A little late to the party (vintage 2018 is almost over already), but I got there eventually. Here’s the fourth and final video on the 2017 vintage for Vino Intrepido, finishing the wine and getting it into bottle.
The vermentino and nero d’avola components were racked and blended in September 2017, and bottled not long after that. The nebbiolo was racked and blended in October, returned to barrel, then racked and bottled in January 2018.
Find out more about all of the 2017 wines here!
To say that the 2017 vintage was different to the 2016 vintage would be one of the biggest understatement ever. Just speaking personal circumstances, this year not only did I finish up with my employer of over three years and start with a new importer/wholesaler, I also welcomed the arrival of my first child! Considering the location I made my wine at this year is a lot further from home than last year, I wasn’t able to be at the winery as much this year. Then I ended up increasing production from one tonne to five tonnes! I also worked with three new varieties; vermentino, nero d’avola and nebbiolo. Finally, the 2017 vintage was late and long; first grapes arrived on the 19th of March and last were the 24th of April!
On this Part One video I process all the fruit. Processing involves the intake of grapes, and making the first decisions for the wine (whether to press, whether to de-stem, whether to do neither). This is all before the fermentation begins and it transitions towards wine.
Vino Intrepido is a (soon to be launched) brand the combines great Italian grape varieties with great Australian wine regions and growers, experimenting with different winemaking techniques to bring you delicious wine! If you are interested in finding out more, please get in touch via email on vinointrepido@gmail.com
Ricca Terra Farms – http://riccaterrafarms.com.au
Chalmers – https://www.chalmers.com.au
Malakoff Vineyard – https://www.facebook.com/Malakoffestatevineyard/
I recently met Rory Lane who is going to be a future guest on The Vincast, and he gave me a bottle of this wine that he made in 2015 for The Craft & Co. The fact that it was made from an Italian grape, and it came from Heathcote, made this a no-brainer. Let me know what you think in the comments below!
After spending a week in Mildura having the full Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show 2016 experience, I was thrilled not only to meet the people behind Samu Wines, but also to taste the entire 2016 range. There are a few additions to the line up this year, so I was interested to see how they are expressed. Of course part of my excitement was that the fruit all came from Ricca Terra Farms in the Riverland region. Feel free to ask any questions or make comments below, and be sure to like share and subscribe!
Wines tasted;
Samu Fiano 2016 – RRP $25.00
Samu Montepulciano Rosato 2016 – RRP $25.00
Samu Nero d’Avola 2016 – RRP $30.00
Samu Nero d’Avola Lagrein 2016 – RRP $30.00
Samu Lagrein 2016 – RRP $30.00
Samu 2016 wines
Sam Underdown, owner of Samu Wines, contacted me recently after seeing some of my other Let’s Taste videos. He was down in Melbourne and hand delivered his two wines from the 2015 vintage for me to taste. Here are my impressions, let me know what you think in the comments.
Samu Nero d’Avola Merlot 2015
My guest on Episode 72 of The Vincast wine podcast is Adrian Santolin, who brought me a few bottles of his wine. I opened them up on another edition of Let’s Taste, they were the Pinot Noir 2014 and Nero d’Avola 2014. Be sure to head to intrepidwino.com to listen to the podcast!
Santolin Pinot Noir & Nero d’Avola 2014
After working for many years as a sommelier with some of the best lists in New York City, Brad Hickey had a chance to work vintage in Australia, and fell in love not only with the lifestyle but also his eventual partner Nicole Thorpe. He had the opportunity to create his own expression from the Omensetter vineyard that belonged to Nicole’s family, and the name he chose for the brand was a nickname he’d been given by the locals; Brash Higgins. In only a handful of vintages he has gained a reputation for making some of the most interesting wines in the McLaren Vale and beyond, sometimes working with unfamiliar varieties like Nero d’Avola and Zibibbo. He shares his story and how he came to make the wines he does.
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Brad Hickey
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A podcast about wine, wine culture and wine people. Every week a different guest from the wine industry joins host The Intrepid Wino (aka James Scarcebrook) for a casual chat about the world of wine.
All content on this podcast remains the sole property of the author unless otherwise acknowledged and appropriately credited. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of content without express and written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. Content may be used for reproduction provided that full and clear credit is given to James Scarcebrook and/or The Intrepid Wino with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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