Premium Yarra Valley Wines
No Images? Click here
Dear wine lover,
Our friends in the Yarra Valley at Hoddles Creek Estate have just released 2 new wines in their single block range this year together with their Syberia Chardonnay, making 3 excellent wines being released right now. All 3 have received great reviews of 95 points or higher which we will get to a little later.
But first, Winemaker, Franco D'Anna, will tell you a little more about them:
"This year, I'm pleased to announce the addition of two new wines to our single block range. Road Block Chardonnay and PSB Pinot Noir join Syberia Chardonnay. It's always fascinating to see how these blocks perform year in, year out. The key for us is the blocks need to be able to replicate the same fruit qualities over a number of years, and also in differing seasons."
"Firstly, the two Chardonnay's. Road Block and Syberia couldn't be further apart in how they are grown, elevation and aspect. Syberia is our highest block on the property, it's rows run East-West to minimise sun exposure. Road Block is our lowest altitude block, grown next to Gembrook Rd with it's rows terraced because it is so steep. The key to Road Block, is it is protected from the morning sun by a line of gum trees that also help block some wind. It sees minimal afternoon sun, as the sun is over the hill by the afternoon. Hence, although it doesn't have altitude, there are a number of factors that make this block special."
"Road Block was first planted to Sauvignon Blanc (such a waste!), and with no desire or passion to make Sauvignon Blanc we replanted it to Mendosa Clone Chardonnay on 101-14 Rootstock. It was a easier decision to pull out and replant to get some more vines on Rootstock to prevent against phylloxera. The very first vintage, it made amazing Chardonnay. We waited another 3 vintages until we have decided that this block needs to be highlighted."
"PSB has a similar story to Road Block. It has produced a number of vintages now (mostly going into the Estate Pinot Noir) until we decided that it can replicate the quality, and it's unique and different enough to warrant a new release. This comes from MV6 and Pommard clones on Rootstock 101-14, with the vines being close planted at 700mm apart. I really like this wine, it has power but enough restraint to command respect." - Winemaker, Franco D'Anna
We have just listed these 3 wines on the website today.
Here are the reviews:
Order - 96 Points - Hoddles Creek Syberia Chardonnay 2016
A sensational chardonnay from Hoddles Creek Estate.
You look at the alcohol and wonder what kind of power it’s going to have and then wham, that’s the end of that thought. This is a quite profound chardonnay: flavoursome, structured, textural and long. It’s a No Hesitation wine. White peach, grapefruit, spices and rocks. It rolls beautifully through the mouth. Cracking. Just cracking.
- 96 points, Campbell Mattison, The WineFront
Order - 95 Points - Hoddles Creek Road Block Chardonnay 2016
A new wine for Franco D'Anna and a stunning debut. It's all about texture with a hint of white stone fruit and citrus, creamed honey and lees notes. Fuller bodied, but it has that tell-tale line of natural acidity and detail coming from the vineyard. Flinty, quite tangy, pure and astonishingly complex given its youth and vine age.
- 95 Points, Jane Faulkner, Gourmet Traveller Wine
Order - 95 Points - Hoddles Creek PSB Pinot Noir 2017
Straight into ‘stand back and admire’ territory. I’m tempted to call it a structural release because there’s certainly an emphasis there, though there’s also a healthy spread of fruit and spice flavour; this is a wine with a powerful presence, its lightness of colour at odds with the impact it achieves. Herb-age, spice-age, swings of sweetness and savouriness; it’s seriously impressive at every turn.
- 95 points, Campbell Mattison, The WineFront
"Enjoy the wines, we won't make them every year and we think that each has it's own unique personality." - Winemaker, Franco D'Anna
Additionally for those who missed our Moss Wood Cabernet Email last week, there are fewer than 10 bottles of the Moss Wood Cabernet 2014 left in stock.
Cheers
Sarah Fuller
World Wine
