The 1995 VintageThistle Hill Vineyard Newsletters - Spring 1995
Greetings from Lesley and David Robertson
1995 has been another busy year, so before it completely disappears we thought we should write and tell you what has been happening at Thistle Hill. We will also tell you about our new wine releases.
The 1995 VintageThe 1995 vintage was disappointing. Yields were extremely low. We picked just fifteen tonnes of grapes from twenty seven acres of vines which usually yield sixty tonnes. With a little help from our friends, we could drink most of it ourselves! We mechanically harvested our fruit for the first time and the entire crop was picked in less than twenty four hours. Picking by hand can take up to ten days over a six week period, however this year, due to the acute drought, everything ripened at once.
Bob Roberts from Huntington Estate came to our rescue and generously gave us some of his Semillon which he wasn?t going to pick. This action is typical of the unselfish way that Bob and Wendy Roberts approach life and we thank them.
Unfortunately the harsh drought that we have experienced for over twelve months is still continuing, and with virtually no winter rains this year, we are desperate for some good rain this Spring.
In May this year, twelve Mudgee winemakers flew to London to represent the Mudgee Region at the London Wine Trade Fair. The trade fair was absolutely huge, covering an area of eight acres in the middle of London, with wines from every country in the world. It was a fascinating experience for both of us and the interest in wines from Mudgee was enormous. As a result, Thistle Hill is now exporting our Chardonnay and Cabernet to England and Ireland, and we hope these orders will grow in the future.
On Sunday, 12th November, the wineries of Mudgee will trek South to Canberra. The Canberra Race Course will be the venue for our fourth Wine and Food Fair in this region. If the weather is fine it will be held outdoors, or indoors if the weather is inclement. For further details of this event, contact the Mudgee Tourist Office on 1800 816 304.
On Sunday, 7th May, Mudgee held its second successful Wine and Food Fair at Balmoral Beach. Over nine thousand people visited our wine and food stalls on the first sunny day in Sydney for ten days. This event at Balmoral was so successful, that it looks like becoming an annual event. Keep the first Sunday of May in 1996 free to come and taste all the wines that Mudgee has to offer, all in the one place.
Our Organic VineyardSince we became certified as Level A Organic by NASAA (the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture in Australia), many people have asked us what it means to be organic. The most important consideration in being organic is to have a philosophy which takes into account the whole ecology, and not simply the vineyard. This means that we have an ongoing programme of tree planting, soil restoration and improvement, and the restoration of the land to as natural a state as possible.
On our vineyard, we do not use any herbicide, weedicide, insecticide or pesticide. For fungus diseases we spray only wettable sulphur and Bordeaux mixture, which contains copper. As a result, we have a very healthy environment for both plant life and wild life on our vineyard. We have a large resident population of insect eating birds, frill necked lizards, echidnas and bees as well as the occasional roaming deer.
We are very excited to announce a change in the wine labels for our new releases, to reflect both our elegant wines and our organic image. The Germanic eagle has been replaced by a bold natural graphic of thistle florets against a background hill. The front label is simple and elegant and we have added a back label which gives some relevant information about the vineyard and the wine. Many thanks to Allen and Dany Raponi of The Studio, Leura, who designed our new look.
Thistle Hill Cottage is a fully self contained, three bedroom cottage on our vineyard which is available for bed and breakfast accommodation. It?s a lovely spot to wind down from the hustle and bustle of the city, where you can enjoy the peace and quiet; the birds in the morning and the stars at night.
In the cottage there are two double beds, a double bunk, kitchen, dining and lounge so six people can sleep quite comfortably. Accommodation includes all linen and a continental breakfast and our rates are $40.00 per adult, per night, bed and breakfast, and $20.00 per child. There are also discounts for longer stays. Bookings for the cottage can be made by contacting Thistle Hill by Phone: (063) 733 546 or Fax: (063) 733 540.
Tasting Notes For Our Current Wines
The 1994 Riesling has a strong floral aroma and a crisp acid finish. Tropical fruit flavours dominate the palate with lime and butterscotch also apparent. Drink 1995 - 1997
1994 Chardonnay
The 1994 Chardonnay is complex with rich peach and tropical fruit flavours supported by soft integrated oak. Drink 1995 - 1999
The 1992 Pinot Noir has powerful strawberry and plum flavours with earthy mushroom characters adding complexity. Drink 1995 - 2000
The 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon is an elegant wine with blackcurrant, mulberry and plum flavours apparent. The soft vanillin oak tannins add complexity. Drink 1995 - 2002
Special Tasting Dozen Offer
To encourage you to try our new releases, we have put together a tasting dozen consisting of:
3 1994 Rhine Riesling
3 1994 Chardonnay
3 1992 Pinot Noir, and
3 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon
for the special price of $138.00, saving $19.00! You can order this tasting dozen, or any of our wines, on the accompanying order form.
We also have limited stocks of some older wines which are still available. Orders for these will be filled on a first in first served basis.
1991 Chardonnay ($14.00 per bottle, $162.00 per dozen)
This is a complex, rich wine, with aromas of fig, honey and peach against a background of nutmeg and oak.
1992 Chardonnay ($14.00 per bottle, $162.00 per dozen)
Quite complex with grapefruit, melon and peach flavours balanced by cashew nut and charred oak. A smooth creamy wine due in part to the malo-lactic and barrel fermentation.
1990 Cabernet Sauvignon ($15.00 per bottle, $174.00 per dozen)
This is a forceful wine making a definite statement. The full spectrum of rich dark berry flavours are apparent. Oak and fruit tannins add firmness to the wine and chocolate flavours add complexity.
If you would like to order any of these older wines, then fill in your requirements on the blank lines on the order form provided.
Thistle Hill Vineyard
