A Taste of James Halliday
Gruyere, Australia
Tasting March 2015
By Sean Overpeck
A quick tour of Australia, beginning in Melbourne, after finishing an eight month working tour in Antarctica was just what I needed. Instead of flying straight home to the United States, I decided to book a week in Australia since I was so close, had never been down under, and would not have this opportunity again for along time. The Yarra Valley wine region is an hours drive outside of Melbourne, and over a two day period, I would visit six vineyards for tastings plus lunches at two others. The first stop was at the Coldstream Hills Vineyard. On this first day I would manage only one other winery plus lunch since I decided to stop at the Healesville Sanctuary to see some Koala Bears and Kangaroo’s. After all I was in Australia!!
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From vineyards home page:
The story of Coldstream Hills began with a commitment and passion for the Yarra Valley as a wine region that produces exceptional fruit.
Since its first vintage in 1985, Coldstream Hills has grown to be one of Australia's leading small wineries. With a reputation for producing outstanding single vineyard and reserve wines Coldstream Hills has a particular focus on the internationally heralded varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Situated in the Yarra Valley, one of Australia's premier cool climate wine regions and renowned regions for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the steep, close-planted vineyards lining the natural amphitheatre have become an icon of the region.
Coldstream Hills maintains its boutique winery essence with a suite of winemaking and viticultural techniques to ensure a truthful expression of vineyard and wines that showcase the pedigree of the Yarra Valley.
Winemaking techniques and philosophies haven't changed with the growth in production that is still designed to produce elegant wines with a particularly fine and long finish. In addition to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Coldstream Hills produces Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and sparkling wine, across three tiers and offerings.
Wine writer, judge and personality James Halliday founded Coldstream Hills in 1985; although he has since retired from winemaking, James remains active within the business.
For the past decade, Andrew Fleming, along with fellow winemaker Greg Jarratt, has led the Coldstream Hills winemaking. Testament to their combined talents, Coldstream Hills wines have received ongoing recognition at some of the country's most esteemed wine shows, cementing its position as not only one of the regions great wineries, but also one of the great wine producers of Australia.
Main review:
The tasting room for Coldstream Hills like its name was on a small hill. A two story structure, painted in a light grey, with a patio that views overlooking the Northeastern side of the entire Yarra Valley, and of course the vineyards below. The vineyards were very serene growing along the face of the hills, in small angles from the top to the bottom. In the tasting room they had several displays of their wines that had won some wards, plus a special trophy case from very high end awards.
Coldstream has three ranges of wine to choose from wether you're doing a tasting or there for the purchase. The single vineyard range, Yarra Valley range, and the reserve range. The Yarra Range are wines that express the purity of the Yarra Valley region, wines of elegance, length and complexity. The single vineyards ranges are crafted to highlight and express the quality and unique characteristics of select vineyards within the Yarra Valley. Finally the reserve range are the flagship wines in their portfolio.
With the tastings, you get to try a variety from each range beginning with the Yarra Valley range chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Merlot. When you move on to the single vineyard ranges it is more chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Rising Hill, and Deer Farm which are both in the Yarra Valley, but some distance from the Coldstream Estate itself. Finally with the reserves you get a tasting of the best that they offer.
All the tasting notes from these wines are listed below along with pricing information. They do offer shipping to many parts of the world, and at a small cost then other countries like South Africa for example. Of the six wineries that I would visit over this two day period, Coldstream was one of my personal favorites close to the top of the list behind Yarra Yering Vineyards, and Domonique Portet which just so happened to be their neighbors down the road.
96 - 100
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is Extraordinary
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90 - 95
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is Outstanding
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80 -89
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is Above the Average
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70 - 79
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is Below the Average
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60 - 69
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poor / appalling / “Cac”
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Review basics:
Wine, Dine, & Play’s Rating
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90
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| Wines Produced | Red: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Shiraz White: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc |
| Regulatory | AGWA: The Australian Grape and Wine Authority |
This or these wines remind me of:
The Chardonnay’s were lite while others were mildly crisp, and the Pinot Noir’s reminded me of some Willamette Valley Pinot’s in Oregon, or a California Row 11 Santa Maria Pinot. The best part was that the Chardonnay’s didn't remind me of the butter bombs from California, yet more like Chablis styles such as Domaine William Fèvre. Their Shiraz was bold but since visiting Stellenbosch and Franschhoek in South Africa I am spoiled with their shiraz and blended wines, but the Coldstream came close to the Steenberg Vineyard in Constantia, South Africa.
