RED FIVE STAR WINERY Winery Awarded 5 Red Stars by James Halliday Wine Companion Outstanding Winery Regularly Producing Wines Of Exemplary Quality And Typicity. Will Have At Least 2 Wines Rated At 95 Points Or Above, And Had A Five Star Rating For The Previous 2 Years. Wednesday, June 20, 2018
JUNIOR JONES SERIES VITICULTURE = Sourced from a combination of our vineyards, these vines were given a cane pruning and an open canopy maintained throughout the growing season on a VSP. The fruit was picked relatively early on the 25 th February to capture the lighter tropical citrus flavours. COLOUR = Light straw. AROMA = An approachable, soft chardonnay that s big on fruit and low on oak. Plenty of ripe stone fruits and tropical, mango, pear, peach and fragrant ripe melons. PALATE = The palate has smooth, mellow texture and finishes with a sweep of toasted cashew nut flavour. CELLARING = To be enjoyed now and can be cellared for up to 5 years. WINEMAKERS COMMENTS = Jr Jones are good honest wines made expressly to showcase the premium cool climate fruit of the Mornington Peninsula, Australia. 2016 J. J. Chardonnay 12.5% Alc
YARRA VALLEY VICTORIA JUNIOR JONES SERIES VITICULTURE = Sourced from a combination of our vineyards, these vines were spur pruned & then thinned to 2 buds. A VSP canopy was maintained and some leaf-plucking on the southern side to permit air movement and light into the vine. Little water was applied as we were blessed with adequate rains at the critical times. Harvest was early this year, picking 3rd &10th March. The two batches gave us different baumes and flavour profiles to work with in the winery. VINIFICATION = Grapes were de-stemmed and transferred to a closed fermenter without crushing. The fruit was allowed a cold-soak maceration and slow start fermentation. The wine was 'pumped-over' twice daily before being pressed after eight days. Following settling in tank the wine was racked to barrel where it underwent malo. It was left on fine lees for four months before being rack & returned for a further 6 months. The wine was given gentle fining and filtration to assist in the fruit expression and character prior to bottling. COLOUR = Dark garnet. AROMA = Smells of ripe wild red and dark cherries, toasted spices and forest berries really youthful, fresh and concentrated. PALATE = The palate is smooth and supple with plenty of flesh, velvety tannins and long dark cherry flavour. CELLARING = To be enjoyed now and can be cellared for 5 to 8 years. WINEMAKERS COMMENTS = A real showcase of just why Yarra Valley Pinot Noir is so darn good. Jr Jones are good honest wines made expressly to showcase the premium cool climate fruit of the Yarra Valley, Australia. 2017 J. J. Pinot Noir 13.0% Alc
JONES ROAD SERIES VITICULTURE = Sourced from our vineyard further south on the Peninsula, these vines were spur pruned and shoot thinned to 24 shoots per vine on VSP. A reasonable canopy was maintained through summer as we intended these grapes more hang time for a more fruity, luscious Gris style. Watering was reduced post Christmas except when excessive temperatures were forecast. Harvested 23 rd March. COLOUR = Light pear. AROMA = It smells of citrus, spiced pear and apple fruits with freshly baked spiced bread and honeysuckle. PALATE = The palate has a delicious core of concentrated pear and apple flavour in the middle palate, more spicy complexity here too, finishing clean and fresh. CELLARING = To be enjoyed now and can be cellared for up to 5 years. WINEMAKERS COMMENTS = A rich and complex Pinot Gris with some savoury wild yeast and French oak complexity. 93 Points James Halliday s Wine Companion Drink to 2018. 2015 J. R. Pinot Gris 14.0% Alc
JONES ROAD SERIES VITICULTURE = To achieve the elegance, depth and characters which we require, the vines are cane pruned to achieve an even canopy. Shoot thinning is performed as early as possible in September to ensure a low number of shoots per vine helping us create an open canopy. This gives us good air circulation and even ripening. Summer pruning on the northern side promotes a relatively early harvest. COLOUR = Light straw. AROMA = The Jones Road Chardonnay shows concentrated cool climate Chardonnay characters of grapefruit, peach and nectarine fruits. PALATE = Smooth complex texture and effortless balance. CELLARING = To be enjoyed now and can be cellared for 5 to 8 years. WINEMAKERS COMMENTS = Our Jones Road Estate Chardonnay is a selection of superior quality in the vineyard and made with a view to adding gentle complexity in the winery. Whole bunch pressing, minimal juice settling and incorporating grape solids during barrel fermentation all work to deliver a complex and engaging young Chardonnay. Oak maturation is carefully monitored to ensure the right amount of time in oak is married with the right balance of new and seasoned barrels. 95 Points James Halliday s Aust Wine Companion 2017 JAMES COMMENTS = One sniff and sip and its abundantly clear that this wine is at the top of its game. It has a seamless grace, it combines stone fruits, steel, spice and wood as if they d all been grown as one. Drink to 2021. 2015 J. R. Chardonnay 12.7% Alc
