Barossa Valley Estates winery is over on the western side of the Barossa but the fruit sourced for their Moculta label is from the Eastern edge of the Barossa. My sister got married 3 weeks ago at the Seppeltsfield winery, right next door to the Barossa Valley Estates winery. The village of Moculta is about 3kms from the Henshcke Winery outside Angaston in the Eden Valley (a sub region of the Barossa). Arguably the best red wine in the country is made there by Stephen and Prue Henshcke. Hill of Grace. The argument goes that even though Penfolds Grange Hermitage is not only a blend of varieties but a blend of regions, and controlled by a massive corporate giant with plantings all over the country available to it, it is still only of the same standard as Hill of Grace which is a one vineyard, one variety (Shiraz), family owned company. I first met Stephen and Prue when I was about 16. and for years used to buy bottles of Hill of Grace for about Aus$25 -$35 a bottle. I still have an 89, 2 x 90's, a 91, 92 and a 94. Each of these bottles is now worth (give or take $100) about $600 a bottle. I also have a 1964 Grange Hermitage, god knows how much that is now worth. But I never see the point in paying these insane prices when there are so many other good wines here that you just need to taste them at cellar door or a party (both for free) and pick the ones that you know will develop well. Buy them and cellar them. You always buy 3 if you can, then you can open them at different years and see how they are developing. Because I started when I was about 16 and was taught that big Australian Reds need to be put down for a minimum of 5-10 years (some like the HoG and the GH will last up to 50 years) I still have some fantastic wines, some of which are soon to reach their peak. Very disappointing to have to open a 90 HoG (its best year) and have no sense of smell, even if I did only pay $33 for it. My Dad started collecting when he was in his 20's, not forgetting my grandfather who started collecting when he was ...actually I have no idea when he started but Dad and I were the willed recipients of his collection when he died. I remember helping him as a teenager to catalogue his wines.
The Henschkes bought land up here in the Adelaide Hills wine region (where I live) next door to Tim Knappsteins vinyard back in the 80's. This is a cooler climate so the varieties are different. Our highest quality and profile wine is Sauvignon Blanc but there are about 3 or 4 really good Pinot Noir winemakers up here. Tim is one of the best. My wife Cath worked for him for a few years doing his international wine marketing. Stephen George of Ashton hills winery is the other excellent pinot maker.
Steve is a lovely bloke and has a very poorly kept secret for those in the know.
I divulge this information to you Uwe on the strictest of confidence
Not really, in the last year or 2 the media have worked it out.
Part 2There is a very quiet small winery from just south of the Clare valley wine region (Where Tim is from originally) called Wendouree. It is the only winery in Australia that has its wine presold before its grown. The people who are on the order list are mostly winemakers and its been like this for donkeys years. The quality of this wine is , to say the least awesome. And if you can find bottles that have been on sold then you will be surprised at how cheap (compared to HoG and GH at least) the wine is. Mostly due to NOT being famous as it were. In the 80's after Rolly Birk sold the company to the Brady family they got Stephen George to make the wine and he has been doing it ever since.
This wine needs an absolute minimum of ten years in the bottle, preferably 15-20 years IMHO depending on which variety is used. I have never tasted a less than amazing bottle, and I've had a few.
George: the best I can describe it is like this: (I hope that) all of us here can identify a minor, major or 7th guitar chord immediately upon hearing it. Maybe not exactly what root, but at least the type of chord.
Well, my smell is now like being able to hear the chord and tell that none of the notes are out but not distinguish if its a major or minor.
Man I cant believe I keep writing such huge monologues
