consecutive years in a row! Langmeil is at the heart of the Barossa Valley and takes its name from the second of the German settlements to be established in the area. Set among the surviving ironstone buildings of the original settlement, Langmeil Winery graces the banks of the North Para River, the meandering course of which is marked by the stately River Red Gums. The land now occupied by the winery was originally settled by the blacksmith Christian Auricht and his family in 1842. In addition to his trade, Christian was a farmer of cereal grains, orchards, livestock and a vineyard of which a portion survives to this day. A winery was first established on the site in 1932 and existed under various names until its abandonment in the mid 1980 s. After a decade of dormancy, fifth generation Barossa families, the Bitters and the Lindners restored the historic site and have been producing the Langmeil label there since 1996. Langmeil is known for its dedication to the preservation of the Barossa s heritage, environment and history and this is reflected in the restoration and maintenance of its property. Auricht s old vineyard believed to be one of the oldest known surviving Shiraz vineyards in the world is the source of Langmeil Winery s single vineyard Shiraz. This rare wine commemorates the pioneering spirit of the first settlers and their endurance of hardships in escaping religious persecution, leading to the wine being named The Freedom 1843 Shiraz. Our flagship wine, The 1843 Freedom Shiraz, is often the easiest wine to make. The old vines are naturally in balance and do all the hard work for us, says Chief Winemaker Paul Lindner. Now, the Langmeil label owns a number of predominately dry grown vineyards planted with Shiraz, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier and Ondenc. They also draw on other fruit stock of Riesling, Chardonnay and Mourvédre from the Barossa and Eden Valleys. We use sustainable viticulture practices to
ensure the vineyard remains in balance with nature, says Paul. This, in conjunction with the use of minimal sprays, is consistent with our approach towards sustainable best practice. 90% of Langmeil s production is red wine oriented, making traditional dry single varieties and blended styles. They also produce both red and white bottle fermented sparkling, dry and sweet whites, a rosé and several fortified wines. Paul Lindner and winemaker Tyson Bitter work hard to produce world class wines in Langmeil s own individual style, while still taking advantage of the distinctive hallmarks of the Barossa. Paul enjoys mixing old and new-world technologies, only gently de-stemming the hand harvested fruit rather than crushing, open fermentation and basket pressing, with completely no fining or filtration, ensuring the full potential of the fruit is captured with old fashioned minimal handling but labor intensive techniques. These techniques help to capture the special characteristics of each variety of grape and the subtleties derived from the different soils of the individual vineyards. Our philosophy is to produce only 100% Barossa premium quality wine made from varieties which excel in the Barossa, Paul proclaims. Our aim is to be recognized and regarded as one of the top global wine producers. This will be achieved by continuing to seek out vineyards and varieties which produce fruit displaying excellent regional characteristics and depth of flavor and color. Langmeil s award winning premium range is internationally recognized and has contributed towards the winery being regarded as one of the top premium wine producers in Australia. Their young team is dedicated to the success of the winery, driven only by quality in every aspect. Aloha, Alan