SoVino - Autumn Edition

a guide for lovers of fine wines, craft beers and premium spirits.

autumn issue 2014. exclusive to independent liquor retailers.

his passionate career

A chat with Grant Burge’s Craig Stansborough

winemaking 101

The winemaking process, from the vine to your glass

hunter valley

A closer look at Australia’s original wine region

WGS Portrait A4.pdf 1 17/02/2014 16:54:00

WGS Portrait A4.pdf 1 17/02/2014 16:54:00

ContentsEditor’s letter ...................................................................................2

Food and wine calendar ................................................................3

Your guide on how to eat and drink your way around Australia

Winemaking 101 .............................................................................4

The winemaking process, from the vine to your glass

Drink this with that .........................................................................6

Easy and delicious food ideas for reds and whites

His passionate career ..................................................................10

A chat with Grant Burge’s Craig Stansborough

Meet the locals .............................................................................14

Meet Michael and Sharron from Bungendore Cellars

Hunter Valley .................................................................................18

A closer look at Australia’s original wine region

Bring your own .............................................................................22

ideas for boy’s night in ...or a girl’s night out

New product spotlight .................................................................25

Bulldog Gin and Double Jack

Features

Grante Burge .....................................................................................8

Penfolds ..........................................................................................12

Mount Gay Rum ..............................................................................16

Mount Pleasant ...............................................................................20

Thomas Cooper Artisan Beer ..........................................................26

Apple Thief Cider .............................................................................28

Elefante Tempranillo .........................................................................30

Created by Coordinate for Independent Liquor Retailers Pty Ltd localliquor.com.au

Managing Editor: Alex Tricolas Contributor: Jan O’Connell Project Manager: Andrea Cano Design: Javier Steel

Advertising and editorial enquiries contact:

Samantha WatsonT 1300 408 399 F 02 6230 4278E [email protected]

Unit 67/12 Challis Street, Dickson ACT 2602 PO Box 157, Dickson ACT 2602

Products and prices throughout this magazine are available only at participating stores.

Of all the seasons in the winemaker’s year, Autumn is perhaps the busiest. Of course, it is a

time when the harvest of grapes is well under way, perhaps even completed in some regions.

The process of fermentation will turn these grapes into wine, and at this point, the skill of the

winemaker will come to the fore. Decisions will be made based a number of factors–amongst

them the weather, the type of soil, the grape, and the winemaker’s vision for the finished

product. In this issue, we give you a quick breakdown of the winemaking process as most of our

winemakers are in the thick of it. It’s also a good time to consider how far the Australian industry

has come, and to tip our hats to the pioneers of Australian wines. We take a look at our first wine

growing region, Hunter Valley, and find out a little about how it all began and where it is now. We

also head to South Australia to lend an ear to famed Barossa winemaker Craig Stansborough of

Grant Burge fame. We have included an easy to read calendar of some of the more interesting

food and wine events that will be happening around the country as we celebrate the season and

we get an insight to some great wine and premium beer labels. It’s been a big summer, and we

may miss those hot days at times, but Autumn is here. Bring it on.

Alex Tricolas

Editor

Editor’s Letter

editor’s letter

2 sovino. lovers of fine wines, craft beers and premium spirits.

autumn calendar

Your food and wine calendar

here’s how to eat and drink your way around australia over the next few months. cheers!

APRIL4-13

Orange F.O.O.D Week

Food Of Orange District showcases the

region dubbed the “food basket of NSW”.

Wine tastings, farm gate tours, cooking

demonstrations, cabaret, picnics, a huge

‘Night Market’ and Forage, plus the 100-

Mile Dinner featuring dishes made from local

produce sourced within 100 Miles of Orange.

orangefoodweek.com.au

5-6

Canberra District Wine Harvest Festival

The region’s cool-climate wineries present

events including grape stomping, live music

and master winemaking classes, plus the

chance to taste the region’s best wines.

canberrawines.com.au

24-28

Kangaroo Island FEASTival

Celebrate fine seafood and Kangaroo Island’s

local gourmet produce and wine. Join

local cooks for dinner in their homes, meet

the producers, enjoy degustation dinners,

campfire cooking and barbecues by the sea.

tourkangarooisland.com.au

27-4 may

Tasting Australia

For 2014, Tasting Australia’s theme is Origins,

celebrating the idea that the ‘where you are’ is

the ‘who you are’ of modern Australian wine

21-25

Savour Tasmania

Internationally recognised chefs present

a range of degustation dinners focusing

on natural produce in Hobart and regional

Tasmania. The festival also includes the

Tasmanian Red Wine Weekend featuring a

range of master classes and wine tastings.

savourtasmania.com.au

JUNE 21 – mid-august

Canberra & Capital Region Truffle Festival

Billed as “a taste of mid-winter magic” this

festival is a chance to discover more about the

mysterious black truffle. Follow the truffle dogs

on their hunts, enjoy truffle degustations at fine

restaurants, and take classes in how to cook

with this magical fungus.

trufflefestival.com.au

27-29

Truffle Kerfuffle

Held in Manjimup, Western Australia, this

event includes a gala dinner, truffle hunts,

master classes and farmers’ markets.

Western Australia is the biggest producer

of truffles outside Europe, so there’s plenty

of black gold to be found.

trufflekerfuffle.com.au

and food. This is South Australia’s premier

food and wine festival, and the action isn’t just

in Adelaide. Wine regions such as the Barossa

Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, Coonawarra

and Adelaide Hills offer tastings, wine

auctions and food and wine master classes.

tastingaustralia.com.au

MAY1-31

Aussie Wine Month

Aussie Wine Month, organised by Wine

Australia, will involve tastings, promotions and

celebrations across the country showcasing

Australia’s reputation for producing some

of the world’s best wines. The theme of

the third annual Aussie Wine Month will be

‘Regional Heroes’.

wineaustralia.com

16-25

High Country Harvest Festival

Surrounded by the Victorian Alps and

alongside the Murray River, this region is

home to some of Australia’s finest gourmet

producers. Taste hand-made butter,

artisan cheeses, internationally-known

wines and fine Australian lagers and ales.

highcountryharvest.com.au

17-18

Lovedale Long Lunch

You’ve heard of progressive dinners; this

is a progressive lunch. Feast and dance

around seven Hunter Valley wineries, with

local restaurants providing the gourmet food.

lovedalelonglunch.com.au

autumn issue 2014. 3

autumn feature

Winemaking 101autumn is upon us, the time when the next vintage of wine is being made. depending on the climate and the type of wine, the process may be well advanced or just starting; but without a doubt, the months following summer are the busiest time of a winemaker’s year. if you’ve ever wondered just what it takes to get the final product into a bottle and ready to buy at your local, here is a quick breakdown of the process. of course, not every wine–or winemaker–is the same, so often the winemaker may employ different techniques; and sparkling and fortified wines will require a different approach. that said, we can say with a degree of confidence that these five steps are crucial.

the harvest

A simple fact, and a good starting point, is

the rather obvious understanding that without

grapes, there is no wine. Many winemakers

will agree that great wine is made in the

vineyard, and that many factors such as

choice of grape, location, climate and soil,

along with decisions about when to harvest,

will have come into play. Assuming all has

gone well and the season’s grapes have

reached their desired maturity, harvesting

may begin, either mechanically, or by hand.

Most estates will prefer to pick by hand as

this process, although time-consuming, is far

kinder to the fruit. Once the grapes arrive at

the winery, they are sorted to eliminate rotten

or under-ripe fruit before crushing.

crushing and pressing

For centuries, the juice of the grape was

extracted by stomping; and many rituals were

developed around this quaint tradition. By

the middle ages, hand operated equipment

such as basket presses were in common use;

and of course today, the modern crushing

and pressing process is highly advanced,

efficient and hygienic, albeit devoid of some

of the more romantic elements of stomping.

Grapes are first run through a crusher to break

the skins of the berries and, if desired, a de-

stemmer to separate them from their stems.

The process differs depending on what the

end product is. White grapes are not usually

destemmed, but are pressed immediately

to avoid any colour or tannins. Red grapes

are usually destemmed and left to begin

their fermentation process with skins intact

(known as must), ensuring lots of colour in

the final product, before being pressed at a

later date. With many red wines, the must will

be included in the secondary fermentation,

and not separated until after fermentation

is complete.


