A new release, and some new reviews!

We officially released our 2009 Eden Valley Cabernet last week and sent out samples for the first time in what seemed like forever. I've been too busy to get to that rather important task since having the Collective Barossa shop open, but in my moments of waiting for customers and indeed, for vintage to start, I did send out a half dozen bottles to some of our regular wine writing friends, and even one to a 'new' taster:)

First review received on the Cabernet was from Philip White, and it was in the InDaily on March 23, 2011:

Karra Yerta Wines Special Release Barossa Ranges Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

$25; 14% alcohol; screw cap; 93+++ points ($3.01 a drink)

“HEY Ma, the lightning just smote the blackberries!” So without turning to gooey, mucky jam, the whole dang crop’s just hanging there smouldering in a cloud of dust and blue ozone, with teasing whiffs of blueberry, mint, violets and eucalypt, naughty on the acrid summer breeze. There’s pleasing crème de cassis, too. It’s the prettiest, most adorable bouquet, as cute, humorous and totally fried as, say, Keith Richards at 30. The palate is lithe yet intense: like a small block Chevvy in very tight tune. James Linke made only 32 cases of this incredible, bone-honest high-country Cabernet from old vines and no water. It should cost you $100, or $150, if all the realities of such farming regimes are honestly acknowledged. $3.01 per standard drink? Nuts! Now for gratuitous wickedness; 10 years and pink lamb for hard-core cabernet perves.

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Next is another review on our Cabernet - this one from Julian Coldrey from his site 'Fullpour' which you can read here: http://fullpour.com/2011/03/karra-yerta-cabernet-sauvignon.html

Karra Yerta Wines Special Release Barossa Ranges Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

One of the benefits of writing a not-for-profit wine blog is that I can skew my tasting towards wines and producers in which I have a particular interest. So, when this wine arrived today, it shot straight to the top of the sample pile and indeed was quickly opened when I sat down to taste. I've enjoyed all the Karra Yerta wines I've tasted, to varying degrees of course, and I believe this is the first straight Cabernet I've tried from this producer. Grapes are sourced from High Eden, thirty two cases produced.

I was half expecting the down-home, earthy style I've enjoyed so much in Karra Yerta's Shiraz and Shiraz Cabernet wines, but this is a different beast, stylistically. The nose is positively squeaky with bright fruit and high toned aromas. I don't look to Barossa Cabernet for (what I consider) varietal character, and I'm not getting a lot of the cooler climate leaf and cassis typical of, say, Coonawarra Cabernet. In its place, a simpler and more accessible aroma profile, with edges of well-judged nougat oak.

The palate was initially both disjointed and confected, and for a moment I thought this might be the first Karra Yerta wine that disagreed with me. But just a few minutes of air has seen this really come together with dramatically increased complexity and a satisfying, acid-driven structure. It's a fundamentally bright, crowd-pleasing wine in style, though, and may not be everyone's idea of Cabernet. No matter - entry shows a gentle attack that builds quickly to a red fruited middle palate, all riding nicely textural acidity. Oak is a discernible yet subtle influence throughout, contributing vanilla and nougat in turn. The after palate gently darkens in profile before a soft, lightly tannic finish rounds things off.

Karra Yerta Wines
Price: $A25
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Posted by Julian on Monday, March 21, 2011

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Finally, our 2010 Eden Valley Riesling was reviewed by Chris Plummer of Australian Wine Journal. His glowing review is here: http://australianwinejournal.blogspot.com/2011/03/karra-yerta-riesling-2010.html

Karra Yerta Wines 2010 Eden Valley Riesling

- Eden Valley, SA

- $25

- Screwcap

- 12.5%alc

If there's such a thing as a blogger's favourite, then Karra Yerta Riesling may well be it. Messrs Coldrey, Graham and Pringle have had more good things to say about this wine than Eddie McGuire at a Nathan Buckley testimonial.

Quite simply, Karra Yerta's Riesling reflects a special vineyard that's clearly planted to the right variety. Made from 80 year old vines, it's elegantly scented with a classically austere fragrance of pebbles, mineral and chalk, given a perfumed lift by limey florals as well as a pinch of pear for good measure. On the palate however, it speaks volumes, by pumping an incredibly sumptuous depth of pure and youthful Eden Valley riesling flavour, honouring the amount of time its vineyard source has spent tapping into Mother Earth. It's utterly pristine and borderline transparent in the clarity of its saturated mineral and white pear flavour, but like a lot of the region's top 2010s, it thrusts into gear on a very long, wickedly limey finish, peppering the mouth with nuances of chalk and glistening acids which penetrate with searing precision. The whole package is remarkably well defined.

