August Wine Club
August 2020, Wine Club Selections
Bronco Buster, Ricca Terra Vintners (2019) Riverland, Lower Murray, South Australia
About the region:
The South Australian wine industry is responsible for more than half the production of all Australian wine. South Australia has a vast diversity in geography and climate which allows the state to be able to produce a range of grape varieties–from the cool climate Riesling in the Clare Valley wine region to the big, full bodied Shiraz wines of the Barossa Valley. Some of Australia's best-known wines like Penfolds Grange, Jacob's Creek, Yalumba and Henschke Hill of Grace are produced there, as well as many of Australia's mass-produced box wines. As with most agriculture in Australia, irrigation is vital to the success of the South Australian wine industry. Located in south central Australia, South Australia is bordered by the four other mainland states, (Western Australia to the west, Queensland to the north east, New South Wales to the east, Victoria to the south east), the Northern Territory to the north, and the Great Australian Bight forms the state's southern coastline. The climate of the state varies greatly, with the more interior regions like the Riverland being intensely hot, and growing cooler closer to the coastal regions like Adelaide Hills. Across the region there is low annual rainfall which necessitates irrigation to counter droughts. Vines are grown at altitudes from the low valley regions of the Barossa and the Riverland up to 600 metres (1,970 ft) high in the vineyards at Pewsey Vale in the Eden Valley. The soil types are also varied, and include the terra rosa of the Coonawarra region, the limestone-marl based soils of the Adelaide and Riverland areas, and the sandy, clay loam based soils of the Barossa. Even though the Riverland area of South Australia is known for its bulk wine production, there are a number of smaller family owned operations that are pursuing more traditional wine making using organic farming and best practices in the winery. This winery is one of those examples and it's producers like this who are the future is the Australian fine wine industry.
About the wine maker:
In a life before wine, Ricca Terra Farms’ Ashley Ratcliff was a horseman (representing Australia in 1991). Growing up on a farm in the Adelaide Hills, he moved to a small town outside Fort Worth, Texas, USA, where his job was breaking in wild horses. Working with an animal that has no prior connection with a human, gaining its trust, teaching it to allow a person to climb all over it, and then building a friendship between horse and man is an amazing and rewarding experience. There are close parallels between breaking in a horse and growing & making alternative grape varieties. Vision, knowledge, trust and patience are required if success is expected, whether that be wine or horse. Get it wrong and you are sure to be bucked off! Ricca Terra is the creation of husband & wife team, Ashley & Holly Ratcliff. In 2003 they purchased their first vineyard in Barmera, South Australia. Their vision was to plant, nurture & make wine from grape varieties best suited to Australia’s warm & dry climate. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot quickly made way for Nero d’Avola, Montepulciano, Tinta Barroca, Fiano, Vermentino and many other Mediterranean varieties. Ricca Terra is recognised for its innovation, leadership & vision, which helps contribute to the future reputation & excitement of Australian Wine. Winner of the Gourmet Traveller Viticulturist of the Year, Ashley & Holly have challenged tradition & forged lasting change with their vineyards & wines.
About the grapes and wine:
The four grape varieties selected to make this wine all have a common theme, they have an ability to hold loads of natural acid when grown in a warm viticultural climate. Vermentino was chosen for its ability to produce great wine in a warm dry environment and was the first white Mediterranean grape planted at Ricca Terra Farms. Fiano was planted purely for its fragrant flavor and Greco to give a crunchy acid punch. Arinto was the special element…the newest grape variety at Ricca Terra Farms. All the varieties are organically grown, hand pruned and hand harvested. The Winemaking: Three of the grape varieties were co-fermented (Vermentino, Fiano and Greco). The Greco was harvested before it reached full flavor maturity, which is what gives this wine its tight acid zing (no acid additions were made at the winery). The wine was fermented and stored in stainless steel. Tasting Notes: This wine is a summery white of high charisma. It exhibits wonderfully complex fruit, floral and herbaceous elements on the nose and palate. It is bright, fresh and very clean to drink. Notes of lime juice, green melon and white pear intermingle with beautiful crisp acidity that runs the full length of the palate and concludes with a long pleasing finish. In warmer weather, pair this wine with fresh seafood like oysters, shrimp or sea bass. In cooler weather, pair with alfredo, linguine carbonara, or with roast chicken, turkey or pork. Serve well chilled but notice how the wine evolves as it warms in your glass.