When it comes to a top shelf red, the winemaker has bottle aged it

prior to release; and in the case of Penfolds Grange, the bottle ageing

duration is five years.

clarification and

stabilisation

These steps have not always been at the

top of the winemaker’s list, but modern

consumers expect their wines to be bright and

clear; and for many reasons, the fermented

product will be quite hazy or unstable. Wines

often contain yeast and bacteria, residual

sugar or excess protein, all contributors

to a hazy wine; and residual sugars that

remain in the wine may cause an unwanted

fermentation in the bottle, spoiling the wine.

Because quality reds are often aged for a year

or so before bottling, they tend to become

clear and stable during that time, but this

is not the case with whites or blush wines.

Clarification may involve procedures such as

racking–the siphoning of the wine from one

tank to the next, in the hope that most of the

solids remain at the bottom of the tanks–or

fining, adding clay, egg whites or other agents

that adhere to the unwanted solids– and then

racking again to another tank or barrel.

fermentation

Once crushing and pressing is complete, the

juice (or must in the case of reds) is transferred

to fermentation tanks. Bacteria naturally affect

fruit, converting its sugar to alcohol, a process

known as fermentation. Our nearest relatives,

the chimpanzees, have been observed

getting a kick out of eating rotten fruit, so

it’s fair to assume our ancestors enjoyed the

buzz when they stumbled across a rotten

but otherwise fun-packed fruit, leading to

the eventual cultivation of wine. High sugar

content and lots of juice make the grape an

ideal candidate to capitalize on this process.

But of course, naturally occurring bacteria are

wild and unruly, and allowing this to run its

course without human intervention will result

in unstable and erratic outcomes. Modern

winemakers neutralize the natural bacteria

present on the grape skins and in the air

with additives such as sulphar dioxide. Once

this is done, they introduce cultivated yeast

of their choosing to metabolise the sugar in

a controlled fashion. Fermentation will take

anywhere from a week to a month or more.

A number of factors will determine alcohol and

sugar content of the final product. Climate,

sugar content of the fruit, and fermentation

time will have all played a part.

ageing and bottling

There are two types of ageing. One is known

as bottle ageing—this happens when you

buy that Penfolds Grange and stash it away

for your kid’s twenty first. The other is bulk

ageing—that is what a winemaker does

before bottling to ensure quality upon release.

Bulk ageing is usually the domain of reds,

as most whites and blush wines, and even

some lighter reds are bottled immediately after

the clarification process. Of course, when

it comes to a top shelf red, the winemaker

has bottle aged it prior to release; and in the

case of Penfolds Grange, the bottle ageing

duration is five years. Once again, there is no

hard and fast rule here, and ageing is at the

winemaker’s discretion. Once upon a time,

wine bottles were sealed with corks, but as

technology has developed and the snob

factor has declined, screw caps are now

commonplace in all but the most top shelf of

wines. In the end, the final product appears

at your local, ready for you to enjoy.


Red wine with Venison

drink this with that

Method:

1. Heat a little clarified butter in a large pan

and fry the onion rings until translucent.

Add the cabbage and fry, stirring. Add the

stock, cover and cook over a moderate

heat for 25-30 minutes. The cabbage

should retain a slight bite.

2. Stir in the cinnamon, season to taste

with salt and ground black pepper,

remove from the heat and leave to infuse.

Stir in the orange pieces and check

the seasoning.

3. Heat a little clarified butter in a frying pan.

Season the venison with salt and ground

black pepper and sear on both sides,

then reduce the heat and cook for three to

four minutes.

4. To serve, spoon the red cabbage and

oranges onto plates and arrange venison

medallions on top.

Ingredients:

- Clarified butter for frying

- 1 red onion, finely sliced

into rings

- 1 red cabbage, approx. 1 kg,

quartered and finely sliced

- 200 ml venison stock

- 1 tsp ground cinnamon

- 2 unwaxed oranges, flesh diced

- 8 venison medallions,

approx. 75 g each Serves 4 Prep & cook time: 1 hr

2013 St Hallett Black

Clay Shiraz

750mL Bottle $1599

This Barossa Valley Shiraz is

the product of a dry lead-up to

vintage which resulted in low

yields, but exceptional quality.

It typifies the wines produced

by the Barossa’s black Biscay

clays, with their berry compote

and summer pudding flavours.

The nose is dense and packed

with berries; the palate is voluptuous and

smooth. Fruits of the forest and blackberry

flavours are framed by soft tannins to

complete this classic wine.

Climbing Merlot

750mL Bottle $1999

Sourced from the high-elevation,

cool-climate Cumulus Estate

vineyard in Orange, from low-

yielding vines that provide fruit

of intense yet elegant flavor.

Individual parcels of premium

Merlot were selected from

different blocks to produce

this medium bodied wine, with

flavours of ripe red berry fruits,

plum and bell pepper and a leafy herbaceous

edge. Time in the barrel adds complexity, with

supple tannins and light oak following through

on the finish.

Vasse Felix 2011

Cabernet Merlot

750mL Bottle $2299

This generous, elegant and

structured Margaret River

wine displays savoury regional

characters on the nose. Sweet

paperbark with hints of nori give

way to vibrant, red fruit aromas

of Satsuma plum and candied

raspberry. Oak maturation

provides hints of coffee bean and

grilled almond. Complex plum, red berrry and

nori flavours are followed by a juicy acidity that

combines with dusty, textural tannins for a

long, dry and earthy finish.

medallions of venison with

red cabbage, orange & cinnamon

Image + recipe © StockFood / Gräfe & Unzer Verlag / Bischof, Harry


white wine with Kingfish

Serves 4 Prep time: 30mins

kingfish ceviche with

fennel & grapefruit salad

2012 Evans & Tate Breathing

Space Pinot Gris

750mL Bottle $1499

This first Pinot Gris produced by

Evans & Tate in Margaret River

has ripe Gris aromas of pear,

lychee and gala apple, with a

touch of tropical fruits. Time on

fresh yeast lees and a touch of

barrel ferment in French oak has

added subtle aromas of fresh

yeast and white bread. Then there’s the long,

richly-flavoured palate with pears, lychee and

apple, continuing on to a dry, refreshing finish.

2013 Knappstein Hand

Picked Reisling

750mL Bottle $1899

This wine has been shaped by a

kind growing season, ideal picking

conditions and careful winemaking.

It displays an aromatic array

of citrus fruits, including lime

and grapefruit, with subtle floral

highlights. The palate retains the

generous citrus notes, balanced

by elements of sweet spices. A crunchy, crisp

acid profile brings it all together in a wine

that’s fantastic to drink now, but will also repay

cellaring for five to eight years.

Method:

1. In a bowl, combine all the

dressing ingredients.

2. Arrange the fish slices on the

plate. Pour dressing over the fish

and refrigerate for 15minutes.

3. Combine fennel, grapefruit,

onion and daikon in a

separate bowl.

4. Place the salad on top of the

kingfish and garnish the plate

with cucumber ribbons, shiso

cress and edible flowers.

2012 Saint Clair Estate

Selection Sauvignon Blanc

750mL Bottle $1699

The fruit for this wine was

sourced from several vineyards

throughout New Zealand’s

Marlborough region and cool

fermented to retain freshness

and zing. The intense aromas of

black currant and passionfruit,

with a hint of gooseberry,

are reflected on the palate. A

pleasant herbaceous thread leads to a long,

lingering finish. This is a perfect wine for

drinking immediately and will be at its best

over the next two years.

Ingredients:

- 4 fennel bulbs, shaved

- 2 grapefruit

- 1 red onion, thinly sliced

- 1 daikon (Japanese white radish), julienned

For the dressing:

- 200ml olive oil extra virgin

- 20ml white balsamic vinegar

- 20ml mirin

- 2 lime, juiced

- 2 red chili, finely diced, no seeds.

- Salt

For the garnish:

- Lebanese cucumber , cut into ribbons

- Edible flowers

- Shiso cress

Image + recipe © Denman Cellars Beer Café / Deca, Zibby


supplier feature

the history of the burge family and their long association with winemaking in barossa can be traced back to march 1855, when noted tailor john burge immigrated to australia from hillcot, in wiltshire, england with his wife eliza and their two sons. john worked as a winemaker at hillside vineyards, and his love of viticulture was passed onto his son meshach, who continued the tradition making his first wine in 1865, whilst becoming a prominent community leader.

