2007 2006 Fully mature. At its peak now and over the next few years. 2005 2004 2003 2002 Wines under cork (all successive years under screw cap). Needs drinking. Do not cellar any longer. H OW TO U S E T H I S G U I D E 2008 Semi mature. Drinking well, but will continue to improve. 2009 V I N TA G E C H A RT 2010 2001 2000 Note: Please use the vintage chart as a guide only. The variability of care and cellaring conditions along with personal taste make it impossible for Tyrrell s Vineyards Pty Ltd to guarantee when your wine has reached the peak of its development. Storage conditions will add to the cellaring of your wine. We recommend a cool, clear, variation free environment. STEVENS SHIRAZ JOHNNO S SHIRAZ 4 ACRES SHIRAZ OLD PATCH SHIRAZ VAT 8 SHIRAZ AND SHIRAZ CABERNET VAT 9 SHIRAZ VAT 6 PINOT NOIR BELFORD CHARDONNAY HVD CHARDONNAY VAT 47 CHARDONNAY VAT 63 CHARDONNAY SEMILLON BELFORD SEMILLON HVD SEMILLON STEVENS SEMILLON JOHNNO S SEMILLON VAT 1 SEMILLON 2011 Private Bin Club 2016 WHITE RELEASE
BRUCE I am delighted to announce the release of the 2016 Private Bin whites. 2016 was in some ways similar to 2015 with both rain and hail playing a part in the final quality and quantity of this year s crop. The growing season was generally above average in rainfall and left the vines in no need of moisture, so we started with a quite big crop and the vines under no stress at all. We all expected a hot, dry vintage and so left plenty of foliage on the vines to stop sun burn. That hot period never really came. We had the wettest January on record, followed by the driest February on record, and three separate hail storms - the weather Gods were certainly in a bad mood. Interestingly the previous wettest and driest records were both held by 1972 and Vat 1 1972, is my favourite all-time Tyrrell s wine. The rain had pretty much dried up by mid-january and we then only had to deal with the odd flying storm and hail. The hail shredded a lot of leaves and bruised the berries rather than knocking them off the bunches. Like last year, as much fruit as possible was picked and hand sorted in the vineyard leading to the saying of the vintage - there was nothing wrong with the fruit when it left the vineyard. Vintage commenced on 14th January with Chardonnay from Penfoldvale for our yet to be released Blanc de Blanc sparkling. As in the previous few years all the Chardonnay came off before the Semillon at between 12 and 13 beaume which is about where we want it. The top blocks were all basket pressed quickly to get the juice away from the skins and any mould they may have got past the hand sorting in the vineyard. With machine harvested fruit nothing stayed in the vineyard for more than an hour to ensure the grapes were processed in the best condition. The two stand out days of white picking where Australia Day when we hand picked Chardonnay on the Short Flat for Vat 47. The pickers were about two hours ahead of a lot of rot destroying the bunches. The Saturday at Belford they picked the entire 12 acres of Semillon and Chardonnay in one day in absolutely pristine condition. We only lost two wines this year, HVD Chardonnay and Johnno s Semillon which were so badly hail affected there was no real flavour in the fruit that was left. All of the Vat 47, Belford and HVD Old Vines Chardonnay continue to be handpressed and this technique is resulting in an increased number of awards. Vat 47 and Belford have won 10 trophies and 29 golds from 2012 to 2015. As the Semillon was picked after the Chardonnay there was a bit more evident rot that had to be cut out in the vineyard and so the final crop was less than we first expected. The picking decisions were as much where we could get on, not when. We stuck to our focus, which is about flavour, and were willing to lose some fruit rather than pick it with green characters. Across the board the top wines are very good with Belford and Vat 1 being my favourites. Picking all of Belford on a Saturday with about 35 extra backpackers who Pete Hickey, our vineyard foreman, rounded up earlier in the morning was a long day but produced the cleanest and best presented fruit of the year. After a tough vintage period I am very pleased with the overall quality of the 2016 whites, they are all wines that will take some age but some will be great drinking when they are younger. We had the wettest January on record, followed by the driest February on record. Interestingly these previous records were both