Vintages Release: April 3, 2021

• Thirty years ago, the Rombauer family started crafting chardonnay from the Carneros region because the cooler climate and the clay soil were ideal for growing superior quality fruit. This 2019 vintage is from whole-cluster pressed juice that went through full malolactic conversion in a combination of American and French oak barrels for nine months with frequent lees stirring.

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Rombauer Vineyards Carneros Chardonnay 2019
Carneros $63.95 (441089) 14.5% alcohol
This chardonnay will transport you to your favourite movie theatre with its buttered popcorn aromas followed with peach, vanilla and nutmeg notes. It treats the palate with a coating wash of rich toasted bread and nut flavours mingling with vanilla poached pear, tangy lemon rind, salted butter and piquant spice. Definitely complex and full-bodied opulent, yet beautifully balanced. Pour alongside coquille St-Jacques or baked brie for a comforting and delightful treat. (Louise Boutin)

Vintages Release April 17, 2021

• This chardonnay from the Stewart family, pioneer west coast winemakers, is sourced from premium Napa Valley vineyards. It was aged four months in French oak, 25% new.

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Plume Chardonnay 2018
Napa Valley $29.95 (368050) 14.4% alcohol
The first sniff tells you that something great is about to unveil—delicate orchard fruits, a hint of sweet brioche and exotic spice aromas open the door to a full-bodied yet elegant flow of flavours—white peach, yellow apple, papaya, marzipan, creamy lemon curd and cardamom—expertly wrapped in just enough oak to provide perfect balance of flavours and body. This is a true elegant gem that will pair exquisitely with prawn risotto, grilled halibut with lemon butter or simply on its own as a slow sipper. (Louise Boutin)

Vintages Release April 17, 2021

• ‘An 806’ is a reference to the year in which Château de Peyrepertuse was traced back. Its citadels are still dominating the vineyard where this GSM grape blend was sourced. The syrah portion goes through carbonic maceration and the blend is matured in French oak for eight months plus a few additional months of bottle ageing before release.

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Gérard Bertrand ‘An 806’ Corbières 2018
AOP Corbières $17.95 (394288) 14.5% alcohol
This hand-harvested blend of grenache, syrah and mourvèdre shows-up with fresh aromas of blackberry compote, strawberry, pepper and dry bush. Medium-full-bodied on the palate, it carries flavours of black plum, mocha and tobacco notes enveloped in fine grippy tannin. The alcohol is well integrated and the finish and aftertaste are defined with nice tang and an herbaceous flair. Aerate/decant one hour and pour alongside juicy flank steak and grilled mixed bell peppers. (Louise Boutin)

Vintages Release: May 15, 2021

• The following 2018 Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family – Broad-Side’ Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec is a blend of 70% shiraz/22% cabernet sauvignon/8% malbec all from the GI of Langhorne Creek, South Australia. Shiraz and malbec were de-stemmed (cabernet sauvignon was crushed) to open fermenters and pumped over 4 times daily during peak fermentation then drained and pressed after approx. ten day on skins then settled for 24 hours then racked to oak barrels for malolactic fermentation. It then matured for nine months in French and American oak, 10% new, the balance pre-loved.

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Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family – Broad-Side’ Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec 2018
Langhorne Creek, South Australia $19.95 (632091) 14.0% alcohol
The price-quality balance tips well in your favour; pick up a few. Aromas of spice, cassis and dark juicy berry fruit abound on the nose of this gem. It showcases deft balance, good structure, persistent purity of fruit and plenty of flavour and pizzazz. A medium-weight balanced surge of ripe mulberry, black plum and mocha flavours adorned with mixed spice, excellent tang and acidity plus creamy-smooth texture capture the palate. It finishes dry and in a flourish with each sip as good as, or better than, the previous. Pour on its own or for a treat, try alongside grilled rack of lamb. (Vic Harradine)

Vintages Release: May 15, 2021

• The following 2018 Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family – Mulberry Tree’ – Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 90% cabernet sauvignon/5% petit verdot/3% merlot/2% cabernet franc sourced exclusively from the GI of Langhorne Creek, South Australia. It was de-stemmed and crushed to open fermenters for a brief soak, Fermentation peak was held to 28 °C with pump overs up to four times daily. It was then drained and pressed after 8 to 12 days on skins including up to 5 days post-ferment maceration then settled for 24 hours before racking to oak for malolactic fermentation. It then spent 12 months maturing in French oak puncheons, 10% new.

