Featured wineries

July 15, 2014

Rolf Binder

Update:

In March 2021 Accolade Wines and Rolf Binder Wines announced an agreement for the sale of the second generation, family-owned Rolf Binder Wines to the U.S. private equity-owned wine giant Accolade Wines. Rolf and his sister, Christa Deans, will not have an ongoing role with the winery.

We love Rolf Binder Wines, as do many of our friends, and have learned much about wines from Rolf (the second) over many years.

Unfortunately, as we only focus on small and family-owned wineries in the Barossa Valley we are choosing to not continue to list their wines. However, we do have a small amount of Rolf Binder wines in stock and have put together a few mixed cases of their finest wine including the highly awarded flagship wine, The Hanisch, that sells at the cellar door for $125.00
From its inception in 1955, Veritas Winery produced mostly fortified wines as well as the famous 'Bull’s Blood', a blend of Shiraz and century-old Mataro. Now many years later, second generation winemakers Rolf Binder, and his sister Christa Deans, are leading Veritas winery into the future under the Rolf Binder brand. Together they are producing exceptional wines using only the best Barossa fruit.

Rolf Heinrich Binder and his wife, Franziska, arrived in Australia (from Austria and Hungary respectively) in 1950 as part of the large influx of post war immigration to Australia. As payment for the government assistance, they worked with the South Australian railways for three years. During that time they met Elmore Schulz, a train driver and grape grower in the Barossa Valley, and namesake to neighbouring Barossa Valley Estate's E&E Shiraz. While picking grapes in the Barossa in 1953, the couple met Langmeil Road winemakers, Chris Vohrer and Wilhelm Abel. This meeting proved to set their future. In 1954 they worked a vintage in this winery and subsequently purchased the business in 1955, renaming it 'Veritas', taken from the Latin quote "In Vino Veritas" - in wine there is truth. The business name was changed from Veritas to Rolf Binder in 2005 to honour the late Rolf Heinrich Binder who passed away in 2003.

In the 1960s and 70s came the realization of the great riches of the Barossa Valley in old vine Shiraz, Mataro and Grenache. Experiments at Veritas and a number of other, mostly small Barossa wineries followed throughout the 1980s and this led to the release of many exciting old vine varietal blends. Semillon is considered the premium white variety of the Barossa and winemaker, Christa Deans, holds an esteemed position as the producer of benchmark Barossa Semillons. Riesling is also considered superior in the Australian wine industry and the style from the neighbouring Eden Valley is softer and more floral than the seriously steely Rieslings from Europe.

Veritas wines quickly gained recognition with some noteworthy awards including:
1996 - 'Best Small Producer' and 'Best Barossa Shiraz at the Barossa Wine Show
1997 - 'Best Small Producer' at the Barossa Wine Show and 'Best Barossa Shiraz at the Barossa Wine Show
2002 - 'Best Small Producer' at the Barossa Wine Show
2002 - 'Best Semillon' at the Barossa Wine Show. Exhibited the top three pointed semillons at this Show, including the gold medal and trophy winning wine.
2003 - 'Best Semillon' at the Barossa Wine Show
2005 - 'Winemakers of the Year' awarded to Rolf Binder and Christa Deans by the Barons of the Barossa.
2006 - 'Winemaker of the Year' finalist awarded to Rolf Binder by Gourmet Traveller - Kemenys

Winemaker Christa Deans crafts white wines from fruit sourced from the Barossa and Eden Valleys. Varieties used include Riesling, Chardonnay, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, Gewurtztraminer, Frontignac and Viognier.

Winemaker Rolf Binder produces premium red wines made from varieties grown in the Barossa region. Varieties include Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mataro, Malbec, Petit Syrah, Merlot and Grenache.

The Hanisch Shiraz is the flagship wine from Rolf Binder. Comprising 100% Shiraz grown in the Veritas Estate Chri Ro Vineyard the “Hanisch” is named after the original owner of the vineyard, “Punch’ Hanisch. This special vineyard was purchased in 1968, planted to vines in 1972 and by the mid 1980’s a 1.6 hectare section was recognised for intensely expressive Shiraz of intense aromas, deep colour and flavour. The first Shiraz bottled from this vineyard was in 1988, though it was not called Hanisch, but ‘Long Rows’. The first 'Hanisch' was produced in 1991 and production is always low at only 250 - 500 cases.

The fruit for the Hanisch is sourced from the Chri Ro vineyard on the western slope of the Barossa Valley. The vineyard is on a steep slope and the soils vary markedly as they progress up the slope from Bay of Biscay soil at the bottom to shallow weathered soil with an abundance of ironstone. The fruit is picked for the Hanisch across all of these different soil types giving it an interesting flavour profile due to the impact of the different soil types.

