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Winemaker Liam McElhinney. Tasmanian Vintners
Liam McElhinney is a Kiwi ring-in who’s essentially altering the face of Tasmanian pinot noir. Born and raised in New Zealand, he honed his abilities within the cool-climate areas of Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay, at The Ned, Saint Clair, te Pā and Trinity Hill.
McElhinney is presently in command of Tasmanian Vintners (previously Winemaking Tasmania), the state’s largest contract winemaking outfit which makes the wines for Bream Creek, Ossa, Gala Property and different small vineyards, in addition to a powerful array of manufacturers for the Fogarty Wine Group.
McElhinney hit the bottom operating when he arrived in Tassie in 2020. The 2020 Ossa Pinot Noir topped the 2021 Australian Pinot Noir Problem.
FWG’s boss Peter Fogarty purchased Tas Vintners after it went into voluntary administration in Might 2019. It was fortuitous as he was then engaged in main funding within the Tasmanian wine business, with vineyards within the Derwent Valley, Coal River Valley and different components of southern Tasmania. At Tas Vintners, McElhinney makes the wines for FWG’s Tasmanian manufacturers Lowestoft, Thalia, Strelley Farm Property, Sandy Bay Property, Anon and Terra Verde.
FWG already owned Deep Woods Property, Evans & Tate, Millbrook and Smithbrook—all in Western Australia—Dalwhinnie within the Victorian Pyrenees, and Lakes Folly within the Hunter Valley.
McElhinney hit the bottom operating when he arrived in Tassie in 2020. The 2020 Ossa Pinot Noir topped the 2021 Australian Pinot Noir Problem. It was not solely his first classic in Tassie however Ossa’s first wine.
Final yr, the 2022 Lowestoft La Maison Pinot Noir turned a number of heads when it gained the Jimmy Watson Trophy on the 2023 Royal Melbourne Wine Awards. This AUD $130 wine is FWG’s pinnacle pinot, sourced from the 42 year-old vines on the Lowestoft winery, which is reverse Moorilla Property within the decrease Derwent Valley.
One other of his massive wins within the 5 vintages he’s accomplished in Tasmania was profitable a Greatest in Present award and platinum medal at this yr’s Decanter World Wine Awards, with the Lowestoft Jacoben Single Winery Pinot Noir 2022 (AUD $100, simply launched).
This wine was sourced from the Jacoben winery at Bridgewater within the decrease Derwent Valley, simply throughout the river from Stefano Lubiana and Derwent Property wineries.
McElhinney describes it as a “postage stamp” winery, simply an acre of pinot noir, which he shares with viticulturist Fred Peacock, who has the long-term lease on the winery. Peacock is the proprietor of Bream Creek and is one among Tasmania’s canniest winery individuals.
The Jacoben vines are about 20 years outdated and McElhinney describes the positioning as cool and south-facing however nonetheless delivering plump, mature pinot grapes.
He says:
“After I first got here to Tasmania I discovered a number of pinots have been northern fruit dominant, (from the Tamar Valley and Pipers River areas). The south-east was simply coming into fruition. We’ve been lucky to return in and work with Fred on fruit provide.”
Making Fred’s wines was an apparent entrée. Bream Creek has by no means had a vineyard of its personal, though it has a cellar door on the winery.
“After I first got here to Tasmania I discovered a number of pinots have been northern fruit dominant. The south-east was simply coming into fruition.” Liam McElhinney
Peacock picked up three trophies for his 2023 Bream Creek Pinot Noir (see separate article on the Sydney present), persevering with a surprising run of success for Bream Creek pinots lately. This specific wine has now gained seven trophies, the opposite 4 being greatest wine of present, greatest pink wine and greatest pinot noir on the Nationwide Cool Local weather Wine Present 2024, and pinot noir of present on the Royal Queensland Wine Present 2024. And it’s simply AUD $46-$50 a bottle.
McElhinney hadn’t completed there. Two of his different pinots gained gold medals in the identical Sydney present class: Bream Creek Reserve 2023 and Strelley Farm 2023. There have been 5 golds in all, the opposite two being Large Steps Yarra Valley 2023 and Citadel Rock Property 2023. The Bream Creek Reserve was overwhelmed for the trophy by its cheaper stablemate, and with out tasting it, I’d think about it’s extra structured and fewer ‘prepared’ than the property wine. And it’s often launched a yr later.
By the way, two Tassie wines additionally topped the 2022 and older pinot noir class. They have been Pipers Brook Winery 2022 and Broad Acres Winery 2022 (from Ulverstone within the north-west).
Go, Tassie!
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