Meshach married Emma in 1883 and they

had eight children. First-born Percival

established the Wilsford Winery near Lyndoch

in 1928. Percival had two sons, Noel and

Colin, and Colin and his wife Nancy had one

son, Grant. Colin’s son spent his boyhood

immersed in the wine industry, watching

his father and grandfather build respected

wine businesses and learning traditional

winemaking techniques.

Today, Grant Burge is a fifth-generation

Barossa vigneron and winemaker who

has–throughout his career–been one of the

most respected and innovative forces in the

Australian wine industry.

Over the years, the techniques Grant learned

in his early years have served him well in

his winemaking endeavours, as it is his firm

belief that to be a great winemaker you need

to understand the relationship between the

vineyard and wine, and that this knowledge

can only come from hours spent among

the vines, cultivating the soil and carefully

managing precious water resources.

When he and wife Helen founded Grant

Burge Wines in 1988, it was agreed that the

business would be based on the traditional

values of family, heritage and quality. However,

these traditional foundations have not

hindered Grant Burge Wines development

into one of the most innovative companies in

the Australian wine industry, with cutting edge

winemaking techniques producing wines of

exceptional quality and consistency.

In support of his winemaking expertise, Grant

owns a network of vineyards across the

Barossa and Eden Valley, providing him with

unmatched access to premium quality grapes.

This network includes the famous Filsell

Vineyard, which was planted in the 1920s.

Located between the townships of Lyndoch

and Williamstown, this venerable old vineyard

produces fruit of incredible concentration and

flavour which forms the base of Grant’s iconic

Meshach Shiraz, classified as “Outstanding”

in the Langton’s Classification, giving it

recognition as one of Australia’s great wines.

Continuing the family tradition, Grant and

Helen have now brought the sixth generation

into the fold. Eldest son Toby is the company’s

Vineyard Technical Officer, upholding the

premium quality and consistency of fruit

produced from the vineyards. Daughter

Amelia joined the marketing department in

an assistant role early in 2007, and in late

2008 went out into the world to gain more

experience to bring back to the company later

on in her career. Trent, the youngest has been

part of the hardworking cellar and vineyard

teams and is now gaining experience in winery

operations, grower liaison and promotion. All

three children share Grant and Helen’s vision

to continue this long family tradition of bringing

exceptional wines to the world.


vineyard range

the grant burge vineyard range has an established brand identity and renowned, reputation for quality and reliability. ultra premium fruit is sourced from individual, historic vineyards in the barossa valley, adelaide hills and eden valley, all showcasing the unique varietal characters of these special terroirs and microclimates.

miamba shiraz

750mL Bottle $1999

This outstanding Barossa wine has vibrant

aromas and flavours of dark fruits, blueberries,

mocha and savoury spices. With a proportion

of the wine fermented in European oak barrels,

the style and structure has evolved to become

more refined with fine, silky tannins and a long,

elegant finish.

Food Match: Peppercorn steak or

barbecued meats.

summers chardonnay

750mL Bottle $1999

An elegant wine displaying all of the classic

traits of cool climate Chardonnay; bright gold,

with delicate aromas of citrus, white peaches

and spice and fruit flavours integrated with

lime acidity and a hint of creaminess. The

supreme balance of this wine creates superb

length of flavour and refinement.

Food Match: Roasted pork loin, char-grilled

chicken and creamy fish dishes.


Luckily for Craig, his true passion lay not in the

heady atmosphere of the sports arena, but

in the rolling plains of the bountiful Barossa

Valley, where he had grown up. Interestingly

for a local boy, he was the first in his family to

be involved in the wine industry. But in 1983,

at his first job as a cellar-hand at the historic

Seppeltsfield Winery, he found his calling.

“After tasting DP90 (Seppelt’s famous Tawny)

under the old date palms at ten thirty in the

morning on my first day, I suddenly found

some direction in my life,” says Craig, “and

I feel very lucky to have ended up spending

near on 30 years in this industry. I am part of

making a product that people can share and

discuss–and if you like, turn it into a great

passion. I do get excited when people want

to talk to me about the wine we make, or any

wine really.”

Ten years later, Craig joined Grant Burge

Wines as Cellar Manager, and such was his

passion and skill that within four years, he was

Senior Winemaker. His contribution over the

last three decades to some of that label’s–and

Australia’s–finest wines is acknowledged at

the winery that has defined his career. It’s

expressed through the wines that define Grant

Burge: Meshach, Shadrach, Filsell and The

Holy Trinity.

Of course, Craig is the first to acknowledge

the influence of Grant Burge himself. “Grant

has been my main influence,” says Craig. “He

has taught me the importance of attention to

detail and the importance of good planning.

It might seem like boring stuff but I believe in

karma! He has also taught me some pretty

cool winemaking stuff, but in the end as a

winemaker I think you are your own person.”

Craig travels extensively in his role at

Grant Burge and, as such, is a passionate

ambassador for the Barossa. “I think most

wine regions have something special about

them, but when you come to the Barossa

you do get a sense of a long history of grape

growing and winemaking,” he says. “I love the

fact that I can walk into a vineyard which was

planted 100 years ago, and meet a grower

who can talk to me intimately about the

vineyard that his dad or grandpa planted.”

As a vineyard owner himself, Craig has an in

depth knowledge of the factors that contribute

to the unique nature of any particular region,

and particularly Barossa Valley. “What makes

the wines different is all related to mother

nature, soil and climate. We are pretty lucky

here, we don’t seem to get a lot of disease

and we don’t have trouble getting ripeness, so

the wines are generous and great to drink.”

Extensive travel has also allowed Craig

to sample wines from many local and

international regions, and an exceptional

palate has put him in a position to be highly

sought after as a judge around the country. He

has served as Associate Judge at the Barossa

Wine Show and the National Wine Show

in Canberra, and sat on tasting panels for

Winestate Magazine and the Australian Wine

Research Institute.

When asked which regions outside the

Barossa most impress him at the moment,

Craig nominates Tasmanian wines. “Apart from

being a beautiful part of the world, there are

many areas down there that grow great fruit,

and many areas that have not been planted

that will grow great fruit,” he says. “And

outside Australia, I enjoy the wines of Spain. I

was lucky enough to spend some time there

last year. I really enjoyed the Tempranillo from

Rioja and Ribera de Duero, and the Grenache

from Priorat. The people are great and have a

similar sense of humour to us Aussies.”

Apart from being the driving force behind

Grant Burge, Craig has been keeping

himself busy with his own vineyard, which

he purchased around 15 years ago. “In the

late 90s, I was searching around for that

piece of perfect dirt I could plant up, and in

for many of us, profession and passion do not always correlate, and being able to earn a living from doing that thing which you love is a somewhat rare experience. it is one usually reserved for famous sports people or entertainers, but occasionally becomes a reality for the rest of us. usually, you need to be able to match your obsession with unusually rare talent. according to barossa valley wine-maker craig stansborough, this was not the case when, as a young man, he fantasized about his life as an afl player. “i should have being playing professionally but for a few simple things,” he says jokingly, “like being too slow, too short and having an overall lack of ability!”

His Passionate Career

winemaker feature


“ I am part of making a product that people can share and discuss... I do get excited when people want to talk to me about the wine we make, or any wine really.”

2000 I found a fantastic 52 acre piece of land

in the Southern Barossa, not far from the

Whispering Wall reservoir. I proceeded to plant

some Shiraz, and have recently planted a few

acres of Montepulciano and v for something

different,” he says. “As many would know, it

has not made me a lot of money, but I do get

a kick out of growing some really smart fruit.”

Perhaps Craig is being a little modest.

Around six years ago, he and good mate

Mark Slade set up Purple Hands Wines to

market the spoils of the vineyard’s harvest,

and they’re making waves with what are

being described by none other than wine guru

James Halliday as ‘single vineyard wines of

remarkable elegance’.

It will be interesting to see how Purple

Hands develops, given this type of glowing

endorsement. But one can be sure it’s in good

hands, as is Grant Burge. Craig predicts that

the trend will move toward wines that have

less oak and less alcohol, with consumers

not so fixated about colour, but concentrating

on texture. Whatever it is, we can be sure

that he will be at the forefront, thankful that

his passion has become his career, AFL

dreams notwithstanding.


supplier feature


it was the slogan to launch a winemaking legacy. yet it harks back to a time when penfolds wine was more likely to be consumed by a patient with anaemia than by a bon vivant. dr christopher rawson penfold was a british-trained medical practitioner who emigrated to south australia in 1844 with a carefully selected stock of french vine cuttings. the wines that he and his wife mary began producing on their magill estate in adelaide were initially prescribed as a tonic.

