7/08/08 Bugger it! it's time to lean back, stretch and take a break!

Raspberries all round! If you've been cruising the web site lately, you'll notice that I've been as busy as a beaver getting everything updated and looking lovely. And doesn't it just! I'm really happy at the moment. Monday just past I bottled off 300 cases of a 2008 'Sticky Riesling' 150 to 200 of which will be finding their way over to Stone House Vintners in Texas within the next few months and the rest which I'll be releasing very soon. It is bloody yummy… three tongues from Dave! The other little super primo vino about to be released is the 'VP CRAZY' an amazing Shiraz Cab Liqueur which is in a 200ml bottle and unbelievable to drink. More on that when it is released.
Anyway my next step is to do a mail out on the new wines I've released and just as soon as my 'mailer' has bee repaired, I'll do just that.

27/07/08 Hi Snow, back again!

Well it's been a pretty interesting time in the last couple of months. The reason Frank "the beige wombat" (pin up boy for the Larrikin n.v.) is featuring in the photo is a tale of devilment and bad behavior. True to the Larrikin name, Frank in the company of his accomplice Stella, has been taking every opportunity to escape the back yard and make a bee line for the neighbor's property. Old Ron (Snow) Andritski isn't seeing the funny side as my very naughty dogs have supplemented their regular diet with the freshest free range chicken fillets, thighs, necks, feathers, feet etc etc. So far it has cost me 2 x 30 packs of VB Beer cans to smooth the waters, but as they say, you can take the Larrikin out of the chickens, but unfortunately for Snow, you can't take the chickens out of the Larrikin- …Well I guess they do come out eventually, but I must say that they are definitely not the same. Sorry Snow, I promise that was the last time! I've resurrected the 'Hot Wire' around the yard to stop the escapees in their tracks so a word of warning must also be spread:- be careful if you visit and take a leak on the fence- trust me!
Other news… last Wednesday the 23rd was my 36th Birthday. Still a spring chicken I reckon… better stay out of Franks way I guess. I had a lovely day, Lunch with Nicki and Alex along with Jamie, Shannon and Vienne Gladigau at 1918 Restaurant in Tanunda. The food was superb. Christian, as always did an awesome job in the kitchen. After lunch I had a quiet evening with the rest of the family just kicking back.
Why was it such a quiet one??? (I hear you ask)
The answer is well and truly in the liver. The previous Saturday courtesy of the Tanunda Cellars QLD Crew a group of 10 boutique winemakers (of which I was one) descended on the Sebel and Citigate's Ball Room in Brisbane to help raise funds for the Mater Medical Research Institute at a grand dinner. We kicked off with a couple of beers and a few gins in the early afternoon (to ensure the stories were well lubricated and interesting) before putting on the penguin suit and pouring a taste or two of our best drop(s). The response to the wines was really good and of course, just to be polite I knocked a few back with the punters then too. After the tasting, the party moved into the grand ball room where we all sat down to a delightful combination of our wines, great company and a more than decent meal! Suffice to say that a few more glasses helped keep the vocal gear turning over as well. The night fairly flew past and before I knew it there was a 20 foot conga line and good old rock 'n' roll belting out. I think it was around midnight we adjourned to the bar for a few quiet cleansers (and perhaps another gin or three) before the 'off to the casino' cry rallied us round. Not to gamble mind you but rather to keep up the boogie and the party in us all.
at around 4am I slipped gratefully into bed for a couple of hours before dragging myself to the airport for an 8.30 flight home. Between you and me, this is the upside of selling wine and supporting a bloody good cause.
Apart from this fun little interlude, the last two months have been absolutely flat out making sure I have the new release reds packaged and ready to go. We did an exclusive first release of the 2003 reds at the Hyatt Coolum on the Sunshine Coast three weeks ago and are finally ready to announce the wines to the rest of the world.
So to close out this entry, I spent today updating the web site and getting it ready for the mail out announcement of all the new wines. So I guess I should get back to it and do just that!

