Classy Aramis chardonnay, cabernet and shiraz come from special McLaren Vale vineyard
From a unique cool-climate vineyard comes a sublime cabernet, boisterous shiraz and an elegant chardonnay.
Do women have better palates than blokes?
McLaren Vale’s Aramis winemaker Renae Hirsch laughs at my question and demurs. “I’m not going to be drawn into that,’’ she says, before adding: “Perhaps some people say women have more delicate palates.”
Hirsch, below, is just one of dozens of female winemakers bringing a modern vibrancy to the Australian wine landscape, with her skills winning acclaim at the McLaren Vale Wine Show last year.
Whether it be groundbreaking leaders at major labels, like Yalumba’s head of winemaking Louisa Rose and Wynn’s Sue Hodder or Margaret River innovator Vanya Cullen and a host of boutique artisans like Caroline Mooney at Yarra’s Bird on a Wire, our sisters are truly doin’ it for themselves.
“I don’t feel like it’s a male-dominated industry – probably in the 90s it was but not now,’’ says Hirsch, who grew up in the Adelaide Hills and pursued a winemaking career because she enjoyed science at high school.
Hirsch plies her trade for several wineries including Chalk Hill, Hugo Wines and Aramis, which owns a rather special vineyard in McLaren Vale planted around 1998 by Adelaide businessman Lee Flourentzou.
The Australian Wine Club is today offering special deals on three Aramis wines – a five-year-old chardonnay, a sublime cabernet and a boisterous shiraz. As an added bonus, they are all vegan friendly and Aramis is a long way down the road towards organic certification.
Sitting only 2km from the Gulf of St Vincent, the Aramis vineyard is one of the coolest sites in McLaren Vale and is only planted to shiraz (18ha) and cabernet sauvignon (8ha). It’s the vineyard that gets Hirsch’s juices flowing, with its varying topography and microclimates producing different flavour and tannin profiles across different blocks. She explains that the shiraz vines at the very top of the vineyard, being exposed to blustery winds blowing off the ocean, produce smaller berries with concentrated flavours, while the fruit grown on the hillside tends to be juicier.
The cabernet is also grown in two distinct lots: the higher hillside rows and the vines located in deeper, richer alluvial soils at the bottom of the vineyard.
Blending these different components together to deliver the best possible red wines is Hirsch’s passion – and the key to delivering outstanding Aramis wines at a scarcely believable price.
Aramis Black Label Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2016
White wines for Aramis are produced by Australian Society of Viticulture & Oenology Winemaker of the Year Peter Leske from carefully selected Adelaide Hills fruit. Clean and crisp with a tingle of acidity, this five-year-old chardonnay still boasts an invigorating aroma of zesty citrus and subtle stone fruits. Vibrant grapefruit charges to the fore, backed by apricot and peach flavours, supported by a gentle hint of spice. Chardonnay lovers who enjoy a touch of oak framing their wine will make themselves at home here. Scored 91 points from James Halliday’s team. 13.5% alc
Aramis McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Arriving in peak drinking condition, the 2017 cabernet delivers concentrated blueberry fruit and licorice flavours, against a backdrop of dried thyme, mint and earthy savouriness. Beautifully balanced with tannins softening for a silky smooth finish. This wine represents exceptional value. Classic roast lamb with rosemary is the perfect companion for a winter night at home. 14.5% alc
Aramis McLaren Vale Shiraz 2020
Bursting from the glass is an array of fresh fruit flavours: plums, boysenberries and blueberries lead from the front, with rich chocolate mocha overlaying earthy undertones. Hirsch crafts the white label shiraz for early release, using a combination of new and matured French and American oak. 14.5% alc
ARAMIS DOZEN SPECIAL (four of each wine) $15.99 a bottle
Order online or telephone 1300 765 359 Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm AEST. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaite’s Wine People
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