This year marks the 170th anniversary of

Penfolds, and wines bearing the famous label

have been enjoyed by many generations of

perfectly healthy Australians. They’ve also

made a big impression overseas. In 1995,

Robert Parker, the world’s most influential

wine critic, wrote in his self-published

newsletter The Wine Advocate that Penfolds’

famous Grange was “a leading candidate for

the richest, most concentrated dry table wine

on planet earth.”

Grange (originally Grange Hermitage) was

a “secret bottling” back in 1951. It was an

example of Penfolds’ spirit of experimentation

and innovation. For 170 years, Penfolds

has cultivated a reputation on winemaking

excellence, achieved through a unique

alchemy of distinguished vineyards and

viticultural caretakers, exceptional winemaking

resources and a rich history of outstanding

winemakers. These master craftsmen and

women have been the custodians of the

Penfolds stable.

And while tradition is important, Penfolds

doesn’t stand still. The recently released Bin

Series, for example, includes a new wine,

designated as Bin 9. The Bin Series is at the

heart of Penfolds and takes inspiration from

legendary winemaker Max Schubert’s Bin 1,

which became Grange.

Bin 9 Cabernet Sauvignon has been crafted

by the Penfolds winemaking team using

grapes from vineyards across South Australia

with a significant portion sourced from the

ancient soils of McLaren Vale. The first vintage

was made at Penfolds’ Nuriootpa winery

in 2012.

“It was an interesting year for winemaking,”

says Peter Gago, Penfolds’ Chief Winemaker.

“We had less winter rain than usual in most

parts of South Australia and the summer was

mild, with a few short bursts of heat. Because

of the mild daytime temperatures and cool

evenings during the ripening period, we saw

impressive flavour development and the fruit

was picked in optimal conditions.”

The result is a contemporary style of Cabernet

that’s good drinking now but, in the tradition

of the Bin wines, will become more complex

with bottle age. Peter describes the wine as

having aromas of blackcurrant, green olive and

roasted red peppers, with mixed spice, cedar

and rosewood notes from the oak hogsheads.

He sees roasted meats and spicy chorizo on

the palate, with a savoury tannin profile.

Another contemporary red in the Bin Series,

the 2011 Bin 8 Cabernet Shiraz, is described

by Peter as “one to watch”. He believes it

may give the previous year’s Bin 8 “a bit

of competition”.

The Bin 8 series was introduced in response

to an interest in Cabernet Shiraz styles. This

classic Australian wine style has, Penfolds

say, caught the attention of the international

wine media. There’s a story behind the Bin 8

name. Although Bin numbers were originally

named after the original binning location

after bottling, this wine was given its number

because it’s matured in older oak previously

used for Bin 128, Bin 28 and Bin 389. The

number 8 provides the common thread – and,

fortuitously, it’s seen by many as a particularly

lucky number.

Here’s how Peter Gago describes the nose of

the 2011 Bin 8:

“It’s an instantly recognisable Cabernet Shiraz

aromatic propulsion, with Cabernet notes

more prominent than Shiraz at this stage, i.e.

black olive, graphite and red-berried fruits. It’s

not quite that simple, however, with anchovy,

crackling and meat salt Shiraz complexities

lurking in the background. Oh, and a modicum

of musk to add further intrigue.” The palate, he

says, is “verging toward a good, old-fashioned

summer trifle treat”.

It’s taken passion, commitment, courage and

patience to create the Penfolds winemaking

legacy. Over time, what began as innovations

have become the great traditions for new

generations. Today, 170 years from its initial

declaration, that legacy continues and the

house remains one of Australia’s most revered

… now and ‘evermore’.

It’s taken passion, commitment, courage and patience to create the Penfolds winemaking legacy

BIN 9 Cab Sauv 750mL Bottle $3399

BIN 8 Cab Shiraz 750mL Bottle $3999


Bungendore cellars

store profile

what do they

typically buy?

It’s hard to say that one product stands out.

We sell an even spread of beer, wine and

ciders. We sell a lot more wine than most

country outlets, which tend to sell mostly

beers and RTDs. Many of our customers

appreciate a premium wine, and we try to

cater to that.

when is the busiest

time in your store?

The busiest times would be Thursday & Friday

evenings, although the weekends tend to hum

along as well.

what is the most

unusual request

you’ve ever had?

Not really unusual requests, more “out of the

square” requests, like rum from the Hoochery

distillery in Kununurra, Western Australia.

what was the first job

you ever had?

Michael: “My first job was as a trainee stock

& station agent in Alice Springs.”

Sharron: “I was a geology field assistant

at Woodlawn Mines.”

what do you love most

about your job?

We both enjoy talking to our customers. Being

a small community we tend to know most

of our customers, so interaction with them

seems important. Questions like “how was

your day” or “how did the kids enjoy the first

day of school” are commonplace here.

what’s your favourite

end of week

autumn beverage?

We are both venturing into the world of pinots

right now. Really enjoying Waipara Way Pinot.

what is the question

you get asked most

by customers?

Primarily, customers know what they are

looking for as far as beers or spirits go. They

do ask our advice on wines however, and

mostly about food and wine matching.

who are some of

your regulars?

We have an eclectic range of customers.

Bungendore is quite diverse, with rural

workers and tradies, defence and military

personnel, arty types, musos and affluent

retirees all living in the community. Of course

we also get the Canberra folks that come

through on weekend drives, or on their way to

the coast.

michael and sharron blore have been at the helm of bungendore cellars for the last 14 years. sharron is a local girl–born and bred in bungendore–who was previously involved in hospitality, having worked in a number of establishments, the most notable being bungendore’s well-known carrington. michael has embedded himself in the local community since marrying sharron 20 years ago. originally from western new south wales, the former cattle farmer now proudly calls bungendore home.

“Being a small community we tend

to know most of our customers...”


Winemaker Chris Hancock has been immersed in wine for the Oatley family over three decades. He agrees with his long time friend, mentor and Four-in-Hand driver Bob Oatley, that, above all, wine must be a ‘good drink’. As with a master coachman, Chris has honed his winemaking skills with years of experience. Wines such as this superb Shiraz require a thorough knowledge of every detail and constant practice to perfect.

In addition, much patience and perseverance is required. Steely courage to reject all but the �nest fruit. Steady hands to guide the winemaking team. A light touch to let the characteristics of both fruit and terroir speak for themselves. And �nally, the patience and perseverance to let the wines mature and develop.

Winemaker’s Tasting Note: Having set out to make a mid-weight style of Shiraz that shows de�nitive regional typicity, we’re very pleased with the result. With moderate alcohol and very supple oak in�uence, Barossa dark fruits and black chocolate characters rise to the forer, it’s generous and appealing, with soft, �ne powdery tannins and lovely length of �avour. Enjoyable immediately upon release and will cellar comfortably for 5-7 years.

supplier feature

Dutch traders brought sugar cane from

Brazil in 1640, and the island’s rich soil and

favourable wet season proved ideal for its

cultivation. Soon Barbados was divided into

large plantation estates, with owners who had

connections with the English aristocracy. A by-

product of their lucrative sugar industry was

another vital commodity – rum.

According to local historians, rum was being

made on the site of what is now the Mount

Gay distillery early as 1667. However, the

earliest written evidence of rum production

at what was then known as Mount Gilboa is

a legal document dated 20th February 1703.

It lists the property and the equipment found

on it, including: “Two stone windmills... one

boiling house with seven coppers, one curing

house and one still house.” This makes Mount

Gay Rum the oldest in Barbados and, even

more significantly, the world.

Enter our baronet. John Gay Alleyne was born

in Barbados, a descendent of the first settlers.

He served in the Barbados Parliament and

was for many years Speaker in the House

of Assembly. As a reward for his service, he

was created Baronet of Four Hills in the Island

of Barbados.

Sir John’s day job, however, was making rum

on the Mount Gilboa plantation. The owner, a

gentleman with the wildly inappropriate name

of John Sober, appointed him as manager

of the plantation and distillery in 1747. So

successful was the business under Alleyne’s

management that, upon his death in 1801,

the grateful Sober family added his middle

name to their label and the Mount Gay brand

was born.