25/05/08 Bloody Hopeless… at keeping in touch

Well Who's been a naughty boy then… I know I know, the old website has been pretty bloody static for the last 3 months. In my defense I can only say I'VE BEEN BLOODY BUSY ALRIGHT! Actually I must admit this is a bit more than an excuse. I'm finally bouncing back from the Post Vintage Letdown. It's not just a mental nor just a physical thing but rather a bit like an sky scraper made of cardboard being left in the rain… The big slump sets in and it's bloody hard to fight it. The best medicine is to lay low and just keep swimming, just keep swimming. Anyway, when the slump is upon you sometimes you just don't feel like talking… or at least blogging. Luckily, like all the best syndromes eventually they bugger off and you can bounce back full of life and raring to go. Well I bloody am.
I must admit that last weekends Olive Picking had a lot do do with finishing the bounce back. Charlie, Neil Kate and myself spent Saturday dodging the glorious rain (2 inches all up). On Sunday we were joined by Roger and Kym (Picking Like Demons) and Monday Neil and Kate put in what would be best described as a guest appearance before leaving Charlie Andy Rebbecca and myself to clean up after pruning the olive tree next to Mum and Dads back to a stump… honest mum, it'll be better for it!
Anyway, We headed down to Maccalino's at Two Wells where the 650 kg's were milled and cold pressed into 75 delicious litres of Super Duper Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Bloody excellent.
Well as I mentioned the batteries are charged and I am raring to go. Look out in the next week or so, the web site is getting an Enema before being repacked with a whole stack of new goodies.
So bye for now, I need to get started!!!

13/4/08 More Sunday Musings

Sunday mornings always have that slightly fuzzy edge. Maybe it's the bottle of Red from the night before or perhaps the unspoken knowledge that it is supposed to be a day of rest. Either way I really enjoy the relaxed feelings I have on a Sunday. The last of the Shiraz was pressed out overnight and as you can see the colour is delicious. I can't wait to see this year's wines cleaned up and through Malo. It all looks so good. This morning is the first day of the last batch of Cabernet. It came off the horse paddock and even though it got a little hammered by the heat wave a few weeks ago on the vine, it's come up roses (or I guess cabernet) anyway, I guess I better stop procrastinating and get back onto the shovel!
You know, I keep saying, "it's all good" but the best thing that it oh so IS!!!

12/4/08 Looking back at The Larrikin Moon of Easter

The fatigue is starting to really set in now as Vintage 2008 slowly grinds to a close. Perhaps another 5 days of pressing to go and then we will be finished. It's been a long haul again this year, from first fruit in on the 2/2/08 to last fruit in… soon I hope. I've had a few really magical moments this year (actually there has been many) but a few weeks ago as I was pumping over the Larrikin blend on a beautifully warm late summer night the full moon rose to face me. The old 1948 Chev Tipper was full to the brim with a combination of this years Grenache Shiraz Cab and Mataro along with 3 barrels of the cuvee base from last years blend. My senses were awash with the beauty of the evening, the heady fumes of the wine and the gentle buzz that good friends food and wine always delivers. We had our close friends Rick and Jess Loan (and family) over for Easter Sunday dinner and Rick snapped this photo. I think that whenever I drink the 2008 bottling of the Larrikin this moment will evermore come to mind. Ahhh… life is wonderful, especially when it is fully lived. Cheers

