Chardonnay 2010

The 2010 vintage was warm and dry so the grapes were picked during the first week of March after a very warm period in early February. Fortunately the last weeks were a lot cooler so flavour development, acid loss, and sugar accumulation slowed down appreciably. This style of Chardonnay is fruit driven and hand picked and whole bunch pressed when the fruit matured to the ripe peach and melon flavour spectrum. After chillling and cold settling the juice was allowed to warm up and ferment naturally with no yeast addition. Like all of our white wines it was cool fermented over several weeks helping to retain all of those lovely fruit characters whilst a portion was also barrel fermented. A lovely fresh wine that can be drunk whilst young, but like good Chablis it also has the potential to age over the next five years.

Alc/vol. 13.5% | Bottle Price $23.00 | Add to Cart

Demelza Sparkling Pinot noir Rose 2008

This 100% sparkling Pinot noir Rose comes from our southern and contour blocks and this release comes 20 years after our first Demelza. It was hand picked early to retain acidity and and lighter fruit characters and the fruit was whole bunch presses and cold fermented to retain its pristine and delicate flavours. The colour is a salmon pink and the nose shows beautiful fresh strawberry aromas whilst on the palate it shows tart red cherries/strawberries along with bready characters from 24 months ageing on lees. It is a wonderful aperitif and also has the strength to be pared with light meals and most entrees.

Alc/vol. 13.0% | Bottle Price $30 | Add to Cart

Gewurztraminer Catherine 2010

This is the second wine of this style to be made at Delatite - a rich sweet Gewürztraminer loosely modeled on the vendage tardive wines of Alsace. It was picked two weeks later than our Dead Man’s Hill Gewurz which has given it greater richness, sweetness, and a fuller palate although this is well balanced with very nice acidity. Our sweetest wine, it’s to be enjoyed with sweet desserts and even very rich pork dishes such as double roasted pork belly. This wine has just won Top Gold in its class and the Trophy for Best Medium Sweet Table Wine at the 2011 International Sweet Wine Challenge.

Alc/vol. 10.0% | Bottle Price $25.00 | Add to Cart

Gewurztraminer Dead Man’s Hill 2010

This wine is widely regarded as the benchmark aussie Gewurztraminer and the 08 vintage won two trophies on the domestic show circuit. Normal harvest dates are between mid March and early April and after crushing the must is chilled and then left in the press to cold soak for a few hours. This helps to extract the delightful and enticing flavour and aromas of musk sticks, rose petals, Turkish delight and lychee typical of this grape. The juice is then allowed to warm up and the natural yeasts start the ferment. Post fermentation, the wine was left on lees in tank for four months to enhance and lengthen the full palate. It’s a floral, spicy wine matched with well balanced acid and can be enjoyed now or cellared with confidence for up to 10-12 years. At the 2010 Cowra Wine Show it was awarded Top Gold in Class and then Trophy for Best Dry White Blend or Other Varieties (beating a Sauv blanc in the process!)

Alc/vol. 12% | Bottle Price $25.00 | Add to Cart 

Pinot Gris 2011

Pinot Gris was first planted at Delatite in 1996 and the first vintage released was the 2001. It’s normally harvested between mid March and mid April. We pick at a variety of ripeness levels to ensure increased complexity of flavour and texture and I feel the wines have always been more in the gris style rather than the grigio. The fruit shows rich flavours of pear, musk and some spice and the length and depth of fruit on the palate is balanced with fine acidity and it will develop beautiful honey tones in the bottle over the next 4 to 10 years.

Alc/vol. 13% | Bottle Price $23.00 | Add to Cart

Polly Sparkling Gewurztraminer 2008

Named after our daughter Polly who, as a four year old, when offered some Pinot noir grapes said to me "Dad, you know I hate Pinot"....and so this is the wine for those who know what they like and want something a bit different! The fruit was hand picked off our own vineyards two weeks earlier than our normal Gewurz to ensure a higher level of acidity and tight fresh fruit flavours. The grapes were whole bunch pressed and cold fermented to retain their pristine characters. It is wonderfully pale in colour with fresh grapefruit and musk aromas on the nose. On the palate it is fresh and zingy with the rose water flavours we expect from Gewurztraminer along with beautiful crisp citrus characters. Aged for 24 months on lees it is to be enjoyed as an aperitif or with light finger food.

Alc/vol 12.5% | Bottle Price $30.00 | Add to Cart

Riesling 2011

The fruit was picked in early April and after whole bunch pressing the juice was cold settled for a short time and then allowed to warm up and undergo a wild ferment. The wine then spent eight months on lees with periodic stirring. A small portion was also fermented in oak puncheons and this was blended with the rest of the wine prior to bottling.                                                                                                    The resulting wine shows cinnamon and floral aromas whilst on the palate it has strong apple and citrus flavours. It has great length of of flavour, a mineral finish and a lovely crisp natural acidity. This is a wine to enjoy when young, or to cellar with confidence for up to 15 years. Great with Flathead or King George Whiting.

Alc/vol 11.5% | Bottle Price $23.00 | Add to Cart 

Riesling Late Harvest 2011

A very late year (wettest since records began) meant we didn't harvest these grapes until mid April . This wine has lovely aromas of citrus peel and orange blossom and the palate is sweet up front but very well balanced with fine acidity. Due to this acidity it can be paired to a range of dishes especially light desserts such as fruit salad or a lemon tart. Ready to drink now or watch it mature in the cellar for many years to come; up to 12 years.

Alc/vol 9.0% | Bottle Price $23.00 | Add to Cart 

Riesling Sylvia 2008

This early picked Riesling was hand harvested from our Contour and Old blocks. It’s loosely based on the German “Kabinett” style of Rieslings which are low in alcohol, fruit driven and are usually a little sweet. It was picked in mid march, a full 4 weeks before the fruit for our “normal” Riesling. This is the second release of this style at Delatite and the acid and residual sugar is beautifully balanced. It’s named after Sylvia Ritchie, mother of the founder of Delatite Winery and a redoubtable matriarch who lived until she was 94. She was well known for her wonderful garden and her love of sweet things. Enjoy it as a beautiful, light and fresh, low alcohol wine or cellar for up to 10 years. Rated by Rob Geddes MW as one of his Top 100 Wines of 2009.

Alc/vol 9.5% | Bottle Price $23.00 | Add to Cart 

Riesling VS 2011       

This wine is named after Vivienne Ritchie, the co-founder of Delatite who planted the first blocks of Riesling here in 1968. It is from these blocks that this fruit was picked in the first week of April; the cool dry weather preceding harvest and the slow ripening conditions has developed the depth of flavour in this variety. The wine shows intense aromas of citrus flowers, limes and hints of floral and musk tones; it has great strength of flavour and beautiful structure, the limey/citrus flavours, balanced with a mineral finish and fresh acidity. It has great finesse and will cellar well for up to 15 years. 

Alc/vol. 12.5% | Bottle Price $35.00 | Add to Cart

Sauvignon Blanc 2009

This is a blend of fruit from our own vineyard 80% and that of the Steen's at Strath Creek. We picked the fruit over three weeks in late February to mid March to give the wine added complexity from the large spectrum of sauvignon characters from herbaceous to tropical. After gently de-stemming the fruit we chilled the must immediately and held it in the press for a few hours to add additional palate weight. The lovely full fruit on the palate is balanced by cool climate zingy acidity and it’s ready to be enjoyed over summer, or cellared for up to 3 years.

Alc/vol 12.5% | Bottle Price $12.00 | Add to Cart