Function Report - Echuca Area Wine Tour

 

18th & 19th August 2007

 The Wine Service Guild endeavours to have a weekend trip to an interesting wine area each year.  In recent years we have been to the Coonawarra area, Swan Hill, and Rutherglen, to name a few.  The 2007 weekend trip was conducted on the 18^th and 19^th of August and incorporated two wine areas; the Heathcote wine region and the Echuca Moama wine region. 

 

We joined the coach at the four pick up points, and travelled to Heathcote for our morning break of tea, coffee, fresh bread rolls with salami, paté, and cheese.  Even though we were well rugged up, it was a lovely day with the sun shining and a slight nip in the air – but some members still enjoyed a “nip of the doins” to go with their coffee.

 

It was great to see some green landscape, but a number on board wondered whether the drought was over.  General consensus, later confirmed by various wine makers, was that we have a long way to go before the country is really recovered

The Heathcote region, some 130 km from Melbourne, is approximately 80 km from North to South and 40 km from East to West, and is more or less centred on the township of Heathcote.  The region is well known for its Shiraz, but also has other red varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Grenache, and Tempranillo.  Verdelho and Viognier have become popular white varieties in the region recently. 

 

Our first winery visit was to Mount Burrumboot Winery, where we were hosted by Cathy and Andrew Branson.  Cathy and Andrew were a great double act, with Cathy doing most of the talking, with pertinent comments thrown in from time to time by Andrew.  While Cathy spoke of the history of the vineyard and the wines, we were able to experience some of the Mount Burrumboot wines.

 

Cathy told us that the Mount Burrumboot Estate was born in 1999, when they planted vines on the Home Block of the Branson family farm, “Donore”, on the slopes of Mount Burrumboot, on the Mount Camel Range, above Colbinabbin.   The Branson family have been on this land for over 100 years.  Cathy and Andrew have some 50 acres under vine.  They produce their own wine as well as sending grapes to other wine makers.

Originally the vineyard was just another diversification of an already diverse farming enterprise of cereals, prime lambs and irrigated clover hay.  Large crops of tomatoes had been grown some years ago, but importation of the fruit hit the area hard and a new income stream was needed.  The  wine bug soon bit Andrew and Cathy, and so a winery was established.  The first wine was made in 2001 by contract - however, 2002 vintage saw the first wine made by Cathy in the machinery shed, surrounded by headers and tractors.

The range of wines being perused by our Treasurer, Geoff Denehy, pictured left, is quite extensive.  Some interesting wines are available, which reflects Cathy’s interest in exploring different grape varieties.

 

Cathy told us their winemaking philosophy is simple – “as farmers, we allow ourselves to be guided by nature, and intervene as little as possible, both in the vineyard and the winery, and only when necessary.”   

 

“Good wine is made in the vineyard”, and Cathy ensures that the wine is carefully and gently handled during the vinification process, so that the vines and the fruit can be fully expressed in the final wine. Careful use of oak allows complex characters to develop, seamlessly blending with the massive black fruit characters.

 Andrew and Cathy are justifiably proud of their wine show successes, including a Gold Medal for their 2002 Shiraz at the 2004 San Francisco International Wine Show.

After  a time to finalise our purchases we boarded the coach to travel to Lake Cooper Estate Winery.

 

Lake Cooper Estate vineyard is situated at Corop on the northern end of the Mount Camel Range in the Heathcote Wine Region of Central Victoria.  Owners Geraldine and Gerry McHarg started the vineyard in 1998 and wine production commenced in 2001.  The site offers sunlight and rainfall to give a balance of acid and sugar in the fruit, an ideal climate for Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Gerry hosted our visit while Geraldine was finalising the arrangements for our luncheon.

 

Gerry commenced the tasting by introducing us to two 2006 Shiraz that had been taken from the barrel only the previous day.  One shiraz had been in  French oak, and the other had been in American oak.  It was interesting to taste the two wines and experience the different characteristics exhibited by the two wines.  We then tasted 2007 Merlot that had been in either Hungarian or French oak for two months. 

The vineyard area is 30 hectares growing Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Verdelho. The soil is deep well drained red Cambrian earth. Geologists estimate the soil is around 100 million years old.

 After the barrel tasting was completed, Gerry showed us some of the machinery used to maintain the vines and harvest the grapes.  We then had a lovely lunch, accompanied by the full range of Lake Cooper Estate wines.  The wines were a lovely accompaniment to our barbeque lunch, followed by some lovely desserts.  It was a very mellow crowd who climbed aboard to travel to Tisdall Wines in Echuca.

 We met up with Stephen Luke, General Manager of the Ballande Group, Australia.  Stephen gave us a potted history of Tisdall Wines and  then showed us around the complex as he explained the wine manufacturing process employed by Tisdall Wines.

