Vintage update...

"What a year it was! After a smashing start with our first vintage of Brave Souls (yes, wonderful reviews caused our delicious wines to be sold out in the blink of an eye!), we just finalised the blend for the new vintage and, let me tell you, I couldn't be happier.

We encountered a nearly perfect growing season in the Barossa, that caused slow, steady ripening and acidity retention while flavours could develop fully. The '17 reds are wonderfully expressive of their varietal and terroir origins, elegant and feminine with the freshness of some Eden fruit lifting the wines up to new spheres. The '18 Riesling is a number of its own, displaying not only a grand perfume of white flowers and grapefruit, but being carried by a mouthwatering acidity – yum, summer can't come quick enough!! (By the way, we still have a little bit of our 2017 Lighthouse Keeper Riesling on hand and its drinking absolutely fabulous now! Just sayin'…) 

All in all the wines are what I want to see in our Brave Souls:  vibrant, accessible, expressive, playful on their own yet serious enough to pair with food and with a personality that lives up to their Barossa heritage." Julia W.  

The Story - Julia Weirich & Winemaking

Brave Souls is the creation of Julia Weirich, in collaboration with Simon Cowham and Corey Ryan of Sons of Eden.

German in heritage but gypsy at heart, she has worked all over the world, honing her skills in wineries including Bass Phillip in Australia, Yealands in New Zealand, Le Grappin in Burgundy and Mulderbosch in South Africa. Upon her return to Australia, Julia set upon a plan to make wine for herself. Having known her for some time, Simon & Corey, the well-known dynamic team behind Sons of Eden, stepped in to help Julia realise this great adventure in the Barossa Valley.

She was involved in the blending of the inaugural ‘16 reds & ‘17 Riesling, and travelled back this year to finish the vintage '17 reds. Julia has also just returned from the Barossa where she spent time making the vintage '18 wines for Brave Souls in the Sons of Eden cellar in Angaston, sampling fruit and overlooking the processing of grapes.

 

The Story - The original Brave Souls

The wines are finally here and we are very excited to share our Brave Souls and their incredible stories with you!

It’s foolish to imagine the famous Admella shipwreck of 1859 as something to be celebrated. Having long haunted the history of South Australia, the events of that sinking are a tale too sad to tell. It was however an event that triggered some remarkable accounts of bravery and valour. The sinking of the fated ship set in course the actions of numerous men who risked their lives to help the remaining survivors. It is those men that the name and imagery of the wines celebrate.

Peter Donnell (“The Whaler”), John Leach (“The Able Seaman”) and Ben Germain (“The Lighthouse Keeper”) are three gentlemen, that, back in 1859, stepped up and risked their lives when the SS Admella hit ground and sank south west of Mount Gambier. Each of these men contributed in their own way to help the remaining survivors of this tragic event - each story so special we felt the need to dig deep through Australian archives and share them with the world: The Whaler, Peter Donnell, who captained the first ship to set out and attempt a rescue; Able Seaman John Leach, who launched the raft into the breakers from the wreck with his colleague, Robert Knapman (after hours of battling the seas, they reached land, before walking 25km across sand and marshland to reach the Cape Northumberland lighthouse); and the Lighthouse Keeper, Ben Germain, who rode a horse to Mount Gambier to send the first telegram for help.

Today we are celebrating their names and imagery on our wine labels.

The Wines

Fine, modern and silken with typical Barossa varietal characters. 

The Artwork

Bruce Goold has been part of many Australian’s lives, whether they realise it or not. With an artistic contribution spanning five decades - including work for Mambo, the Opera House, iconic campaigns and countless exhibitions - Bruce generously agreed to visualise the tales of the Brave Souls for this project.   

Currently available in these retail venues

NSW: Tom's Cellars, Sydney
VIC: Blackhearts & Sparrows, Melbourne
QLD: Spiros Bottleshop, Paddington

Contact

For any other questions and enquiries please contact info@bravesoulswine.com.au. Follow us also on Social Media for latest updates @bravesoulswines

Did you know?

Each of the labels feature a special part of the poem "The wreck of the Admella" from 1859 by George French Angas. If you bring the pieces in chronological order, the story reveals itself...

"Now through the surf she flies; Till, with one wold,
exulting bound, She gains her living prize."

The Able Seaman

"With sunburnt face, and roughen’d hand –
The sterling heroes of the land – Who come,
with glorious purpose high, Resolved to do or die."

The Whaler 

"Toilworn, they reach’d that welcome light,
And told their harrowing tale. Their battle with
the sea is done, the final conquest nobly won"

The Lighthouse Keeper

 

2017 "The Lighthouse Keeper" Riesling

The colour of the wine is best described as pale straw with green hues. Vibrant aromas of lemon and lime citrus fruit accompanied with complex hints of sweet lemon blossom. Pronounced citrus notes supported with an enduring but well balanced mineral line, extending the length of the palate. This wine concludes with a long and fine dry finish.

95 points by James Halliday, April 2018

2017 "The Whaler" Shiraz 

Deep crimson in colour, with brooding red and blue fruits, pepper and savoury spice aromas. A rounded mid palate, fleshy and refined with good integration and intensity of flavour. The wine has finesse with focus and refinement, approachable upon release but will mature well for the medium 5-7 years.

 

2017 "The Able Seaman" GSM  

Grenache 46%, Shiraz 29%, Mourvedre 25%

Crimson red in colour, with lifted youthful redberry, cinnamon and anise spice aromas. A delicious, fleshy and rounded Grenache based wine with silky tannins and texture. A wine approachable upon release, but - like all pedigree GSM wines - has the ability to mature well for the medium to longer term.