held by 1972, and Vat 1 1972, is my favourite all-time Tyrrell s wine. The 2016 reds are better than we first thought and whilst there will be no Old Patch - Johnno s and the 4 Acres are close. There will not be great quantities, but we will only bottle what is good enough. If you are still looking for some 2014 red to top up your cellar there is still some 2014 Special Release Shiraz left. The show circuit started early this year with Sydney moving from February to July so they were able to get winemaker judges with the southern states vintages getting a lot earlier. A successful start to the year with Vat 1 2005 being awarded the James Busby Trophy for the most successful NSW wine for the year. It won Gold medals in the Hunter Valley and Sydney shows plus the NSW wine awards to take the trophy. In June, Vat 1 was listed amongst Decanter Magazine s Legend Wines and it certainly places Vat 1 amongst the great wines of the world, you can read more about this accolade in the pages to come. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at our Meet the Makers tastings in September, at our other events, and of course at the winery. 2 3
Being a 158 year old year winery it s not every day that you get to build a major piece of infrastructure but after two years of planning we completed our new vintage cellar just in time for the 2016 vintage. This new facility is entirely dedicated to red wine and is essentially split into two sections, a small batch super premium area for our single vineyard Hunter Valley wines and then a larger scale area for our Heathcote vineyard. The fermenter sizes range from 2 tonnes to 25 tonnes giving us incredibly flexibility and scope to make the best wines possible. CHRIS The benefit of this new red shed became quite apparent in about the third week of the Shiraz vintage. We had just started harvesting our Heathcote vineyard yet we still had 100 tonnes of Hunter Valley Shiraz on skins. In any other year previously we would have had to get the Heathcote Shiraz fermented externally which is never ideal. Instead, we now have the ability to handle all of Shiraz from all vineyards at any one time if that would ever be required. All winemakers are always looking for those little extra one percenters but in this new cellar we have effectively gained a 10 percenter which can only mean great things for our red wines into the future. A special thanks must go to Jeff Easton, Head of Maintenance and Engineering and his team as well as cellar foreman Darren Larsen for helping to make this new facility possible, they have done a fantastic job. I think it would also double as a great venue for a Private Bin Club long lunch. Also I would just like to add that no two vintages are ever the same and the 2016 vintage certainly maintained that belief. The vineyards showed amazing resilience in what was quite an unsettled summer, and as usual, Vineyard Manager Andrew Pengilly and his amazing vineyard team did a terrific job making sure the fruit we received in the winery was in great shape. I look forward to seeing you all at the Meet the Makers tastings in September. VAT 1 NAMED AS A WINE LEGEND Tyrrell s legendary Vat 1 Semillon has been named one of the World s top wines by the British bible of wines, Decanter Magazine, which is published in 90 countries. The legendary Vat 1 Hunter Semillon Australia s most iconic white wine has enjoyed international recognition for over five decades, with this accolade cementing its wine legend status in the global wine community. It is a great honour for our Vat 1 to be included amongst the world s great wines. We began the journey to drive recognition of Hunter Semillon in the late 1980s, and it looks like we ve arrived. says Bruce Tyrrell. Vat 1 Semillon, the flagship Tyrrell s wine, has been grown in the Hunter for decades. It is only ever made from the best blocks on the Tyrrell s Ashman s property, with the oldest plantings being from 1908. Decanter communicated that the 1994 vintage of the Vat 1 certainly pleased Australian judges in the regional and national shows; it garnered no fewer than 32 gold medals and 12 trophies. The only other Australian wines to have been included amongst this exclusive Decanter Wine Legends list are Penfolds Grange, Penfolds Bin 60a, Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet, Henschke Hill of Grace and Lindemans Bin 1590. Vat 1 stands as the only Australian white wine recognised, and one of very few dry white