WINE ... with David Bray
Joe Grilli. Mature-aged drinkers may remember the name. Your reporter certainly does, having admired the man’s work, as Primo Estate’s owner and winemaker, over several decades.
The new publicity generating about this well-established enterprise seems to be part of a growing trend for renewed marketing campaigns, perhaps reaching into Queensland effectively for the first time in some years.
Whatever the reasons for their appearance on my bench (kitchen, not cellar), it’s good to see these wines and to hear the good stories that tend to come with them.
Primo Estate grows its grapes in McLaren Vale on a rocky, steep site rising to 300 metres with mainly shale stone soil.
There’s the Joseph d’Elena 2011 pinot grigio: Grilli planted a single hectare of this variety the week his daughter Elena was born, in 1998. Now the vines have roots deep into the shale: “Soil and altitude, combined with an intense viticultural regime, results in a small crop of evenly-ripened fruit”, to which was added a small batch of grapes from Woodside in the nearby Adelaide Hills. 2001 was a wet vintage, but, in the boss’s words, “the vineyard gave the fruit the classic grigio characters of apple and pear punctuated with sweet spice”. About $28.
Primo Estate grows its grapes in McLaren Vale on a rocky, steep site rising to 300 metres with mainly shale stone soil.
There’s the Joseph d’Elena 2011 pinot grigio: Grilli planted a single hectare of this variety the week his daughter Elena was born, in 1998. Now the vines have roots deep into the shale: “Soil and altitude, combined with an intense viticultural regime, results in a small crop of evenly-ripened fruit”, to which was added a small batch of grapes from Woodside in the nearby Adelaide Hills. 2001 was a wet vintage, but, in the boss’s words, “the vineyard gave the fruit the classic grigio characters of apple and pear punctuated with sweet spice”. About $28.
There’s a family name, too, in Primo Estate Zamberlan 2009 cabernet sangiovese: Joe’s father-in-law Rinaldo Zamberlan apparently suggested making a full-bodied red using the ripassso technique (explanation follows soon) of his birth place in Northern Italy.
The 2009 vintage saw a January heat wave, followed, we are told, by near-perfect late summer weather which allowed full development of flavour, colour and tannin in the grapes, 85 per cent of which were cabernet from the maker’s McLaren Vale vineyards, 15 sangiovese from a nearby grower.
Here is the maker’s explanation of the Italian technique under which the grapes were processed: “Newly fermented young sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon is pumped over the dried grape skins from the Joseph Moda (their flagship red, one of the best in the world) for extra fermentation. The wine is then pressed and barrel aged”.
It emerges as a full-bodied, intense, rich, sweet and savoury 14.5 per cent alcohol boomer. $35.
Primo Estate 2009 Shale Stone shiraz another big one. Open top fermenters allow plenty of air to reach the skins during fermentation. Joe reckons “the soul of the wine is released where the skins meet the air”. The wine then spent 22 months in 50 per cent new French and American oak. $32.
Stand by now for Primo Estate 2011 La Biondina Colombard, light, fresh, passionfruit and citrus. “We have just bottled our 30th consecutive vintage . . . Putting a smile on the face of white wine lovers since 1982, our little blonde is just as attractive and alluring as ever”. $16.
And finally, a fizz, Primo Secco nv. It’s made from local colombard, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, the varieties processed separately then blended.
The makers are fans of Venetian Prosecco, as are an increasing number of Australian drinkers, and have turned their skills to producing a delicate and aromatic sparkling wine. Good one. $20.
Joe says Rinaldo also suggested he make grappa, but that will just have to wait.
The 2009 vintage saw a January heat wave, followed, we are told, by near-perfect late summer weather which allowed full development of flavour, colour and tannin in the grapes, 85 per cent of which were cabernet from the maker’s McLaren Vale vineyards, 15 sangiovese from a nearby grower.
Here is the maker’s explanation of the Italian technique under which the grapes were processed: “Newly fermented young sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon is pumped over the dried grape skins from the Joseph Moda (their flagship red, one of the best in the world) for extra fermentation. The wine is then pressed and barrel aged”.
It emerges as a full-bodied, intense, rich, sweet and savoury 14.5 per cent alcohol boomer. $35.
Primo Estate 2009 Shale Stone shiraz another big one. Open top fermenters allow plenty of air to reach the skins during fermentation. Joe reckons “the soul of the wine is released where the skins meet the air”. The wine then spent 22 months in 50 per cent new French and American oak. $32.
Stand by now for Primo Estate 2011 La Biondina Colombard, light, fresh, passionfruit and citrus. “We have just bottled our 30th consecutive vintage . . . Putting a smile on the face of white wine lovers since 1982, our little blonde is just as attractive and alluring as ever”. $16.
And finally, a fizz, Primo Secco nv. It’s made from local colombard, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, the varieties processed separately then blended.
The makers are fans of Venetian Prosecco, as are an increasing number of Australian drinkers, and have turned their skills to producing a delicate and aromatic sparkling wine. Good one. $20.
Joe says Rinaldo also suggested he make grappa, but that will just have to wait.
