Red Wines

Produced in Sicily, Italy The name Frappato most likely originates from the mispronunciation of the adjective "fruity” to indicate the variety’s most prevalent characteristic. Frappato is a variety which is presently only grown in Vittoria, Sicly. It is characterized by a wide aromatic range consisting of elegant hints of flowers and cherry, along with soft tannins.

Gippsland, Victoria  Our early vintages were made with Bruce Dowding and David Creed. Bruce worked many vintages with Jacques Frederic Mugnier in Musigny, where Guy Accad was consulting. David was dux in his year at Roseworthy and is perhaps the greatest winemaking intellect I have encountered.Accad’s legacy is our extended pre-ferment cold-maceration and our vigorous pigeage by foot throughout fermentation, three to four times daily. This brings colour and extract from the skins.David is in draining our wines to barrel at dryness without settling, retaining all the yeast lees in the wine in barrel. This brings a chocolate, mocha flavour to the mid-palate of the wine. We pick small buckets of fruit about a week before harvest and foot-crush them. They are left in various parts of the vineyard to ferment spontaneously. If these ferments are sound, we use them to inoculate the Pinot Noir harvested a week later. All will be different, so we try and use as many as possible across the various ferments. If any of the ferments become excessively volatile, I’ll sprinkle a very small amount of commercial yeast on top to continue the ferment and clean it up.I’m comfortable with low levels of volatility and I use two different yeast: RC212 and BM45. Both produce high levels of glycerol, adding ‘slipperiness’ or ‘silkiness’ to the wine. I attribute ‘wild ferment’ character not to ‘wild’ or indigenous yeast, rather to a long and slow fermentation. Over a long fermentation, the yeast finds the ethanol being produced becomes toxic; and they produce mucyl polyglycerides and glycyl polysaccharides as a defensive response. These complex flavours are most appealing and add volume and complexity to the finished wine.We do not inoculate for malolactic fermentation, rather allow it to proceed naturally in barrel. If this process is unhurried it can produce characteristics we taste as ‘hung game’: cadavericine and putrescine.The wines are not racked until bottling and we resist adding sulphur until this stage, usually about 20 ppm. The wines are not filtered, retaining a rich texture as well as aromatic lift. I feel filtering ‘beats up’ aromatics and subtlety of the wine.To me, these techniques enable funkosité, our trademark Moondarra, style.The fruit is all hand-picked and processed on-site at Moondarra. Winemaking varies slightly for each of the Pinot’s, influenced by the differences in terroir, to highlight these nuances in flavour.All the wines are grown on deep, volcanic soils. These are free-draining and rich in minerals, bringing robust, ferrous flavour to our Pinot Noirs. 2018 Samba Side Pinot Noir 750mlFacing the angrier afternoon sun, Samba Side is named after the Sambar Deer who foraged on the vines when we first planted the vineyard. This part of the vineyard is also impacted by the South Westerly winds, which stress the vines. Bunches in Samba Side are incredibly small and average about 35 grams weight each. The grapes have incredibly thick skins with extraordinary intense morello flavour.About two-thirds of the fruit is put in the fermenters as whole bunches and the remaining crushed on top. The wine has layers of tannin; derived from skins and pips, the desiccated stems, and the savoury oak. We use mostly new Domenic Laurent ‘Magic’ barriques. All harvested from old-growth Tronçais, with extremely thick staves.

Cherry, spice & sweet ripe plum on the nose.  Rich heavy weight, black briar fruits and dried prunes carried on a plush mid palate. Long layered flavours with firm tannins that will soften with age.

Clare Valley, SA.. Intense spice, ripe plum & subtle French oak on the nose; Rich, sweet, dark forest berries with intense spice balanced by fine firm tannins. Some mocha, dark chocolate & coffee cradled in firm savoury tannins.

GRAPE VARIETIES 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, 5% Graciano & Mazuelo SOIL Clay and limestone. VINIFICATION Handpicked the grapes are fermented in large, very old, oak vats, without the addition of yeasts. Aged in barriques for 5 years, being racked twice per year and fined with fresh egg whites, bottled unfiltered with a further 6+ years aging. THE VINEYARDS The El Bosque vineyard is situated next to the river Ebro at an altitude of 465m in Haro, on the south-facing foothills of the Sierra Cantabria range. TASTING NOTES. This wine has evolved perfectly showing a deep ruby colour with shades of orange. Its nose is persistent showing tertiary aromas that give an excellent complexity to the wine. On the palate this wine is full bodied and showing a lot of mature savoury fruit, more rustic than the Vina Tondonia with dusty tannins. Its taste is round, smooth, fresh, full of body and persistent

2019 Gigondas Les Souteyrades 80% Grenache (1948), 20% Mourvèdre (1977) fermented on skins for 7 weeks before ageing in large old 50 hL oak foudres for 12 months before bottling un-fined and unfiltered.”Lastly, the 2019 Gigondas Les Souteyrades is more classic, with pure dark, peppery fruits as well as garrigue, cedar, and leather notes. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and perfectly balanced, it has impressive tannins and will benefit from short-term bottle age. As with the other Gigondas here, you should expect 10-15 years of prime drinking. This cuvée is 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre, aged all in foudre.” 96 points, Jeb Dunnuck, January 2022”Not as effusive on the nose as the La Louisiane, the 2019 Gigondas les Souteyrades is drier, sterner stuff—not as immediately approachable, with more savory notes of black olives and earth. There are still notes of ripe plums and raspberries in this full-bodied effort but also a firm core of dusty tannins to ensure more than a decade of longevity. It's a blend of Grenache and Mourvèdre from a clay-rich, north-facing slope.” (93-95) points, The Wine Advocate, April 2021

The Castello di Cigognola company stands among the hills of the Oltrepò Pavese,brembraced by Piedmont and Emilia, in what was once known , until the Unification of Italy, as “Old Piedmont”. It springs from the intuition of the proprietors, Gian Marco and Letizia Moratti, who, together with the oenologist Riccardo Cotarella and a team of experts gambled on a particularly favourable terroir. Significant investments in vines and the cellars transformed the ancient castle into a point of reference for excellence.