wines. Previous Wine Legends include: Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Taylor s Vintage Port, Hugel Alsace Riesling, Chateau Haut-Brion Blanc, Egon Muller-Scharzhof, Chateau Palmer, Chateau Lafite, Petrus, Chateau Margaux, Krug, Chateau d Yquem, Hietz Cabernet and Chateau Petrus. Decanter states; Hunter Valley Semillon is one of Australia s miraculous wines. Tasted very young, it can seem anaemic and feeble, notable only for its strident citric character. After five years of bottle age, it is transformed into a honeyed, toasty, complex wine, full of flavour despite its low alcohol. Tyrrell s Vat 1 is one of the supreme expressions of this underrated wine style. No wine has been awarded more medals on the Australian show circuit. To celebrate this prestigious honour, from this 2016 release, the Vat 1 Semillon is now available to Private Bin members in magnum format (1500mL) as an inclusion on standing orders. $125 per bottle (limited stock). 4 5
2016 WHITE RELEASES 2016 WHITE RELEASES VAT 1 SEMILLON Vat 1 is only ever made from a couple of our best old blocks of Semillon with the Short Flat being the major component. This vineyard is the heart of Vat 1 with its oldest plantings being 1923, the soil profile in this vineyard is quite unique and not like any of our other vineyards which gives Vat 1 that amazing length of fruit. An inviting nose of citrus and a palate which is the perfect mid-point between power and elegance. Typical Vat 1 fruit power which is balanced with the delicate acid profile resulting in a seamless wine that will enjoy a long life in the cellar. Nick Stock, 96 points, August 2016. Cellar to 2030. $50.00/$600.00 HVD SEMILLON The Single Vineyard HVD Semillon is only ever sourced from the Sign Post block which was planted in the HVD vineyard in 1908. This vineyard is situated between two dry creek beds and the vine roots generally always have access to water. Textbook HVD Semillon showing a lifted, generous floral aromatic unlike our other Semillons. The palate is full and soft, typical of the vineyard with a fine boned acidity giving the wine added element of interest. Cellar to 2030. $25.00/$300.00 STEVENS SEMILLON Stevens Semillon comes from Neil Stevens Glenoak vineyard on Marrowbone Road which features a combination of light sandy loams as well as transitional darker, heavier soils. The oldest plantings on this vineyard are 1911. The hallmark of this vineyard is always the intense citrus lift with its mineral edge, almost riesling-like. The palate is tightly bound and has a racy citrus fruit profile that is tight, elegant, and impeccably long. Cellar to 2026. $25.00/$300.00 BELFORD SEMILLON The Tyrrell family have leased the old Elliot vineyard in Belford which is located about 10km North West of the winery in was planted in 1933. Being the vineyard that is furthest away from the Brokenback range it has the most broken down soil, which is almost talcum powder like in its consistency. An incredibly vibrant nose that leaps out of the glass, which is followed by a palate that is fuller, richer, almost honeyed. These characters are balanced by a soft, clean acid profile that gives the wine its great length. Cellar to 2026. $25.00/$300.00 6 7
2016 WHITE RELEASES VAT 63 CHARDONNAY SEMILLON This wine is arguably the most unique wine Tyrrell s produce. Made purely because the family and staff love the wine style so much. The Chardonnay is from the HVD vineyard with the Semillon coming from Pokolbin Hills Estate. Both of the varieties are hand picked and made separately until blending in June. The chardonnay component spends its time in mostly older French oak barriques and the Semillon made in traditional unwooded style. The result is a wonderfully balanced white wine, showing the rich chardonnay fruit characters which is curbed by the elegance and length of the Semillon. Cellar to 2023. $35.00/$420.00 RED RELEASES AVAILABLE 2014 SPECIAL RELEASE SHIRAZ The vineyard blocks used from this are predominately from our Weinkeller vineyard, which in many years previously had gone into the Vat 9 blend. A tiny amount of Stevens Shiraz was used to top up the blend. A Modern Classic Hunter Valley Shiraz from a landmark vintage that will age very well. $30.00/$360.00 VAT 47 CHARDONNAY Vat 47 Chardonnay comes entirely from our Short Flat vineyard with the original Chardonnay vines being planted by Murray Tyrrell in the late 60s. The fruit is hand picked, basket pressed and matured