Tucked in the picturesque Warramate foothills in the Victorian town of Gruyere, the team at Soumah harness an ideal cool-climate and ancient soils into wines that are indicative of much of the charm seen in Northern Italy! Named after an abbreviation for 'South of Maroondah' (a highway seen on old maps when a lot of the land was used as dairy farms), this approach was a concious decision by original proprietor Brett Butcher when he first purchased the property in the late 90's, wanting to focus on clear varietal wines that show off savoury elegance and plush personality. It's no coincidence many of their bottles seem to fly off our shelves as quick as they arrive.
When they do hone in on the Yarra classics of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this team come out triumphant each and every vintage; head winemaker Scott McCarthy takes full advantage of their sandy clay loam soils (averaging 120 metres above sea level), and their ideal geographical position (situated in a certain pocket where the temperatures rise slowly through the day). On the other hand, when focusing on more unique varietals like the Marzemino or utterly striking Savagnin efforts that their terroir is able to so vividly bring to life, they succeed with flying colours, bringing expressions you can't quite find from any other Aussie house.
This Saturday (26th July), we have their Director of Sales Dmitri Lazariuc in to host our tasting from the usual 12 and 2pm, showing a great breakdown of what Soumah so wonderfully represent. Dmitri has been around the winery his entire life, and knows their terroirs better than most; he'll be pouring their Italian-inspired Pinot Grigio and previously-mentioned Marzemino, plus a pairing of Savagnins, one entry-level, the other a simply extraordinary multi-vintage blend created through the solera method! We've also got the duo of their estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, coupled in with their newest Equilibrio special releases. Lastly, a rich expression of Brut made in the method traditionalle style, to bring a bit of sparkling edge to proceedings!
We hope many of you can make it by Saturday and hear from Dmitri!
Soumah - Specials & Tasting
(w/ Dmitri from the estate!)
Saturday 26th July (12 to 2pm)
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Pinot Grigio 2024 -
$26 on special this week; $29 RRP
"The 2024 Pinot Grigio hails from the Hexham vineyard in Gruyere and has been in bottle almost a year. The wine is possessed of an ultra gentle blush color in the glass, and aromatically, it leads with pear drops and white flowers, green apples, fresh linen and white chocolate. In the mouth, the wine is detailed and soft, with abundantly plush fruit, punctuated by saline acidity. It's a lovely thing." - Erin Larkin, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
'Savarro' Savagnin 2024 -
$28 on special this week; $32 RRP
"The 2024 Savarro (Savagnin) is routinely a classy, well-put-together wine that shows salivating acidity, chalky texture and fruit-driven width across the palate. There are notes of not green apple but yellow, not fresh pear but jalousie and acidity that spools out through the long, salty finish. Savignin is well suited to Australia, but much was sadly pulled out when the original plantings were revealed to be Savignin and not in fact the intended Albarino. It's a quirk in history and one I find endlessly amusing, that is, until I consider the fact that many Savignin vineyards were grubbed and how good/improved our drinking experiences could be with more of it in the ground. For now, I am thrilled to be tasting wines like this. There are notes of wet straw, lemon pith, beeswax, chamomile, nettle, crushed nuts, caper brine." - 92 Points, Erin Larkin, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
d'Soumah Pinot Noir 2024 -
$30 on special this week; $35 RRP
"The barrel fermentation develops the rich flavour and aroma of the wine, and a good portion of new barrels adds classic soft oak characters helping the overall integration of the wine. Displaying an attractive garnet colour, this Pinot Noir delivers a cherry and raspberry fruit profile along with savoury fleshiness. We presently score this vintage as one of the better in the last decade, but time will have the final say." - Notes from Soumah
d'Soumah Chardonnay 2023 -
$30 on special this week; $35 RRP
"We pick Chardonnay as early as we can to ensure we retain a fresh line of citrus fruit and crisp natural acidity on the palate. We develop structure in the wine by predominantly barrel fermenting the juice and allowing it to mature gracefully for eight months before bottling a wine with balanced weight and silky texture. This wine shows classic Chardonnay flavours of citrus and stone fruit. Hints of nutty oak on the palate with a refreshing, dry finish." - Notes from Soumah
Marzemino 2024 -
$32 on special this week; $36 RRP