ü+ Distributors, sommeliers and independent retailers should take note; Karra Yerta's is as fine an impression of 2010 Eden Valley riesling as I've had. Drink to 2025.

95 points

www.karrayertawines.com.au

Fear & Loathing: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the Wine Industry.

I've been in the wine industry for just over five years, now, and have met some of the most incredible people that one could ever wish to meet. Life-long friends, with whom I will continue to share many fine moments, over incredible views, foods and wines. Lots of deep belly laughs, and moments that make life special. But for every good part of life, there are always disturbing ones. Moments that make you step back, and wonder.

When Karra Yerta entered the wine-world, it was a tough time. Very tough, actually. I mistakenly saw it through rose-coloured glasses and can remember telling my husband of my plans to create a brand (he had been making wine for our own personal use for many years, but we had never sold any, nor applied for liquor licensing to do so to the public) and the words that came back to haunt me were "How hard can it be to sell three hundred cases of wine, a year?" That phrase bit me faster than a pile of bull-ants, my bare feet standing directly on top of their nest. I knew we had very, very good wines from an incredibly special old-vine vineyard but that was of no help. None.

I also had the support and advice from the very lovely James Lindner, of Langmeil Wines, and being a Barossa girl, whose parents had worked at Penfolds for almost thirty years each, an insight into the industry and many friends who were already involved either with the viticulture side, or the wine side. I had worked at Yalumba and Penfolds, myself, even. None of this helped much. Simply, despite the fact that I had not lived a sheltered life in any way (think hitch-hiking across the country at sixteen and partying like there was no tomorrow) I was in no way prepared for the savageness of the wine industry.

What I have realised in the past months, is that if I thought it was savage then, what has it become now? Savage doesn't even begin to describe it. Ask the vignerons who are still waiting for payment for their grapes from two years ago. Or the businesses that label or bottle wines, who are still chasing up payments from the wineries from last year, or ask the wineries who are owed tens of thousands of dollars from their distributors (the ones who refuse to answer phone calls or emails.) Or the wineries who make stupid and unprofessional errors in the process leaving people with wines who, maybe years after the wine-making, have a product that they have to recall. Or the wineries that process other honest people's grapes, make wine from it, charge top price and then when it is corked/exploding/damaged in some other way, take no responsibility whatsoever. Savage, I tell you. SAVAGE. And it's hurting families who are struggling to survive in this often, depraved and decadent industry.

If there's one thing that knocks one's confidence, it's being continually deceived and misled. Liars believe their own lies, and justify telling them by their own belief in their lies. Eventually, it makes you question your own integrity, and possibly, your sanity. The fact that grape-growers were handed Beyond Blue pamphlets (Beyond Blue is an Australian depression initiative) last year shows me that it's not only our farmers who are becoming suicidal, but now, we can add vignerons and dairy farmers to that equation. People who have worked their land for decades, being caught up in the abyss of deception.

But back to 2006. I recall the very embryonic stage of trying to sell our wines. The pressure was on - we had lots of stock, another vintage upon us, and my husband was wondering why I was not having any luck with getting our wines stocked anywhere. And I mean, anywhere. Thus, I set up a few appointments, one of which was the turning point of my entire life. The rudeness and arrogance of the people with whom I had said appointment devastated me.

The good thing about that experience was that it led me to a fellow called Philip White. In my wine-ignorant state, I had no idea who he was, as during his times of writing for 'The Advertiser', I was busy raising my children and doing volunteer work on School Councils and the like. Wine was not part of my life, in a business sense, until I hit the road trying to sell it. Via James Lindner, I managed to get hold of a list of people in the media who he suggested I contact in view to get our wines reviewed, in the hope of getting something in writing to back up their quality. The list intimidated me to no end, even though I only recognised a few names (James Halliday was one, I forget who the others were). I chose Philip White randomly. I sent him an email. When it bounced back, I turned into a nervous wreck as I simply couldn't handle HEARING any more rejection - I preferred to READ it.

To cut an already very long story short, I ended up having to call Philip (no way did I want to tell my husband when he got home from work that I had still not made any progress!) and before I knew it, I was in the car, wine in hand, and heading to Philip's residence to take him samples of our first ever Karra Yerta riesling and shiraz.