Mount Gay Rum is the product of over

300 years of knowledge, experience and

refinement applied to the process of making

rum. The island of Barbados provides the

perfect raw ingredients. Water is drawn from

the coral-filtered groundwater deep beneath

the island, then filtered three times for

additional purity. Then there’s the molasses.

Barbadian sugar is among the finest in the

world, yielding exceptional molasses. By the

18th century, Barbadian molasses was known

as “Black Gold” because of the additional

revenue it provided after the process of refining

crystallised sugar from sugar cane.

The molasses and coral filtered water are

combined with Mount Gay Rum’s proprietary

strain of yeast. After distilling in traditional

double copper pot stills the rum is matured

in charred white oak barrels. These days,

through an agreement with the makers of Jim

Beam, these are barrels which previously held

American whiskey. At Mount Gay, blending

has become a true craft. Master blender Allen

Smith holds sway over the craft of blending,

and an individual batch of Mount Gay Rum

contains dozens of different distillates.

Today, the distinctive red and yellow Mount

Gay signs are everywhere on Barbados and

Mount Gay Rums are enjoyed around the

world. It’s a testament to the work of an 18th

century baronet and a happy decision by a

man named Sober.

barbados, in the caribbean, has a multicultural past. it was discovered and named by the portuguese. they called it barbados (meaning “bearded ones”) because of the lush, “bearded” trees that covered the island. but they didn’t stay. in 1627, the island was first settled by the english and quickly became the largest english settlement in the new world. it took the dutch, though, to introduce the crop that transformed the island’s society and economy.

how an english aristocrat gave his name to the world’s oldest rum


mount gay eclipse

700mL Bottle $3799

This full bodied rum brings floral and fruity notes of apricot, banana and

vanilla on the nose before a palate of subtle smokiness from ageing in

toasted Kentucky oak barrels, it offers a warm, medium body with a

bright finish. Try with fresh lime and cola or with a timeless rum runner.

mount gay silver

700mL Bottle $3799

The perfect base for a refreshing Mojito, this clean and aromatic rum

offers a balanced, mellow harmony of sugar cane syrup and banana,

infused with notes of peppermint and citrus.

Mount Gay Rum is the product of over 300 years of knowledge,

experience and refinement


region feature

the story of the hunter valley is the story of the australian wine industry. without taking away anything from the great regions of south australia such as barossa and coonawarra, and the number of quality regions around the country, hunter valley’s status perhaps slightly edges those of the others, and for two reasons. firstly, the hunter is australia’s oldest wine country. and secondly, its cultivation of the semillon grape has put it on the world map as the primary exponent of this particular variety.

The beginnings of wine production in the

Hunter–and indeed Australia–are credited to

James Busby, widely considered the founder

of the Australian wine industry. In 1828, he

returned from Europe with clippings from

French, Spanish and English vineyards, and

proceeded to plant them in his property,

Kirkton. While Busby moved to New Zealand

ten years later, his vines prospered under the

care of brother-in-law William Kelman. Other

pioneers include George Wyndham, who

planted vines at Dalwood in 1830 (possibly

from Busby’s clippings) and James King who

made his first wine in 1835 from vines planted

in 1832. By 1843, Dr Henry Lindeman had

planted his first vines, and by the 1860s, he

and Wyndham had established an agency in

Sydney for the sale of their wines.

By the turn of the century, a number of factors

came into play to put the brakes on the

Hunter’s growth. Most of those early vineyards

no longer exist, the earliest vineyard now being

Steven’s Old Patch, which dates to 1867.

The bank crash of the 1890s and federation

combined to affect a drop in wine production.

The former for the financing difficulties and

the expected drop in demand, and the latter

because the lifting of customs duties between

states in the new commonwealth resulted

in cheaper product flowing in from South

Australia. The First World War, an outbreak of

the vine disease downy mildew and the Great

Depression added to the woes of the region;

and wine production declined substantially,

before experiencing substantial growth again

from the late 60s onward.

Paradoxically, it was during these leaner years

that one of the first nationally recognised wine

labels appeared, heralding the start of the

Semillon grape’s hegemony in the Hunter.

A Sydney winemaker and merchant by the

name of Leo Buring took advantage of the

tough times and purchased substantial stock

from a then ailing Lindemans. Under the name

Leo Buring Rinegolde, Hunter Valley Semillon

became one of the most popular wines in the

country, and ultimately led to the development

of this purely Australian style.

For whatever reason, and a little perplexing

considering the early preference for sweeter

fortified wines rather than dry whites, Hunter

Valley winemakers like Buring chose to treat

it differently than the French, misleadingly

marketing it as Riesling. Nonetheless over the

years, winemakers Lindemans (having fully

recovered and in a twist of fate, purchased

Leo Buring’s winery after his death), Tulloch,

McWilliam’s and Tyrrell’s dropped any

reference to the term Riesling in favour of the

correct name, consequently cultivating a wine

considered unique to Australia.

While Chardonnay–amongst the original

clippings planted by James Busby–is the

most prolific of grapes grown in Australia,

and Aussie Shiraz has created such a stir

over the last few decades that even overseas

labels are now changing their names from the

traditional ‘Syrah’, they remain grapes that do

what is expected of them. The Hunter Valley

Semillon on the other hand, has redefined

and reinvented itself to the point that it stands

alone as a style, worthy of emulation across

the world.

One of only three grape varieties approved

for the Bordeaux region, this grape has been

traditionally used in France to make the

sweeter Sauternes, blended with Muscadelle

and Sauvignon Blanc; and rarely do the

French use it on its own as a dry table wine.

In the Hunter’s warm climate, Semillon

is picked much earlier than its French

counterpart, resulting in a wine of low alcohol,

buttercup-yellow in colour, that is crisp with

abundant aromas of lemon and lime, a long

finish and soft acid. Hunter Valley Semillon is

more often a dry wine, developing burnt toast,

vanilla and honey flavours as it ages, giving

it depth and richness. It can mature for two

decades, but is considered best at around

eight to ten years.

Although Semillon is the grape that has put

the Hunter Valley on the world stage, there

is much diversity in the wine plantings of the

region. Today, styles and varieties include

the aforementioned Chardonnay and Shiraz,

along with Verdelho, Merlot and Cabernet

Sauvignon. Some of the grandest names in

Australian wine make the Hunter their home,

along with newer labels that are consolidating

their place alongside them. Many offer cellar

door services as well as sophisticated dining

and tourism experiences that befit the Hunter’s

status as a great wine region. It’s come a

long way from those pioneering years, and

also from the tougher times that the region

experienced in the interim, but ultimately, it’s

impossible to speak of Aussie wines without

acknowledging the contributions of the

Hunter Valley.


Valley of the Lost Vinesit may not be immediately apparent to the casual observer, but hunter valley is not only home to australia’s oldest vineyards, it is also the

natural heir to thousands of years of european wine cultivation.

Almost one hundred and fifty years ago–and

around forty years after the first vines were

planted in the Hunter with pure and ancient

clippings–a great calamity befell the wine

growing regions of Europe. A little insect with

an insatiable appetite for vine roots made its

way from the New World to the Old, and in

doing so, wreaked havoc on vineyards across

the continent. The culprit was Phylloxera, an

almost microscopic insect that perforates the

root of vines it feeds on, infecting them with a

poisonous secretion, thereby killing the plants,

and no doubt giving Europeans one more

reason to look upon Americans with disdain.

Within a few decades, over two thirds of

Europe’s vines had been destroyed, and

wine production was reduced by around 90

percent. A number of methods, some more

successful than others–including but not

limited to the burying of live toads in the soil to

‘take up the poison’ had been put into place

to save what was left.

Ultimately, the practice of grafting rootstock

from the more resilient native American vines

became the most common defence for

this affliction. It remains so today, thankfully

ensuring the wellbeing of countless millions of

toads, but ultimately casting a shadow on the

‘Europeanness’ of the modern vines.

How Europe saved its wine industry is

perhaps a story for another time, but ironically,

this catastrophic event made the vines of

Australia–a land hardly rating a mention for

wine production at the time–among the oldest

in the world. Like some kind of Steve Bradbury

of wine production, vineyards in some of

Australia’s most productive wine areas skated

freely past the fallen to score highly in the

pedigree stakes.

Eventually Phylloxera also arrived in Australia,

but the soils of many of the local wine growing

regions of this somewhat inhospitable land

were deemed an unsuitable habitat by this

discerning insect, and therefore survived the

devastation. Among them, of course, was the

Hunter Valley. Consequently, the first vines of

this region carry an unbroken lineage, sole

descendants of ancient French and Spanish

vines no longer in existence.