 

The Echuca Moama wine region is a relatively new grape growing region.  Dr. Peter Tisdall established a vineyard in 1971 and pioneered a number of grape varieties in Australia.  The winery opened in 1979 and soon became one of Australia’s best known labels. 

 The vineyard comprises some 130 hectares with 93 hectares under vine.  Tisdall’s range of wines includes Cabernet, Merlot, Shiraz, Riesling and Chardonnay. 

 

Stephen explained that Tisdall Wines has had a number of proprietors in the past 30 or so years.  It is currently owned by a French company, the Ballande Group, who chose to invest in the Australian wine industry.  Tisdall is now undergoing something of a renaissance with development of the vineyard and collaboration between Patrick Bongard, winemaker of Chateau Prieuré Lichine, 4^th Grand Cru Classe Medoc, and Australian winemaker Don Buchanan of Tisdall Wines.

It was now time to move to our motels and prepare for the Winemakers’ Dinner.    

The Winemakers’ Dinner was superb.  The dinner was held at Willowmere Receptions in Kyabram.  The setting was delightful and the menu and wines were superb.  We were served hors d’oeuvres and a commercial sparkling white wine on arrival, and also met our guest winemakers, Ian and Kevin Harrison of Cape Horn Wines, and John Mackley and Stephen Luke of Tisdall Wines.

 The meal consisted of a Potato, Garlic and Parsley Torte; followed by a locally bred Eye Fillet; a cheese platter (including a creamy goat cheese); and Triple Choc Tart.  Wines included a Tisdall Rosbercon Chardonnay, a Cape Horn 05 Chardonnay, and red wines from the Tisdall and Cape Horn ranges of wines. 

 A feature of the night was meeting the winemakers.  A special moment for the guests at my particular table was when Ian Harrison, who had been severely injured in a car accident some four years ago, met Wine Services Guild member, Brownlow Medal winner John Schultz.  Ian is very keen on sport and all of us at the table were amazed at Ian’s spirit and attitude, and were taken by his assistance dog, Prince.

 

It was a great night of fine food, wine and companionship.  And then, back to our respective motels in Kyabram.

 

Sunday morning dawned quite clear – a little crisp, but just the weather to enjoy oneself talking, touring and tippling (in moderation).

 

We had a sumptuous breakfast at Truffles Café in Kyabram.  The breakfast was great and the staff were most helpful.  Despite the pic at left, the food was certainly not prison standard.

 

After a leisurely breakfast we travelled to Echuca where we spent time sight seeing around the port area, tasting wines in Tisdalll’s outlet, Murray Esplanande Cellars, and some even took a stage coach ride.  Surprisingly, some of the women enjoyed themselves by shopping!

 

In Murray Esplanade Cellars we had the opportunity to once more taste the wines we had been served at dinner the night before, and to purchase our choices.

 

Just after midday we joined the paddleboat, “Pride of the Murray, where we met Jacqui Stevens who introduced us to Stevens Brook Estate and her wines before another superb barbeque lunch.  Jacqui served Stevens Brook Estate 2007 Verdelho and 2004 Shiraz with the lunch, both of which were a tribute to her winemaking skill. 

 

After the paddleboat trip we returned to Port of Echuca where we had another tasting of Stevens Brook Wines, and were given the opportunity to join Club 25 – a Stevens Brook Estate arrangement by which we were able to gain a 25% discount on wines from the Stevens Brook Estate range.  Most members took advantage of the offer, and were well pleased with their purchases.  The Verdelho and Shiraz that we tried with lunch was popular, as was the Stevens Brook Estate Kitene “Pretty in Pink” that was recommended by one of our members.

 

Unfortunately we realised that the weekend was drawing to a close when we had to rejoin our coach to travel home.  The tour was a great success, enhanced by each of our hosts; at Mount Burrumboot Estate Cathy and Andrew Branson; Lake Cooper Estate, Geraldine and Gerry McHarg; Tisdall Wines, Stephen Luke; and the staff at Truffles Café; Ian Harrison of Cape Horn Estate;and Jacqui Stevens of Stevens Brook Estate.  Particular thanks go to Stephen Luke for organizing most of the Echuca leg of our tour.

 All tour participants agreed that it was another tour to be added to the list of successful functions of the Wine Service Guild.  Thanks go to the committee members who catered for our morning and afternoon tea breaks, and to Barbara Cecchi who provided us with a limerick competition.  Pakenham Coaches safely transported us once more.  We look forward to our next tour, which will be in 2008, but in the meantime there are many other functions planned for the rest of this year and leading up to the Annual Breakfast on the Yarra on the first Sunday in February.

 Pictures and report by Adrian Corkeron – Vice President (Administration)

 

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