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Hanging Rock Winery Tasting Notes

Macedon LD Extended Lees aged Cuvée VII NV

Macedon LD Extended Lees Aged NV Brut Cuvée VII

Macedon LD is our deluxe, no expense spared, top of the range sparkling wine. Hanging Rock winemaker John Ellis discusses the evolution of Macedon LD, "We had noted Bollinger’s achievements with their ‘RD’ product and our early experience with ‘Macedon’ led us to believe that we could match them in the style of sparkling we love best. James Halliday reviewing the LD Cuvée VI clearly agrees with us."

The price is simply a reflection of the amount of time, effort and care that goes into making a wine like this. The wine has spent nine years on yeast lees, building an incredible depth of complexity and richness.

Our first LD release, Macedon LD Cuvée VI was Australia's Equal Top Ranked Sparkling - 96 points in James Halliday's 2007 Wine Companion (equal Top with our Macedon Cuvée XI - 96 points).

Macedon NV Brut Cuvée XII NV

Australia's Equal Top Ranked Sparkling - 96 Points - in James Halliday's 2007 Wine Companion (equal Top with our Macedon LD Late Disgorged Cuvée VI - also 96 points).

Macedon XII - Our twelth release is a blend of Vintages: 2001(39%); 2000 (18%); 2003 (18%); 1999 back to 1987 inclusive. All components were aged on lees in old French oak barriques for at least two years before blending and tirage. The result is a base wine of immense complexity and creamy softness.

The blend is approximately 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, and the Pinot comprises three distinct clones that each have an important impact on the final balance of the wine. To ensure consistency, each year we bottle only half of the initail blend, the balance being stored, again on yeast lees, until the preparation of the next blend.

Heathcote Reserve Shiraz 2000 - SOLD OUT

In wine producers’ parlance ‘Reserve’ typically means a quantity of wine set aside for special or additional treatment at the hands of the winemaking team. This extra time/effort/cost is, obviously enough, reserved for batches of wine of such quality that the investment of resources is justified.The first release under the Heathcote Shiraz Reserve black label is the 2000 vintage.

Our investment has been one of time - the wine has evolved and matured into an amazing wine, rich in fruit character, elegant in structure and style, beautifully balanced with all with fruit, oak and tannins all seamlessly integrated.

Heathcote, in Central Victoria has a well established reputation as a great place to grow Shiraz. The region features a deep strip of rare, red Cambrian soil with excellent moisture retention characteristics, which virtually eliminates the need for irrigation. It is this red soil that gives Heathcote Shiraz its distinctive character.

The combination of low rainfall, hot summers and the red Cambrian soil creates a challenging environment in which the Shiraz vines thrive, albeit producing low yields and small berries with intense flavours.

The 2000 Heathcote Shiraz was the fourth release from our vineyard on the slopes of Mt. Camel and it continues the high standards of its predecessors, claiming a Trophy and eight Gold Medals in international and Australian wine shows.

Jim Jim Sauvignon Blanc 2007

The 'Jim Jim' is a small mountain, elevation 750m, just near the famous Hanging Rock in the Macedon Ranges Wine Region of Victoria. Our vineyard sits on the slopes of the 'Jim Jim' and lends its name to out flagship white table wine - The Jim Jim Sauvignon Blanc

The vineyard is cold by world viticultural standards, producing wines that have a lot in common with the cooler regions of France and New Zealand and bearing little similarity to those of the warmer parts of Australia where this variety is often grown.

Our highly sought after Sauvignon Blanc is an early ripening variety that has distinctive grassy, herbaceous characters when grown in cool climates.
Our Jim Jim Sauvignon Blanc is 100% Estate grown and bottled.

Carriageworks Cambrian Rise Heathcote Shiraz 2005

We are delighted to offer friends of Carriageworks this special deal on our Cambrian Rise 2005 Heathcote Shiraz – produced from Shiraz grapes from our Athol’s Paddock vineyard plus grapes from several other selected Heathcote vineyards. Aged in new American oak after a meticulously managed fermentation Cambrian Rise offers delightful drinking plus the ability to cellar for eight to ten years.
Regular price is $27 per bottle. Carriage works price $18 per bottle. Orders of one dozen or more delivered free.