I was so anxious that I was almost beside myself, but I kept driving and hoping that by some act of God, all would go well. It did. Philip was most hospitable and invited me into his home so that he could taste the wines, there and then. As he did so, I told him of my last experience with the rude and arrogant people in Adelaide, and he quite rightly compared the entire experience to me being in a Reservoir Dogs situation. He was spot on. They were vicious -but in a silent, smiling, assassin kinda way - and almost made me give up. Philip actually wrote an article in the January 27-February 2, 2007 edition of 'The Independent Weekly' on our meeting and in it, mentioned the Reservoir Dogs. I wonder if they ever knew it was them that he was referring to. I have that same article laminated and hanging in my office. For many years, it was my inspiration to keep trying to get our wines 'out there'. It worked. In 2011, Karra Yerta is still in the game.

So, now we have the crux of this blog post. It was my own 'doggie situation' that has inspired this post, and this is why: I recently met a lovely young woman who lobbed quite unexpectedly on my own doorstep. She was flustered and dejected for she too, has been chewed up and spat out by retailers, distributors and no doubt, others on the winery side of the industry. I saw so much of myself (of five years ago) in her that I was still thinking about her last night when I went to bed, and again on waking this morning. On top of all the other things I have heard, witnessed or experienced recently, it was the final cherry on the top of the ugly - the Fear and Loathing - side of being in the wine industry.

Of course, I tried to help her, if only to explain that it was nothing that she was doing wrong, that it was just a savage market. I told her of my own experiences and gave her the addresses of certain wine-writers that I found to be most supportive of smaller wineries, and particularly of ones who really are passionate about their products (madly so, in fact, as the hope of profit surely gives us sleepless nights - what is profit? I am yet to find out!).

I think she was most surprised that I was sympathetic to her and her quest, but how could I not be? I could already see what she was facing before she told me. The stress showed on her face. Her pretty face and kind heart would only make it easier for those who enjoyed boosting their own egos at her expense. I have tried, and will continue to, try to help her. It's the least I can do.

I believe that the wine industry needs to have a good hard look at itself. I have worked hard for the past year, particularly, to not only promote the Barossa Valley as a region, but also to promote South Australian wines (I am not ashamed to admit that my favourite red wines are mostly from McLaren Vale, and why should I be? I also adore Clare and Eden Valley rieslings, if you really need to know). South Australia has so much to offer wine buffs - magnificent wines from the Coonawarra, McLaren Vale, Barossa, Eden Valley, Adelaide Hills, Langhorne Creek, Flinders Ranges, Clare, even Kangaroo Island - is it not better for us to work together than against each other? I do not understand how many people put up brick walls and just make life harder for themselves, and my 'good' wine friends, and me, in the long run. I don't drive a fancy car. I don't live in a fancy house. I like to think that I do not have a huge ego, and that I am helpful to people, not detrimental and deceptive. What I do have is a great circle of wine friends - other winery people, wine writers, customers etc and I feel truly blessed to have them in my life. It's a bloody hard industry to be in, and the sooner that people show some foresight and humility, the better. Then, many of us will be able to stop Running Through The Jungle.

One of the best rizzas in the world, no schist!

Welcome to my one hundredth blog post! Firstly, thank goodness that it's November - October was a mad month for us; I had two trips to Melbourne; one driving, one flying; we released our vertical riesling six pack (2005 to 2010 vintages, all in the one pack), and we won our first ever Gold Medal.

Then, of course, there were the numerous samples to send to wine writers across the country and once they were received, and subsequently written up, things became even more hectic. I'm slowly catching up with things and so today, during breaks between customers at the Collective Barossa shop, I'm utilising the spare time to post the latest reviews on our 2010 Eden Valley Riesling.

There are three reviews. One each from Philip White, Jeremy Pringle and Julian Coldrey - all riesling lovers, and all terrific advocates of the special little vineyard that produces our riesling, year after year. Many thanks to them for their honesty, and their support of our tiny business.

The first review is from Jeremy which can be found here: http://winewilleatitself.blogspot.com/2010/10/2010-karra-yerta-riesling.html

Karra Yerta Wines 2010 Eden Valley Riesling

Eden Valley 12.5% Screwcap $25 Source: Sample

I've tasted/consumed six straight vintages of Karra Yerta Riesling now and I think I'm starting to get a feel for a very special vineyard and a style of winemaking for which I have the greatest respect.

