(Vintage 2012 - Wachu, Austria.)
https://www.alkimiwines.com/hi-steve.html
Hi Steve,
I am glad the QR code worked, thanks for taking the time to look at the wines.
I survived 2020 reasonably well after a bit of a scary March/April. At the start of April I, like many others, had no idea whether I’d sell a drop of booze for the foreseeable future. Amongst other things, I lucked into online tastings with my first being to my mailing list; “A tour of Victorian Wine Regions with Alkimi”. It sold out in 12 hours and a bloke who participated in it referred me his corporate colleagues; an insurance group and it just snowballed from there. I was doing up to 4 virtual tastings a week, it was keeping me quite busy over Melbourne lockdown.
My point is that it kept me sane and also gave me a lot of confidence in my brand, my product and my business. I’m buoyant about the future and I’m steaming into the future ready for my next step.
I have also released a new range of wines which currently includes Upper Yarra Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, The range intends to sit alongside my Rhone Series, but highlight the (Upper) Yarra and how good it can be. It is about time I did this.
Making good wine is a lot harder than I ever thought. And I’m still trying to figure out how to do it. I hope you enjoy my most recent releases; not perfect but hopefully getting there.
Cheers
Stuart
In Tasting order:
2020 "Methode Ancestrale" Sparkling
RRP: $32.00
Alc: 11.0%
Syrah, grown organically (not certified) in Silvan at 290m above sea level. I grew it, I enjoy doing it.
2020 ended up being a very mild finish and this was picked on 16th April, picked from the bottom of the block which is heavily shaded by the tree line from the Silvan Reservoir, hence the low potential alcohol at such a late time in the season. After realising that the sugar wouldn’t really go any further and the acid was still off its head, I decided to make a Pet Nat. A last-minute decision which was a bit of fun to do.
I fermented it low and slow over the winter months and bottled it once the ferment got to around 12g/L G&F. Unfortunately, it was a gusher so I disgorged it a couple of months after bottling and I tried to keep a small amount of solids in the bottle.
2019 Marsanne
RRP: $30.00
Alc: 12.5%
The Marsanne grapes were sourced from Wattle Glen Vineyard, a small, one-acre block of unirrigated vines located in Mount Evelyn, Yarra Valley. The vines were planted in 1994 and benefit from the cooler nature of the "Upper" Yarra Valley
The grapes were handpicked on the 3rd March (same day as the year previous) at moderate ripeness when the pear, subtle mascarpone notes with bright acidity were present.
A smaller, second pick was conducted on 23rd March to capture a riper feel and aid complexity.
The grapes were whole bunch pressed to oak barrels for fermentation, where 33% was new oak. Only the free run juice was extracted and the pressings were discarded. After a natural fermentation, some barrels were left to undergo malolactic fermentation, although most barrels had malo inhibited. The wine was blended and bottled in November 2019 and other than the anti-oxidant/preservative sulphur dioxide, nothing was added to the wine.
2019 Chardonnay
RRP: $40.00
Alc: 12.9%
A beautiful site for cool climate grape growing, the D’Aloisio vineyard in Seville sits at an elevation of 220 metres above sea level. The vines were planted in 1991 and the clone is I10V1. Soils are deep, friable red volcanic clay, providing great trace minerals and water retention for the vines. The Vineyard is meticuliously cared for by the owner of the property.
The grapes were handpicked on 27th February once intense peach and grapefruit notes were present. The grapes were chilled overnight and the following day were wholebunch pressed with a pressings cut. The pressings were discarded and the remaining free-run component was not fined.
The juice was sent to seasoned large format oak (500L and 300L) for a wild fermentation. After fermentation, the wine was minimally sulphured to inhibit malolactic fermentation. The wine was blended to tank in November 2019 and bottled in January 2020, without any filtration or fining.
Other than a nominal amount of sulphur dioxide, nothing was added to the wine.
2020 Rosé
RRP: $30
Alc; 12.5%
The grapes for this wine were picked from the leased and self-farmed "Sivan Reservoir Vineyard" meaning all management and quality decisions are made in-house. The vineyard is located in the "Upper Yarra Valley" and is about 290 metres above sea level.
In the 2020 season, the vineyard was farmed using only organic practices.