 

The fruit ripens mid season and is picked on flavour ripeness. The fruit is consistently very dark with intense flavours. In the winery the pump-over method is used and each day a small amount of fruit is extracted and fermented in new oak then pumped back in. It is chilled down and then drawn off again. The second pump-over later each day therefore has a higher skin to juice ratio. The grapes are pressed at a Baume of 2 ie fermentation not yet complete and fermentation is completed in oak.


The wine is aged partly in new American oak and a smaller amount in new French oak which has been matured in the Barossa Valley for two years before being made into barrels.

 

The best 70-90% of barrels are chosen to be bottled as Hanisch Shiraz.

The Hanisch has been included in Langton's Classification of the top 101 wines in the country. You need to have produced 10 vintages to be included and they only began making Hanisch in 1991 and did not make a 2000.

The accolades for the Hanisch Shiraz go on and on. A wine where absolutely no compromise is made - in fruit quality, in oak quality, and in viticultural practices. The winemaking remains as always testament to this great wine. Barossa is, of course, famous for Shiraz and Hanisch Shiraz stands out among the classic wines from this region. Complex flavours abound in this full-bodied wine with soft gentle tannins, and a long lingering finish. Given a near perfect score of 99/100 by America's highly respected wine critic, Robert Parker, this wine is ageing in the cellars of some of the most discerning people in Australia and hotly auctioned in the world wine market, the fame of this wine will continue to grow as the years go by.

The Hanisch has also been the only wine to have won back-to-back 1st Prize Trophies in the Barossa Wine Show (in 1993 and 1994). It has its own unique style with hugely intense flavours, full-bodied and well-balanced due to a unique patch of vineyard.

Robert Parker Scores for Recent Hanisch Vintages:

1996 - 97 pts

1997 -- 97 pts

1998 - 99 pts

1999 - 91 pts

2000 - not produced

2001 - 92 pts

2002 - 98 pts

2003 - 97 pts

2004 - 94 pts

2005 - 98 pts

2006 - 97 pts

2009 - 94 pts

2010 - 95 pts

The Hanisch philosophy is to make the best possible wine from that vineyard every year and to be the best wine in the Rolf Binder collection. This is an outstanding premium wine - very special and somewhat rare and I feel privileged and grateful to be able to offer it to Barossa Reserve customers.

May 22, 2014

Sorby Adams Wines

With its heart and home in Barossa’s Eden Valley, Sorby Adams Wines is a boutique producer of quality, handcrafted, individual vineyard wines. Owner and Winemaker Simon Adams is passionate about creating varietal wines to reflect the strengths of Eden Valley which he believes produces some of the best Riesling and Shiraz in the world. This passion extends to exploring fruit from the world’s most respected wine regions to truly showcase what a variety can do.

An experienced Winemaker, Simon’s career has spanned nearly 30 years in Australia’s leading wine companies including Chief Winemaker at Yalumba Wine Company and Dorrien Estate (Cellarmaster Wines) as well as many vintages overseas including Alsace (France), St Emillion (France), Napa Valley (USA) and New Zealand.

His viticultural and winemaking philosophy is based on the belief that great wines are made in the vineyard. He places enormous emphasis on careful tending of vines with minimal intervention ensuring that he has access to the highest quality fruit.

Wines are personally crafted to reflect the European style which allows the wine’s character to shine through, optimising fruit and enhancing longevity.

Testament to his winemaking skills, Simon has amassed more that 65 trophies and 300 gold medals during his career, including twice winning Best Vintage Red at the International Wine and Spirit Challenge in London, the Stoddard Trophy at Brisbane and the “Triple Crown” at the National Wine Show in Canberra including Best Wine of Show.

Sorby Adams Wines is a reflection of Simon’s hands on approach to winemaking. It is his backyard 1932 vineyard that produces the flagship wines. He personally tends each vine to handcraft his Eden Valley range. Bringing European style to Australian winemaking, Simon has developed a diverse range of wines full of regional flavours and nuances styled to optimise longevity.

Sorby Adams Wines is based on the philosophy that great wines are made in the vineyard. Winemaker Simon Adams sources fruit from his beloved Eden Valley, high in the Barossa Hills, for his flagship wines. The cool climate of Barossa’s Eden Valley, its high altitude, ancient soils, cold wet winters and a temperate summer and autumn, combine to produce low yielding but intensely flavoured wines with outstanding natural acidity. World renowned for Riesling, it also produces superior quality Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Nestled in the Barossa Hills in Eastern Eden Valley, Sorby Adams’ Home Vineyard is one of the oldest in the region, originally planted in 1932 by the Lehmann family, a name synonymous with quality Barossa wine. Located in Simon Adams’ own backyard, the Home Vineyard is a tribute to the wine region’s heritage. Its gnarly twisted vines are nurtured by Simon to showcase Eden Valley Shiraz, with a small amount of acreage dedicated to Viognier and Traminer.