This may be better than the superb 2009. It has the same purity and a similar flavour profile; maybe a little more forward, but it's longer and the acidity/minerality is simply stunning. Limes with a suggestion of green pear and watermelon. There's talc on the nose but it's more about river pebbles on the back palate. A little spice for good measure too.

Clarity and intensity are faultless and that tart, minerally dryness goes on to meet the horizon. Quite approachable and very enjoyable now, especially as the acidity is on the softer side for the region, but it will age gracefully too. Supremely good Riesling. It reminded me that I still appreciate the classic Australian style a great deal, especially when the quality is this high.

Winery website- http://www.karrayertawines.com.au/

Posted by Jeremy Pringle

Thursday October 21, 2010

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The second review is from Julian Coldrey - which you can read in full here: http://fullpour.com/2010/10/karra-yerta-riesling-2010.html

This is a wine I look forward to each year.

Youthful spritz in the glass and swirling, estery fragrances on the nose. This is many things at once: the Karra Yerta vineyard with the vivid, neon-pastel tones characteristic of this site, an Eden wine full of bath salts and minerals, and a product of its vintage, showing a richness I've not seen from this label before. Realistically, this needs a few more months to blow off some residual sulfur and show its pristine self, but already there's much complexity and detail, which is impressive in any wine, let alone a wine made so simply and available at such a reasonable price. No wonder Australian Riesling is so revered.

The palate is powerful and full, again showing a relatively rich, fleshy fruit flavour profile. In addition to the expected lime rind and lemon juice, there's a hint of papaya alongside crystalline minerals and rather breathtaking acid. Good intensity. The texture here is wonderful; chalky, dry, etched. It's a refreshing foil to the fruit flavours and ensures this wine leaves the palate clean and refreshed and, most importantly, eager for another sip.

Another cracker from this vineyard.

Karra Yerta Wines Price: $A25 Closure: Stelvin Source: Sample

Posted by Julian on Saturday, October 23, 2010

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Finally, our third review - this one from Philip White who was the first wine writer to give us the confidence to continue with our dream of making special wines from the remarkable hilltop vineyard:) Philip's review was published in The Independent Weekly in mid-October 2010.

Karra Yerta 2010 Eden Valley Riesling, $25, 12.5% alc, screwcap, 94+++ points.

This is as tight, austere, flinty and reserved as Riesling gets. Grown by the Linke family in the ancient schists and sandstones of the Flaxman's Ridge in the High Barossa, it's an unirrigated old vine marvel that's set for a good 30 years of cellar. While some will simply find it far too tense and humourless, it never fails to draw wows and bows from the hard-core Rizza set, and still has my head shaking in awe. It deservedly won Gold in the recent International Riesling Competition in Canberra, and it's selling quickly, so jump.

Recent Ratings and Awards - July/August 2010

The end of July always signifies the release of the James Halliday Wine Companion. We submitted four wines for the 2011 edition and again, received some very encouraging and rewarding scores, which I will place at the end of this blog entry.

We also quietly released our Karra Yerta 2007 Shiraz Cabernet, which was featured in The Big Red Wine Book recenty. This particular wine was also reviewed by Philip White in "The Independent Weekly" 22nd July, 2010, the review of which is published below.

2007 Karra Yerta Wines Shiraz Cabernet

$25; 14.5% alcohol; screw cap; 93++ points

Made by hand by James Linke, with fruit from the Barossa floor and the Karra Yerta Vineyard on the wind-whipped Flaxman’s Ridge, this lissom red comes from a different era.

It is nothing like the industrial mono muck that the modern industry churns out.

It has intensity but modesty, extreme confidence, but elegance. It has no jammy, gluggy aspects, but rather a slender, refined, supple form, with a bouquet that simply oozes good health and living berries.

Amongst all that fresh ripe fig and prune, mulberry and blueberry, there’s a tantalising hint of Brazil nut. It’s like fruit cake mix before it hits the oven.

