Briar ridge Off The Press Ed. 79 Winter 2018 Issue

Off the

Press Winter 2018 - Issue 79

Winter Club Pack Wines | Upcoming Events | Winery Updates The Best Tasting Experience In The Hunter & More...

www.briarridge.com.au

Hello and welcome to the Winter edition of Off The Press.

Steve and the team are extremely proud of this achievement and look forward to celebrating with you on your next visit to the Cellar Door... so if there was ever a reason to visit, it’s now!

In other exciting news, our Assistant Winemaker, Alex Beckett has been promoted to the role of Winemaker.

Many of you have already met Alex at our member functions or through the Cellar Door but for those of you who haven’t, read on for Alex’s first joint winery report with Gwyn.

In the spirit of getting to know the Briar Ridge team, this edition of Off The Press also gives you an insight into our various roles and what we were doing before our wine industry calling.

The 2018 Winter Club Pack also sees the new vintage release of our 2018 Whites and 2017 Reds, which Alex and Gwyn have been busy getting to bottle - along with some interesting new varietals for you try. We have already picked our favourites – flip over to page 7 to find out more.

As always, we look forward to hearing from you and your next visit to the Cellar Door, welcoming new friends and catching up with familiar faces - see you soon!

We are now in the midst of Winter here in Mount View, and not that we mind - the early morning frosts and cool, crisp days is the perfect weather for heart-warming Winter fare and cozying up with our favourite glass of wine by the fire.

Cheers, Alexandria & the Briar Ridge Team P.s Don’t forget to call ahead and book a cheese and/ or antipasto platter on your next trip to the Cellar Door (02 4990 3670).

If you’ve read our emails or visited the Cellar Door over the last couple of months you may have already heard about our exciting achievement of being awarded the “Best Tasting Experience” in the Hunter

by Gourmet Traveller WINE, as part of Australia’s Best Cellar Door awards of 2018!

Best Tasting Experience in the Hunter.

New Releases

2018 Shiraz Verduzzo - Preservative Free & Vegan RRP $25 | Members $20 2018 Limited Release Fiano RRP $28 | Members $22 – available in August.

2018 “The Limetta” Off Dry Semillon RRP $23 | Members $18

2018 Limited Release Albarino RRP $28 | Members $22 – available in August.

2018 Early Harvest Semillon RRP $23 | Members $18

2018 Stockhausen Signature Semillon RRP $28 | Members $22

2017 “The Tesh” Tempranillo/Shiraz RRP $25 | Members $20

2018 Single Vineyard Dairy Hill Semillon RRP $35 | Members $28

2.

Best Tasting Experience in the Hunter...

Briar Ridge Cellar Door has been recognised as the “Best Tasting Experience” in the Hunter Valley, by Gourmet Traveller WINE (GTW).

The highly coveted award, announced as part of the annual GTW magazine ‘Best Australian Cellar Doors’ issue, was judged by Peter Bourne for GTW and awarded on the basis of Briar Ridge’s ‘outstanding wines’ and ‘great overall visitor experience provided by knowledgeable and friendly staff ’. Of the award, Peter said:

“Briar Ridge has a beautiful outlook with equally beautiful wines… The core wines are made from the Mount View vineyard augmented with grapes from Orange and Wrattonbully. The tasting platters are a must.”

So come and visit the Cellar Door this year and toast our success with a free glass of our delicious Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir for all Members during winter. And remember to spread the word!

Celebrations with Briar Ridge…

Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, anniversary, engagement or just the company of good family and friends, let us help make your next special occasion something to remember!

Located onsite at our Mount View vineyards but separate from the cellar door, our beautifully decorated Rose Room and adjoining terrace is the perfect private space to relax for a long wine lunch or an evening’s celebration.

Exclusive members offer available, contact us to find our more...

E: vintageclub@briarridge.com.au | P: 02 4990 3670

3.

Good times and great wines...

Our Team

Jaclyn Davis Owner & General Manager

Steve Pike Cellar Door Manager

Alexandria Carruthers Wine Club Coordinator

Briar Ridge has always held a special place in the heart of Jaclyn, but even more so, since taking over the reins from her father John, who purchased the winery in 1988. In the late 1990s Jaclyn launched her own wine brand and was involved in the Sydney food and wine hospitality industry. Prior to re-joining the Briar Ridge team in 2010 as a Director, Jaclyn raised a family and successfully pursued a career in the law.