JONES ROAD SERIES VITICULTURE = The near perfect 2012 vintage conditions saw our small patch of Shiraz ripen evenly, with great consistency throughout each row. We crop at very low level, not exceeding 2 tons per acre. This is achieved by cane pruning and using VSP trained canopy to ensure as much sunlight into ripen the fruit and prevent disease pressure. The shoots are thinned to create even spacing along the cordon. At veraison the leaves on the southern side are removed to help ripen the berries. Harvested 23 rd March. COLOUR = Ripe dark berry. AROMA = The wine, a rare treat for us at Jones Road, is deeply coloured and has a range of ripe dark berry and plum fruits with plenty of cool climate pepper and spice. PALATE = Tannins are fine and the finish is juicy, fresh and well balanced. CELLARING = It is approachable to drink now and will build further spice and savoury complexity if cellared for 10 + years. WINEMAKERS COMMENTS = A rising star from the Mornington Peninsula with the cool maritime climate offering fresh fruit. Nothing jammy or stewed about this red. 2012 J. R. Shiraz 13.5% Alc
JONES ROAD SERIES VITICULTURE = This area of Pinot was selected for our premium label as it had provided outstanding flavours in the past. The vines were cane pruned and restricted to 20 buds. Trained to a VSP open canopy, to provide sunlight and air movement through the canopy. Minimal watering was used and bunch numbers restricted. The grapes were picked relatively early on the 3 rd March as soon as the berries developed the required flavour profile. COLOUR = Dark Morello cherry. AROMA = Plenty of fine pinot character and complexity with spicy forest berry, red cherry, cocoa powder and a handsome layer of fine grained savoury French oak woven throughout. PALATE = The palate is supple, lithe and even with layered tannins holding crunchy red cherry flavour in elegant, gently curved shape. Terrific balance and resolve cherry stone finish. CELLARING = To be enjoyed now and can be cellared for 10 + years. WINEMAKERS COMMENTS = This wine showcases why the Mornington Pinot is rated as some of the best in Australia. 2015 J. R. Pinot Noir 12.7% Alc
NEPEAN SERIES VITICULTURE = This area of the Nepean Block was specifically targeted for a reserve quality wine. The vines were cane pruned to produce no more than 18 shoots per vine. An open VSP canopy was carefully managed all through the damp growing season with some leaf plucking on the southern side once the nets were put on after Christmas. No irrigating was used which promoted concentrated uptake of tannins. Bunch thinning, to one bunch per shoot was practiced to further concentrate all available plant resources into the single bunch. COLOUR = Light straw. AROMA = This top tier Chardonnay is precise, intense and rippling with concentration and nerve. Fresh cut new French oak offers aromas of grilled hazelnuts, vanillin and spice with nougat and ripe pears, grapefruit citrus and florals very complex. PALATE = The palate has fine etched acidity and savoury nutty barrel fermentation flavours. A piercing and linear wine with restrained grapefruit flavour, finishing crisp and mouth wateringly fresh. CELLARING = To be enjoyed now and can be cellared for 7 + years. WINEMAKERS COMMENTS = This ultra premium Chardonnay just keeps winning the accolades. Sourced from very low yielding vines and gently allowed to do its thing in the winery. Outstanding. Judges Choice Drinks Trade March / April 2018 Issue 63 JUDGES COMMENTS = A high quality wine. It has a slight struck match character on the nose. The palate has fine acidity and persistent minerality, but is still tightly wound. Purchase a few bottles and stow them away for a while. 2016 Nepean Chardonnay 12.5% Alc
NEPEAN SERIES VITICULTURE = A specific area of vines on The Nepean Block was selected for this wine. Historically we have found this area has produced some amazing flavour profiles, all MV6 clone. We started the growing season with a light fertilizing and the natural rainfall was adequate. The vines had been cane pruned to 18 buds and trained to an open VSP canopy. No watering was necessary this season. A light summer pruning maintained the open canopy and bunch counts restricted to 1 bunch per shoot. The grapes were hand picked relatively early on the 4 th March. COLOUR = Dark Morello cherry. AROMA = Very intense and precise pinot here with violet like florals, sappy fresh forest aromas, raspberry, a savoury graphite like mineral edge and a pure red cherry fruit flavour. PALATE = The balance is perfect and the wine delivers plenty of value for this reserve single vineyard barrel selected wine. CELLARING = To be enjoyed now and can be cellared for 10 + years. WINEMAKERS COMMENTS = This is what a great Pinot is all about. Bundles of ripe fruit, great balance, line and exceptional length. 2015 Nepean Pinot Noir 12.7% Alc