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2011 Wine Companion results

Karra Yerta Wines was rated a four star winery which is a terrific rating for someone as small as us, with not a great deal of history and a very small range. Our wines submitted for this edition were scored as below:

Karra Yerta Wines 2007 Shiraz Cabernet
Rating 92 Drink 2017 $25 Date Tasted Feb 10

Karra Yerta Shiraz Cabernet 2006

Rating 91 Drink 2016 $25 Date Tasted Feb 10

Karra Yerta Eden Valley Riesling 2009

Rating 91 Drink 2017 $25 Date Tasted Feb 10

Karra Yerta Sparkling Shiraz NV
Rating 89 Drink 2015 $35 Date Tasted Feb 10

Bring out the Bubbles - more Sparkling Shiraz reviews

It is becoming an Australian tradition to have Sparkling Shiraz at Christmas (and New Year). It's a wine which males love for its red wine flavours and the ladies, for the bubbles. So all in all a perfect choice that sits well with most guests at your dinner table, and it complements many different foods.

Much like Julian (see review below) I am a fan of having it with duck. But as Philip White suggested, it would be just as lovely with roast pork. It really is a versatile wine!

Thus, this wine was chosen by two of our favourite Queenslanders to indulge in during the holiday season. Please see their reviews below.

NV Karra Yerta Sparkling Shiraz

It's Christmas day and I'm taking time out between preparing lunch and relaxing to note my reaction to this wine, just opened and to be consumed with the main meal (in my case, confit of duck).

A joyous gush of mousse, quite electric in its vibrancy and pleasingly voluminous. I can't help smiling at the lurid purple of many sparkling Shiraz wines; this one had me grinning like the Cheshire Cat. This isn't a tits-out style, though. The nose is subtle, showing spice, tart blackberries, a hint of fortified wine, some aged characters and a general impression of complexity combined with fresh berry juice.

The palate is equally measured, showing real elegance despite the fizz. Mercifully, it's not a sweet wine; in fact, the savouriness of the flavour profile combined with chalky, abundant tannins creates quite the opposite impression. It's all quite intense; more blackberries, spice and various oak-derived flavours mix on the middle palate. Riding above it all is a clean juiciness that smoothes over the wine's sophisticated framework, ensuring you could just as easily linger over each sip as slam it down fast, per your mood or the occasion.

Very glad to have the opportunity to taste this wine on a special day of the year; I believe only twenty cases exist. Make haste. And Merry Christmas to you all.

Price: $A35
Closure: Crown seal
Source: Sample

Posted by Julian on Friday, December 25, 2009 at 7:53 PM

http://fullpour.com/2009/12/karra-yerta-sparkling-shiraz-n.html

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NV Karra Yerta Sparkling Shiraz

Barossa 14.5% Crown Seal $35 Source - Sample

This wine now has a beautiful new label which I will endeavour to place alongside the note in the near future. And may I say it deserves it too.

Cherried and nutty it had me thinking of David Lynch's Twin Peaks for some reason. The oak is is there but completely in balance aiding a structured and refined wine that is as much savoury as it is sweet. And that's what I love about it the most. It's there in the texture too with a bit of mid palate creaminess but also a focused dry and lithe quality which is particularly apparent on the persistent finish. There are some darker fruits and maybe even a touch of liquorice. But the cohesion and execution are what sets it above the pack, not a list of flavours.

An absolute ripper that is as beautiful to drink as it is to look at and a style of Sparkling Shiraz that I personally would like to see more of. Along with the Flaxman NV, I can't recommend this highly enough.

Posted by Jeremy Pringle at http://winewilleatitself.blogspot.com/2009/12/karra-yerta-sparkling-shiraz-nv.html

A Miracle on Murray Street & a new review for our Sparkling Shiraz!

As a follow-up to my previous post, regarding my attempt to open a new shop showcasing the wines of the Collective group, I am pleased and relieved to announce that sensibility did shine through, and despite the initial objections not being dropped, the two objectors lawyer and myself were able to come to a mutual agreement and thus, the Collective Barossa shop will be opening very soon!

My time-frame was delayed whilst trying to work out exactly what was happening, so my original plans of painting and moving the furniture in were moved back but now that all the legalities are sorted and my new licence has been granted, I can move forward and so this week will be a team effort to get things done as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Of course, having so many willing helpers is a bonus, despite it being the week before Christmas! I am incredibly lucky that many members of the community stood behind me in this venture and provided incredible support, in every way, during the rather stressful past fortnight. I have been inundated with emails and phone calls from around the world and that definitely has given me the extra boost needed to find the motivation to find time to take this huge task on at this rather mad time of year. For more information on the Collective Barossa shop please visit this page: http://collectivebarossa.blogspot.com

From our entire family, including our much loved labrador, we would also like to wish you all a very Merry and Safe Christmas and New Year! And speaking of Christmas and New Year, here is our very first review on the perfect wine to put on your table over the holiday season - our NV Sparkling Shiraz.

