Hahndorf Hill ‘Gru’ Gruner Vetliner 2017

Description

Hahndorf Hill’s six-hectare vineyard is located at the edge of historic Hahndorf village and on the slopes of a gentle hill which, over a century ago, contained a slate quarry. It is very apparent when walking along the slopes of the vineyard blocks at Hahndorf Hill that slate forms a significant part of the mineral component of the soils.

The vineyard topsoils consist of a sandy-loam and red-clay blend, richly embellished with blue-red slate, quartz and ironstone intrusions. The subsoils comprise deep red clay. This abundance of diverse mineral components in the soil translates into a distinct mineral element in all their wines, which is especially beneficial for their Austrian varieties – such as Gruner Veltliner – at which they excel and have pioneered over the past 25 years.

The Adelaide Hills’ slow ripening, cool-climate environment allows for all their grapes to benefit from an extended ripening season with beautifully warm days and cold nights.  This diurnal variation is a significant quality defining factor according to producers of these varieties in their native Austria. Hahndorf Hill believe in environmentally sustainable methods to bring out the finesse and vitality in their wines.

Their debut vintage of Gruner Veltliner (which they affectionately call “Gru”) was the first production of Gruner in South Australia. Huon Hooke of the SMH wrote of the debut vintage: ‘I was shocked by how authentic an Adelaide Hills gruner veltliner tasted. It’s a strikingly close replica of the Austrian model.’  Since then, their Gruners have been awarded numerous Gold Medals as well as three Trophies within Australia, with this wine being awarded 97 points by James Halliday. Commenting on the Gruner Veltliner journey, James Halliday wrote: ‘2010 marked the first release of a South Australian gruner veltliner and Hahndorf Hill has led the way ever since.’

The HHW Gru has been making waves on the international stage, too. Austria’s influential Falstaff magazine rated their 2012 Gru as the best Gruner Veltliner outside of Austria in its 2013 International Gruner Veltliner Tasting. (It topped 28 other Gruners from Europe, USA, New Zealand and Australia.) They have also received Gold Medals at the Berliner Wein Trophy competition in Germany, and the 2015 vintage was selected to represent Australia at the prestigious Six Nations Wine Challenge, where it was awarded a Double-Gold Medal.

Perfectly matched with all Asian cuisine, white meats, sea-foods and vegetarian dishes. But most excitingly, here is the ultimate white wine that will match perfectly with your favourite rare sirloin steak and roast pork!
Gruner Veltliner is a variety that ages well and this wine should develop splendidly for between 7 – 10 years.  Alc 12%

Gold Medal – Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show 2017

Gold Medal – Berliner Wein Trophy 2018, Germany

96 points, James Halliday 2018 Wine Companion “Six clones, hand-picked in four stages, each parcel made separately, part warm-fermented in tank, other parts extended skin contact before cold fermentation, and 30% wild-fermented in used barriques. Gold medal Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show ’17. The wine places as much emphasis on texture and structure as flavour, albeit there is no shortage of citrus, wild herb, apple and white pepper here. The finish emphasises all that has gone before.”

94 Points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front  “30% of the wine (the ripest parcels) is wild fermented in old oak. Some parcels see extended skin contact. Others are warm-fermented in stainless steel. Most of there wine is given extended lees contact. The quality of this wine doesn’t happen by accident.

There’s texture, there’s grip, there’s flavour and there’s length. The quality is high, the price is a steal. It tastes of grapefruit, pepper, apple, pine needles and citrus, but mostly it just tastes characterful. I pretty much love this wine.”

RRP $36  

(Also available as Special 6 Pack Buy .. Click here)