Jim Jim Pinot Gris 2007

2007 Hurry stocks are limited!

Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio (literally - Pinot grey) has been around for a long while in Europe, particularly in France, Alsace and the Friuli -

Venezia-Giulia region of Italy. A mutation of Pinot Noir, the grape takes its name from the comparatively grey appearance of the fruit. The grape skin colour ranges from greyish blue to brown-pink; sometimes the skins appear quite dark, sometimes very pale. For this reason the wine sometimes takes on a pink hue.
Previous vintages produced a wine reminiscent of the German Grauburgunder style which is very crisp and dry with floral and mineral characteristics.

Macedon On-Lees NV

In what we believe is a sparkling wine world exclusive offer - Hanging Rock Wine Club members have the opportunity to ‘create’ their own sparkling Macedon; tailor-made to order!

As if Macedon wasn’t good enough already, your tailor made Macedon can be improved through On-Lees ageing, before it’s disgorged and packaged ready for delivery to you.

Macedon NV Brut Rosé NV

'Macedon' Rosé is salmon pink, delicate in flavour, dry finishing and an ideal aperitif wine. Serve well chilled.

Halliday's 2007 Wine Companion - 92 Points - "Pale pink; a totally seductive rosé style; strawberry fruit and perfect acidity/dosage. Estate grown Pinot Noir."

Carriageworks Macedon NV Brut Rosé Sparkling

We are delighted to offer friends of Carriageworks this special deal on our Sparkling Rosé, Delicious, dry and complex this Rosé is the little sister of our flagship sparkling – ‘Macedon’ and has been aged on yeast lees for 12 months.

Regular price is $27 per bottle. Carriage works price $18 per bottle. Orders of one dozen or more delivered free.

Heathcote Shiraz 2005

Heathcote Wine Region, in Central Victoria, has a rapidly growing reputation as a great place to grow Shiraz. The region features a deep strip of rare, ancient, red Cambrian soil with excellent moisture retention characteristic virtually eliminating the need for irrigation. It is this red soil that gives Heathcote Shiraz its distinctive character.

The 2003 won Four Gold Medals; at the 2006 Royal Melbourne Wine Show, the Korea International Wine Challenge, Top Gold at the 2006 Royal Hobert Show, and Top Gold at the Federation Square Heathcote Region Showcase.

Halliday's 2007 Wine Companion 5 Stars - 95 Points - "Glorious colour; big. rich, condensed fruit and ample tannins; floods the mouth with flavour.

Cambrian Rise Heathcote Shiraz 2005

Affectionately dubbed ‘Son of Heathcote’ by our winemaking team, Cambrian Rise is a fine example of Heathcote Shiraz. Our long involvement with the Heathcote region (since 1987) brings a thorough understanding of the way it behaves in differing vintage conditions, as well as the micro-climatic variations that naturally occur in this north-south aligned region.

Tarzali Riesling 2006

"Since building the Hanging Rock Winery and setting off on the path of sparkling wine and Heathcote Shiraz, I have diverged from my love of great riesling, and lamented that I did not have a great vineyard to work with. This was until my cousin, David Ross, retired and told me that it was time to plant the vineyard that he and his wife Pauline had been dreaming of. As a result ‘Tarzali Riesling’ was born. ‘Tarzali’ is at Warrenbayne, at the northern end of the Strathbogie Ranges around 85km north of the Mount Helen Vineyard... " - John Ellis Winemaker.

The Poppet Head Chardonnay 2006

Many vineyards supplying our winery are in areas that were a focus of the gold rush of the mid to late 19th century and thus the inspiration for the name ‘Poppet Head’. The poppet head was a tower-like lifting structure built over the top of a mine shaft, enabling miners to get the quartz and rock out of the mine to the surface.

Poppet Head Chardonnay is predominantly sourced from premium Victorian wine regions including: Macedon Ranges, Yarra Valley and The Strathbogie Ranges.