The first of those is Maurice O’Shea. In

1921 O’Shea was just 24 years old. The

son of an Irish father and a French mother,

he had already spent seven years in France

completing studies in viticulture and oenology.

Returning to Australia, he persuaded his

widowed mother to buy the Hunter Valley

property that he named Mount Pleasant.

The Hunter is often called the cradle of the

Australian wine industry. Vines were first

planted there in around 1823. From these

beginnings, the Hunter Valley flourished, with

several families establishing vineyards in the

area. Today, it’s certainly one of Australia’s

most well-known wine regions, producing

many fine, internationally-recognised wines.

In the Pokolbin area of the Hunter, nestled

beneath the Brokenback Range, Maurice

O’Shea planted vineyards that have become

familiar names to wine-lovers: first Old

Paddock then, in later years, Rosehill and

Lovedale. These great vineyards continue to

produce some of the best fruit in the country,

forming the basis of some of Mount Pleasant’s

most iconic wines, including the Lovedale

Semillon and Rosehill Shiraz. The first wines

were made by the light of a gas lantern – the

luxury of electricity was still some years away.

Maurice O’Shea’s blending techniques and

sophisticated use of oak – skills he’d honed

in his time in France – were credited with

producing red table wines of enormous

flavour, intensity and longevity. The McWilliam

family, led by Keith McWilliam, recognised the

talent and potential of this great winemaker. In

1932 they joined forces with Maurice O’Shea

by purchasing 50 per cent of the winery,

acquiring the remaining share in 1941. O’Shea

continued as wine-maker and, more than half

a century later, his wines from the 1940s and

early 1950s continue to display the character

for which their maker was renowned.

Maurice died in 1956 but his ground-breaking

work was kept alive by revered winemakers

Brian Walsh (1956-1978) and Phil Ryan (1978-

2012). The winery is today one of the most

awarded in Australia, having been awarded an

incredible five Championships, 128 trophies,

500 gold, 500 silver and 1104 bronze medals

since the late 1970s.

The 2000 vintage of Mount Pleasant Maurice

O’Shea Shiraz outscored Penfolds Grange

and Henschke Hill of Grace to be the highest-

rated Shiraz in the 2005 edition of James

Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion. In

2008, Mount Pleasant was named Australia’s

Winery of the Year and in 2009 Chief

Winemaker Phil Ryan was officially appointed

a Living Legend of the Hunter Valley.

With Ryan’s retirement, Jim Chatto takes

up the mantle. “Mount Pleasant’s place in

the story of Australian wine is significant,”

Mount Pleasant

jim chatto is a man with a lot to live up to. last year, he took over as chief winemaker at the mount pleasant winery in the lower hunter. he’s just the fourth person to hold this position in the winery’s 93-year history and he’s walking in the shoes of some legendary figures.

In the steps of giants

Chatto says. “I’ve had the rare privilege of

tasting some great O’Shea wines, so I’m

aware of the gravitas the role carries and the

enormous responsibility to honour the legacy

of Maurice O’Shea and the individuality of

each Mount Pleasant site.”

Chatto joins McWilliam’s from Pepper Tree

wines, where he had held the position of Chief

Winemaker since 2007. During this time he

was named 2009 Hunter Valley Winemaker

of the Year, as well as being a 2010 Gourmet

Traveller Winemaker of the Year finalist. With

20 vintages of Hunter Valley winemaking under

his belt, Jim is also a senior wine show judge

with over 14 years’ experience across both

regional and capital city shows. He has been

Chairman of Judges at the Hunter Valley Wine

Show since 2012.

More than 90 years on from Maurice O’Shea’s

first vintages using basic tools and a simple

basket press, the equipment has evolved and

new faces have emerged. But the winemaking

philosophy and the vineyards at Mount

Pleasant remain the same. A passionate

Hunter Valley advocate, Chatto says he is

looking forward to working with the famous

Mount Pleasant vineyards. “My philosophy will

be to proudly make Hunter wines of longevity,

purity and freshness, true to their region and

true to their site,” he says.

supplier feature


“Mount Pleasant’s place in the story of Australian

wine is significant”

Maurice O’shea

Elizabeth Semillon 750mL Bottle $1499

Philip Shiraz 750mL Bottle $1499

Elizabeth Aged Semillon 750mL Bottle $1899

Jim Chatto


matilda bay minimum chips golden lager

Minimum Chips is the ideal autumn brew – a unique, seasonal-inspired golden lager. While

many premium lagers are malt driven, Minimum Chips is differentiated by its distinctive hop

bitterness and crisp, full taste. It’s an all-malt lager; using Centennial hops to produce floral/citrus

hop aromas and flavours with a mild, malty palate. This beer lends itself to the great Australian

tradition of enjoying fresh seafood with a refreshing cleanser to match (hence the reference to

the classic fish & chip shop order). Minimum Chips is also ideal for any occasion as a versatile

all-round beer with plenty packed in.

byo feature

as the last of the warm weather says goodbye, there is no cause for sadness because autumn brings the promise of that most cherished of male traditions: a cold beer with your mates while watching the footy! but inviting the lads around for an impromptu bonding session doesn’t mean that you are limited to the same old selection of blokey brews you may be accustomed to. the range of boutique style beers is growing every year, and this season, it may be a good idea to go for something a little more ‘fancy’. your mates won’t take the mickey. in fact, they will probably let out an extra cheer in honour of your fine taste.

endeavour vintage beers

The Endeavour Vintage Beer people will tell you they are “three blokes having a go, who love beer.” One

of those blokes, Andy Stewart, is an experienced brewer who believes that –just like wines– Endeavour

Vintage Beers reflect the growing seasons they’re made in. A tribute to Australian artisan hop and

barley growers, they are high quality traditional ales using the finest ingredients, carefully selected from

growing regions that experienced the best conditions in a given year. Both Endeavour True Vintage Pale

Ale and Endeavour True Vintage Amber Ale demonstrate the Endeavour style – balanced, elegant and

approachable with a superb long lasting finish.

matso’s mango beer

Matso’s, in Broome, is the Kimberley’s award winning microbrewery, and a true Western Australia

treasure. The northwestern brewing maestros produce some of Australia’s premier craft beers,

including Pearlers Pale Ale, Smokey Bishop Dark Lager and a Premium Ginger Beer. Their famous

Mango Beer is based on a classic Belgium Blonde recipe. Using a 100% natural mango blend,

the brewers have developed an easy-drinking beer style with amazing fruit aromas balanced

out with sweet dryness. This great little beer has strong mango aromas with a light honey malt

presence. It’s just as refreshing down south as in its tropical birthplace.

ideas for boy’s night in

4pk $1699

6pk $1999

6pk $1699


okay ladies, we admit it. we’ve egged the boys on and probably ruined your friday night or saturday afternoon. but don’t hate on us. rather, treat it as an opportunity to get the girls together and have the night off in your favourite cheap n’ cheerful or that swanky new place you’ve been hearing about but haven’t had the chance to visit. let those boys of yours have their man-time, grab one of these fine drops from your nearest local liquor and make a night of it.

2012 climbing pinot gris

The dormant volcano Mount Canobolas dominates the landscapes around Orange and is the

source of the rich soils that shape the character of Cumulus Estate wines. Sourced from the

higher elevations of the estate, above 600m, this wine is a classic example of the Pinot Gris style.

Following the aromas of fresh Granny Smith apples, pear honey and citrus comes a palate of

well-weighted fruit and flavours of honey, apple, pear and orange peel. It’s a tightly structured

wine with a crisp finish. Drink it now while it’s fresh and lively, to accompany seafood, light pasta

dishes or cheese.

2013 pike’s “traditionale” riesling

This is the 29th release of this much loved Clare Valley Riesling. It makes a lovely drink as a crisp,

young white wine – the perfect wine with oysters. However, it will easily improve in the bottle for

six to 10 years or more if you like Riesling with a little bottle age. It’s The nose is fresh and bright,

displaying layers of lemon/lime zest, tropical fruit and subtle nuances of mineral and wet slate, all

of which are reflected in the palate. The flavours are tightly woven around a core of bright acidity

providing length and drive to the soft, dry finish.

moppity vineyards 2012 estate tumbarumba chardonnay

A brilliant and pure expression of modern Australian Chardonnay, with a nod to the great wines of

the Burgundy region. Sourced from Tumbarumba’s iconic Coppabella Vineyard, this wine points

to Chardonnay’s future direction in Australia, with its poise, restraint and finely chiseled detail.

