Our first review from the wild, wild west.....

For some odd reason, I have never had contact with anyone in the West in regards to our wine - with tastings or with reviews, so it is with great pleasure that I present the very first review of any of our wines from the Wild, Wild West, courtesy of the very dapper Jesse Lewis:) Thanks, Jesse! To check out more of his fine work, please visit his website: http://gooddrop.wordpress.com/

As a start, I sent Jesse a bottle each of our 2010 Eden Valley Riesling and our 2006 Eden Valley Riesling, just to show him our wares, as he had not tasted any of our wines before. He surprised us with this wonderful review of the 2010 rizza:

Karra Yerta Eden Valley Riesling 2010

July 25, 2011

I haven't been drinking a lot of Riesling of late. This one has reminded me that I should be, regardless of the wet and cold weather.

It's fabulous to smell - lime, mineral, pear, apple, even a bit of mixed lolly estery action. You can pick out each aroma like they're wearing name tags, fluoro vest, or very loud shirts. This is a wine that you can sniff at for minutes, before realising that you haven't even tasted it yet. I know this because it's the second time I have done so.

What strikes me about the palate is that it shows a typical Eden Valley delicacy - limes across mineral - but a ripple of flavours pass through on the finish, without the wine losing its cool. Acidity is integrated - part of the wine rather than a separate entity; so much so that I almost forget to consider it. Every spot of flavour clings tight in the mouth, and the wine makes a lasting impression both on your tastebuds and memory. A remarkably good dry Riesling.

Rated: 94 points

Closure: Screwcap

Source: Sample

2012 Wine Companion results

Karra Yerta Wines was rated a five star winery (for the first time, ever) in the James Halliday 2012 Wine Companion. Our wines submitted for this edition were scored as below:

Karra Yerta Wines 2010 Shiraz Grenache
Rating 93 Drink 2012 $20 Date Tasted Jan 11


Karra Yerta 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

Rating 94 Drink 2017 $25 Date Tasted Jan 11


Karra Yerta 2010 Eden Valley Riesling
Rating 95 Drink 2020 $25 Date Tasted Jan 11


To see the full reviews, you will need to become a member ($39.95 per year) at www.winecompanion.com.au or purchase a hard-copy 2012 edition of the Wine Companion. Copyright prevents me from publishing the entire reviews.

And the Riesling Rocks On.....

It's near the end of Vintage 2011 for Karra Yerta Wines, and that is a story in itself. This post though, is about yet another glowing review for our 2010 Eden Valley Riesling. I look forward to my trip next month, to Brisbane, to showcase many more of our wines to a small group, and plan a Collective Barossa roadtrip after pruning.

This review, by The Wine Wankers, was posted on Monday May 28, 2011. You can read it on their site here: http://www.thewinewankers.com/2011/03/karra-yerta-eden-valley-riesling-2010.html

Karra Yerta Wines 2010 Eden Valley Riesling

If it was the reviews of this wine from Messrs Graham and Pringle that brought Karra Yerta to my attention and thus purchase the wine, it was an even more recent review from Chris Plummer that prompted me to pull it out from storage and crack it open.....

From the get-go the aromas on this wine were escaping out of the bottle - before I'd even managed to get any into my glass the floral notes, accentuated by some varietal lime were luring me in. Supported by a typical minerally edge - think pebbles smoothed by the flow of a river - and some chalkiness adding further interest and edginess to the wine.

In the mouth, more lime, a touch of talc and all checked in balance by some decent acid that has your cheeks puckering up for more. The wine feels like it will go on forever. In two senses, for leading reviewer Philip White has given this wine something in the region of a 30 year life-span, but on the more immediate horizon it keeps coming at you...wave after wave.

I had the wine open for two days and it barely shifted. The only reason it survived this long is I wanted to see how it held up. Do yourself a favour, acquaint yourself with this wine whilst you can.

Source: Retail
Price: $25
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.karrayertawines.com.au/

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.

*************************************************

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

*************************************************

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

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

**********************************************************************

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

**********************************************************************

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.

More reviews and medal news!

I had a completely different blog topic for this post but then realised that I have neglected to write about some very good news for Karra Yerta!

Our big news for the week is that our 2010 Karra Yerta Wines Eden Valley Riesling won a Gold Medal last week at the 2010 Canberra International Riesling Challenge. This is Karra Yerta's first Gold Medal and needless to say, we are incredibly happy.

It just so happened that we received this news a day before flying to Melbourne so while we were away, we celebrated the win, along with the birthdays of two special friends, by drinking french champagne and of course, some Karra Yerta Riesling:)

We have also had two other reviews written recently - one on the 2010 Riesling, and one on our 2007 Shiraz Cabernet. Both reviews are written by our Sydney friend, Andrew Graham, who we have been sending wine to for years now. As you will read in Andrew's reviews, he prides himself on his honest appraisals. He's a true wine lover, and integrity must be his middle name. Please read his thoughts below, and then go to the links to his page to see further comments, from Andrew and myself.

Please note that our website is still to be updated with this wine (and in fact our recently released 2010 Shiraz Grenache), however both wines are already on the website order form. It is an understatement to say that I have a huge to-do list!

***********************************************************

Sunday October 17, 2010

Karra Yerta Riesling 2010 (Eden Valley, SA)
12.5%, Screwcap, $25
Source: Sample
www.karrayertawines.com.au

This picked up a gold medal over the weekend, which prompted me to pop some in the fridge. Second time I've had this actually and it looks even better now with an extra month in the bottle. Definitely an opulent wine this year, but in a very correct fashion. Again excellent stuff. Maybe a little fuller than the 09?

It's green in the glass this. Water green and neutral looking. But the smell! What wafts out is Eden Riesling perfection. Lots of lime juice, wet pavement and more lime juice in a big, nose-filling dose of Eden awesomeness. Palate is dry and pithy, showing some banana ferment characters, grapefruit and soft (though powerful) acidity. Long. Very long. Interesting to note that 'soft' acidity, for I tend to think that Eden and Clare Riesling acidity can sometimes be a little hard and clunky (which I often wonder whether that's due to injudicious additions). Not this wine.

All in it's a lovely, powerful, concentrated Riesling in classical form. For mine this is what Eden Valley Riesling is all about, and it's a style of wine that I absolutely dig.

The glass in front of me appears to be leaking.... 18.7/95

***********************************************************

Friday, October 8, 2010

Karra Yerta Shiraz Cabernet 2007 (Eden and Barossa Valley, SA)
Screwcap, 14.5%, $25
Source: Sample
http://www.karrayertawines.com.au/

Dear Flaxmans Valley,

I love you.

Or at least I love the wines that are produced from the grapes grown upon your rolling rocky hills. What's more, my love is stoked by just how consistent these wines are. Year in, year out, I am surprised by just how good your wines can be, like a warm and generous embrace that never loses it's intensity.

But this wine is not wholly sourced from within the confines of your vineyards. Oh no, this includes some warmer Barossa Valley fruit, contributing some different flavours to your elegant intensity.

Thankfully though, this cross blended red does your reputation good justice. It smells of ripe, briary red raspberry fruit, beetroot and sleek chocolate oak. It's a warmer nose than shown by some of the previous vintages of this wine, with a warmer palate to match, but it still feels... vital. Full of life. Soft and languid, polished and generous. It's still a little harder, a little more meaty, stewed and chewy in the context of the typical Karra Yerta style, but it never crosses over into desiccation.

In short, it is another good wine from a superb vineyard. It's not the greatest wine of the lineage, but it's - again - an enjoyable drink. 17.2/90