New England Nebbiolo. Has a ring to it don’t you think? Again, the NSW region piques my interest. This was sourced from vines planted 900m above sea level in red soil. Only 300 bottles made by Jared Dixon. It’s his first release and comes with a particularly snappy cloth label.
I don’t get the sense that any homage is being payed to Barolo or Barbaresco here. It is its own beast. Darker in colour and richer in flavour. There is a primacy of red fruits, some of which are initially confected. Rose water, earth, vanilla and licorice with savoury foils in the form of orange rind, dried herbs, bitumen and tar. Nervy acidity and chewy tannin structures the wine with the former needing time to settle. The sweet generosity of the front palate will win many over but it may have more than a few surprises up its sleeve in the years to come. Certainly became more savoury over time. 91+ Good – Very Good
Region: New England
Alcohol: 13.8%
Closure: Cork
Price: $40
Tasted: April 2013
It’s looking like the New England region is taking on some more interesting and suitable varietals of late. I think the area is a bit of a sleeper with it’s high altitude, cool/cold nights and granitic soils…Hopefully some more winemakers will source their grapes here….Peter Stark of Boireann, has released his latest 2012 Nebbiolo, which was also sourced from New England grapes….looking forward to trying some….
Robert – thanks for that, that’s very interesting that Peter Stark has gone to New England to source his Nebbiolo grapes. I’m yet to taste a poor wine from the region, with many very good to excellent examples crossing my path. It’s a small sample size admittedly but I think it bodes well.
Yes I thought so too, I think his Nebbiolo vines were hit hard by hail in Spring, a common risk in those parts… Look forward to more or your reviews from the region for sure.
Talking about terroir, Jared of the Clunes Cellars, far North Coast of NSW, made his Nebbiolo, Jilly, from the grapes from soils of New England, much like the Granite Belt of Queensland. It’s a pretty-in-pink clear ruby in colour but with depth (such a good colour). It smells like young oak, fresh barrels, strawberries and pink-on-the-edge-of-purple velvet. A pretty-in-pink wine, tasting like strawberries too, but on the edge of tartness. In a beautiful heavy French champagne-like ark bottle with a cloth label. Around $30, Clunes Cellars. The grapes were raised by vigneron Mark Kirkby of Topper’s Mountain.
It sells for $45.00 in Brisbane.
Prices are fairly fluid entities.
Hi just to clarify it sold for 45 a bottle in store not 30 a minor hitch all good 2013 is looking tidy in barrel
Good to hear Jared. I look forward to trying it when it’s released.