"Marzemino is a red Italian wine grape variety that is primarily grown in north-eastern Italy. The wine has a long history and is noted for it’s mention in the opera Don Giovanni of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. (“Versa il vino! Eccellente Marzimino!”). This late ripening variety was hand picked towards the end of the season and fermented in stainless steel tanks. The excellent natural acidity in the fruit created a foundation for a smooth fermentation with minimal intervention. Once pressed off skins, we transferred the wine to barrel for maturation for one year with 10% new oak to create structure and definition. The wine has characteristically a very dark tint and flavours of bright cherries and dark plums." - Notes from Soumah
Crescent Moon Methode Traditionalle Brut 2020 -
$63 on special this week; $72 RRP
Crescent Moon is a blend of hand selected crisp fruit on the cusp of ripeness, 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay. This is from Upper Ngumby and Hexham vineyards. It is made in the Traditional Methode, first fermentation in tank at low temperatures to retain flavour and intensity before secondary fermentation in bottle and aging for four years on lees before being disgorged. It is a brut style displaying a light, refined bead with flavours of citrus and peony and a rich background of baked bread or brioche." - Notes from Soumah
"A vibrant mousse and bead when poured. A touch cheesy and lactic on first smell, then aromas of baked apple, poached stone fruit, brioche, nuts and white flowers push through. Creamy, mouth-filling textured and long on the palate. There's red fruits, citrus, toast and yoghurt flavours at play. Long, textured and layered." - Aaron Brasher, The Real Review
Equilibrio Chardonnay 2023 -
$75 on special this week; $85 RRP
(Limited availability)
"The concept behind our Equilibrio range is to promote the very best barrels, clonal mix, and new oak integration to create a few cases that will benchmark the potential of each vintage. Some would call it Reserve but we call it Equilibrio as great wine is all about harmony and balance. The Mendosa clone with its hen and chicken (small and large) berries delivers bright acidity but also generous fruit characters and is our preferred clone for Equilibrio. The wine is fermented and aged in super premium tight grained oak developing an opulent and composed oak integration. Bright aromatics of grapefruit, quince and white peach complimented by hints of vanilla and struck match. On the palate its youthful racy acidity provides perfect support to white peach and grapefruit nuances. Wine finishes long and fresh. This wine will evolve over many years to come." - Notes from Soumah
Equilibrio Pinot Noir 2023 -
$75 on special this week; $85 RRP
(Limited availability)
Yields for this wine are kept notably low by our pruning technique and shoot thinning, while a final green harvest at veraison ensures the vines do not carry too much weight. This exacting viticulture safeguards the fruit and acid balance during the picking window. The grapes are then cold soaked and fermented using wild yeast and aged in 500l puncheons, 25% new, for nine months. The wine displays elegant Pinot Noir structure with the red fruits fusing with forest mushroom and wild herbs. A good spicy lift at the back of the palate leads to length and persistance on the finish." - Notes from Soumah
Wild Savagnin Solero No. 3 -
$85 on special this week; $95 RRP
"The inception of our Wild Savagnin ‘Solero’ No.3 comes from our interminable love of this ancient variety that was first recorded in 10th century Northern Italy. Inspired by original winemaking techniques, we handpicked and foot stomped small parcels of Savagnin, which were then predominantly fermented in clay with indigenous yeast on full solids — much like they may have way back when. The layering of vintage over vintage (2015, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023) was to start a Solero system whereby we can develop deep brooding flavours while still retaining freshness in the wine. The wine is a unique statement, carrying an unusual depth of personality. This persona will continue to develop with each Solero we release. The wine has that trademark linear citrus line, but it is fused with the brooding flavours of age-old tradition. Some people call it ‘wine with funk’; we love it for its structure, depth, and wild ancient origins. Pairing with an aged comtè is a must but if it’s not readily available, any French cow’s milk cheese will do. When dining, try mushroom risotto." - Notes from Soumah
"Full, bright, yellow colour; pungent bouquet of creamy yeast lees, sourdough bread, almond/marzipan, seabreeze and a cheesy note. The palate is intense and vibrant, adding a nutty barrel-derived character, punched along by some bitterness that has a cleansing, refreshing effect. A most unusual and interest-packed very dry white wine, most closely related to Jura savagnin although it hasn’t been aged under a flor yeast." - 93 Points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
If you wish to buy any of these wines, please use the links above
Alternatively, email us at sales@thewineemporium.com.au, or contact us on (07)32521117 if you have any questions.
// Prices valid until Thursday the 31st of July