Wedgetail Estate
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Location: Yarra Valley
James Halliday Rating: 4 ˝ stars
The slopes and the land are rocky, hard and demanding. The water is scarce, as rainfall is low in the area. This along with the practise of dropping fruit to control yield produces exceptional grapes. That is, grapes with intense flavours and complexity. "If you have a great grape, you have the beginning of a great wine". This is Guy Lamothe, the winemaker and vigneron's philosophy.
The Wedgetail estate vineyard sits high on top of a steep valley, at Cottles Bridge in the north of the Yarra Valley. On the 24-acre property 12 acres are currently under vine. The main varieties planted are: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Each grape variety has it's own specific orientation to maximise varietal flavours.
The Wedgetail winemaking style is a fusion of centuries old Burgundy tradition, the new Australian reverence for grape quality and winemaker Guy Lamothe's individual flair. Guy produces all the wines on site, with fruit grown under his supervision in the vineyard.
Guy developed his signature winemaking style from his experiences in France and down on Victoria1s Mornington Peninsula. And he only produces as much wine as he personally can tend to. The fruit is hand picked over a long period, on a row rather than a paddock basis. The wines are hand crafted, fermenting on their own natural yeast and stored in Burgundian Oak barrels. Some for up to 18 months before bottling.
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2001 Wedgetail Estate Chardonnay
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 Aromas of citrus, melon and subdued spice are features of this low yield Chardonnay . The palate is long and seductive with well integrated French oak. Barrel fermented and unfiltered, this wine has great cellaring potential.
“Medium yellow-green; the moderately complex palate has a complex blend of tangy grapefruit/stone fruit aromas, the plate fruit-driven with good length and intensity; subtle barrel-ferment/cashews add another dimension.”
92 pts - James Halliday Wine Companion 2004 ed.
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2001 Wedgetail Estate Pinot Noir
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 This Pinot offers aromas of sweet plum and subdued earth characters. Fermented on wild yeast in open vats and aged in French oak. Drinking well now however cellaring will enhance complexity.
“Light to medium purple-red; an aromatic and complex array of plum, spice and earth aromas are followed by a plate with silky texture, good length and lively finish. There was no Reserve Pinot made this vintage.”
94 pts - James Halliday Wine Companion 2004 ed.
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2001 Wedgetail Estate Cabernet
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Cabernet Sauvignon 48% / Shiraz 22% / Merlot 25% / Cabernet Franc 5%
Aromas of ripe Cherries and Berries with a slightly smokey overtone. The palate is long and complex with elegant tannins on the finish.
"2001 Wedgetail Estate Cabernet An elegant wine with ripe cassis aromas and flavours as well as some leafiness which makes for attractive drinking. Recommended.”
Reviewed by WINEWISE Volume 19 Number 2 June 2002
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2000 Wedgetail Reserve Pinot Noir
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Aromas of ripe plums, spice and earth characters. The palate has a good weight, long and persistent. The tannins are firm but refined. Cellar for up to 8 years.
The Australian Top 100.
Listed by James Halliday top 100 wines. 95 Points
“Medium red-purple: concentrated, ripe and lusciously sweet plum fruit on the bouquet is precisely matched by the palate, with all of the concentration and richness of the bouquet, adding some savory characters to the dark plum fruit.”
95 pts - James Halliday Wine Companion 2003 ed.
“2000 Reserve Pinot Noir. Fuller, richer more complex than the Estate Wine with spicy, rose garden aromas and cedary oak, this is a wine that demands attention. Quite substantial on the palate with great extract but without any harsh tannin, balanced by fresh acidity and some spicy oak on the finish. A very satisfying wine of some finesse, with the prospect of greater complexity from further bottle age.”
Highly Recommended – WineWise: Volume 17 Feb. 2002
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Other Reviews
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New entrants are appearing on the Australian wine market on a daily basis. Many will find it difficult, whilst others will find their wines accepted eagerly. Why the difference? The answer lies in the quality of the wine. And amongst the hundreds of bottles we taste every week we are seeing a new generation of winemaker emerge, whose objective is to break into the market by over delivering on quality and value for money. The Wedgetail Estate in the Yarra Valley is one such producer, who has understood the limitations of cool climate viticulture and embraced the terroir with outstanding results. The Wedgetail Estate wines reflect the kind of quality commitment that made John Middleton's Mount Mary an Australian Wine Icon. It is still early days at Wedgetail Estate and a long track record has to be established before such status can be claimed, however the vineyard is off to an auspicious beginning.
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