Australian Wine Entertaining Case – 2

River Retreat Sparkling Brut

River Retreat Sparkling Brut – A traditional blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. This is the bubbles in the River Retreat Range. Light green straw in colour with a fine persistent bead showing lifted aromas of citrus and apple. Tasting soft and refreshing with light creaminess and balance.

Winemakers Notes

The grapes were picked during the cool of the night, the fruit was de-stemmed and pumped into the press. Only the best quality of free run juice was taken off; then clarified before adding yeast. The fermentation was carried out at a cool temperature to maintain the fruit flavours. After fermentation, the base wine was allowed to rest on yeast lees for 6 months before undergoing a second fermentation to produce the fine bubbles.

River Retreat

The wetlands of South Eastern Australia are integral in maintaining the health of the unique yet fragile ecosystems of inland Australia. Produced and bottled by Trentham Estate, the River Retreat range of wines is based on an initiative dedicated to raising awareness of these wetlands. Each purchase of the River Retreat label results in a donation to the Murray Darling Wetlands Working Group Ltd.

With many great projects currently underway in the far-west region of NSW, the Murray Darling Wetlands Working Group will benefit greatly from these ongoing funds.

Producer Details

We have a great selection of Trentham Estate wines which can be seen on our dedicated web page

You can find out more about Trentham Estate Winery by going to their website

The 46 hectares that make up Trentham Estate’s vineyards sit on a winding riverbank at Trentham Cliffs. The ideal terroir of red loam over limestone soils combined with nurturing water from the Murray River allows the vines to flourish.

River Retreat Sparkling Brut

Capel Vale Mount Barker Riesling

Mount Barker Riesling by Capel Vale – Citrus, lychee and delicate white flowers on the nose. A soft, yet crisp palate with lime and apple characters.

Capel Vale’s Regional Series wines are elegant and graceful; high quality wines that reflect varietal and regional characteristics.

Regional wines are elegant and graceful wines. They are high quality wines that reflect varietal and regional characteristics

A great wine to drink on release. This wine will gain in complexity with cellaring up to 5 years. The 2023 vintage in Mount Barker was a cooler, longer vintage. There was minimal disease pressure and the fruit ripened slowly. Fermented using neutral yeasts and fined with vegan friendly agents, This Riesling was fined, filtered and bottled soon after fermentation

Capel Vale was the first winery in Western Australia to own and establish vineyards in the cool climate regions of Margaret River, Mount Barker and Geographe. As a result, Capel Vale now produces wines of definitive regional flavour and varietal expression with a focus on balance, complexity and elegant fruit flavours.

Capel Vale is a pioneer in WA with vines planted in 1974. The initial winery was built on the Stirling Estate in Capel in 1979 followed shortly thereafter with the first vintage made by Dr Peter Pratten in 1980.

The Capel River, adjacent to Capel Vale winery is home to many species of waterfowl, including the protected Sheldrake, or native Mountain Duck. When the Pratten family originally planted the vines in 1974, the Mountain Ducks constantly surrounded them, reminding them of their presence whilst they work.

The banks of the Capel River were deliberately untouched to allow the ducks to maintain their natural habitat and can still be seen today, squawking merrily along their way “symbolise what Capel Vale is all about”

You can find out more about this Western Australia winery by going to their website

You can see our full range of Capel Vale wines on our web page

Capel Vale Mount Barker Riesling

Y Series Cabernet Sauvignon

Y Series Cabernet Sauvignon – Sumptuous and fruity with aromas and flavours of blackcurrant, mint, toffee and sea spray. The palate is full of varietal fruit character and soft textures
with a rich mouthfeel. Y Series Cabernet Sauvignon is a generous and friendly wine that shows why this varietal is one of the world’s best-known and enjoyed varieties…

Vintage Conditions

Vintage 2021 has produced Cabernet Sauvignon grapes of balance, style and exceptional varietal characteristics. Good late winter and spring rains
enabled the vines to grow healthy canopies. Few windy days and moderate temperatures during flowering provided an ideal environment for fruit set.
Summer was mild with below average temperatures and cool nights, great for the development of pristine aromatics and flavours.

Food Pairing

Drink with  beef cheeseburger or portobello mushroom burger with caramelised onions

Producer Profile

In 1847 a 37-year-old brewer called Samuel Smith left his home in Wareham, Dorset with his wife Mary and their four children. Boarding a simple three-masted barque they left Plymouth and began the long and arduous journey to Australia, arriving in Port Adelaide. From there they trecked north to Angaston where Samuel took a job as a gardener. It was arguably this brave decision to start a new life in a remote and distant land, together with the hardship that they endured, that formed the strong sense of family unity that has been the bedrock of the family business ever since. In 1849 he started the wine farm that would grow over the next 5 generations to become one of Australia’s leading wineries, with a winemaking culture that is internationally recognised and respected. To embrace the native culture, Samuel decided to adopt a local name for his farm, calling it “Yalumba” meaning “all the country around’’ in the indigenous Peramangk language.

At Yalumba they believe that one good wine leads to another. The Y Series was created with that belief in mind. The Y Series represents a collection of iconic classics and exciting new varietals. Each authentically crafted with fruit from South Australia’s most celebrated wine regions. They hope that the glass of wine you hold in your hand right now marks the beginning of a delicious journey, and we look forward to sharing our love of wine as you explore the Y Series.

