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Somewhere near the Seaview end of McLaren Vale's Chapel Hill Road, a perfunctory passerine perched her pincers astride a pair of power poles and saw herself alit. Down she went amongst the dry grown branches of an old Grenache vineyard, setting the valuable veterans ablaze. The scorched site eventually came to the attention of a winemaking trio, the Messrs Leske, Tynan & Cooke, Masters of Wine and a venerable vintner, all driven by a consuming passion to make greater Grenache. Thistledown vintage very small amounts of the most extraordinary Grenache. Beautifully detailed and conspicuously elegant, their floral bouquets and graceful finish emulate the aromatic lift and peacock's tail of a prettily perfumed Pinot Noir. Magnificent to savour as a captivating aperitif, a bliss alongside fine cuisine, the Grenache of Thistledown represent an exquisite new direction in the.. Polly & the pyre to paradise»
Hurtle Walker first picked grapes as a ten year old on the celebrious Magill property in 1900. Apprenticed to the legenderies Monsieur Duray and Leon Mazure, Walker was placed in charge of sparkling wine production for the historic Auldana Cellars at the ripe old age of 21. He saw service as a soldier in World War I and made great wine until 1975. Hurtle Walker's grandson continues the family tradition, partnering with Jimmy Watson winner David O'Leary to acquire the most auspicious Clare Valley vineyards and establish one of the nation's leading marques. Between the two, O'Leary and Waker have claimed every prestigious accolade in the land, a breathtaking tally of dozens national Trophies and countless competition Gold. They remain the quiet achieving tour de force behind the most memorable vintages and outstanding values in Clare Valley Cabernet, Riesling and.. The illustrious pair of valley clare»

Balnaves The Tally Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon CONFIRM VINTAGE

Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra South Australia
Doug Balnaves was a shearer of Merino sheep, recording his count in the tally book to be paid by the number he had sheared. He now counts down the days until vintage, as with all releases of Tally Cabernet Sauvignon, it is the harmony and fine balance which are the outstanding features. A perfectly perfumed Coonawarra bouquet, brambleberry and dark cassis, elderberry, violets and mint. Its unbridled elegance and extraordinary length of palate, fragrant of coffee and oreo oak, supported by the finest grain tannins. Opulent yet refined, be advised, decant the Tally and breathe before service.
Available in cases of 6
Case of 6
$569.50
After spells of winemaking at Mountadam, Lindemans, Leo Buring, Pipers Brook and Wynns, winemaking supremo Peter Bissell teamed up with Doug Balnaves, one of the Coonawarra's most experienced viticulturalists. Doug Balnave has been involved in various industry bodies including the SA Wine & Brandy Association, Limestone Coast Wine Industry Council and Coonawarra Vignerons Association. The Tally is assembled from grapes hand picked off Dead Morris Vineyard. The finest bunches are set aside for twenty six days maceration on skins. The Tally was matured sixteen months in completely new Taransaud and Seguin Moreau Chateau barriques before a light egg fining and bottling under procork.
Balnaves
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Balnaves
Balnaves are a small but very proud wine family owned wine company in the heart of the famous Coonawarra Terra Rossa strip

Since the planting of the first 5 hectares of vines in 1976, the vineyard has grown steadily and now covers a total of 56 hectares of Coonawarra Terra Rossa soil. The principal variety planted is Cabernet Sauvignon, which accounts for 70% of the area whilst the addition of Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Chardonnay make up the total vineyard area of 58 hectares.

Balnaves

The Balnaves first wines were made on a contract basis at a neighbouring winery in 1990. The operations soon overtook the existing facility and a striking new 600 tonne winery was built and in operation for the 1996 vintage. To build an expandable winery and barrel storage facility, designed to be in harmony with the surrounding viticultural envelope through seasonal change. The winery was to complement the cellar door and had to be a striking visual element of deliberate form and colour as an enhancement to the landscape.

The vineyard is divided into small blocks of between one and two hectares, which take into account depth of soil, trellis design, vine clone and row direction. The quality of wine produced from these small blocks is evaluated each year and recorded. This practice proves the validity of the French concept of terroir, the effect that microclimate; geological features and other factors have on the quality of the wine produced. Such effects are clearly seen in the small Balnaves vineyard at Coonawarra.

Doug Balnave's initial working life was spent in the sheep industry until he became involved with wine production in 1971 when he was offered the position of Development Manager of the vineyard to be developed in Coonawarra by Hungerford Hill. After 17 years with Hungerford Hill he left that company to establish a vineyard development and management company in 1988.

Balnaves

Doug Balnave has been involved in various state and local bodies representing the wine industry including SA Wine & Brandy Association, Limestone Coast Wine Industry Council, Phylloxera Board and inaugural President of the Coonawarra Vignerons Association. He is an active member of the Penola Pipe Band and past president of the Coonawarra Guinea Pig Racing Association.

The Balnaves winery's awards are testament to the commitment to quality and never ending quest to produce the best wines. The Balnaves winemaking team are led by Qantas/Gourmet Traveller winemaker of the year for 2005/2006 Peter Bissell, his passion for wine is evident in every wine he produces.

Peter has spent a year and a half in France working as assistant oenologist for A Moueix et Fils in Libourne who owns Ch. Fonplegade (St Emilion) and Chateau Moulinet (Pomerol), amongst others. He also worked in the laboratory and tasting rooms outside vintage and in the cellars during the 1985 vintage. Peter worked the 1987 vintage with Adam Wynn at Mountadam, then with Gerry Sissingh at Lindemans Hunter River, John Vickey at Leo Burings and Andrew Pirie at Pipers Brook in 1988.

Peter was appointed Wynns winemaker in 1989 working at Wynns Coonawarra Estate with Peter Douglas until 1995. Peter did vintages as a flying winemaker for Penfolds in Russia (1993), for the Laperouse project in the South of France (1994), worked in the Coteaux de Languedoc and visited Bordeaux in 2000. Peter Bissell has also judged at the Hyatt, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley the Riverina wine shows.

The winery's featured bell tower, which acts as a local beacon for visitors as well as offering an unprecedented panorama over the Coonawarra Vineyards has won a number of design awawrds. To complete the vision, a wine maker with passion and skill Peter Bissell, join the Belnaves in 1995 as the company winemaker. It is a partnership that has flourished and as a result Balnaves wines have won many awards, the most recent and exciting being Peter Bissell winning the Qantas/Gourmet Traveller Winemaker of the year award. Well done Pete, the team is very proud of you.

Balnaves