SUMMER
2020
ISSUE N O.
19
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PEPPER TREE WINES
We have bottled all of our 2019 Wrattonbully Single Vineyard reds and these are the best wines we have ever made off the vineyard. The fruit power is spectacular, complemented by ripe fine tannins and good acidity. There is also a new Single Vineyard wine being introduced into the range so you will have to keep your eyes peeled for that.
It has been an extremely busy Spring for us in the winery, with many new and exciting things happening.
The other exciting thing is that we have started our winery shed refurb. We are converting the top winery into a sole temperature and humidity controlled barrel room, and all of the tanks will now be in the main shed. This will allow us to take better care of our wines in oak (and therefore more delicious!) and have all of our tanks in one place (less running for us) so a double win there. We are hoping to have all of this work completed by Christmas. The growing season has started off with a bang and we are looking forward to the 2021 harvest. All vineyards are currently looking fabulous after great winter rain so let’s all keep our fingers crossed that everything continues to progress well. There have been a few changes to the winery team as well, with a few familiar faces no longer with the business. Both Andrew and Leon have left the winery team at Pepper Tree, and we have Dan joining us from Mount Pleasant and Damien joining us from Wine Selectors. We are looking forward to getting some grapes crushed from January. In the meantime, we hope you have a lovely festive season and enjoy some delicious wines. Merry Christmas!
Gwyn Olsen Head Winemaker
SUMMER 2020
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Merry Christmas to all our beautiful members!!! WOW what a different year we have all experienced, we hope you have all been well and keeping safe in these unusual times.
It’s been very sad we haven’t been able to organise any events for this year however, we are getting ready for a HUGE 2021 with lots of great events in store for everyone to enjoy. We have missed sharing a glass or two of our favourite Pepper Tree Wines with you all.
from Sharon, Susie & Lyn
We are getting very excited as our first event to kick off the New Year is at Taronga Zoo – A Gala Dinner on Friday 26th February, so get those glad rags out the cupboard and your dancing shoes ready!!! We hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year, drink lots, be Merry, and we will see you all in 2021!!!
XXX
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PEPPER TREE WINES
SUMMER 2020
20 YEARS
The year of 2020 marks the 20th anniversary of “Standra�, the inspiring, amazing and wholesome Pepper Tree duo of Sandra Brown and Stephanie King. With 20 years of memories and madness, with no sign of stopping, these two women are an asset of Pepper Tree that gets better with age. A heart-warming milestone amongst the crazy year that has been!
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PEPPER TREE WINES
Our Coquun is the result of blending our best Hunter Valley. In short, a true Hunter Shiraz
Enjoy a tasting of 5 BACK Coquun...experience the Contact the Cellar Door today
SUMMER 2020
7
barrels of Shiraz from our vineyards in the that represents what the region is capable of.
VINTAGES of magic of ageing.
2009 VINTAGE
to make a booking!
2011
VINTAGE
2013 VINTAGE
96 Points James Halliday Wine Companion
2 X Gold Medals 97 Points James Halliday Wine Companion
4 X Gold Medals 97 Points James Halliday Wine Companion
97 Points Gourmet Traveller Wine
2014
VINTAGE
2017
VINTAGE
95 Points James Halliday Wine Companion
95 Points James Halliday Wine Companion
96 Points Huon Hooke | The Real Review
PEPPER TREE WINES
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RRP
$ 80.00 •
CLU B MEMBER PR ICE
$ 68.00 •
Limited Release 'Rhodes' Hunter Valley
Semillon
2014
Q4 MEMBER PR ICE
$ 60.00 TASTING NOTES | This special limited release Semillon is sourced from two classic vineyards on Hermitage Road in the lower Hunter Valley. Vibrant aromas of lemongrass and lime articulate this classic Hunter Semillon. The palate is intense yet elegant, displaying mineral texture with great line and length. A wine of great drive, coupled with extraordinary finesse. A classic Hunter Semillon to be enjoyed now or will reward with extended cellaring. VINTAGE | Vintage 2014 started season with good rains with budburst in late August.Very good growing season with warm mild weather.Whites ripened very early and harvest started on January 8th. Ripening proceeded smoothly with no rain and no excessive heat. All whites were picked in good condition with very good flavour and balance. Excellent vintage. WINEMAKING | Bottled early to retain freshness and vitality of the primary fruit flavours. AWARDS & ACCOLADES 96 Points James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2016 Gold Hunter Valley Wine Show 2014 Gold Royal Melbourne Wine Show 2014 Gold National Wine Show of Australia 2014