Yalumba is part of Australian wine alliance Australia’s First Families of Wine, a multimillion-dollar venture to help resurrect the fortunes of the $6 billion industry while highlighting the quality and diversity of Australian wine.

To view our full selection of Yalumba wines please click here

For more information on the Yalumba winery click here

Y Series Cabernet Sauvignon – great wine from a great winery

Stump Jump Shiraz – a staple from the iconic d’Arenberg Winery.

Stump Jump Shiraz – Fresh and juicy, ripe red fruits mix with plums, blackcurrant, flowers and a twist of black pepper. The tannins are fine with their trademark earthiness helping keep this easy going Stump Jump Shiraz in check.

It is rumoured that the inventor of the Stump Jump plough, which enabled a ploughshare to jump over tree roots, had poor eyesight and required regular tests to ensure he could still operate machinery. The design of this label is inspired by an optometrist’s eyechart and serves as a makeshift sobriety test. If you can hold the bottle at arm’s length and still read the front label, you can enjoy another glass.

This is a very approachable and fun wine. The lifted nose is a cacophony of aromatic intrigue. Lifted red fruits are chased down by dark berry aromatics which then yield to typical baking spice and cracked pepper characters shared by all good McLaren Vale Shiraz. It’s almost like a race to the finish for these competing characters all vying for the lead role. Yet they also support and complement one another. It is on the palate that the value of this wine can be truly appreciated though. Generous fruit weight supports a fine tannin profile characteristics that would make this wine sit proudly amongst those many times its price. Black olive skin, earthy notes, and a subtle touch of graphite and iron round out the full palate. This wine has a welcome plushness to it, yet sits lightly on the tongue, its tannin and long acid line giving it a lively and playful feel. Have fun enjoying this wine. That’s what it is asking you to do.

To see our full range of d’Arenberg product go to our dedicated web page

For more information on the d’Arenberg wines and winery click here.

Stump Jump Shiraz

Pimpala Road Chardonnay by Geoff Merrill

Pimpala Road Chardonnay – Talented winemaker, Geoff Merrill has produced an archetypal south Australian Chardonnay with a youthful lemon colour and green hues. The nose has aromas of
complex toasty vanillin oak and citrus fruit which are well integrated and smooth. Matured in French oak barrels to add toasty complexity before finishing clean with lingering flavours of lime, honeydew, apple and white peach with undertones of subtle oak

Best with Thai food, shellfish, poultry, pasta with cream sauces and soft cheese.

Located just 30 minutes drive south east of Adelaide and parallel to the coast, these rolling hillside vineyards produce some of Australia`s finest Shiraz and Grenache based red wines. Some of the areas historic old wineries were established in the late 1800s and many remain today. With a strong regional identity on the international stage, the wines have a distinctive style achieved from a combination of very warm summers, mild winters and cooling sea breezes. Many of Australia`s most famous and expensive wines have their vineyard origins within this region.

For more information on the vineyard go to their website

To see our full range of Geoff Merrill products go to our webpage for further information.

Pimpala Road Chardonnay by Geoff Merrill

Campbells Rutherglen Topaque

Campbells Rutherglen Topaque NV – Deep, brilliant old gold. Lifted toffee, honey and cold tea characters combine to produce the unique character of Rutherglen Topaque. Toffee
and tealeaf characters predominate on the front of the palate with a cleansing hint of spirit and old oak on the finish.

Viticulture

The vines for the Rutherglen Topaque are planted on deep alluvial red loam soils which retain moisture allowing the fruit to ripen gradually on the vine. The age of the vines vary from young, 10, 20, 40 or even 80 year old
vines. We may pick one block of vines early, or manage the yields of another through the use of selective pruneing. A balance is required between, yield, canopy and subsequent quality. The decision to pick is
based on the suitablility for the various classificatons and with one eye on the weather.

Vinification

The grapes are left until late in the season to achieve optimum ripeness, ensuring maximum fruit flavour and a high degree of natural sweetness. Selected parcels of the finished wine are then added to the Rutherglen
Topaque solera which is a blend of a number of vintages from many past years. Wine can only be withdrawn from this solera when it matches exactly with the previous withdrawal thus ensuring the quality and
consistency of style.

Food Pairing

Blended through our solera for optimum flavour and balance, this wine will not improve with further cellaring and should ideally be enjoyed soon after opening. A heavenly match with honeycomb ice cream, fruit based
desserts, soft cheeses, chilled as an aperitif or as an after dinner drink with coffee

Producer Information

Campbells is a fifth-generation family owned wine business with over 145 years of toil and winemaking success in Rutherglen. Their focus is on creating wines of provenance, character and finesse with a hands-on approach and an uncompromising commitment to quality.

Campbells Winery is situated in the historic town of Rutherglen; a former gold mining town and wine region, in the North East of Victoria, Australia. This region is bordered to the north by the mighty Murray River and to the east by the foothills to the ‘Victorian Alps’. Frequently long, dry autumns provide slow and gentle ripening periods which results in fully flavoured wines with complexity and elegance. They are famous for their world class Muscats and Topaques and fully flavoured red table wines.

Campbells are a proud member of Australia’s First Families of Wine.

For more information on the Campbells winery go to  their website

To see our full range of Campbells product go to our dedicated webpage.

The Campbell’s story at Rutherglen began in 1870 and is one of evolution, tenacity and determination, building on the experience of generations past with a dedication to innovation.

Campbells Rutherglen Topaque (37.5cl)