Balgownie Estates 40th vintage commenced in early February, preceded by some lovely long and warm days, just perfect for the final fruit ripening. The Estate Chardonnay is traditionally the first to ripen and didn’t disappoint - it was the first picked and the fruit was undeniably outstanding quality.
The cabernet and shiraz quality was also seen to be exceptional. This was over staggered ripening dates which instigated some blocks being picked in three passes. The Rock Block vintage commenced with the top third hand-picked mid-February, middle rows picked late-February and the bottom rows the second week of March. This approach delivered perfectly ripened fruit to the winery, which will translate into highly concentrated wines.
Our Winemaker Mark Lane and his able assistant, Tony Winspear, carefully nurture the fruit in the winery, maintaining founder Stuart Anderson’s approach of minimum intervention. The impressive upgrade to the onsite winery is a testament to the exceptional Central Victorian wines Balgownie is capable of producing; wines with a proven track record for cellarability.
Our 40th Vintage was recently celebrated with the opening of a 1980 Balgownie Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (see our facebook page here). This 32 year old wine was deep cherry red in colour, had an excellent varietal fruit nose and fine long finish. It’s a delight to see these wines lasting the test of time.
CURRENT RELEASE ESTATE WINES
The 2009 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is unfortunately almost sold out – limited stock is available via Cellar Door and Wine Club and we encourage our cabernet fans to move quickly to avoid disappointment.
The 2009 Estate Shiraz is drinking beautifully right now and of course will also benefit from aging.
The 2010 Estate Chardonnay is perhaps the silent jewel in the Balgownie crown. Traditionally Balgownie, this is an elegant, classic style with hint of quality French oak. It was harvested on the 9th February 2010, in pristine condition at the end of warm dry season, very similar to the recent 2012 vintage.