Our Sparkling Shiraz has been dedicated to two wonderful gentlemen who were dear friends of our family and are unfortunately no longer with us; Mr. Geoff Cotton, who along with his friend Sandy, discovered the fatal tree disease Mundulla Yellows in 1979 and Dr. Frank Podger who discovered Jarrah Die-Back in 1964. We hope that through this dedication they, and their hard work, are not forgotten. They are both mentioned on the back label of this wine. The photograph on the left below is of Dr. Podger and my husband, sons and dog in 2000 or 2001 on one of Frank's trips to the Barossa when I helped him map the progress of Mundulla Yellows in the area.

This review was published in this weekend's The Independent Weekly and was written by Philip White. Tasting notes will be put on our website www.karrayertawines.com.au in the next few days.

Karra Yerta Wines NV Sparkling Shiraz
$35, 14.5% alc/vol, crown seal, 94 points.

A joint effort of the indomitable Linke family with Nathan Schulz and Colin Sheppard, this black beauty comes from ancient vines on the top of the Barossa Range. It's never mushy or sweet like too many dark sparklers, instead offering a blitz of black bitters and mystery, as if somebody'd managed to distil an entire valley of blackberry vines, thorns, ripe berries, and all. It has a dark vegetal tone, like tomato or blackberry leaf. It's been liqueuered with vintage port, but still finishes with adults-only tannins and staunch natural acidity, leaving the mouth puckered and wanting. Forget the turkey: this would do best with a traditional Barossa ovenful of juicy roast porkfat, crackling and beets. Dribble.

The Southerners head north for a day of Barossa hospitality

The beautiful spring weather disappeared last week when a brief burst of summer (and unfortunately the emergence of brown snakes in the area) hit us all unexpectedly. Suddenly, the red wines were discarded, and the rieslings brought out. One of my most pleasurable pastimes is to sit under my pergola, with the scent of petunias, jasmine and carnations delicately wafting toward me as I slowly sip a glass of cool, not cold, Eden Valley Riesling.

So in light of the fact that Saturday was in the mid-thirties, it was rather appropriate to indulge in that lovely drop whilst entertaining a delightful group of guests from the southern vales of our very fine wine producing state. The day started very early for our visitors and I'm almost certain that by the time they reached the high range of Randall Town, where the Karra Yerta vineyard is located, they were more than ready and willing to go for a trek down the hill for a quick tour of the vineyard before heading back down the hill to Argent Town for an informal tasting in our old red gum stable.

The host for the day, Philip White, had gathered together a tribe of his friends and fellow wine lovers to show them some of the secret gems of the area and Karra Yerta was most fortunate to be considered one of them. A more pleasant group of people would be hard to meet and it was really interesting to see their opinions on our regions style of wines, particularly the rieslings. We had a wonderful few hours with them, with our sons and one of their friends providing live music before the bus headed a little further north along the range. James and I were kindly invited to join the group for lunch and so we gathered yet more wine and headed off ourselves. Already a perfect day but it was about to get even better.

By the time we arrived, the rest of the group had already been greeted by the very hospitable Bob and Wilma McLean and were comfortably settling in to yet more tastings in the lovely McLean shed whilst the matter of one of Bob's famous Long Lunches was arranged. A six foot long mettwurst was definitely the highlight of the dinner table but the beautiful array of other local produce and salads did not fade too far away out of the limelight. A delightful lunch, including a birthday cake for Wilma (made by one of the guests and ever so carefully transported from the vales), was had by all and the wines served with it were sensational and made me exceptionally proud of our unique and beautiful area. To top it off, Colin Forbes (pictured at right), all round nice guy and rieslingmeister extraordinaire, hosted a vertical tasting of the McLeans Farm rieslings. Now that was something to behold!

Soon the bus headed off to the next stop, Greenock Creek, and the locals amongst us stayed to help the McLeans tidy up after what was surely one of the most enjoyable grass-roots wine experiences that could be had. Many thanks to Philip and his friends for being such wonderful guests for the day. I'm sure that it will be remembered fondly by all who attended, including us and the McLeans.

A Bronze Medal and another superb review!

It's often said that good reviews and/or medals aren't enough to sell your wine, that it still depends on legwork. Well, our legwork for October has been James working tirelessly in the vineyard, and it is looking very tidy for it, and mine has been again, processing orders. I am simply amazed at the interest in our wines since the reviews of the past few months and again, I have more wonderful news to announce.