A wine and music enthusiast, Steve grew up in the Hunter Valley and has been working in the wine industry for the last seven years – four of those we are proud to say have been with us here at Briar Ridge! Prior to this Steve worked for a number of Banking and Government departments, he often jokes that he has retired to the wine industry rather than changing career paths as not a day goes by that feels like he is actually working!

Growing up in the Hunter Valley has meant that Alexandria has been fortunate enough to have the wine industry right at her back doorstep. With over twelve years experience working in the Hospitality and Wine industries, an Advanced Diploma of Hospitality Management and a Masters of Business Administration and Marketing underway, we are more than confident that our members are in great hands!

His enthusiasm for showcasing Briar Ridge wines and creating a memorable experience for everyone who visits the Cellar Door is just who he is! Anyone who has visited Briar Ridge would agree that his passion for wine and people shines through, welcoming everyone who visits with a warm, friendly smile.

Recently Steve has achieved Level 2 WSET and is always looking for ways to grow and develop his wine knowledge and his music collection – it has to be seen to be believed!

Her friendly nature and commitment to assisting our members with their wine interests, through to planning and hosting wine club events, and keeping our members up to date on the exciting achievements of our wines and the business is what Alexandria enjoys most about her role. Recently Alexandria achieved Level 2 WSET and is looking forward to further developing her wine knowledge – once the Masters is complete!

“Briar Ridge has been part of my life now for close to 30 years. As a teenager, I worked on the bottling line and did a gap year vintage in the winery and lab. It was hard work but great fun! To this day, I still enjoy seeing the fruit come into the winery over vintage and getting a first taste of the new releases when the winemaking team have worked their magic.”

Nowadays, as the Owner and General Manager of Briar Ridge, Jaclyn oversees the day to day operations of the winery, and the strategic direction of the brand, both domestically and internationally.

Jaclyn says the best part of her job is being able to share her long-standing passion for the wine industry and love of well-crafted wines with Briar Ridge’s loyal supporters, both old and new.

She looks forward to meeting you at the cellar door or at our member events.

4.

Alex Beckett Briar Ridge Winemaker

Gwyn Olsen ConsultantWinemaker

Karl Stockhausen Brand Custodian

A Hunter Valley local, Alex Beckett joined Briar Ridge as an Assistant Winemaker in 2016. Recognised as one of the industries up and coming talents, Alex’s passion for wine began while working part-time in Hunter cellar doors and wineries.

Naturally, Alex went on to study Viticulture and Wine Science at the University of Adelaide during which time he was awarded the prestigious Sydney Royal Wine Show Scholarship.

Having completed seven vintages in the Hunter Valley and multiple vintages abroad, Gwyn Olsen is a highly regarded winemaker and a passionate advocate for Hunter Valley wines.

Briar Ridge brand custodian, Karl Stockhausen has over 50 years of winemaking experience. His name is synonymous with the Hunter Valley as the winemaker behind the marvellous Lindeman’s classics of the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s.

“It’s an absolute honour to work at Briar Ridge. The fruit off our Mount View vineyards is really unique and some of the best in the Valley. I love making wines that showcase this uniqueness.

Seeing our members and customers enjoy the wines we create though, is the best reward.”

A talented young winemaker, Alex’s dedication and enthusiasm saw him promoted to the role of Winemaker in 2018, responsible for Briar Ridge’s unique portfolio of Hunter classic wines and alternate varieties.

A Roseworthy University graduate, Gwyn has received many accolades for her winemaking talent, most recently the Gourmet Traveller WINE, Young Winemaker Medal and the Hunter Valley Rising Star of the Year Award.

It’s no stretch to imagine that during her tenure as our Head Winemaker, the wines Gwyn produced also received numerous awards, including Best Semillon, Best Verdelho and Best Shiraz.

Now a Consultant, Gwyn works closely with Alex Beckett to set and maintain wine style, quality and consistency across the Briar Ridge wine portfolio.

“Having been part of the Briar Ridge team for many years, it’s great to continue working with a brand and wines I feel particularly passionate about.”

