With Autumn upon us, it's time to kick back, and enjoy the last remnants of a hot summer with some awesome new booze: perhaps a vintage Wheat-Ale, some NSW Chardonnay, or a bit of anti-establishment sentiment from a guy who named his vineyard after a Bowie song...

LATEST NEWS IN NSW

The latest Avant Garde release from La Sirène is here, and WOW... it was worth the wait!

The Wild Wit is a Farmhouse Style White Ale that was laid to rest back in 2015 in premium Burgundy barrels which previously had Chardonnay in them. After a secondary then tertiary fermentation, this farmhouse White Ale was hopped with wonderfully tropical Galaxy to give it a new-world edge.

This soft wheat-based farmhouse ale displays the signature La Sirène wild yeast aromatic characters of fejoa & green pineapple (courtesy of their living barrels).

 

2017s from Sentio are finally here, with a new vineyard and region thrown into the mix.

With the saddening sale of the Lusatia Park Vineyard in Yarra to De Bortoli, winemaker Chris Catlow had to look further afield for another Chardonnay vineyard to complete his troika. Having collaborated in the past with a couple of mates on the PRC Chardonnay, he decided to revisit NSW and source fruit from Tumbarumba, and make a Sentio standalone wine. From a vineyard which previously supplied fruit to Penfolds Yattarna, this wine is 100% whole-bunch, basket-pressed in Burgundian oak (15-20% new), and fermented naturally on solids.

2017 Sentio releases:
Tumbarumba Chardonnay
Beechworth Pinot Noir
Rouge (Shiraz/Sangiovese)

2016 release:
Yarra Valley Chardonnay (last ever to be released from this vineyard by Chris)

 

Rock'n'Roll wine with an anti-establishment bent, the Anti-Hero range from James Thomas of "Heroes" Vineyard showcases all that is fantastic about Geelong and surrounds.

Running a small small 8 acre vineyard, James is the epitome of a one-man band. The vines are 100% organically grown (currently working towards certification), with no synthetic pesticides used. He strives to go further than this and reduce even ‘allowed’ organic inputs to an absolute minimum. This involves a holistic approach to all aspects of farming from the tactile to the microscopic, particularly focusing on soil life and health, insect/pest interactions, and the use of beneficial fungi and bacteria in combating disease. Many of the techniques are slightly unconventional, but he is always very transparent about what he does.

Wines:
2018 Anti-Hero Rosé
2018 Anti-Hero Pinot Noir
2018 Anti-Hero Shiraz

 

LATEST NEWS IN VIC

With more than 15 years of winemaking experience, Skigh McManus has the local knowledge to understand what sub-regions of Margaret River are most suited to specific varietals.
He sources his fruit from some of the premier sub-regions and gets his wines to bottle with minimal intervention. Vinifing all his fruit the same way across both his range of wines, Skigh uses a classification process to separate his insanely valued Coda range from the more premium Abacus wines.

With more than 15 years of winemaking experience, Skigh McManus has the local knowledge to understand what sub-regions of Margaret River are most suited to specific varietals.
He sources his fruit from some of the premier sub-regions and gets his wines to bottle with minimal intervention. Vinifing all his fruit the same way across both his range of wines, Skigh uses a classification process to separate his insanely valued Coda range from the more premium Abacus wines.

With a focus on minimal-intervention winemaking, Skigh crafts his wines with a hands-off approach, letting the fruit and vintage dictate the direction he goes for both the Coda, and Abacus wines. While at the same time pushing boundaries and letting his creative side run wild with the limited release Strange Brew range.

“Source great fruit, let it express itself how it wants and you end up with exceptional wines.” Skigh McManus

 

Coda Range

An exceptional value range of wines which cover the gamut of Margaret River varietals form Sauvignon Blanc through to Cabernet, with a cheeky little Great Southern Riesling thrown into the mix. View the wines

 

Abacus Wines

A more premium expression of Margaret River wines, the Abacus wines are selected through a rigorous barrel selection process with only the most exceptional juice chosen to be bottled under this range. View the wines

 

Strange Brew

Single releases throughout the year, or experimental wines ranging from skin-contact Amphora Riesling, through to wild, unfiltered and sulphur-free reds, this range of wines is always good for a surprise or two.