Bath salt, Lemon, lemongrass and flinty mineral nuances. Quite delicate. 
50/50 blend of Shiraz and Grenache from McLaren Vale.
Berry, perfume, subtle stem influence.
Whole bunch pressed, 20% of juice on skins, natural yeasts. Racked off to older French barrels. Barely Medium-Dry in IRF scale. |
| 2012 bottle image |
Classic lychee and Turkish delight, musk. 
Showing some age, taking on honeyed and toffee notes over stonefruit and citrus.
More citrus than grassy Sauv, a little lemon butter.
It would be remiss to not mention the untimely passing of Willow Bridge winemaker Simon Burnell in early 2015. Of course Simon would have overseen the initial production of this wine, a wine that now rests in the hands of Kim Horton who took over the reigns, transferring from Frankland River's Ferngrove.
Leads with a tropical edge: honeydew melon with a little cream and white florals. Suggestion of green herb, a faint dill note.
Perfumed, lime with a touch of green apple and florals. 
Green apple, bath salt, a little jasmine.
Seen quite a price increase since I first tasted the 2013 vintage (tastings), but for me the brand and wines out of the portfolio remain some of the most consistent, drinkable and exciting out of the region.
A pre-Christmas trip to the Hunter Valley afforded an opportunity to explore some of the emerging varieties that are making a name for themselves in the land of Shiraz and Semillon.
Two thirds of the fruit was de-stemmed and wild yeast fermented. The remainder was 100% whole bunch and fermented in a tank for five weeks.
Self described dynamic wine duo, Ian and Suzanne Little, between them have more than 50 years winemaking experience, mainly for large corporate wineries. The Little Wine Co is very much the anti-thesis of that corporate experience, with its first vintage back in 1984.
Citrus, shortbread biscuit, baked goods.
A purchase from the wonderfully authentic Macquariedale cellar door, on a sodden wet day just prior to Christmas, the wipers going nineteen to the dozen attempting to keep the shield clear, the rain creating channels of water flowing down the unpaved driveway, spirits instantly lifted upon being met my Ross (McDonald, owner and winemaker).
A little grass, herb (dill, thyme perhaps), citrus and stonefruit. 
From a lower yielding vintage, when Spring frosts affected flowering - a critical period in setting up the vines for bearing in fruit.
Creamy, residual oak and barrel ferment character; stone fruit and florals.