Karl joined our team in 1990 and works with Briar Ridge to this day, selecting the fruit and supervising the winemaking process for the Stockhausen Signature range – a showcase of classic Hunter Valley wine styles.

In June 2007, Karl was named a ‘Hunter Valley Living Legend’ by his colleagues, an honour bestowed on those who have given many years of outstanding service to the advancement of the Hunter Valley.

Gwyn is a Len Evans Tutorial scholar and judge at the National Wine Show in Canberra and major wine shows in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.

5.

Passion over pretention...

Winery Report

The wind down to winter has seen a very busy time in the winery. Our first two 2018 wines are now in bottle - and these are two new wines for Briar Ridge! We are very excited about the release of a 2018 off dry Semillon called ‘Limetta’ and a 2018 preservative free and vegan red wine made from a co-ferment of Shiraz and Verduzzo. Both wines are in the varietal range and available now so either give Alexandria a call or pop in and see Steve at Cellar Door.

From Alex Beckett & Gwyn Olsen

We are putting the finishing touches on a number of other wines and preparing them for bottling. The Shiraz wines have been blended in tank and we are pleased to report that there will be both a Single Vineyard Dairy Hill Shiraz and a Signature Stockhausen Shiraz out of the 2017 vintage due to the outstanding quality which sees a nice return to our iconic wine styles of Mount View. The 2018 Dairy Hill and Stockhausen Semillons are also coming together nicely the great year has produced wines with impressive flavour and acid drive. The blends are looking sensational and we are looking forward to getting them into glass and then having some time off!

Keep an eye out for the new releases in your club pack or be sure to learn more about them on your next visit to the Cellar Door. We hope to see you all soon at one of our next member events.

Cheers, Alex Beckett, Briar Ridge Winemaker & Gwyn Olsen, Consultant Winemaker.

Vineyard Update From Belinda Kelly As the days become shorter and nights cooler, our grape vines have turned from green to vibrant shades of orange and red.

While the vines are now dormant, we still have a lot of work to do in the vineyard with pruning and new plantings.

Pruning this year commenced a couple of weeks later than normal, after our long dry summer and autumn. We use a mechanical pre-pruner first that passes over the vines and cuts off around 90% of the growth from last season before our team does a final hand prune and tidy up.

Every bud that we leave on the vine should produce two bunches of grapes. Typically we leave around twelve bud spurs per vine to grow around twenty four bunches of grapes per vine the following Spring.

This year after pruning is finished, we will be adding a brand new block of Fiano to increase our current tonnage and in turn make more fantastic wine for you all to enjoy. Then it’s time for the Vineyard Team to catch their breath and start preparing for the coming Spring – Budburst!

Cheers, Belinda Kelly, Vineyard Manager

“Pruning is the most important part of growing grapes, as we need to leave the right amount of buds to produce the desired level of crop we require for the coming vintage.”

Enjoying the discovery since 1972...

6.

Winter Club • Pack •• Wines

2015 Cold Soaked Cabernet Sauvignon

Mixed Packs White Packs Red Packs

2018 “The Limetta” Off Dry Semillon • •

2015 Old Vines Shiraz

Harvested in the cool of the night to retain natural acidity and the ferment stopped early to retain balanced sweetness to fill the mid palate. The sherbert acidity adds freshness to the lemon curd and lime flower palate.

Cellar: Enjoy now, chilled with friends.

2017 Early Harvest Semillon • Harvested early to capture the racy citrus flavours with refreshing acidity and a refined, persistent finish. Cellar: Enjoy now or cellar over medium term.

• •

A barrel fermented blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon that is rich, complex and textural in style. Cellar: Enjoy now.

2017 The Dam Verdelho

• •

A finely balanced wine featuring guava, melon and hints of mandarin that unite seamlessly on the palate.

Cellar: Enjoy now.

2017 The Squire Chardonnay • • A rich and opulent wine packed with peach and melon flavours and delicate spice notes from the subtle use of oak.

Cellar: Enjoy now or cellar over the medium term.

