Winter 2006
Dear Friends,
As the 2006 vintage draws to a close Christie and I have just attended the London International Wine and Spirit fair before returning home via Hong Kong for a number of meetings and tastings.
Our new winemaker, Jules Campbell has done a marvellous job with the 2006 Rosé. Jules has quickly grasped our philosophy of constant quality improvement each year, you can continue to look forward to some great wines from Turkey Flat in the future.
Rosé can be an excellent indicator of the quality of the vintage and this year it is showing all the hallmarks of a classic Barossa year, complex and well structured with an elegance only seen in great years.
Some of the red varieties picked early in the season, such as Shiraz and Mourvédre and our white varieties, Marsanne and Viognier are now maturing in French oak barrels. We taste these wines several times a week and are delighted with their progress.
The Turkey Flat philosophy and style is to make our wines in such a way that when you open a bottle of Turkey Flat wine you should be intrigued by the balance, texture and complexity of our wines.
We want our wines to be part of your eating and drinking experience and are always gratified by the large number of people who ring or write to tell us how much pleasure our wines give, particularly when they open older vintages which have improved and developed gracefully over time.
We are, after all, farmers who transform all of the very special attributes of our vineyard into something that can give immense pleasure to wine lovers around the world.
Our vineyards are moving towards a biodynamic regime. We have eliminated all pesticides and are reducing the use of herbicides. We straw mulch many of our vineyards to retain valuable moisture, irrigation is only used in extreme conditions and have ceased all damaging cultivation of our soils.
The Turkey Flat family has finally out grown the space adjoining cellar door and so we have built new offices between the winery and barrel shed. We are currently working towards transforming the circa 1890 “Butchers Block” room into a private tasting area where we will be able to conduct tutored tastings and entertain larger groups, visiting journalists and industry colleagues.
Last year we decided to trial screw cap closures by offering our customers the choice of purchasing 2003 Shiraz in either screw cap or cork closure. Quite surprisingly, an overwhelming amount of customers requested cork closure. This has indicated to us that our customers are having very few problems with our wines being cork tainted and therefore will continue using the best quality corks available to us.
BUTCHERS BLOCK
Marsanne Viognier 2004
This estate grown blend of Marsanne (80%) and Viognier (20%) offers a complex nose of ripe apricots, citrus peel with lifted fruit aromas of orange blossom and acacia flowers with the addition of French oak fermentation characteristics. Extended lees contact has further contributed to the mouth-feel and structure of this wine.
This is our first Butchers Block white and it shows our commitment to the Rhône grape varieties we believe are so suited to the Barossa Valley.
ROSÉ 2006
The Australian climate and lifestyle is ideally suited to making and consuming Rosé style wine. Every year we see more and more Rosé’s enter the market.
Having been amongst the first to lead the great Rosé revival, it has been interesting to watch the popularity of this wine style grow. We dedicate eight vineyards from the Barossa our Rosé ensuring continuity of style. Our Rosé is still drier than most and displays great complexity and balance.
The 2006 is, as in previous years, a complex blend of Grenache, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Dolcetto. Each of these varieties adds its own individual characteristic to the wine.
GRENACHE 2005
2005 proved to be a classic vintage with steady winter and spring rains providing good soil moisture levels. An extended ripening period with little rain enabled fruit to reach maturity without the risk of disease. Grenache, being the last variety picked, benefited from the Indian summer, giving deep colours and extremely rich flavours. The 2005 Grenache displays aromas of dark cherry, stewed plum and spice. The palate is full with cherry chocolate and cassis flavours, overlain with warmth and peppery spices.
Full of rich fruit whilst young, with mid to long term cellaring this wine will develop wonderful savoury and earthy characters.
BUTCHERS BLOCK
Mourvédre Grenache 2004
The 2004 vintage of Butchers Block is a blend of 95% Mourvédre and 5% Grenache, all from the Turkey Flat estate vineyards. The varietal components of this wine were vinified separately and subsequently matured in French oak hogsheads for 18 months. A warm, earthy full-bodied red with seamless oak integration. The nose is spicy and complex with aromas of berries, leather and rhubarb with some gaminess. The palate shows sweet lifted fruits with a hint of anise and creamy vanillin oak character. The tannin structure is long and restrained with a grainy finish, typical of Mourvédre. A wine which will continue to gain complexity with mid to long term cellaring.
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2004
A single vineyard estate wine, located over the Bethany Creek from the Turkey Flat Winery. The 2004 vintage produced wines of great character, elegance and long term ageing potential. The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon displays classic Cabernet aromatics of red and black currants, juniper berries, red pepper and subtle tobacco notes.
Whilst full bodied and intense, this wine has a fine even structure and slick ripe tannins from a two week maceration on skins. Complex fruit flavours of ripe red and black berry fruits, bay leaf and tarry licorice are under lain by subtle oak and cedar notes. Cellar confidently for at least ten years.
SHIRAZ 2004
A mild Summer and Autumn resulted in Shiraz rich in colour and flavour. Each small parcel of Shiraz, twenty five in total was vinified separately and matured in French oak barrels. The result is a firmly structured elegant Shiraz, with lifted ‘primary’ fruit aromas of red currant and plum and ‘secondary aromas’ of dark bitter chocolate, black pepper, aniseed and suede. The full-bodied palate has flavours of plums, red fruits and cedar, which will improve with careful cellaring for at least 10 years.
THE LAST STRAW 2004
Inspired by the vin de paille of France’s Rhône Valley it is made from Marsanne grapes which we spread out on drying trays for six weeks before gently basket pressing and fermenting in small French oak barrels.
While complex and initially sweet, this mouthfillingly rich wine is balanced with a delicate acidity which allows a dry finish.
Sweet wines of this style are not only suited to traditional desserts; served as an aperitif it will drink well with full flavoured savoury dishes such as blue cheese, foie gras or sardines.