31/3/08 Some wanted to work, others…

Quick update… Vintage red all in as of last week! Yah Yah. Quality ranges from awesome to phenominal! I was bloody right at flowering I tells ya! The quality of the reds we have pulled off this year has left me absolutely stunned. The power and intensity accross the board has been wonderful. I'm still out there finishing off (5 or so tonne of Rizza still to come for Sticky and Fortified) but the preassure is relenting and I have actually spent time with Nicki and the kids!
Onto other VERY IMPORTANT THINGS!!!
Well, what can I say! Sunday was a real treat. An old old mate, Oz -seen here hydrating himself responsibly before commencing strenuous exercise- his betrothed, Taryn and a couple of good mates of theirs Bec and Dan -Wielding the mighty plunger- arrived on my doorstep late Sunday morning determined to help out. Never being one to knock back free labour of any sort I of course jumped at the chance.
With the last of the reds in last week, I'm down to my one active red ferment. I like to plunge each ferment about 4 times a day during the active fermentation. The poor bastard of a fermenter you see Dan so vigorously mixing had roughly its entire number of plunges I'd expect to administer over its 3 week life delivered over roughly a two hour period! By the time everyone had a go it was so well mixed I really haven't had to plunge again… Only joking guys, you did a Stirling job.
Next Oz and Dan took turns to load the press. Not bad at all for a couple of city slickers! (I think they actually enjoyed swinging the shovel). Anyway , most of the grapes hit the press (some even on the inside) and we set it going. Around this time our ranks were further swelled by the arrival of more friends… who declined to help load the press, so are not allowed to be named! Once the basket was loaded and pressing happily away we kicked back for a few reds and a good yarn or two. I'm not sure about Oz and Taryn, but I reckon Dan and Bec have definitely been bitten by the bug. They left muttering excitedly about making a tonne or so for themselves and flogging it to their mates back in the UK. I certainly hope that they do!
Cheers for the help and the company guys, it made Sunday a funday. Oh and by the way… g'day to all of Dan and Bec's family and friends over there in the UK… I bet you poor bastards wish you were here!
Cheers
Dave

25/2/08 Now that's what I call a bath!

Those little buggers, you turn your back for one minute and next thing you know the kids are up to their neck in it… I know we're on severe water restrictions here in the Barossa but somehow I don't think Nicki's going tho think they are actually cleaner after their bath. I reckon they smell better though!
This was a lovely little parcel of Shiraz from the South Western corner of our Stonewell Hill block. Like everything this year the colours are bloody phenomenal! Save your penny's folks, I reckon its one of the best years for red I've ever seen! Yah Yah!

22/2/2008 The Full Swing of Vintage

Well Vintage hit a swift and decisive blow over the last week. A burst of hot weather late last week really brought most of the Shiraz into the picking zone. The richness of the colours and the flavours in the fermenters is absolutely stunning. My early thoughts on 2008 being a great year seems to be proving correct. The nice thing is that not only do we have good quality but the quantities are really good too. I reckon 2008 could quite possibly surpass the awesome 2002 vintage for quality. I am really stoked. The only drawback is the lack of sleep because as usual everything needs to be picked at once! Oh well, back to the grindstone for me… hard work but bloody good fun!

11/2/2008, Vintage has STARTED!!!

Hoo Bloody Ripper Rita Ray!
Even though I picked Semillon last week (and delicious it's looking too) I really feel vintage starts when the first reds roll in. Well TODAY IS THAT DAY! I have two (modestly sized but hugely flavoured) tubs of Shiraz, hand picked by the team from Linke Vineyard Services. They did a sterling job and got the grapes of lickety split. Cheers and thanks!
By the time I got the tubs home they were already black and intense. I tell you. It's going to be a cracker. Although it's a (BLOODY) early vintage the phenolic s are already developed, the acids look great and the fruit is ripe ripe ripe for the picking. The next three months…start now and I love it!!
Well I'm stuffed and as you can tell a little loco, so off to bed with me!
Till next time Punch the ZZZZ's
Dave

24/01/08 We're getting excited!

Vintage is just around the corner. 99% of the Shiraz is Black, 70% of the Cabernet has changed colour and the Semillon is almost ready to pick. Although the theme this summer has been, is and seems likely to continue as HOT, the vines are doing really well. There's boggins of flavour in the grapes and the skins are thickening up well. We've had to give the vines a couple of drinks, but all in all the mulch has proved its mettle and kept the vines very well protected. Not long and it will be all systems go for harvest.

My preparations for vintage are almost complete. There's a few loose ends to tie up -like bottling the 2005 reds, but I am right on schedule. My quest for diverse and subtle complexities in the wines is not only leading me all over the vineyard but also through a diverse range of Barrels from a range of different Coopers. The results so far are awesome, but the best I am sure is yet to come!!!