Bodegas 1808, Valcavada (2017) Rioja, Spain
About the region:
Rioja is the infamous wine named after the region of La Rioja DOC in Northern Spain. La Rioja is most famous for its wines made from the Tempranillo grape that grows well in the region’s dry climate. La Rioja is in the Ebro River Valley and its 7 small tributaries create the valleys of Rioja. In ancient times, the tributaries were more like rivers, but as the climate has changed, these rivers have become small streams that in some cases nearly dry up by harvest. Despite their decreasing size, the small valleys contain a large portion of the biodiversity in Spain (36%) due to their unique climate and terrain. This diversity also explains why Rioja wines can be so different in style and flavor across the entire region. The 3 Regions: Rioja has 3 official sub-regional growing areas and they are Rioja Alta, Rioja Oriental (formerly Rioja Baja) and Rioja Alavesa. Although it’s uncommon to find wines labeled with these names, it’s very common to hear aficionados talk of the greatness of Rioja Alta or Rioja Alavesa, due to their position higher up in the Rioja Valley and their predominance of a particular soil type called calcareous clay which produces wines with greater aging ability. Rioja Alavesa is the smallest and northernmost of the three wine-producing sub-regions. It is situated to the north of the River Ebro, straddling the La Rioja region and the Alava province within the autonomous community of the Pais Vasco (Basque Country). The juxtaposition of old and new is stark here, where a space-age 'wine city' and ultra-modern wineries sit side by side with stately bodegas and more modest traditional wineries. The ash-colored Cantabrian mountains dominate the landscape here, towering over the zone to the north. Rioja Alavesa is the closest of the three sub-zones to the Atlantic Ocean and thus the one most influenced by its cooling effects. Two geographical features determine the quality of the wine produced in Rioja Alavesa: Firstly, its vineyards lie at high altitudes (400–1200m/1300–3930ft), resulting in cooler temperatures that help the grapes to acquire and retain moderate acid levels and good color. Secondly, the soil on the slopes and terraces where most of the vines are grown is rich in chalky clay and limestone, resulting in wines that are filled with character and rich in extract.
About the winery:
In the southern tip of Spanish Basque country, surrounded by vineyards and lagoons, the city of Laguardia rises on a fortified hill. Cars are not allowed to drive in the city center, because underneath there are two hundred caves that still hold wines that are among the best from La Rioja Alavesa. In one of them, six meters underground, the Martínez family started their wine-making activity in the 16th century. Bodegas 1808 started over 140 years ago in the cellar of Jenaro Fernández’s great-great grandfather, Perfecto Martínez. In the early 19th century he initiated a new project that for five generations has managed to preserve tradition and continue to produce wines that are representative of the environment as a trademark. Located in the in the Rioja Alavesa sub-region of the Rioja DO, 1808 benefits from the unique microclimates that come from being under the shadows of the Cantabrian mountains to the north. 1808 keeps their production to just over 3,000 total cases, which allows them to focus on making sustainably produced Tempranillos using biodynamic and natural techniques. As Jenaro likes to say, “We make wine because we enjoy it, because we find it exciting. But above all because it survives us, like a book, a sculpture or a song, like music that will continue to sound forever beyond moments and epochs. Wines that are balanced and rich in nuances, subtle, delicate, fragrant. Wine full of passion with a taste of the earth. And after, heaven. Wines with personality, temperament and, why not, a dash of craziness! Wines that will be remembered, and if the muses allow, maybe even forever. That's why we make wine..."
About the wine:
1808 is made from a selection of local Tempranillo grapes grown using sustainable and environmentally friendly techniques. The grapes ferment with their own yeasts and complete malolactic fermentation on their own lees. The wine is aged for six months in American oak barrels made in Bordeaux, by the most famous barrel manufacturer in the area. After bottling, the wine remains in cave niches for refinement. The result is fine, velvety wines that are strongly reminiscent of the original Tempranillo grape, with a woody and fruity bouquet and persistent roasted and licorice notes. Tasting notes: Intense violet color with violet edges and a wide attractive rim. Good intensity with aromas of red fruit (blackberry, cherries and cola) that are very well joined with the floral freshness of lavender and hints of vanilla and coffee. The wine starts with beautiful dark ripe fruit and vanilla with a soft velvety mouthfeel that brakes mid palate into amazingly big structured tannins that are balanced with a fresh acidic touch and a long finish with a touch of fruit. Pair with grilled steak, lamb or venison stew. can drink now or age for 3-5 years.