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Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family – Mulberry Tree’ – Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Langhorne Creek, South Australia $19.95 (661892) 14.0% alcohol
Aromas of red berry fruit and notions of minty notes precede a satin-smooth, balanced and beautiful stream of palate flavours with black cherry and bramble berry interwoven with excellent acidity and soft, ripe tannin. This is medium bodied with the fresh fruit flavours on the palate persisting through the long finish and aftertaste. There’s good symmetry between fruit flavours, acidity and tannin. Pour with burgers, pizza or wings. There’s exceptional-value here. (Vic Harradine)

Classics Catalogue Release: July 1, 2021

• The following 2015 Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family – The Powder Monkey – Single-Vineyard’ Shiraz was 100% sourced from the premium Powder Monkey Vineyard behind the winery cellars. Fruit was destemmed with approximately 15% whole berry, for a short soak. Fermentation peaked at 30 °C with up to 4 pump overs per day then drained and pressed after 9 to 12 days on skins then settled for 24 hours before racking to oak for malolactic fermentation. It matured for 12 months in French oak puncheons and hogsheads, 27% new, then bottled without filtration. You’ll find sediment in the last pour, better to pour the entire bottle through a filter into a decanter aerate/decant for an hour or two then back into the bottle through funnel for service.

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Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family – The Powder Monkey – Single-Vineyard’ Shiraz 2015
Langhorne Creek, South Australia $59.95 (13567) 14.0% alcohol
Lifted aromas of floral notes, mixed spice and dark, ripe, cherry/berry fruit abound. It envelops the palate with a gusher of sweet-tinged bramble berry and black raspberry robed in fennel, dark bittersweet chocolate and a boatload of tang and pizzazz. This is medium-plus bodied with balance, intensity, perceptible tannin and a lingering luscious finish and aftertaste. My highest compliment… it required incredible discipline to spit. Aerate/decant for an hour or two before serving. (Vic Harradine)

Vintages Release: October/November, 2021

• And now for something completely different. The first Australian ‘sparkling shiraz’, although it was called ‘Sparkling Burgundy’, was made in the State of Victoria in the late 1880’s by French winemaker, Auguste D'Argent, at the Victorian Champagne Co. In the following multi-vintage Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family – Sparkling Shiraz’ you’ll find that a modified Solera system has kept this wine as fresh as a daisy and there’s wine in the bottle you’re drinking from as far back as 1997 and from every vintage until the latest in 2020. This latest vintage has a splash of Malbec. It’s not sweet or cloying, in fact it’s delicious, dry and tangy. Give this a go; you’ll be pleased you did.

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Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family – Sparkling Shiraz’ Multi-Vintage
Langhorne Creek, South Australia $14.95 375 mL (15694) 13.5% alcohol
Lifted appealing aromas of dark berry fruit—raspberry, currant and plum compote—abound on the nose of this gem. A frothy mousse when poured, it captures the palate with a lively, fresh wash of off-dry flavours—black plum, bramble berry and dark cherry adorned with piquant spice, mocha and hints of dark chocolate. It finishes lengthy with persistent purity of fruit from palate replays. Pour on its own to welcome guests or with roast duck. Remove from the frig twenty minutes before service. (Vic Harradine)

Vintages Release: December 2, 2021

• The following 2016 Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family – The Iron Duke’ Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% cabernet sauvignon sourced exclusively from the GI of Langhorne Creek, South Australia. Grapes were destemmed and crushed to open fermenters and pumped over four times daily during peak fermentation. It was then drained and pressed after 8 to 12 days on skins then settled for 24 hours before racking to oak puncheons and hogsheads for malolactic fermentation and for maturing over 12 months in 25% new French oak and 75% pre-loved French oak puncheons and hogsheads. It was then bottled without filtration.

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Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family – The Iron Duke’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Langhorne Creek, South Australia $59.95 (20117) 14.0% alcohol
Delicate aromas of dried roses, black licorice and black raspberry precede a tannin- and tang-infused tsunami wave of flavours with ripe mulberry, dark, juicy Bing cherry and hints of mint-tinged herbs to the fore. This is medium-plus bodied with good mouthfeel, complexity and persistent purity of fruit throughout. It finishes lengthy and dry with replays of palate flavours on the aftertaste. Aerate/decant for two or three hours or wait a couple of years to pop corks. (Vic Harradine)

Vintages Release: TBD, 2021

• The following 2020 Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family – Wild Fig’ Shiraz/Grenache/Mourvèdre is a blend of 67% shiraz/23% grenache/10% mourvèdre sourced exclusively from the Langhorne Creek GI in South Australia. Shiraz and grenache fruit was destemmed together to open fermenters for a brief pre-ferment maceration with gentle pump-overs at a controlled peak temperature of 30 °C. Wine was then matured in both French oak puncheons and stainless steel for six months.

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Bleasdale Vineyards ‘The Potts Family – Wild Fig’ Shiraz/Grenache/Mourvèdre 2020
Langhorne Creek, South Australia $19.95 13.5% alcohol
Lifted, fresh aromas of grilled savoury herbs, fresh red plum and red cherry dominate the nose. It captures the palate with a river of nicely textured palate-flavours—black plum, bramble berry and black currant decorated with baking spice and wisps of fine-grain tannin. This is medium-bodied with excellent tang and pizzazz, a lingering finish and aftertaste. Pour with chicken satay or spicy pork meatballs. (Vic Harradine)