Fingers crossed for a perfect finish to the season: lots of cool nights and a drop or two of rain.

13/1/08 Congratulations to Paul and Natalie!

Well, here I am, Sunday Afternoon, a little 'hunged' over after celebrating the nuptials of one of my Best Mates; Paul Lindner -Supreme Winemaker at Langmeil Wines- to his Soul Mate Natalie Stephenson Police Prosecutor all around nice girl.

Standing at his shoulder was a great honor… but the party after really took the cake. I'm a big fan of Weddings! I reckon they are generally the best party ever. Optimism Love and lust for life seems to pervade the whole day and it's always a big shindig. Last night certainly was no exception. More wine than you could poke a stick at (Langmeil of course) that all pretty much drank supremely well. Lashings of Icy Cold Coopers Pale, plenty of Brandy and Scotch for the Brides Family and a meal to die for.

From the skilled and delicate hands of Owen Andrews flowed a feast of platters and dishes that knocked everyones socks off. Bloody Awesome Owen -well done. If you are looking for a caterer in the Barossa or surrounds, he's your man!

Well I'm supposed to get to the recovery at some stage today so I better chuff off. Try and kill the hangover with a few glasses of red I guess. Oh, life is tough… Tee Hee

1/1/08 It's A New Year!

Cheers for the New Year! As the 2008 vintage rapidly barrels towards us, it looks to be another early one again. Yields at this stage definitely look better than last year, and the fruit is is good nick as well. The vines have copped a hammering from the really hot conditions but thanks in part to the copious amounts of Horse Poo we spread under the vines and careful pruning, the little buggers are holding up their end magnificently.

I'm holding pretty high expectations for the coming harvest. Bud Burst and Set was picture perfect and although perhaps a little hot since then, the odd timly sprinkle has kept everything going pretty well. I still think we are in for a cracker. I guess we'll have a much better idea in about six weeks time!

Well fingers crossed, although I'm sure we won't need it.

5/10/07

Well everything is finally out in the vineyard. The cabernet has revealed it's secrets and the early indications for most varieties is pretty good. I've seen two bunches on most of the shoots and everything is looking even and healthy. I can tell you I was pretty concerned during winter. Last season was really hard on the vines and we really didn't know what it took out of them. It's a relief that the early signs are so good. There's a long way to go but a good start is well… a good start.

Here's hoping for a though bred year… we spread about 300 tonnes of mulched down horse manure through the vineyards this year which should help act as both a mulch and a low level fertilizer. With the sort of water restrictions we are going to face this season and I suspect the foreseeable future it will be important to keep the vines as happy and healthy as possible along with providing an environment that conserves as much natural moisture as possible.
Eventually I plan to straw mulch much of our vineyards, but given the current demand for straw as livestock food around Australia, the price is just too prohibitive. Oh well we can only do what we can. That said, I am looking forward to the coming season, It should be an absolute cracker!

As the last of the 2002 vintage wines are sold out, I am looking forward to releasing the 2003's. Although not as varietally intense as the 2002's they're bloody delicious! Look out for them, they are only about a month or so away.

29/8/07 The Lunar experience…

Wednesday Lunchtime 29/8/07-

We stayed up late last night watching the Lunar Eclipse. Unreal! it was a perfect night for viewing with crystal clear skies and no wind… just a little cold!

Today is beautiful and sunny. I just spent a few hours pruning with Corey Chaplain out in the old Bush Vine Grenache block (planted 1923). Although the sap isn't flowing too much yet, you can tell bud burst is just around the corner. Although we desperately need rain (almost everywhere is in dire straits) if you aren't going to get it, at least its a nice day.

We've just about finished the last dribs and drabs of pruning after a 3 or 4 week break. All that's left is the vines I use for the Larrikin Blend and a little bit of Riesling that mad an awesome sticky this year.

I'm absolutely flat out at the moment. I am putting the finishing touches on the 2003 Labels for the Georgie's Walk, Benjamin's Promise and Alexander's Reward and am printing the first of this stock to go over to Japan in the next couple of weeks.
Malo's all pumped through so quickly this year that for the first time I sulfured on Gross Lees. I'll start racking these wines in the next week or so. and get them finished off for their first 12 months oak aging. The 2007's all look great!

