|
NOTES
James Halliday in his 'Wine Atlas of Australia' declares, the Primo Estate approach "is the sort of ingenuity, of daring, which lies outside the imagination of the Old World winemakers and which stands Australia in such good stead." Robert Parker agrees, adding that "I enjoy Primo Estate's offerings as they are innovative, singular, flavourful, complex wines. These creatively made efforts must be admired for their individuality as much as their bold flavours and personality".
All grapes for the wines are sourced from 3 vineyards: McMurtie Road in McLaren Vale, Virginia in the Adelaide Plains and Clarendon; a sub region of the famed McLaren Vale.
Joe Grilli, Primo Estate's owner and winemaker, sees the beguiling Nebbiolo grape as the ultimate winemaking challenge. This led Joe to plant a single hectare of dry grown Nebbiolo (the family call it 'Joe's folly') on his Clarendon vineyard in 1998, confident that the site would suit the variety.
Primo Estate's vineyard in the McLaren Vale subregion of Clarendon is rocky and steep with predominantly shale stone soil. The site starts at 220 metres above sea level and rises sharply to 300 metres at its highest point. The soil and altitude, combined with an intense viticultural regime results in a small crop of evenly ripened fruit, just one tonne per acre in 2007!
TASTING NOTES
2007 was a classic dry vintage. With no irrigation the Nebbiolo relied on its natural vigour to pull through with flying colours. Two passes of green fruit thinning left each vine with just two or three bunches of grapes; directing all the vine's energy into producing a tiny amount of pristine fruit. As always the Nebbiolo was the last varietal to ripen, hanging on the vine well into the cool nights of an Adelaide autumn.
The handpicked fruit was crushed directly into traditional open-topped fermenters then manually pumped-over. The open topped concrete fermenters are at the heart of the JOSEPH red wine style. Joe says: 'The soul of a red wine is released where air meets the fermenting skins'. The wine then spends 20 months in French oak barriques, 20% of which were new.
The 2007 has a more expansive fragrance than the previous two vintages - with a spicy Turkish delight aroma overlaying the more usual delicate perfume of violets. The tannins are finely grained and there is much finesse in the long savory classic Nebbiolo palate. Left to open up in a big glass, the 2007 reveals a heady perfume of roses, violets and Turkish delight. The palate follows on with undercurrents of layered tar and dried spice.
OTHER REVIEWS
Light red, some brown; achieves as much as can be expected for this bitchy, perverse variety, its rose petal aromas lulling you into a false sense of security before the savoury tannin attack of the palate. Cork. 14% alc. Rating 92, James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2010 (2006 Vintage)
|