Overall I rate Coldstream Hills with a score of 90, an outstanding experience and tasting. With my ratings I just don’t rate the wine, I also try to rate the entire experience to include customer service amongst a few. Again, very high marks.
Other Yarra Valley favorites on Wine, Dine, and Play:
TarraWarra Restaurant, Healesville
Bottle Prices
(excluding taxes)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00
**Currencies chosen reflect the world’s major travelers and restaurant connoisseur’s**
Wine Selction:
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Currency in the top wine producing countries: | Price Chart : |
Rising Hill Chardonnay 2012 (750 ml)
|
||
$44.90
|
Australian Dollar (AUS)
|
$
|
$31.99
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$
|
£23.05
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
€29.25
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€
|
$43.21
|
Canadian Dollar (CAN)
|
$
|
¥209.11
|
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
|
¥¥¥¥
|
R516.32
|
South African Rand (ZAR)
|
RRRRR
|
$495.95
|
Argentine Peso (ARS)
|
$$$$$
|
22,157.00
|
Chilean Peso (CLP)
|
$$$$$
|
$48.24
|
New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
|
$
|
Deer Farm Vineyard Chardonnay 2013 (750 ml)
|
||
$44.90
|
Australian Dollar (AUS)
|
$
|
$31.99
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$
|
£23.05
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
€29.25
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€
|
2013 Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (750 ml)
|
||
$32.90
|
Australian Dollar (AUS)
|
$
|
$23.44
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$
|
£16.89
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
€21.44
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€
|
The Esplanade Pinot Noir 2013 (750 ml)
|
||
$49.90
|
Australian Dollar (AUS)
|
$
|
$35.55
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$
|
£25.62
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
€32.51
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€
|
Reserve Chardonnay 2012 (750 ml)
|
||
$59.90
|
Australian Dollar (AUS)
|
$$
|
$42.67
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$
|
£30.75
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
€39.03
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€
|
Reserve Pinot Noir 2012 (750 ml)
|
||
$84.99
|
Australian Dollar (AUS)
|
$$
|
$60.55
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$$
|
£43.63
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
€55.38
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€€
|
Bouquet & Palette:
Wine & Grape:
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Nose (Bouquet):
|
Palette Experience:
|
Rising Hill Chardonnay 2013
|
Attractive stone-fruit notes of nectarine flesh and quince are evident with underlying mineral and slate. Ripe and complex, the wine is supported by seamless French oak and grilled nut barrel fermentation. This wine was fermented and matured on lees for nine months French oak – forty two percent new, with the remainder in seasoned French oak barriques and puncheons.
|
Harmonious and very true to style, the palate is generous with a complex array of stone- fruit, quince, mineral and slate. The wine is very textural with barrel fermentation and lees aged characters underpinned by seamless French oak. Mouth-watering acidity harnesses the palate, giving it focus, balance and length.
|
2013 Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc
|
Attractive and restrained, with subtle characters of pear, nettle and lemon pith dominating. Secondary notes of passionfruit and nougat like oak add further complexity to the wine.
|
The palate is delicate and beautifully balanced with crisp lemon acidity. Attractive notes of lemon blossom and lantana are enhanced by creamy nougat oak and passionfruit. The palate is long, finishing with gooseberry stalkiness and nettle.
|
Deer Farm Chardonnay 2013
|
Attractive and restrained, the wine exhibits vibrant notes of lime citrus, stone-fruit and white flowers. Underlying nuances of slate-mineral and nougat are evident, with beautifully balanced and seamless French oak adding further complexity.
|
Fine, pure and layered, the wine displays vibrant characters of lemon curd and white peach. Secondary notes of nougat and grilled cashew nut underpinned by the very subtle presence of French oak. Harmonious and textural, the palate is long and finishes with beautifully balanced acidity.