2017 “The Tesh” Tempranillo Shiraz

•

The term ‘Cold Soak’ is a winemaking technique employed before fermentation to enhance extraction of colour, flavour and aromatics. This wine is a classic example of Cabernet Sauvignon, deep in colour with lifted aromas of blackberry, cassis and dried herb notes. The palate is layered with dark berry fruit and balanced with fine grained tannins and a subtle oak influence. Cellar: Enjoy now or cellar over the short term.

Key:

2018 Fumé

2017 Single Vineyard Dairy Hill Semillon •

• •

Made in the traditional Spanish ‘joven’ style, this wine has no new oak allowing the focus to be the bright juicy palate and crunchy acidity.

Cellar: Enjoy now.

•

The white pepper and lifted violet notes of this wine lead into a palate of rich, juicy red fruits and fine grained, silky tannins. Cellar: Enjoy now or cellar over the medium term.

2016 Limited Release Tempranillo • An intense, full-bodied savoury wine with a plush mid palate, rich in dark red fruits and honey soy notes.Cellar: Enjoy now or cellar for up to 5 years.

2016 Limited Release Big Bully Cabernet Sauvignon • • Made for our members, this wine is packed with blackcurrant, red fruit and subtle dark spice notes. The palate is rich and juicy, with cocoa like tannins providing a silky structure and good length. Cellar: Enjoy now or cellar over the medium to long term.

2016 Stockhausen Signature Shiraz • • A classic Hunter Shiraz style, this wine has a lifted bouquet of savoury spice and a full and supple palate with excellent fruit, fine tannins and great length. Cellar: Enjoy now or cellar over the medium term.

2015 Stockhausen Signature Semillon •

•

A classic Hunter Semillon, this wine features a bright lemon blossom bouquet and lingering lime characters on the palate. The finish is refined and persistent. Cellar: Enjoy now or cellar for up to 10 years.

7.

Our Dairy Hill block consistently produces the best Semillon each year.

This is an elegant yet intensely citrus flavoured wine with balanced acidity and great length. Cellar: Enjoy now or cellar carefully for five years to develop further bottle aged complexity.

2016 Single Vineyard Briar Hill Chardonnay • Hand harvested in two separate picks, eight days apart with the individual parcels spending eight months in oak prior to blending. The wine explodes with bright peach notes, wet stone and nutty characters. Crunchy white nectarine like acidity dances across the palate while the judicious use of oak provides structure and length.

Cellar: Enjoy now or cellar up to 5 years.

2014 Single Vineyard H.R.B Shiraz/Pinot Noir • An elegant blend of Shiraz and Pinot Noir from our premium Dairy Hill block, this wine is made to intrigue and delight. The medium-bodied palate is a finely balanced blend of dark cherry, cassis and spice notes. Silky tannins and a fine-boned acid structure leave a long, lingering finish. Cellar: Up to 10 years.

2014 Single Vineyard Dairy Hill Shiraz • Hand-harvested from our Eastern facing Dairy Hill block, this Shiraz is intensely perfumed with violets, blackcurrants and dark spice notes.

The palate features dark fruit notes of plum, black fruits and hints of clove and aniseed. The fine tannins provide a silky mid-palate structure with the classic Dairy Hill acidity ensuring great length. Cellar: Reward yourself with careful cellaring up to 20 years.

2014 Signature Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir • This bottle fermented sparkling wine is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

It is a wine of great complexity and texture with a fine persistent bead. The lifted aromas are fresh and lively with hints of green apple and shortcrust pasty. This is a well-balanced sparkling with a crisp dry finish. Cellar: A wine for celebration! Best consumed within the short to medium term.

From our cellar to yours...

Contact Us Alexandria Carruthers Vintage Club Co-ordinator Briar Ridge Vineyard 593 Mount View Road, Mount View NSW 2325 PO BOX 148, Cessnock NSW 2325 Email vintageclub@briarridge.com.au Phone 02 4990 3670 | Fax 02 4990 7802 Open 7 days a week for tasting and sales, 10am - 5pm

Best Tasting Experience in the Hunter.

Share Your #winestagrams With Us The team at Briar Ridge get excited when it’s time to send out the Vintage Club member wine packs, but we get really excited when we see how everyone is enjoying their newly acquired club pack wines with a few happy snaps posted to Instagram and Facebook, don’t forget to hashtag #briarridge