Description / Reviews
"It's back again, our high country gamay. Sourced from the beautiful Johansen vineyard in Tumbarumba. We use a few techniques like carbonic and whole-berry maceration, generally around 4 weeks on skins. The big difference this year is the extrended maturation in Italian concrete. The wine spend 15 months in Nice Velo pyramids, formerly known as Isis, but thankfully renamed after the structure with a square base and triangular sides.
Generous, full of red fruits, sour and sweet, mountain herbs (as opposed to seaside herbs?) the pallet is acid framed with a lovely fine intense tannic structure." - Ravensworth, Winemaker
"Flying high above Canberra, the Johansen Vineyards sits at 710 meters. In this soaring vineyard, mature Gamay vines flourish on rich basalt, iron-magnesium, and feldspar soils. The vineyard is planted with some of the oldest Gamay Noir vines in the country. “This is an old and very dark clone” Martin explains, “it goes back to the first in the country.” In the winery, Bryan uses both carbonic and whole-berry maceration, with around 4 weeks on skins. The big difference this year is the extended maturation in Italian concrete. The wine spends 15 months in Nico Velo cement pyramids before bottling." - Bibendum, Distributor
"Really tart and tangy with lots of upfront acidity. It remains in the driver’s seat. Along for the ride are morello and barely ripe cherries, chinotto and fresh basil. It’s quite herbal, too, with smoky reduction, which adds a savoury/meaty note. It’s super tight across the palate, with sinewy tannins and the brisk acidity coming through. Definitely refreshing but needs food." - Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion
"Medium depth of ruby with a faint tinge of purple; there are eucalyptus/mint aromas along with herbal and red fruited nuances—pomegranate and raspberry in the core where the acidity is zesty and tangy. Touches of bitter medicinal herbs. This is different, and interesting." - Huon Hooke, The Real Review
"
From the Johansen Vineyard, and that is in Tumbarumba. It is only fermented and matured in concrete. It’s a strange thing, as I usually say it is winemaker prerogative to decide closure of their bottles, and my comment won’t mean much, but I kind of feel all of Ravensworth wines would do better with fancy cork, Diam or the eco-cork thingos. Just comes to mind it fits better, in a way – this one is screwcap.
This is tart and fresh, juicy in a way but with a cut and thrust of crispness and briny, blood orange lift. Just ripe cherries, cranberry, a bit of uplifting white balsamic in the midst. A bit of an edgy wine, but in the best sense frisky and keen. It also has quite the alpine bent. Neat, and fun." - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