Firstly, on the weekend, we found out that we won a Bronze Medal for our 2009 Eden Valley Riesling at the 2009 Canberra International Riesling Challenge. It was our first ever entry into this well-respected wine show so it was an incredible surprise.

Secondly, last night I found yet another sensational review for the same wine. This one is from Philip White, a renown wine-journalist from South Australia. Philip has spent much of his time recently focusing on terroir, as you will note in his review from his website Drankster below.

Karra Yerta Wines 2009 Eden Valley Riesling

$??; 13% alcohol; screw cap; drunk 17-20 OCT 09; 94+++ points

Marie and James Linke tend this tiny patch of 80 year old vines on their windswept ridge above Gooseburg in the wild High Barossa. And tend IS the word. You wouldn't put a machine near this priceless vitcultural jewel of a garden. It seems almost oblivious to drought or the Devil, or whatever evils nature can throw at it: year-in, year-out, it oozes incredibly fine, tense, taught riesling. No irrigation. Hardly any grapes. Berries like lentils. And this is even more along those lines than usual.

It smells of the sandstone and schist of that hairy ridge, with the gentlest citrus blossom, the pith of limes and lemons, faint banana, dried apple, freshly bitten nashi pear, the tiniest slice of jackfruit ... I dunno. It confounds me. Then tip some of it into you, and all that promise seems suddenly compacted and refined, drawn out and tensioned, like a steel marine cable. Or maybe a really good German tape-wound jazz guitar string. There is no compromise. You might expect it to suddenly twang. But it doesn't. It just seems to wind tighter and tighter, and stretch longer, until eventually the furry tannins move up, kinda wrapping all that tension with velvet.

It's a beautiful austere cold Nico of a wine which shouldn't be served too chilly: this princess brings her own chill. And she'll keep bringing it for many many years. Like 25. Deutschland Uber Alles! Stunning.

Flaxman's Valley Under the Stars

All this talk about a global financial crisis makes me feel like a glass or two of wine. I am sure that I am not alone, and to make us even more fragile, it has now been recommended that women only drink one alcoholic drink per day and men two. Whilst it may be good for us (I think it may be slight overkill but anyway..) at that rate I will need to live to about 250 years of age to get through my own favourites in our cellar and that is not including if I buy any new bottles in the meantime! So it was just as well that last night, on a global scale in its own way, I did my part in emptying the world of its excess wine whilst only going slightly, well maybe a little more than slightly, over my recommended daily intake of a single glass.

As I sat at the end of the large rustic table in our stable, my belly full of the most amazing pork that I had ever tasted (thanks Terence and Theodore!) and divine wines to match, I realised what a wonderful multi-cultural country Australia is. Around the table from my left were in actual order, Theodore, Chris, James, Dennis, Tibo, Fleur and Terence. If you were to put our guests in a list of country of origin, it would have been Singapore, New Zealand, Germany (well, six generations ago!), United States, France, France and Singapore. The very special thing is that all of our guests, although born and bred in other countries, had for one reason or another, ended up in Oz. To top it off we were drinking various exquisite Australian wines, another from Argentina and one from Italy.

I have mentioned our favourite Melbournian friend Terence (www.terencepang.com) on at least a few occasions in my wine blogs. We always have a great time when he comes to visit. This year he brought his brother Theodore, friend Dennis (New York, New York! ah, that's a bit of a private joke) and two other friends, Tibo and Fleur who are ex-Parisians. We had met Dennis before (read my blog entry of 15th September 2008 Melbournians and Mooncakes) and Theodore even earlier (13th April 2008 Toast and Honey on an Autumn afternoon) but it was the first time that Tibo and Fleur had visited the Barossa so we wanted to make sure that they enjoyed the evening, and from the photo of Tibo smiling on the drums at the end of the night/early morning, you can see that they did. What a lovely couple they are.

Then of course there is our great neighbour Chris Ringland. Chris pops down the hill to visit us sometimes for a few wines and a bbq and as we knew that Terence would like to meet Chris, we thought it would be a terrific surprise to introduce them. And so we did. I must mention that besides having exceptionally impressive wine skills (and being the very generous man that he is, he often brings us a taste of his fine wares), Chris is also a whiz on the food front and last night he amazed us all with an impromptu simple yet delicious dessert. I don't think any of us would have needed breakfast this morning after such a terrific dinner.