Yin Barun Merlot Cabernet Franc 2004

Merlot and Cabernet Franc - familiar bedfellows in parts of Bordeaux for many decades. Soft, smooth plum-fruit characters so typically Merlot, are enhanced in the company of Cabernet Franc which gives the palate a lifted fragrance and an edge to the finish. 4 STARS - James Halliday 2008 Wine Companion

The Prospect Marsanne 2005

The Heathcote region in north central Victoria is particularly known for its Shiraz, as is the Rhone region in France which is also the home of Marsanne. In Heathcote Marsanne enjoys the warm dry conditions and the rich red Cambrian soils found there.

Rock Chardonnay 2007

Rock Chardonnay is a wine designed for today’s palate - full-flavoured, but fresh and light. Un-oaked, it is made with carefully chosen fruit from our growers in various regions of Victoria.

Rock Rosé 2007

A nicely balanced wine; combining fruit character, a hint of sweetness and a clean, dry finish. Undoubtedly a great Summer time drink and versatile when matching with food, particularly seafoods and salads.

Rock Riesling 2008

Rock Riesling is made from grapes grown in several of Victoria's premium winegrowing regions.

Rock Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc are a happy combination. Fresh, fruity and crisp. This delightful wine has lychee and passionfruit flavours, with herbaceous undertones and a long crisp finish. Refreshing on its own or enjoyed with many dishes, particularly salads and seafood.

Gralaine Merlot 2004

The 2004 Gralaine Merlot comes from the vineyard owned by Graeme and Elaine Carroll at Mount Duneed near Geelong. The wine comprises 100 per cent Merlot. Gralaine's fruit ripeness comes through not as 'jaminess', but as an opulent red, rich in varietal plum-like character and touched only subtly by oak since no completely new oak is used in the making.

'S' Riesling 2008

'S' Riesling. 375mL.

It’s sweet, but not too sweet. It’s Succulent, it’s Seductive, it’s ‘S’ our dessert wine.

‘S’ is produced with premium Riesling grapes from the cool Strathbogie Ranges wine region in Victoria.

The grapes are crushed as soon as possible after picking and fermented in stainless steel vats to maintain maximum freshness and flavour.

This is a lighter style dessert wine of medium palate weight. It has
honey nectar, apricot, and citrus characters on the nose and palate.

It is a perfect accompaniment for desserts, fruits and some

cheeses.

Colbinabbin Estate Petit Verdot 2005

Colbinabbin Estate vineyard is located in the warmer, northern end of the Heathcote region. Petit Verdot is a grape variety that originated in Bordeaux in France, and is one of their classic varieties. In Bordeaux, Petit Verdot is used to add a velvet tannin structure to a wine. It is rarely seen by itself because it is often difficult to grow as it is a very late ripening variety. While this can be a problem elsewhere, the very consistent climate of Victoria’s Heathcote region rarely suffers bad frosts or disease and so there is minimal risk in delaying picking to attain full ripeness.

Kilfara Pinot Noir 2006

Kilfara Pinot Noir is made using traditional methods, and fruit from cool Victorian vineyards. This year, the grapes are from the Norris vineyard at Faraday in the Bendigo region, the Macedon Ranges and other small central Victorian vineyards. A medium bodied wine with intense varietal character and excellent palate structure. Tannins are soft and round but clearly evident.

Rich Reef Shiraz 2005

The Hanging Rock Winery sources grapes from many parts of Victoria and southern New South Wales. Many of the vineyards are in areas that were the focus of the gold rush of the mid to late 19th century. ‘Rich Reef’ refers to the quartz reefs which were used to track gold deposits in mines.

The Black Label Reds Trio Six pack

Our Super Premium Reds offer excellent value for money. Superbly crafted by Winemaker John Ellis, these reds will impress! Prove it for yourself with this attractively priced 6 pack Save $42 on the rrp! The pack comprises 2 bottles each of -

2004 Yin Barun Merlot Cabernet Franc
2004 Gralaine Merlot
2005 Cambrian Rise Heathcote Shiraz

The Hanging Rock Winery Pty. Ltd. ABN 29 006 708 747
88 Jim Road Newham, Victoria 3442 Australia
Phone: 61 3 5427 0542, Fax: 61 3 5427 0310, Email: hrw@hangingrock.com.au
Website by Peter Wiseman