The 2005's are basically ready to come out of wood and will be heading for bottling soon. Cant wait to show you all them!

Well enough procrastination… back to work it is!

2/7/07 Bali Bound

Monday night July 2 2007

Well one one more sleep and we are finally off. Excitement for tomorrow battles with the fatigue from yesterday. Christ I am buggered! The last week and a half or so have been a blur of preparations as I try to get ready for the two week family holiday in Bali. Awesome yeah yeah!!!

Today I finally topped the last of the 2007 wines that are through malo at about 5pm and could breathe a sigh that as much as could be done with the wines before we went away had been done! This evening has been a frenzy of last minute packing interspersed with online banking, transfers and all the other preparations that need to be finished before I can comfortably drop the ball for a few weeks.

Yesterday I had an absolute ball! Trevor Harch and Chris Atkins of Tanunda Cellars decided to turn Trevor's Staff Road Trip into a BBQ for half the Barossa at Peter Lehmann Wines' 'Old Redemption'. Trevor, apart from owning Tanunda Cellars down here and up in QLD is also the partner in an Obscenely Successful construction company on the Sunshine Coast in QLD. His idea of a staff getaway was to bring all of the Evans and Harch construction people down for a weekend of fun, culminating in the Big Bastard BBQ!

Trev generously dipped into his pockets and I organized a feast for all. We started with butterflied quail cooked over charcoal followed with my secret recipe lemon soy chicken, rosemary Angus Beef ribs and finished with 3 suckling pigs on the spit. A bloody good swag of the Barossa's best small to medium producers were there and by the time we slurped our way through the 60 or so bottles of red and white that were bought everyone agreed it was a wonderful day.

There is no way I could have coped without the initial assistance of Corey Chaplin (Winemaker and owner of Luna Wines and the producer of my favourite Benchmark Cabernet Sauvignons, the 2004 Luna Cab Sauv-awesome) and subsequent help from top chef, wine guru and all round raconteur Peter Clark of Tin Shed Wines and Vintners Restaurant.

The aftermath landed at 'Wildie's' house (Christian and Amy Canute of Rusden Wines) and from all accounts was a perfect finish to big old day.

Anyway I'm off to bed to enjoy a quick bit of sleep before we head to Bali… Yee Har!

10/6/07 Olives 'n' Oils

Each Year a group of us like minded souls get together to produce an Olive Oil of outstanding Character. Before you send emails asking when is it available etc, I have to point out that we make our oil on a very democratic system. If you turn up and do the work, you get a pro rata share of the oil.

Although we weren't expecting a bumper crop we thought at least we'd have enough to see us through. Optimism gave way to surprise which led to concern and finally hovered around active panicas on the first morning we slowly drove past tree after tree without the slightest hint of an olive anywhere. The incredibly dry year following a less than ideal flowering had left all the trees that had been so bountiful year after year, as bare as Hubbard's cupboard.

Finally as the onset of depression threatened to send us home empty we spotted Nirvana in the form of our first heavily laden tree. We spread out the tarps grabbed our rakes and spent the entire day cleaning out only around 3/4's of that tree. The next morning we finished it and spent the rest of the day on a few more trees that let us pick our fill. Disaster averted! the best bit to come.

Saturday and Sunday taken care of, Monday morning at sun up saw us gathered at Maccillino's, a traditional cold press olive oil processing shed in Two Wells to turn all our hard fought olives into liquid green gold. You have to do all the work yourself, from loading the olives bucket by bucket into the mill, through coating and stacking the pressing mats, but the reward was when we could stand around, drink piping hot espressos and watch the sun glint of the fat oozing droplets of our hard fought oil. The finat task was to clean the olive paste like small sheets of cardboard, off the mats and stack them up for the next group to use.

We left 3 hours after we arrived with our 4 drums of oil, keen to get home and finally relax. Another year's harvest was safely tucked away to settle, we'll bottle in August then for the rest of the year lavishly use our oil with the knowlege that it was hard fought but well won!