Winner of two gold medals!

. . .or a girl’s night out

750mL Bottle $2199

750mL Bottle $1999

750mL Bottle $1999


new product spotlight

New Product Spotlight

700mL Bottle $3999

Bulldog Gin’s distinctive bottle, complete with spiked dog collar, tells

you that this is a gin that defies convention. It was conceived with a

new attitude and approach to the traditionally conservative world of

super-premium gin. Bulldog is still made by the traditional copper pot

method of London dry gin production, but the difference lies in the

taste. Dubbed a “new-world-style gin” and named the “world’s most

mixable gin” by Wine Enthusiast Magazine, it’s infused with twelve rare

and distinctive botanicals from countries across the globe. They include

lotus leaves, lavender and dragon eye (a cousin to the lychee and once

thought of as an aphrodisiac).

And if you think gin is just a summer drink, think again. True to its

reputation as a good mixer, Bulldog goes down well in some special

cold-weather cocktails. The website, bulldoggin.com has some

tempting ideas, including the London Mule (equal parts Bulldog and

Ginger Beer, garnished with lime) or the Prince Toddy (a mix that

includes hot apple cider, honey, mint leaves and spices). Go on.

We dare you.

4pk $2199

Jack Daniel knew a thing or two about quality and craftsmanship.

And people all over the world have been enjoying the fruits of his labour

since 1866. Now Double Jack delivers the authentic taste of Tennessee

whiskey in a new combination, expertly mixing a double shot of classic

Jack Daniel’s Old No.7 with just the right amount of cola. The extra shot

makes it a bolder pre-mix, with an alcohol content of 6.9%. Let’s be

honest – it’s probably more like the Jack and cola you’d mix at home,

but in a convenient can that chills down fast.

You’ll enjoy the distinctive aromas of Jack Daniel’s accented by sweet

cola spice notes and, on the palate, the perfect mix of premium whiskey,

toasted oak and sweet subtle notes of cinnamon and citrus. Double

Jack finishes smooth with the timeless combination of everyone’s

favourite cola and authentic Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey.

not your grandfather’s gin

the quintessential taste of tennessee

Double Jack delivers the authentic taste of

Tennessee whiskey in a new combination

This is a gin that defies convention.


Thomas claimed that the quality of his beer

set it apart from other colonial ales. “There are

some half dozen breweries besides ours in

and about Adelaide, but they all use a good

deal of sugar and so on for brewing, but we

use only malt and hops, consequently, ours

being pure, the doctors recommend it to all

their patients,” he wrote to his brother.

Coopers Brewery has changed – it’s now

the largest Australian-owned brewery with

state-of-the art facilities. But some things

have remained the same. Coopers is still in

family hands and successive generations of

the Cooper family have continued to grow

the business by brewing fine ales, stouts and

lagers in the natural, traditional way.

There were plenty of family members to

continue the tradition. Thomas fathered

nineteen children during two marriages,

although only nine of his children survived

him. Dr Tim Cooper, the current Managing

Director and Chief Brewer, is a fifth generation

descendent from Thomas’s second marriage.

“Dr Tim”, as he’s known in the company,

is particularly proud of the premium beers

that bear the name of the founder. Artisan

Reserve Pilsner is the latest craft release in

the brewery’s Thomas Cooper’s Selection of

premium beers, joining the recently successful

brand, Celebration Ale.

“This beer lives up to the true meaning of

‘Artisan’,” he says. “It reflects the skill of our

supplier feature

when thomas cooper made his first beer in adelaide in 1862, all beer was essentially ‘craft beer’. thomas did everything himself, purchasing the ingredients, brewing and bottling the beer at his norwood home, and delivering to his customers. at the same time, he ran a milking herd and

dairy, with daily milk deliveries.

brewers. They’ve pushed the boundaries of

the ancient art of beer-making to create an

unpasteurised product with the freshest taste

possible. Of course, we have decades of

experience in producing naturally conditioned

ales which means we give detailed

attention to best practice in fermentation,

maturation and pack.”

As a pre-requisite to the craft credentials of

the premium Thomas Cooper’s Selection, the

brewing team carefully selected the purest and

best ingredients available. To give the beer

complexity of flavour it has a blend of four hop

varieties. To create an authentic Pilsner, two of

these are well-known German hop varieties,

namely Hallertau Tradition and Hallertau

Hersbrucker, both sourced from the famous

He was brewing ‘craft beer’ before anyone

called it ‘craft beer’.


“We wrote the book on ales.

Now we’ve added a chapter.”

– Dr Tim Cooper

hop growing region of Bavaria. And what are

the other two? “We’re deliberately keeping

that confidential,” says Tim. “We want to

ensure the beer’s originality, and to stop others

from imitating us. Let’s just say that these two

‘secret herbs and spices’ provide the support

and balance for the German hop varieties to

give the beer some pretty special citrusy and

flowery hop characters.”

A traditional Pilsner like this needs an

extended process of cool fermentation and

maturation to develop the clean crisp flavour.

Coopers have used a specially selected

Tuborg strain of lager yeast to carry out the

fermentation, to develop less of the sulphur

notes and more of the positive subtle ester

and fruit undertones. These flavours are further

enhanced in maturation tanks where the yeast

augments the conditioning of the beer.

Malted two-row spring barley is the only grist

ingredient used for Artisan Reserve Pilsner.

It is an unadulterated all-malt brew requiring

no addition of liquid sugar or other adjuncts.

Thomas Cooper would be proud.

An alcohol of 5.5% ranks this higher than most

other lager beers of its type in the market, so

it has the aroma and taste of a fuller strength

beer. A higher level of bitterness balances the

alcohol and the malty residual sweetness. It

is bright, clear, golden yellow in colour with

an appetising soft and creamy head. First

impressions are of freshly cut citrus, lime and

orange peel, followed by the crispy palate with

balanced malt character.

Savour a glass or two and enjoy this new

chapter in the Thomas Cooper’s Selection

of premium beers. And celebrate the fact

that a dedicated brewing family has kept

the story alive.

6pk $1799


supplier feature

the name 'the apple thief' is an apple grower's inside joke - the finest apples sit at the top of the trees and the birds, able to smell this fertile fruit from miles away, swoop down and try to steal the best apples from the growers. the quirky name inspired the beautiful packaging: a black 330ml bottle, designed to protect the integrity of the fruit enabling the apple thief to stand out in a crowded cider market. all 3 variants are also available in 50 litre kegs.

The Apple Thief Cider is a locally produced,

premium boutique craft cider originating

from Batlow, NSW at the base of the Snowy

Mountains. The Apple Thief focuses on

showcasing the quality Batlow apples and

pears with their single varietal flavours - Pink

Lady, Granny Smith and William Pear ciders.

The owner and brewer, Dave Purcell, was

predestined to a career involved with apples

and pears. Dave grew up on the Batlow

farm that has been part of his family for three

generations. Dave was looking for ways to

diversify the family business when in 2009,

he started juicing apples that were being

refused by supermarkets due to superficial

blemishes. His opinion was that, regardless

their blemishes, they were so sweet and juicy

they deserved to be given a chance–in the

form of a chilled cider.

What initially started as a passionate hobby for

Dave soon turned into a business opportunity,

as his friends and family were amazed with

his initial ‘trial’ batches. Ever the entrepreneur,

Dave could see the space within the

burgeoning Australian cider market where The

Apple Thief Cider could make its name.

The Apple Thief ciders are very versatile

and suit many different occasions, from a

refreshing drink on a hot summer’s day or

warmed up with cinnamon, nutmeg and

cloves on a cold winter’s night. The natural

and fresh characteristics make them ideal to

pair with beautiful food.

The Apple Thief Pink Lady matches beautifully

with a slow-roasted pork, whilst the Granny

Smith is ideally paired with fresh King Prawns.

The William Pear is a sensational fit with a

cheese platter to finish off a beautiful meal.

Delicious, all natural and created from freshly

crushed Batlow apples and pears, The Apple

Thief is a cider worth stealing a taste of.

Refreshing in its deliciousness and purity, it

should be the pick of discerning drinkers in

selected restaurants, bars and bottle shops

across Australia.

The natural and fresh characteristics make

them ideal to pair with beautiful food.

