Many faces: Matt Burton isn't prepared to be one-dimensional

 

I’m never quite sure which hat Matt Burton will be wearing when I meet him. While his major role is as winemaker with the Hunter Valley’s Gundog Estate, he also partners Dylan McMahon from the Yarra Valley’s Seville Estate to make wines under the Burton McMahon label and makes wines under the Indomitus label that push the boundaries of what can be done with Semillon and shiraz.

Even under the more mainstream Gundog Estate label you will find more than the “conventional” Hunter Valley styles,

Matt Burton in his Hunter Valley vineyard

Sure, if you try the Estate shiraz ($40) or Hunter’s shiraz ($40) you will find reds that epitomise what the Hunter Valley shiraz style is all about. But try the Smoking Barrel Red and you will find a delicious younger-drinking blend of Hunter and Canberra district shirazes.

In the semillons, The Chase ($35) is the most typical Hunter, with citrus and straw notes and crisp acid on the finish, while the Hunter’s semillon ($30) is a more approachable style with bigger flavours and a more generous mouthfeel, although without compromising on regional or varietal character.

Then you get to the Wild Semillon ($35), which has parcels fermented in tank (some fermented to dryness, others not), some fermented cloudy in barrels, some 100 per cent on skins and part on skins with extended maturation. The whole is definitely more than just the sum of the parts, with generous flavours and balance

And the Off-Dry Semillon ($30) is another beast altogether. It is picked earlier to retain acid but not so early that herbal aromas and flavours intrude, then partly fermented to allow for some residual sugar, resulting in lower alcohol and a richer body without the sweetness being overwhelming. It’s a style that should go well with Asian cuisine.

Normally there would be a Canberra region riesling in the line-up but 2020 being the bushfire and smoke-tainted vintage that hit the area, Matt went further afield to source riesling from the De Bortoli team in the Yarra Valley. It’s a little different from the usual Canberra style but well worth a try.

The Burton McMahon wines (two chardonnays and two pinot noirs, all $40) are more in keeping with classic Yarra styles. 

The two chardonnays come from the George’s vineyard in Seville East and the D’Aloisio vineyard in the Seville township. Both are made in much the same fashion and it is only the different vineyards that contribute to their stylistic differences. The website lists the George’s as sold out but there may be some left in select bottle shops.

The pinots are also sourced from the George’s vineyard and the Syme on Yarra vineyard in the Upper Yarra Valley, again made identically so it is only the vineyard variations that make the wines different.

It’s the Indomitus range where things get seriously different. The Albus is predominantly Hunter semillon but there can be additions of gewurztraminer and riesling to add floral and spicy characters.  The Citrea is Canberra riesling but wild-fermented on solids and then matured in old oak barrels. The Rosa is made from nebbiolo from the Freeman vineyards in the Hilltops region near Young and is a refreshingly interesting rose style, while the Rutilus is made from shiraz from the Murrumbateman region near Canberra and is a deliciously spicy fruit-driven style (not matured in oak) that will be delicious in the short to medium term.

More information on all the wines can be found at www.gundogestate.com.au

Constant Delights: Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon

In more than 40 years of tasting and writing about wine there have been a couple of constants that have always delighted me.

One is Hunter Valley semillon and the other is Coonawarra cabernet sauvignon.

I will have more to say about Hunter Semillon in another column but this one is about Coonawarra cabernet. It was prompted by the latest Wynnsday releases from Wynns Coonawarra Estate.

This single winery has provided me more fascination and enjoyment than perhaps any other in all that time, whether it is the John Riddoch, Black Label or some of the single vineyard releases over the years.

Indeed, Black Label cabernet probably has been the most consistent red wine released in Australia over the past six decades. First produced from the 1954 vintage, it deservedly has won a reputation as a consistently good to great wine, even in what might not be seen as top years.

It’s those “off” years, when John Riddoch might not be released as the quality is not seen as good enough for its very high standards, that Black Label frequently shines as that still high-quality fruit can end up in the Black Label cabernet.

Now, I know some people will be saying “what about Grange” but there have  been some years where, frankly, I think Grange should not have been released as I don’t believe the wine measured up to the line’s lofty standards.

I’ve never been disappointed by any vintage of Black Label and there are plenty that have given me great enjoyment. As a massive generalisation, the even years seem to have performed better than odd years in Coonawarra and I think 2018 is going to go down as one of the greats. With its dark cherry and floral nose, red and dark berries with mint and a fine tannin framework it’s a wine to put away for a decade or two.

Sarah Pidgeon and Sue Hodder

Senior winemaker Sue Hodder and her team, which includes winemaker Sarah Pidgeon and viticulturist Cath Kidman, have been doing an amazing job producing top drops year after year.

Just to make a mockery of my own generalisation, two of the greatest wines I’ve tasted were the 1991 Black Label and John Riddoch. Coming after the acclaimed, fruit-driven, 1990 vintage they were frequently overlooked, although knowledgeable Coonawarra followers often said they were from a classic regional vintage and would repay cellaring. They were right … I drank them when they were 25 years old and they were still going strong.

I’m really looking forward the the Wynnsday when the 2018 John Riddoch cabernet and Michael shiraz are released.

Cath Kidman

Don’t overlook the other four wines from the 2020 Wynnsday collection as they are equally fascinating and rewarding. The 2018 Black Label Old Vine Shiraz ($45, same price as the Black Label cabernet), ever-elegant V&A Lane Cabernet Shiraz ($60) and V&A Lane Shiraz (same price) and single-vineyard Harold Cabernet Sauvignon ($80) are equally impressive. Incidentally, the first ever single vineyard red released by Wynns was the 2001 Harold cabernet and it was again selected in 2013.

And I have to give a quick mention to the many other Coonawarra producers who should be included in the list of wines that have contributed to my pleasure over the years - in no particular order, Orlando St Hugo, Balnaves, Bowen Estate, Zema, Redmans, Lindemans, Majella, Mildara, DiGiorgio, Brands, Katnook, Hollick, Penley Estate  … the list goes on.