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SUMMER 2020
Single Vineyard 'Strandlines' Wrattonbully
Cabernet Shiraz
2009
RRP
$ 85.00 •
CLU B MEMBER PR ICE
$72.25 •
Q4 MEMBER PR ICE
$ 63.75
TASTING NOTES | The name Strandlines comes from the ancient shorelines or dunes that mark the retreating ocean from what is now the Naracoorte Range in Wrattonbully. These ancient dunes harbour the famed red ‘Terra Rossa’ topsoil over Gambier limestone. The secret of these soils lies in the near perfect drainage they provide, leading to small crops of wonderfully concentrated fruit. An intensely concentrated nose of dark berry fruits, chocolate and spicy oak complexity. A serious full bodied blend of Cabernet and Shiraz, displaying ripe Cabernet flavours of cassis and blackberry integrated well with exotic spice and sweet mid palate fruit of Shiraz. This wine shows great depth, structure and texture providing an intense long finish and guaranteed longevity. VINTAGE | Dry hot conditions lead to an early vintage in Wrattonbully for 2009. Overall Wrattonbully shaped up very well, especially highlighted by the Shiraz Viognier and Cabernet. WINEMAKING | Cold soaked for five days before fermentation on skins at 18 - 20 Degrees for 7 days. Maturation for 20 months in selected French oak before blending and bottling. AWARDS & ACCOLADES 96 Points James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2012 Gold Cowra Wine Show 2011
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PEPPER TREE WINES
01 Vineyard Review The Hunter vineyard is well into it’s ripening phase with the first soft, sweet berries appearing in the Verdelho blocks and the first of the Shiraz starting to change colour. Fingers crossed the rain stops and we can have perfect ripening conditions from here!
SUMMER 2020
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HUNTER VALLEY
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PEPPER TREE WINES
OR A NGE
SUMMER 2020
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02 Vineyard Review The Orange vineyard is looking sensational. Thanks to tireless efforts last year watering through the drought, we have a great crop level there and everything is looking nice and tidy. The Chardonnay appears to be an early standout, and fingers crossed the weather dries up through the ripening phase.
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PEPPER TREE WINES
03 Vineyard Review Wrattonbully is continuing to run along with flowering now finishing and fruit set staring to form bunches. We are hoping that the good weather has set us up for good crops in 2020/21 and we look forward to our first trip to SA in a year in January!
SUMMER 2020
15
WR ATTONBULLY
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PEPPER TREE WINES
COONAWA R R A
SUMMER 2020
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04 Vineyard Review Coonawarra is also just finishing up flowering – as it is cooler in Coonawarra, it is normally the last vineyard to finish flowering and fruit set. Crops are looking good, and we are excited about the quality for both our Calcare Cabernet and our Limited Release RosÊ.
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PEPPER TREE WINES ABOUT STEPH | The team would like to welcome Steph Tully, our valued Cellar Door Operations Manager. Joining the Pepper Tree crew with a wealth of wine and food knowledge, we couldn’t think of a better person to oversee our tasting rooms, experiences and manage our great team.
When she is not working the bar, managing the crew or juggling a million other tasks, you can find Steph cooking up a storm for her family or on Merewether Beach not far from her new apartment sipping on aged Chardonnay. Next time you are at the Pepper Tree Winery, be sure to say hi and welcome Steph!
Steph Tully Cellar Door Operations Manager
ABOUT DYLAN | For all
things social media, marketing and communications, look no further than our new Marketing Assistant, Dylan. Joining forces with our Executive Sales and Marketing Manager, the newly formed dynamic Dylan duo will be working together to put Pepper Tree’s best foot forward.
Dylan Halligan Marketing Assistant
After recently graduating university, Dylan is keen to get his head in the marketing game, bringing fresh ideas, creativity and enthusiasm. When he’s not devising new plans for Instagram, Dylan can be found in the squat rack at the gym, taking a sunset selfie by Bar Beach or enjoying a few cold beers down at his local pub. Please welcome Dylan to our ever-growing team!
