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News and Reviews

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Vintage Reports

Reviews

Awards

VINTAGE REPORT 2008

The Gods have smiled on us again with another great finish to this year's vintage.

Warm to moderate temperatures with little rain throughout March and April provided ideal conditions for developing intense fruit flavours in all varieties while minimising disease pressures. This allowed us the luxury of choosing the optimum time to harvest.

Early maturing whites maintained their acidity while reaching targeted sugar development levels and fruit ripeness in sync with each other.

So look out for our Gold Medal winning 2008 Cowaramup Chardonnay and newly released 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon with its rich tropical passionfruit aromas, intense fruit flavours and zesty lemon finish.

The Oxford Hotel in Leederville is serving the 2008 Chardonnay following its successful release at their annual wine and food festival. You can buy it by the glass over the bar, or enjoy a bottle with one of their great pub meals. Alternatively, order a glass with some of the fine food on offer at Valentino's Restaurant in Northbridge.

Now what about the 2008 reds? Lots of early leaf removal left the newly formed berries naked and exposed throughout the growing season. This early fruit exposure has allowed full, ripe fruit characters to develop and with this season’s dry, mild weather conditions, there were no burnt bums from those spiky 40°C days we sometimes get in February.

The ideal growing conditions burnt off all those herbaceous characters we sometimes get in cooler years, so we can look forward to some great reds coming out of Margaret River in 2008 - even better than 2004 in my opinion.

Following our first Shiraz in 2006, our just-released 2007 vintage is showing some of the same delicious savoury characters with intense mulberry and blackberry fruits intertwined with fine grained tannins.

Sip on a glass or two of this vintage while enjoying a tasty Continental Pizza at the Goodfellas Cafe in Margaret River. Or try the popular Merlot Cabernet at Gargano's Restaurant in Claremont where Brett and Mario are still serving it up with cheer. The sweet, rich plum flavours and silky tannins of this wine perfectly complement their fine continental cuisine.

Russ Reynolds, Grape Grower Extraordinaire

VINTAGE REPORT 2007

What a great finish to a fantastic vintage, following last year's difficult and challenging season. It was a relief to have our harvest completed within four weeks. The beauty of this is that it has allowed our fruit to develop high sugar levels earlier than normal, maintaining crisp acidity with fresh fruit flavours in all white varieties.

The reds proved to be a bit trickier though, with flavours and green seeds taking a little longer to catch up to those higher sugar levels. Milder weather conditions throughout March and with little rain to encourage the Old Enemy, Benny Botrytis, and his mates, Powdery and Downy Mildew, allowed us the time to ripen those seeds and the fruit to develop intense flavours and aromas. We are looking forward to 2007 reds having fine, silky tannins with mild acidity and sweet berry fruit flavours.

Following on from our 2004 Merlot/Cabernet, the newly released 2005 vintage is showing the same credentials as its predecessor. Mario and Brett from Gargano's restaurant in Claremont are still serving it up with their traditional Italian cuisine. Staff at the Albion Hotel, Cottesloe are also serving it in the restaurant with their a la carte menu.

Our Margaret River classic 2006 Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon is now showing those lifted green pea and floral aromas as predicted following last year's cooler growing season, with sustained tropical flavours on a crisp lemony finish. Great with Nino's fish and chips at Mandurah Dolphin Quays, or with one of the local seafood dishes at Toby's Restaurant, Broadwater Resort & Spa, Dunsborough.

The 2006 Cowaramup Chardonnay is still a favourite at the Margaret River Hotel's Bistro and is now also a feature at Valentino's Cafe, Northbridge, where they are selling plenty by the glass and bottle. Stocks are going fast so get those orders in before we run out.

Russ Reynolds, Grape Grower Extraordinaire

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REVIEWS

James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2010 Edition.

Russell and Marilyn Reynolds run a biodynamic vineyard with the aid of sons Cameron (Viticulturist) and Anthony (Winemaker). Notwithstanding low yields and the discipline that biodynamic grape growing entails, wine prices are modest.
Vineyard Rating 41/2 Stars.

5 Stars - Margaret River Chardonnay 2008 Super-elegant, intense grapefruit and nectarine; long palate with great line. Gold WA Wine Show.
Rating 94.

4 1/2 Stars - Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2008 Lively,fresh,crisp and focused, the low alcohol eminently suited to the blend; delicate, but fresh,passionfruit nuances lift the palate of a drink - me - quick style.
Rating 90.

Margaret River Shiraz 2007 Convincing purple-tinged colour; an aromatic, light- to medium- bodied wine with juicy black and red fruits, tannins and warm, spicy oak all contributing.
Rating 90.

Margaret River Merlot Cabernet 2007 Bright red- purple; fresh juicy red and black fruits on the medium-bodied palate, with just a touch of savory tannin.
Rating 90.

Ray Jordan's Guide To Wine 2006/07

"This new venture in the upper reaches of the Ellensbrook, in the heart of the Margaret River area, was started by former..."
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Peter Forrestal STM Top 100 Wines

2006 Clownfish Sauvignon Blanc Semillon - 17.5 points (out of 20)

"The 17ha vineyard at Cowaramup was planted in 1995 using organic biodynamic principles and this wine is impressive, bright, fresh and focused, with ripe tropical flavours, some minerally notes and passionfruit to finish."

Phillip White - Independent Weekly, South Australia

2006 Clownfish Sauvignon Blanc Semillon - 93 points (out of 100)

"Jumping fresh tropical fruits seem to bounce about in liqueur and juice, star fruit, cranberry, melon, pear, honeydew. It tastes like a Stephen Hickinbotham jewel from Anakie in the early 80's. That means brilliant and rare, and heavenly."

Ray Jordan's Guide To Wine 2005/06

"The first wine released was under the Clownfish label and already the results of his attention to detail in producing quality fruit appears to be paying dividends."
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AWARDS

2007 Chardonnay

2008 Chardonnay

2009 Chardonnay

2007 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

2008 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

2009 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

2007 Merlot Cabernet

2008 Merlot Cabernet

2007 Shiraz

2008 Shiraz

2005 Chardonnay

2006 Chardonnay

2005 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

2006 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

2004 Merlot Cabernet

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