|
The Esplanade Pinot Noir 2013
|
Complex and powerful with ripe fruit characters of dark cherry, plum and blueberry. Hints of stalk, bramble and spice, as well as nuances of whole berry savouriness are supported by seamless French oak.
|
Medium bodied and layered, the palate exhibits vibrant characters of dark cherry and plum. Secondary characters of whole bunch stalk, savory mineral and spice are underpinned by integrated French oak. The wine has great texture and finishes with silky, yet persistent tannins.
|
Reserve Chardonnay 2012
|
Attractive peach stone-fruit and white flowers are underpinned by nuances of lemon barley, nougat and lemon curd.
|
The palate is fine in style, with creamy texture and finely balanced lemon acidity. White peach and lemon pith dominate with seamless French oak and hints of wet slate adding further complexity.
|
Reserve Pinot Noir 2012
|
The bouquet is restrained and pure, with dark plum and cherry characters fruit characters dominating. Secondary notes of whole bunch savouriness and spice.
|
Medium bodied in style, the wine has great presence, texture and length. Ripe fruit characters of plum and cherry are underpinned by savory whole bunch notes and spice.
|
Château or Vineyard Owner:
James Halliday
Viticulturist:
Jamie Hewet
Winemaker:
Andrew Fleming
Vineyard &Tasting Room Address:
31 Maddens Lane,
Gruyere, VIC 3770
Australia
GPS Coordinates:
-37.720700
145.462808
Contact Information:
Tasting room:
|
+61 (03) 5960 7000 |
| Fax: | +61 (03) 5964 9389 |
| Website: | Coldstream Vineyards |
| Email: | Contact Winery |
| Social Media: |
Facebook Link |
| Twitter&ColdstreamHills | |
Tasting Room Information:
Monday - Sunday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
AEDT: Australian Eastern Daylight Time (GMT + 11:00)
The best wines or wineries reviewed by Wine, Dine, and Play
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Stellenbosch, South Africa
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Napa, California, USA
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Santa Barbara, California, USA
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Franschhoek, South Africa
|
Penner Ash Winery
Willamette, Oregon
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Rutherford, California, USA
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Asheville, North Carolina, USA
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Stellenbosch, South Africa
|
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Alexander Valley, California, USA
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Napa, California, USA
|
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Yountville, California
|
Bergström Wines
Willamette, Oregon
|
Yarra Yering
Yarra Valley, Australia
|
Constantia, South Africa
|
|
St Helena, California
|
Napa, California, USA
|
You can also use these sites for reference on the top wine categories:
Wine Spectator top 100, Food & Wine worlds best wine tasting experience, the Best Wines of the World list, uncorked.com worlds best list, Wines of the World best list, Forbes top wine list, weekly wine buys by Robert Parker, the Tasting Panel’s best wines list, the Wine Enthusiast top 100 list, Kens Wine Guide top 100, best Chilean wines list, Matthew Jukes top 100 of Australia, Top French Wines list, top California wines list, top Oregon wines list, The Italian Wine Connections top list, Taylor and Norton best German wine, best Spanish wines list, best 10 wines from Argentina.
Review by:
Sean Overpeck (CFE)
The Picture below was taken at the Coldstream Vineyard Tasting Room
About Sean:
I am based out of St. Petersburg, Florida working in the food service industry for the past twenty years, and am currently with the American Embassy as the Executive Chef in Basra, Iraq. Formally I have worked with groups contracting in Afghanistan, Dubai, and Antarctica, also working in restaurants in and around Atlanta prior to the wars. I have also owned a catering company and served proudly in the United States Army food service program. The idea for the Wine, Dine, and Play Blog started in late 2012 after a trip to Jordan, when I was asked by others to write down the experiences from a few Jordanian restaurants, plus the wine from the region that I tasted, and locations of interest such as Petra, and the culture. Since that time, nearly 200 articles have been written on restaurants, including fifteen from the worlds top 100 lists of San Pellegrino and the Elite Travelers Guide; exotic world locations such as Dubai, Petra, and African Safari’s; food recipes & Grand Food Dictionaries; country cuisines such as Afghan and Peruvian; and of course wine from vineyards in California, Oregon, the Carolina’s, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.
TTFN
“I like cooking with wine; sometimes I even add it to the food.”