The Syrah grapes for this rosé were handpicked on the 27 of April, 6 weeks later than 2019. They were gently whole bunch pressed to minimise colour and over-extraction and the pressings were discarded. The juice was then transferred to old barriques for (a wild) fermentation, which lasted the whole winter. The only product addition was a low dose of sulphur dioxide prior to bottling and the wine was bottled in mid-spring 2020.
2020 "Whole Bunched" Marsanne
RRP: $30.00
Alc: 12.7%
Grown in the Upper Yarra at 200m above sea level, it is the same block that yields my “classic style” Marsanne. Grown in an old Italian guys backyard (he’s on 5 acres). We get along; I’m half Italian and I get him. We go out into the vineyard and yell over each other and the one who is talking last gets his way. He gambles and smokes what I pay him and sometimes I can pay him in wine. His wife feeds us coffee and home baked treats when we pick. I always help pick because days like that are few and far between unfortunately.
Anyway, whole bunch fermented for 10 days. This year I was trying to push a little more of an oxidative style post ferment so I ran it to barrel and I didn’t top them at all. Bottled at the start of spring.
2019 Pinot Noir
RRP: $40.00
Alc: 13.5%
A beautiful site for cool climate grape growing, the Willowlake vineyard sits at an elevation of 180 - 200 metres above sea level. The vines were planted in 1988 and the clone used in this Pinot Noir is the much-loved MV6. Soils are a dark-grey clay loam over red volcanic soil, which allows free drainage and good mineral deposits for the vines to grab in the subsurface. The amazing site allows the ever-healthy vines to ripen grapes which develop both deep intense flavour and also fully mature phenolic and tannins.
The grapes were handpicked on 4th March. After being chilled overnight, the grapes were destemmed, with 15% of the ferment remaining as whole bunches. A small saignée was also employed to concentrate flavour intensity.
After a gentle 18 day fermentation, the grapes were pressed and run to (very) old oak for maturation and malolactic fermentation. Both malo and ferment were conducted naturally.
The wine was blended to tank in November 2019 and bottled in January 2020, without any filtration or fining.
https://www.alkimiwines.com/hi-steve.html
Hi Steve,
I am glad the QR code worked, thanks for taking the time to look at the wines.
I survived 2020 reasonably well after a bit of a scary March/April. At the start of April I, like many others, had no idea whether I’d sell a drop of booze for the foreseeable future. Amongst other things, I lucked into online tastings with my first being to my mailing list; “A tour of Victorian Wine Regions with Alkimi”. It sold out in 12 hours and a bloke who participated in it referred me his corporate colleagues; an insurance group and it just snowballed from there. I was doing up to 4 virtual tastings a week, it was keeping me quite busy over Melbourne lockdown.
My point is that it kept me sane and also gave me a lot of confidence in my brand, my product and my business. I’m buoyant about the future and I’m steaming into the future ready for my next step.
I have also released a new range of wines which currently includes Upper Yarra Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, The range intends to sit alongside my Rhone Series, but highlight the (Upper) Yarra and how good it can be. It is about time I did this.
Making good wine is a lot harder than I ever thought. And I’m still trying to figure out how to do it. I hope you enjoy my most recent releases; not perfect but hopefully getting there.
Cheers
Stuart
In Tasting order:
2020 "Methode Ancestrale" Sparkling
RRP: $32.00
Alc: 11.0%
Syrah, grown organically (not certified) in Silvan at 290m above sea level. I grew it, I enjoy doing it.
2020 ended up being a very mild finish and this was picked on 16th April, picked from the bottom of the block which is heavily shaded by the tree line from the Silvan Reservoir, hence the low potential alcohol at such a late time in the season. After realising that the sugar wouldn’t really go any further and the acid was still off its head, I decided to make a Pet Nat. A last-minute decision which was a bit of fun to do.
I fermented it low and slow over the winter months and bottled it once the ferment got to around 12g/L G&F. Unfortunately, it was a gusher so I disgorged it a couple of months after bottling and I tried to keep a small amount of solids in the bottle.
2019 Marsanne
RRP: $30.00
Alc: 12.5%
The Marsanne grapes were sourced from Wattle Glen Vineyard, a small, one-acre block of unirrigated vines located in Mount Evelyn, Yarra Valley. The vines were planted in 1994 and benefit from the cooler nature of the "Upper" Yarra Valley
The grapes were handpicked on the 3rd March (same day as the year previous) at moderate ripeness when the pear, subtle mascarpone notes with bright acidity were present.