2020 Château du Cèdre Marcel Malbec IGP Comté Tolosan (Screwcap) 100% Malbec from purchased fruit grown on the 1st and 2nd terraces close to the river. The fruit is 100% de-stemmed and crushed, then the juice given a 3-4 day cold soak, to extract colour and a little tannin, before being pressed and cool-fermented in stainless steel. Matured in concrete tanks for 6-8 months.'This shows the soft, juicy side of Malbec. No serious tannins here, just red berry fruit and fine acidity. That means it's ready to drink this winter.' 

Distinctive rosemary, thyme and rosemary aromas with blue fruits and savoury tannins. This wine offers up very intense aromas of fresh red & black berries with a distinctive regional dried herb scent. Aromas of fresh picked basil, thyme & rosemary. On the palate, some rosemary & thyme continues the theme, with black cherries, sweet blueberry & hints of vanilla oak notes. 

Our Wrattonbully Tempranillo has all the hall marks of this classic Spanish variety with dark Mocca and coffee bean characteristics blending nicely with regional herb notes. Dried herbs, cooked spices with hints of plum on the nose; Spicy fruit coffee bean, cocoa with hints of dark bitter chocolate, supple tannins are a hallmark of the variety. Being a cool climate, Wrattonbully reds see a regional eucalypt tinge as well.

Aromas of black cherry juice and fresh raspberry combine with a sappy, faintly herbal note. The palate delivers more black cherry, this time with boysenberry and cranberry, providing a softness to the mid-palate. The long and detailed palate is tied together with dusty, fine grained tannin. The wine shows good mid-term ageing potential. 13.0% alc.

Deep Bordeaux-red in colour, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon celebrates the terroir of Stoney Vineyard. Expect mixed spice on the nose with suggestions of new leather and warm earth, and a Christmas cake palate laden with cranberries, blackcurrants, raisins and prunes. There's fantastic structure and acidity, too. The 2016 has plenty of medium-term cellaring potential and will go down a treat with rich meats, mushroom and truffles.

This is lovely wine and for those who love inky reds with plenty of kick. You cannot fail to enjoy it. It has all the quality and opulence you would expect when the vineyard is owned by the Morattis, one of the richest families in Italy and the wine maker is Riccardo Cotarella whom some see as the Robert Parker of Italian wine making.! Buonvino magazine.

Winemakers Comments In 2022, both our Greenock and Nuriootpa vineyards were lucky to escape damaging hailstorms. Mild conditions throughout the ripening period allowed for optimum ripening with very little rain pressure around harvest time. All the fruit for this wine was handpicked, with picking starting at Greenock and then finished at Nuriootpa, before co-fermenting the fruit in open concrete fermenters. 16% whole bunch from our Greenock vineyard was placed carefully in the bottom of the fermenter before destemming the remaining fruit on top. After 9 days fermentation on skins, the new wine was pressed off to a combination of new and seasoned French oak. The wine was left on lees post malolactic fermentation, for the duration of its time in oak, with frequent lees stirring helping to build mid palate creaminess and seamless integration. - Jules Ashmead & Brock Harrison Style Medium bodied, vibrant yet serious Colour Deep crimson Aroma Fresh blueberry fruits with hints of spice and vanilla Palate Plush fresh fruit reminiscent of summer berry pudding with a spiced note of charcuterie with peppery zest to freshen. Creamy seamless palate with powerful yet collected powdery tannins. Maturation French puncheons, 45% new, 14 months including 14 months on lees Drink Drink now or cellar confidently for 10 years from vintage Alcohol/Volume 14.9%

Sourced from established vines in the Wilyabrup Valley, this Shiraz is full of life and youthful exuberance. The colour is an intense crimson. On the nose the aroma of bright crunchy blue fruits mingles among lifted bubblegum and spicy notes. The first sip coats the palate with a complex of savoury meati­ness and lively red and blue fruits. The wine continues to show off violet, cherry and cocoa notes, and the finish lingers brightly with chewy tannins. This wine will be best enjoyed from now and over the next 6 years.

the heart of the Wilyabrup Valley. Planted in 2001, this Nebbiolo vineyard has a track record of producing incredible wines to national acclaim. The colour of this wine is an intense ruby red.  The nose shows rose petals, white spice and toasty oak notes. The palate is medium bodied displaying red fruits, prosciutto, star anise and classic Nebbiolo tannin. This wine will be best enjoyed over the next 5 to 8 years.

2017 has produced luscious and supple wines, ripe and complex, what can be enjoyed now but with great potential to age.  This wine is sourced from established vineyards within the Wilyabrup Valley region of Margaret River.   Once harvested, the fruit was gently destemmed and passed over a vibrating sorting table. Following fermentation this wine was matured in French oak barrels for 14 months. This wine is very deep crimson colour. The nose shows an array of mulberry, blackcurrant and cassis, with hints of Ceylon cinnamon and French oak. The palate is soft and generous, with more red fruits mixing with spice and dark chocolate. Supple tannins linger.

Sourced entirely from our Moorilla vineyard (which boasts great variability between blocks and elevations), over a hot, intense vintage, this is a robust vintage of a wine where robustness is the goal. Balanced nicely between fruit (salty cherries, kola, tomato) and oakier, savoury (tobacco-y caramel, hints of char and meat) influences, the palate is a delightful, medium-bodied romp. Tannin is silky and acid is good. A real bruiser (in a good way).