The Sorby Adams Wineroom & Pantry is the latest addition to a long and proud history of food and wine in the Barossa. Located in the picturesque town of Angaston, the Wineroom & Pantry offers both visitors to the Barossa and locals alike, a wine and food experience unmatched in the region.Visitors to the Wineroom can enjoy a tasting of the handcrafted Sorby Adams Wine range with winemaker Simon Adams and staff. After a tasting, browse the seasonal menu featuring the best of South Australian produce and settle in for a relaxing lunch before an afternoon of sampling the tastes, sights and sounds of the Barossa.

The Sorby Adams Wineroom & Pantry has an extensive provedore range featuring gourmet pantry goods from Peter Watson & Saskia Beer. Antipasto plates, cheese-boards, All Press coffee and a range of teas are available throughout the day for those in need of a lift.


Sorby Adams 2008 The Thing Eden Valley Shiraz

I chose this wine in the Winter Launch collection to demonstrate a cooler climate Eden Valley Shiraz within the Barossa Valley Region. Simon  carefully tends and hand harvests the rare fruit from the old Shiraz vines in his Home Vineyard in Eden Valley. Each vintage he carefully selects the very best barrels of Shiraz to become ‘The Thing’ (of rare beauty), so named for the amazing quality and intensity of the fruit and the small quantities produced from the very special old vines.

The Sorby Adams Home Vineyard sits high in the eastern hills of the Barossa. First planted in 1932, it is home to some of the oldest vines in the Eden Valley region. Its gnarled, twisted vines produce elegant and refined wines in the classic cool climate style. Eden Valley soils generally have a lower pH (ie are more acidic) than the Barossa floor. This gives wines in this region a "minerality" and natural acidity that aids in longevity.

The Thing is Sorby Adams’ top of the line Shiraz. Sourced from our Home Vineyard high in the Eden Valley at 475 metres above sea level. Planted by Pastor Franz Julius Lehmann in 1932, the low-yielding, gnarled vines are some of the oldest in the region. All old vine shiraz produce very small berries. As they get older they lose their "vigour" and produce less fruit and smaller berries but those berries have a lot more complexity than from young vines. Simon likens old vines to old people - "you get much better conversation from an 80 year old rather than a 10-year old". Often the wine that is selected to go into a premium wine is selected by testing the barrels and then blending the best of the barrels. Whilst Simon also does this for The Thing he also carefully selects which fruit goes into the wine. He only chooses fruit from the original 1932 vines of which there are only 11 rows. He then carefully chooses which fruit he will use from those 11 rows and when they will be picked. This can mean up to 5 different picks over 2 weeks.

The wine is aged in fine grain French oak. Simon air drys the oak for longer than normal (5 years rather than the normal 2 years) which gives much lower tannin. In the barrel making process the staves are immersion bent in water which again gives lower tannins. This is necessary when matching the oak to Eden Valley fruit styles.

Only their best barrels make their way into this classic, cool-climate Shiraz and the new 2008 release shows again, why the old-vine fruit of the Eden Valley is so highly sought after.

The tasting notes say:
"Deep brick-red in the glass with opulent, rich aromas of macerated plums, crème de cassis, blackberry and wild cherry along with a splash of cranberry which opens up the aromatic profile beautifully. Hints of deep-set spice – clove, cinnamon, fennel, dark chocolate, espresso, vanilla and creamy French oak.

Superb fruit density and concentration on the palate with a beam of bright acidity making the wine appear quite light on its feet for such opulent fruit. Fruit flavours of blackberry, cassis, kirsch and plum all flow seamlessly across the palate supported by hints of baking spice, licorice, chocolate, violets and well-judged French oak.

The finish is perfectly poised and shows a graceful line and fine balance between the rich berry fruit, supporting spice characters, bright acidity and ripe melt-in-the-mouth fine grained tannins. Long and lingering on the finish which trails off showing characters of dark and black berry fruits, baking spice and subtle French oak. Try this with Roast beef"

The fruit that goes into this wine has a proud history. In the early 1990s it went into the Chris Ringland 3 Rivers which Robert Parker rated 100 and from 1996-1999 it was the backbone of the Yalumba Octavius.

Only six barrels of The Thing are made each year, using the best grapes from Dads Block. The Thing reflects the regional Eden Valley Shiraz style and has two major distinctive features: Strong fruit aroma coming from the cooler climate and the natural acidity giving longevity. Whilst the 2008 wasn't tested by James Halliday he has rated previous vintages between 93 and 96.