A smaller, second pick was conducted on 23rd March to capture a riper feel and aid complexity.
The grapes were whole bunch pressed to oak barrels for fermentation, where 33% was new oak. Only the free run juice was extracted and the pressings were discarded. After a natural fermentation, some barrels were left to undergo malolactic fermentation, although most barrels had malo inhibited. The wine was blended and bottled in November 2019 and other than the anti-oxidant/preservative sulphur dioxide, nothing was added to the wine.
2019 Chardonnay
RRP: $40.00
Alc: 12.9%
A beautiful site for cool climate grape growing, the D’Aloisio vineyard in Seville sits at an elevation of 220 metres above sea level. The vines were planted in 1991 and the clone is I10V1. Soils are deep, friable red volcanic clay, providing great trace minerals and water retention for the vines. The Vineyard is meticuliously cared for by the owner of the property.
The grapes were handpicked on 27th February once intense peach and grapefruit notes were present. The grapes were chilled overnight and the following day were wholebunch pressed with a pressings cut. The pressings were discarded and the remaining free-run component was not fined.
The juice was sent to seasoned large format oak (500L and 300L) for a wild fermentation. After fermentation, the wine was minimally sulphured to inhibit malolactic fermentation. The wine was blended to tank in November 2019 and bottled in January 2020, without any filtration or fining.
Other than a nominal amount of sulphur dioxide, nothing was added to the wine.
2020 Rosé
RRP: $30
Alc; 12.5%
The grapes for this wine were picked from the leased and self-farmed "Sivan Reservoir Vineyard" meaning all management and quality decisions are made in-house. The vineyard is located in the "Upper Yarra Valley" and is about 290 metres above sea level.
In the 2020 season, the vineyard was farmed using only organic practices.
The Syrah grapes for this rosé were handpicked on the 27 of April, 6 weeks later than 2019. They were gently whole bunch pressed to minimise colour and over-extraction and the pressings were discarded. The juice was then transferred to old barriques for (a wild) fermentation, which lasted the whole winter. The only product addition was a low dose of sulphur dioxide prior to bottling and the wine was bottled in mid-spring 2020.
2020 "Whole Bunched" Marsanne
RRP: $30.00
Alc: 12.7%
Grown in the Upper Yarra at 200m above sea level, it is the same block that yields my “classic style” Marsanne. Grown in an old Italian guys backyard (he’s on 5 acres). We get along; I’m half Italian and I get him. We go out into the vineyard and yell over each other and the one who is talking last gets his way. He gambles and smokes what I pay him and sometimes I can pay him in wine. His wife feeds us coffee and home baked treats when we pick. I always help pick because days like that are few and far between unfortunately.
Anyway, whole bunch fermented for 10 days. This year I was trying to push a little more of an oxidative style post ferment so I ran it to barrel and I didn’t top them at all. Bottled at the start of spring.
2019 Pinot Noir
RRP: $40.00
Alc: 13.5%
A beautiful site for cool climate grape growing, the Willowlake vineyard sits at an elevation of 180 - 200 metres above sea level. The vines were planted in 1988 and the clone used in this Pinot Noir is the much-loved MV6. Soils are a dark-grey clay loam over red volcanic soil, which allows free drainage and good mineral deposits for the vines to grab in the subsurface. The amazing site allows the ever-healthy vines to ripen grapes which develop both deep intense flavour and also fully mature phenolic and tannins.
The grapes were handpicked on 4th March. After being chilled overnight, the grapes were destemmed, with 15% of the ferment remaining as whole bunches. A small saignée was also employed to concentrate flavour intensity.
After a gentle 18 day fermentation, the grapes were pressed and run to (very) old oak for maturation and malolactic fermentation. Both malo and ferment were conducted naturally.
The wine was blended to tank in November 2019 and bottled in January 2020, without any filtration or fining.
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WARNING
Under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998 it is an offence
WARNING
Under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998 it is an offence
- To supply alcohol to a person under the age of 18 years (Penalty exceeds $8,000)
- For a person under the age of 18 years to purchase or receive liquor. (Penalty exceeds $700)