It was a small crew this year but we still managed almost 80 litres of oil

13/6/07 Into Pruning and all that winter stuff…

Its been a crazy few weeks and no doubt a few crazy ones to come. The team of Chilean Pruners we have used for the last two year is back again to do their wonderful work. This is their 3rd year and we have only the highest praise for their work ethic and sense of fun. Juan Jose Eby Mueller and the rest of the gang work like troopers, but are always willing to stop work and knock back a bottle or two. This friday we are all getting together for a T-Bone and Red afternoon that if past experience is anything to go by will be bloody awesome!
Corey (with a bit of help from me) has been chugging through our 1923 dry grown shiraz block, and all things considered it is holding up very well. We now have all our vineyards (bar a block of Semillon) on spur pruning, and the quality has been outstanding. What the comming year holds only the fates can tell, but I'm Pretty sure it will be as always verryyy Interesting!

6/6/07 Degustation gusto!!!

WOW!!! Last night we indulged in a superb culinary feast. if a plate of food and a glass of wine were an essay then Mark Karen and the Team at Appellation have written Hamlet!!!
We arrived seven-ish for a pre dinner drink (Nicki Jess and Rick had a Hendrix Gin and Tonic while I had a very dry Martini).

We then moved at a beautiful pace through the menu (click on the image of the menu above for a large view)
I will say this now, right at the start so that I don't have to repeat myself for each course. Every dish that was placed before us without exception was an aesthetic masterpiece. Every plate placed before us was visually stunning… almost (but not quite) too good to eat. So our epic meal began…

The initial 'mouthful' (not mentioned on the menu) really got the appetite going. An artful combination of avocado with cumin and lemon wrapped in a juicy layer of red capsicum. It really got the juices flowing and the appetite sharpened. Rebbecca and the team on the floor were warmly efficient, discrete and informative throughout the meal… which started with the hare and the nicole n.v. With my eyes closed it was amazing how closely the aroma profiles matched. Mark has created a match here that actually extends the meal beyond the plate and into the glass. The nicole became a part of the dish that was harmonious to the nth degree in flavour but contrasting with the texture and temperature.

Following on the heels of the Hare was a delicate piece of snapper with the crispiest crust on a bed of garlic mash served with the 06 Riesling. Creamy Creamy Creamy. The delicate spicing brought out all the thyme rosemary and grapefruit in the Riesling… truly a divine match.

As the empty (I licked my plate clean) dishes were unobtrusively removed it wasn't long before both the 2005 Red Rose and the sweet potato salad were placed in front of us. Wow! the contrast between the crunch pop of the nuts roasted to that perfect point where they seem to just melt in your mouth after the crispiest of bites countered with the rich creamy texture of the sweet potato was amazing. The coriander and the cumin combined with the Rose to lift the fruit out of the wine (particularly the maraschino cherry character for me). amazing synergy!

Next the Chicken and lachs-schinken with the 2005 Stonewell Hill Semillon were placed in front of us. Again the melding of flavours was sublime. The semillon's grassy citrus notes cleansed the rich sauce from the mouth without in anyway compromising the flavour. The texture of the chicken with the salty smoky lachs-schinken replenished the mouth from the cleansing wine… sip for taste the palate oscillated between rich and austere…

We took a slightly longer break between courses here and I think Rick even went for another cleansing Hendrix and tonic. Suitably fortified we stepped forward unto the breach and prepared ourselves for the first of the Red matched courses…

We did not have to wait long as before us was placed two small perfectly rested slices of lamb fillet placed in a braised lamb nest atop a gently subsiding bed of lentils. Here the focus of the food and wine interaction really started to change (for me at least.) The 2002 Benjamin's Promise Shiraz formed a perfect foil for the rich meatiness of the lamb braised lamb and lentils. The balanced and lifted characters brought up out of the Shiraz were a lovely contrast to the richness of the lamb and the gentle starchiness of the lentils.