for eight months in hand selected, tight grain French oak barriques with only a small percentage being new. A delicate, restrained release of our flagship chardonnay which shows wonderful balance between the primary citrus fruit flavours and the secondary characters derived from the extended lees contact. Cellar to 2026. $45.00/$540.00 2014 VAT 6 PINOT NOIR Light in colour, it has a strawberry lift on the nose enhanced by the stalk character from the whole bunch ferment. The palate is light to medium-bodied with the bright berry fruit characters being the fore runner to the fine tannin structure. A delicate wine, with long, persistent flavours. $42.00/$504.00 2010 VAT 8 SHIRAZ CABERNET A blend of premium Hunter Valley Shiraz with 8% Cabernet Sauvignon coming from the Hilltops region of New South Wales. The wine shows intense plum fruit sweetness from the Shiraz with dark berry and chocolate characters. The Cabernet component adds to the length and fullness of the wine. $60.00/$720.00 8 9
TYRRELL S IN AUSTRALIA S FIRST FAMILIES OF WINE Australia s First Families of Wine was launched officially in 2009, but discussions to put the group together were commenced in 2006. The Australian wine industry was at that time under attack, particularly by the UK press as producing only industrial wines that all tasted the same. We believed that it was the job of the old family wineries to recover the premium image of Australian wine. Since then the group has visited the UK, Canada, China and the USA promoting not only our own heritage and wines, but that of Australia as a whole. Our Charter is to engage consumers, retailers, restaurateur and industry colleagues around the globe to understand the quality of Australian wine, appreciate its character, and the personalities behind those wines. To become a member the winery must be; Australian Family owned Multi generational minimum 2 generations Have icon wines recognised by Langtons or 75% of the group Be Members of the Winemaker Federation of Australia Own old and established vineyards over 50 years old Be committed to environmental best practice Members must be prepared to participate in promotions with a family member attending. The current members of First Families are Brown Brothers, Campbells Wines, d Arenberg, De Bortoli, Henschke, Howard Park Wines, Jim Barry Wines, McWilliams Wines, Tahbilk, Taylor s Wines and Yalumba. Over the time that the group has been together we have had the advantage of becoming personally much closer and more able to openly discuss both business and family succession. We also send the next generation away to a different part of the industry each year to broaden their experience of the Australian Wine Industry and so they can better get to know each other and share the family values vital to the future of our industry At the end of this year I will take over from Robert Hill Smith of Yalumba as Chairman of the group which will keep me on my toes for the next two years. MEMBER S EVENTS SEPTEMBER MEET THE MAKERS TASTINGS You are invited to join the Tyrrell s family, meet our talented winemakers and experience some of the very best wines that Australia produces, well in advance of their commercial release. This year, we will once again be returning to the popular sit down masterclass format in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane: SYDNEY 4pm & 6pm, Thursday, 8 September, 2016 Sydney Masonic Centre, 66 Goulburn Street, Sydney Please note, the 6pm session of this event is fully booked CANBERRA 6pm, Thursday 15th September, 2016 Location: Hellenic Club, Matilda Street, Woden MELBOURNE 6pm, Thursday, 22nd September, 2016 Location: The Wine House, 133 Queensbridge Street, Southbank BRISBANE 4pm & 6pm, Thursday 29th September, 2016 The Queensland Club, 19 George Street, Brisbane Please note, the 6pm session of this event is fully booked OCTOBER SPRING SEASONAL MEMBER S LUNCHEON Enjoy the complete Tyrrell s experience with these premium member s luncheons. Only the finest food and museum wine, all to be enjoyed in the setting of Tyrrell s historic Winery. The spring instalment of this event series will delight with the finest seasonal produce, cooked to perfection, by Mark Stapleton owner and Executive Chef of Restaurant Botanica. Bookings essential. Friday 14th October 2016, 1pm Tyrrell s Vineyards, 1838 Broke Road, Pokolbin $250 per person For further information on members events, please contact private.bin@tyrrells.com.au 10 11