As part of her Limestone Coast regional tour, Sarah Ahmed has produced a detailed article on the geology and associated wines of the Wrattonbully region, including a look at the Terre à Terre vineyard.
Read the full article here: http://www.thewinedetective.co.uk/blog/australia/the-limestone-coast-par…
Her reviews of the wines are reproduced below.
Terre á Terre Sauvignon Blanc 2012 (Wrattonbully)
Terre á Terre is the project of husband and wife team Xavier Bizot and Lucy Croser, whose close-spaced 8-hectare vineyard is located next to Tapanappa’s Whalebone Vineyard. Its two hectares of Sauvignon Blanc were planted on sandy soils over limestone in 2004 and trace their pedigree back to Yquem, which perhaps explains the Bordelais approach. For this is an oaked Sauvignon, fermented and aged on the lees in 600l barrels (10% new). It’s tight and limey on the nose, with a very intense, flinty, mineral and muscular (sinewy) palate. Penetrating acidity lends great structure and length without detracting from this wine’s essential richness and concentration. Very impressive. 13.4%
Terre à Terre Late Harvest Pinot Gris 2013 (Wrattonbully)
Fermented and aged for a short period in old oak this is a supple Pinot Gris with gently sweet and spice-infused poached pear fruit. Good underlying freshness combined with grooming oak makes for a very composed, surefooted finish. Nice balance.
Terre á Terre Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (Wrattonbully)
This is the second release of this straight Cabernet, from a three hectare low-trellised (for extra warmth from the ground), close-spaced (1.5m x 1.5m) block planted in 2004. At the same time, a nearby eucalyptus tree was pulled down because Bizot wanted no hint of it in the wine. Because of the fruit’s pronounced tannins, like traditional (high tannin) Barolos, it’s aged in near-new 4,000L foudre (French oak), which certainly allows it to sing on the nose. It’s a very fragrant Cabernet, with dried roses and leafier tobacco hints. And yes, in the mouth, the tannins are firm, bony, even a touch blocky which, together with its mineral acidity, contributes to a certain dryness in style – the fruit is very far from jammy. Rather it’s fresh, still fragrant and distinctly blackcurranty, with liquorice spice. A youthful wine with a strong sense of terroir over fruit; surely a very promising site. I’m already looking forward to tasting future vintages to see how the fruit tannins develop with vine age. Wears its 14.5% very lightly indeed.
Author: Sarah Ahmed
Source: The Wine Detective
Review Date: Wednesday, January 8, 2014