Next came a two personal favourites; Duck and the 2002 Georgie's Walk Cab Sauv. I'm also very partial to barley in food as it has such a wonderfully slippery almost erotic mouth feel. The guys brought this dish to fruition perfectly. The rich game flavours of the duck and the full creamy texture of the barley are at first awoken with the juniper glaze then balanced fully by the intense flavours of the Georgie's Cabernet.

As the wines started to take their toll the mood of the meal lightened yet the excitement certainly never dwindled…

Onwards Christian Solders was the cry as yet another delicious morsel appeared before us. With the heady rich aromas and mouth filling weight of the Alexander's Reward Cab Shiraz dancing around our mouth, the game and bitter chocolate characters hit each point of the palate not already occupied, and a few that were crowded already. Not a seamless combination but rather a lively dance that each sip and taste wove in ever changing patterns- I must admit I felt in need of the Eskimos Thesaurus with the word snow exchanged for delicious, however this happens to be unavailable so I can only add… delicious!

We were starting to reach a pinnacle of intensity and flavour as the wine that I thought would be the hardest to match with food was served. The blockbusting Larrikin n.v. is such an intense explosion of fruit richness and high alcohol that it would be a tall ask to serve something that could carry it. Mark made it over the line -and beyond- with ease! Th rich creamy texture of the fust highlighted by the caramelized onion coat the tongue and mouth leaving the senses momentarily muted which allows the Larrikin to build gently to it's rich crescendo without the impression of a velvet wrapped house brick entering your body.

Finally the end of the meal arrived in the the form of a trio of deserts coupled with the Old Redemption XO Tawny. Suffice to say that it was a fitting end to an absolutely memorable meal! Each portion of the desert on its own created an exquisite and unique counterpoint to the Old Redemption, drawing out and highlighting different shades of the amazing old Tawny, but together they formed the lyrical crescendo that was essential to round out this amazing meal.

I certainly couldn't eat like this every day, who could and survive for long. But that is not what such an immaculately constructed meal is all about. What Mark has done is to build an exclusive, original and exceptional experience for all the senses that only requires good company to make it complete.

Thanky ou Mark and all the Appellation Team for one of the most memorable experiences of my life!

1/6/07 Awesome News:- June Degustation at Appellation

Guru Chef and bloody nice bloke Mark McNamara of Appellation Restaurant out at Peppers The Louise in Marananga has made my year! after a memorable tasting a few weeks ago Mark hinted that he loved the wines so much he'd be keen to do something with them. Well, he certainly has! I am humbled to announce that the June Degustation Tasting Menu has for the first time EVER has be based entirely around a single producer. And even more excitingly (well for me at least) that producer is david Franz. I must admit when Mark and Alice told me I went all tingly inside. This is perhaps the single greatest honor I have achieved in my working life! I'm off there on Monday with Nicki (my wife) and Rick and Jess Loan of 'Loan" Organic Wines to give the menu the test run. Thanks to Jim the owner, Mark, Alice (now on leave) and all the team out at Appellation for this… you guys rock!!!

25/5/07 Autum Musings

-Photo Taken about 3pm today from my front door. Lovely Autumn day, about 21 degrees celcius and not a cloud in the sky!-

May is gently drawing to a close. The frantic activity of Vintage 2007 is well over and life has returned to what we in the Lehmann household regard a normal. I'm really stoked with this years quality. In the month or so before vintage I must admit I was shitting large ill formed bricks. The set was small and initially very uneven over a lot of my varieties, the area had been hit with big frosts (as had the rest of Australia- it seems) and this was followed up with a couple of inches in January that split a lot of the super low cropping blocks. "It's gunna be a Shit year…!" I though to myself. But there you go… This side of vintage I'm all smiles. I like being wrong when it's misplaced pessimism!! So looking ahead. The next few weeks will be spent sulphur-ing and cleaning up the reds post malo, a bit of bottling and and re blending of the 2005's and 2006's. Heaps of hand printing as the second round of 02's go on sale. Best of all a whole stack of family time before I hit the road in mid June. Maybe I'll see you out there somewhere.