A classical wine schooling subscribes to the concept one, or perhaps a small handful, of hero grape varieties thrive finest in any given area. If I stated Burgundy or Barossa, Margaret River or Mendoza, Piemonte or Pemberton, wine aficionados would, immediately, be pondering of their respective icon varieties. It is the lens by way of which we perceive the standard of the area. That is such an necessary idea, that nearly all European wine areas are restricted, by legislation, to these particular hero varieties, these which were confirmed over centuries to carry out nicely and make the very best wine. Even inside Australia’s extra laissez-faire winemaking tradition, producers will lean in the direction of rising their native hero selection, if just for the financial crucial pushed by client expectations.
However there’s a couple of option to “pores and skin a grape”, and, with myriad native innovators thrilling drinkers with rising variety over the previous decade, it was with pleasure that I visited one such vineyard. Olive Farm Wines within the Swan Valley is the second oldest vineyard in Australia and the oldest in WA. In distinction to all its historical past, since relocating in 2006, it has turn into a number one innovator in rising and making different varieties. It at present has 24 varieties within the floor. The newest plantings, specifically, discover a variety of Southern Italian and Iberian grape varieties, these with nice potential for a major future inside Australian heat local weather viticulture. Particularly, the pink varieties: Touriga Nacional, Mencia, Alicante Bouschet, Negroamaro, and the whites: Arinto and Fiano. Add to this combine some Swan Valley classics, along with cellar-aged releases and fortified stickies, and it quantities to an extended and rewarding tasting session.
Olive Farm Wines is a small producer, crushing round 70 tonnes of fruit every year. With so many sorts, it’s, in essence, micro-batching. Quite a few the wines are made as a solitary single barrel, and all can be found solely in small portions. The logistics should be thoughts boggling. To showcase its bounty, Olive Farm has developed a extremely profitable cellar door mannequin, the place guests can style from “Frank the Tank”, a transformed fermentation vessel, which now doubles as a shiny, outsized, enomatic-style wine dispenser and preservation system. Should you’re not accustomed to Olive Farm Wines, it is as a result of it has such a loyal following that the overwhelming majority of its wines are bought direct to customers, with only a smattering of bottle retailers and eating places getting a look-in.
I am left questioning if there’s a possibility for the same undertaking in each area. The artistic mixture of making an attempt so many rising varieties and promoting on to the general public is a winner, and an inspiration for these chasing the following breakthrough grape selection.
Olive Farm Wines 2022 Fiano, Swan Valley $29
Fiano is an more and more frequent selection made in a variety of kinds from oaked and wealthy to crisp and pithy. This Swan model is aromatically expressive with heady pungency of nectarine and tropical guava. The palate is densely full of creamy nectarine flesh flavors, lingering lengthy by way of to a tart chalky textured end, leaving the palate cleansed and prepared for one more sip.
92/100
Olive Farm Wines 2021 Negroamaro, Swan Valley $38
Exhibiting little of the deep colour for which this selection is legendary, and solely delicate aromatics, it is on the palate that this wine comes alive. Plush, contemporary pink fruit flavors of plum and raspberry merge with a natural black cherry character and a few vanilla pod sweetness from getting older in oak. The “crunchy” textural parts that raise this wine are high quality, palate-coating tannins and a contemporary jolt of acidity. Scrumptious.
93/100
Olive Farm Wines 2021 Alicante Bouschet, Swan Valley $38
This uncommon red-fleshed selection (nearly each different selection holds its colour within the pores and skin, not the flesh) is unsurprisingly deep in colour. Daring and juicy, fragrant and flavourful. With mulberry, smoked meat, blackberry and fragrant spices, that is weighty but juicy and warming with out the thick viscosity of some massive reds. Even on a heat day, this may be loved by itself and with umami-laden meat dishes.
93/100