The Apple Thief


The Apple Thief Pink Lady Cider – a deliciously sweet sensation

with a clean medium sweet finish

. . .

The Apple Thief Granny Smith Cider – a tantalizing tart flavor

with a crisp medium dry finish

. . .

The Apple Thief William Pear Cider – a refreshingly fruity taste

with a medium sweet finish

4pk $1399


tasty bite sized morsels of tapas, shared plates and a relaxed approach to eating. this is how we in australia view spanish food. the relaxed approach is a mirror to our aussie lifestyle; so it’s not surprising that we’ve seen an explosion of spanish and spanish-influenced restaurants, cook books and television shows over the last few years.

Tapas and tempranillo: the true tastes of Spain

supplier feature

There are a few stories explaining the origin of

tapas but the most common is that while on

a long trip, King Alfonso had stopped to rest

and he ordered a glass of jerez (sherry). There

was a gusty wind, so the in-keeper served him

his glass of sherry covered by a slice of jamon

to prevent the dirt entering the glass. King

Alfonso apparently liked it and when he asked

for a second glass, he requested another tapa

or “cover” just like the first.

Regardless, as we’ve embraced the delicious

simplicity of tapas we’ve also come to

appreciate the wines that best suit this style

of food. Whites that are full flavoured, vibrant

and without any oak so they match a wide

range of food. Reds based on the famous

Tempranillo, generous but medium-bodied to

allow for easy drinking at lunch or dinner (or

anytime in between!).

Javier Murua makes such wines. His family,

based in Rioja, have been making wine

for over 200 years. The Elefante wines are

sourced from Castilla la Mancha, the setting

of Miguel de Cervantes’ novel Don Quixote.

This is the spiritual heart of Spain, with

rugged plains dotted with windmills, olive

groves and historic cities. Manchego cheese

and full-bodied wines highlight the region’s

famed cuisine.

The range of Elefante wines have become, in

just three years, the top selling Spanish table

wines in this country. They’ve been embraced

by the wine drinking public because of their

bold labels, point of difference and fantastic

value for money. Wine critics too have heaped

praise on Javier’s Elefante wines.

The wines may have Spanish grape varieties

you haven’t previously heard of but, much like

Spanish food in this country, it all comes down

to what it tastes like and at these prices you

can afford to find out for yourself.

Elefante Blanco 750mL Bottle $1399

Elefante Tempranillo Shiraz 750mL Bottle $1399

La Senda Elefante Tempranillo 750mL Bottle $1699


The range of Elefante wines have become, in just three years, the top selling Spanish table wines in this country.

• A classic cold plate of jamon (different

types available), olives, manchego cheese

and crusty bread. Quince paste optional.

The Spanish are kings of smoked and

cured meat products (although the Italians

might argue!)

• Patatas Bravas are cheap and cheerful.

Bite ized pieces of potato are roasted,

sautéed or deep fried then spiked with

some chilli (the reason for brava) and served

with a thick tomato sauce cooked with bay

leaves and onion. There’s usually some

garlicky aioli (garlic flavoured mayonnaise)

on the side too.

• Gambas (prawns) can be done many

ways. In a small, shallow earthenware pot

filled with sizzling olive oil, garlic and chilli;

or flash fried with lemon, chilli and parsley.

Of course, feel free to just pop a few on

the barbecue!

• Smoky chicken skewers. Thigh fillets

of chicken marinated in olive oil, sweet

smoked paprika (pimenton), crushed fennel

seeds, ground cumin, and garlic. Add a

small amount of red wine vinegar a few

minutes before cooking and serve with a

wedge of lime or garlicky aioli.

• Meatballs, usually pork or pork and beef

and deliberately made small so they’re

easier to fit in your mouth in one go! Braised

in a light tomato sauce that could contain

soft herbs such as parsley and coriander,

fragrant saffron and sometimes a few

almonds for crunch.

Some simple tapas dishes to share and enjoy


Local Liquor Ainslie 7 Edgar Street Ainslie 6230 6622

Berowra Village Tavern 1 Turner Road Berowra Heights 9456 2660

Bowral Hotel 412 Bong Bong Street Bowral 4862 2646

Sydney Cellars Broadway 227 Broadway Road Broadway 9660 9996

Local Liquor Bungendore 1/15 Gilbraltar Street Bungendore 6238 1735

Denman Cellars Shop 1-3, 68 Halley Street Chisolm 6292 5713

Coffs Harbour Hotel 135 West High Street Coffs Harbour 6651 4257

Pier Hotel Coffs Harbour 365 Harbour Drive Coffs Harbour 6652 2110

Local Liquor Conder (Corks Lanyon) Norman Lindsay Street Conder 6284 7000

Coonamble Cellars 83 Aberford Street Coonamble 6822 1756

Bottlo'briens cronulla 38 Cronulla Street Cronulla 9523 4037

Local Liquor Curtin (Statesman Hotel) Cnr Strangways & Theordore Streets Curtin 6281 1777

Dulwich Hill Cellars 572 Marrickville Road Dulwich Hill 9560 2946

Local Liquor Griffith (Shop-Rite) 2 Barker Street Griffith 6295 0781

Local Liquor Gungahlin Ernest Cavanagh Crescent Gungahlin 6253 9000

Islington Cellars 110 Maitland Road Islington 4969 4772

Local Liquor Lyneham (IGA) Wattle Street Lyneham 6249 7263

Nambucca River Co-Op Bottle Shop 17 Cooper Street Macksville 6568 1163

Argyle Tavern 205 River St Maclean 6645 4134

Bottle Plus Malabar 3/1215 Anzac Parade Malabar 9661 4184

Mosman Cellars 154 Spit Road Mosman 9969 4368

Commodore Hotel North Sydney 206 Blues Point Road North Sydney 9922 5098

Pitt Town Bottleshop 1A Eldon Street Pitt Town 4580 9007

Local Liquor Thirlmere 5/83-85 Westbourne Avenue Thirlmere 4681 8027

Ryans Hotel Thirroul 138 Phillip Street Thirroul 4267 1086

C'ellar Vie Turramurra 8 Princes Street Turramurra 9449 8550

Urunga Cellars 16 Bonville Street Urunga 6655 6012

all products can be found at the following participating stores

Want to receive future issues of SoVino magazine online? Subscribe for free at localliquor.com.au

Store Locations

localliquor.com.au

contact details


ROBERT OATLEY SIGNATURE SERIESThe Robert Oatley Signature Series draws on a remarkable portfolio of vineyardsnurtured by the winemaking talent of Larry Cherubino showcasing Australia’smost successful wine styles and regions. Bob Oatley’s mantra is that all winesshould be a “darned good drink”, and the high quality Signature Series deliversimmediate appeal, with satisfying flavours over an elegant frame. Each wineembodies the grape varietal and region in which it was grown.

GREAT SOUTHERNRIESLING2013

REGION NOTES: GREAT SOUTHERN WESTERN AUSTRALIARecognised by many as Australia’s newest high-quality Riesling region, the GreatSouthern encompasses a spectrum of sub-districts that are delivering remarkablydelicious and often age-worthy wines of tremendous success.

WINEMAKING NOTESWe selected a number of individual parcels of free-run juice from Porongorup, Frankland River and Mount Barker, fermented them with neutral yeast to retain the inherent fruit characters, and used minimal additions to produce a varietally pure, excellent early to mid-term drinking wine. Enjoy now to 2018.

FOUNDER’S NOTE

With over forty years of winemaking experience I’ve learnt there are twoimportant elements when it comes to creating great wine. Firstly, the best wines show a true sense of the land – that ideal combination of grape variety and region. Secondly, they taste even better when shared with friends.I hope you enjoy drinking these wines as much as we enjoyed making them.ROBERT OATLEY, FOUNDER

YARRA VALLEYPINOT NOIR

McLAREN VALESHIRAZ

MARGARET RIVERCHARDONNAY

MARGARET RIVERSAUVIGNON BLANC

MARGARET RIVERCABERNET

SAUVIGNON

Gold Medal atthe 2013

National WineShow

Canberra

ALSO AVAILABLE

TROPHY WINNER

AT THE 2013 NATIONAL

WINE SHOW CANBERRA

L O N D O N D R Y G I NL O N D O N D R Y G I N

The TANQUERAY and TONIGHT WE TANQUERAY words and associated logos are trade marks. © Charles Tanqueray & Co. 2014.

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SoVino - Autumn Edition