In fact, thinking about that, what exactly is it about some people in the wine world who have not only amazing skills with wine but also with food?? Philip White is another who springs to my mind - he too is simply a sensational cook! I guess that as I am the main cook in the house, it is always much appreciated to watch and taste someone else's creations, and not meaning to be sexist, I am always most impressed by the male genders efforts.

Next weekend may well be the famous "Barossa Under the Stars" but last night a great time was had by all under the stars of Flaxmans Valley. And we do have a spectacular view of the night sky in this pristine non-polluted area. Perfect place, perfect wines and food, and perfect company. Global financial crisis - what was that about again..?

New reviews from Philip White

The weather is a scorching forty one degrees celcius outside and I am not in a hurry to leave the computer, nor the air-conditoned room, for any reason. So it appears that the best way to spend my afternoon is to update my blogs, answer emails and print off any new reviews. So, in that respect, even though neither wines are officially released (both wines will be released after vintage ie March or April 2009) here are the latest reviews. It is our first review for our 2006 Shiraz and the second for our 2008 Riesling. Both reviews have been written by Philip White. You can read his wine blogs here: Drankster and Drinkster.

Karra Yerta Flaxman's Gully Eden Valley Barossa Riesling 2008

$20(?); unlabelled pre-release bottle; 12.5% alcohol; screw cap; 93++ points

Alsace. Germany. Tasmania. High Barossa. Who cares? Honey and nuts; gewurztraminer and roses; spicebox and creme caramel: you'll find all these sorts of delicioso swimming round this bowl. It's not the austere crisp rapier some earlier Karra Yertas have been, but it's rich and wholesome, like some of the more Germanic rieslings made in the Barossa in the sixties and seventies, and what I imagine Petaluma tried to do sometimes during the eighties. The flavour has lovely honey as much as lemon and lime: not exactly sweet, but with an illusion of sweetness as much as your actual unfermented sugary juice. The aftertaste is a tantalising tumble of spiced mead, citrus pith, dried apple, lemon blossom and dry stones. It's like a serious spatlese riesling fermented dry. It'd be perfect with a creme caramel flavoured with a tiny squirt of lemon and garnished with citrus rind; or King George whiting fillets wrapped around a little squirt of prawn mousseline in beurre blanc. Savvy?

Karra Yerta Flaxman’s Gully Barossa Shiraz 2006

pre-release unlabelled sample; ??% alcohol; screw cap; 94+++ points

The stony, barren ridge at the top of Flaxman’s, where the ancient rocks poke through high above the Barossa, is the home of some of the world’s most expensive and elusive shiraz wines. (Think Ringland, next door. McLean’s Farm at the northern end; Mountadam at the southern.) This vineyard is windswept and wild, freezing in the winter, and even cool at night in the midst of the most vicious heatwaves. So this rare tincture has quite a lot to live up to. It has the most intense and complex bouquet, riddled with twists of beauty that seem so blacksmithed into compression they unwind in a dreadfully gradual and teasing manner. Musk, lavendar, violets, licorice, mint, cedar, sandalwood, vetiver, blackcurrant, blackberry, beetroot, morel, porcini, ancient soy, salt, schist, podsol, guano, gunpowder, swarf, burlap ... I dunno. I could go on, and I’ve only had my hooter in the glass for thirty minutes. I know now that this wine is gonna be a king hell striptease viper with a voice like Barry White and Grace Jones for a Mum. The palate’s disarming and confronting from the first sip: just mildly viscous, especially compared to the intensity of its flavours, with, yep, the lithe form of the black whipsnake slithering around your mouth like some professional girls apparently dance on poles. It’s strangely compact and intense, as I’ve said too many times, but still seems ethereal in its saucy habit of letting little shots of its myriad components just go: they’re there for a flash as they evaporate, and suddenly they’re replaced by something else. And on and on it goes. The dance of the hundred and summit veils. Sometime a long way off all these bits and pieces will assimilate and homogenise and the damned thing will be mature and formal and very, very famous, and those astonishing components will let go at the same time in equal proportions and really, really gradually, but shit, that’ll kill people, and by Bacchus I love it now. I doubt that I can stay alive long enough to drink it at its peak, and if I did, it’d kill me anyway. Karra Yerta has never hit the top ten in the glambam gobstopper any price you like stakes, but it will, and it will outshine most of those wannabeez and cooderbeenz. This is a stunning, secret wine. Gimme! JAN 09