SUMMER 2020
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ABOUT MARK | The Pepper Tree family has welcomed another asset to the team, with Mark Lewis as Cellar Door Supervisor. With previous experience in managing bars, Mark is a very switched on and efficient individual, which has been a valuable addition to our private tasting and Cellar Door experiences. With a keen and sophisticated palette, Mark has a love for Hunter Valley Chardonnay, French Beaujolais, and our very own, 2017 Claude Hunter Valley Shiraz.
Outside of the tasting room, Mark can be found relaxing, drinking “a few” wines on his family owned farm, with his fiancé Ellie and adored Golden Retriever, ‘Yummy’. He loves golf, spicy food and will never say no to “a few” beers. If you ever catch Mark on the course, give him a wave!
Mark Lewis Cellar Door Supervisor
We look forward to welcoming you on your next visit to the Cellar Door!
PEPPER TREE WINES
20
ABOUT DAN | Following
his experience at Charles Sturt University Winery and Mount Pleasant Wines, Dan is our new, fully qualified Cellar Foreman, whom we are excited to bring on board. Possessing a plethora of skill, knowledge and passion, Dan is an extremely important asset to the Pepper Tree team going into the future. His favourite colour is hot pink, just so you know! A big welcome to our new man, Dan!
Dan Conlin Cellar Foreman
ABOUT DAMIEN | From wholesale, to cellar door and wine club, Damien contributes a range of multi-disciplinary experiences that provides our winery team with a unique dynamic that we are thrilled to have onboard. However, next year will be posed with its challenges, with 2021 being his first ever vintage in a winery. With this said, we think he is more than capable, and can’t wait to corrupt him in the Pepper Tree ways.
Welcome, Damien, our new Cellar Hand!
Damien Colbert Cellar Hand
SUMMER 2020
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NEW R E L E A SE
Limited Release 'Silenus' Orange
Pinot Noir Chardonnay
2016
TASTING NOTES | This traditionally made bottle fermented limited release sparkling wine is a blend of cool climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. It is a wine that has great integration and texture with a fine and persistent bead. Complexing aromas of baked strawberry tart and white peach effortlessly fill the palate. This is a well balanced wine with persistence and elegance. VINTAGE | Early rains produced a good budburst and flowering but the weather was unseasonably hot from December onwards and led to one of the earliest vintages on record for Vintage 2016. Ripening was so quick that the whole vineyard was picked in 10 days from 23 February to 4th March.This led to high sugar levels in some varieties but our most important variety, Chardonnay ripened well with excellent flavour and balance. WINEMAKING | This traditionally made bottle fermented sparkling wine is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Bottled and left on lees for 18 months before disgorging.
RRP
$ 42.00 •
CLU B MEMBER PR ICE
$ 35.70 •
Q4 MEMBER PR ICE
$ 31.50
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PEPPER TREE WINES
NEW SI NGL E V I N E YA R D WINE
SUMMER 2020
‘Rock Knob’ comes from a unique rocky outcrop where the vines grow roots that penetrate deep into the rock and in turn produce bunches of tiny berries that have an intense flavour and create a different tannin profile. Different to Block 21A that is elegant and fragrant the Rock Knob is all about power and presence, line and length. One taste and you’ll be entranced by the sheer power, intensity and concentration of this young wine. There’s an all engulfing presence on the palate mixing up dried herbs, impressive dark berry fruit and all spice complemented by rich, toasty oak, As it carries to the back palate you’ll note an impressive texture aided by a luxurious tannin framework ensuring this will last for many years.
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We decided this year, due to the auspicious vintage conditions of 2019, to make the first vintage of a new wine using five rows that border our famed 21A block in Wrattonbully.
RRP
Single Vineyard 'Rock Knob' Wrattonbully Cabernet Sauvignon
2019
$ 60.00 •
CLU B MEMBER PR ICE
$ 51.00 •
Q4 MEMBER PR ICE
$ 45.00
Enquire within our Wine Club today: Q4@peppertreewines.com.au