MEDIA RELEASE: AUGUST 2003
A Barossan shiraz master
accepts pinot noir challenge
David Powell, world-renowned Barossa shiraz and grenache master and architect of such widely applauded styles as Torbreck’s Runrig, The Steading, The Factor, Descendent and Juveniles, has another, somewhat surprising, winemaking passion that he pursues in the Adelaide Hills.
Each year he makes a small batch [just a few hundred cases] of pinot noir for Jill and Chris Whisson, of Aldgate Ridge, and regards the task as a much greater challenge than making world-class shiraz.
“Look, if you have access to well managed old-vine Barossa shiraz, some good oak and reasonably facilities, you’d have to be incompetent not to make great wine. The secrets really are just about all in the fruit, and the wine does tend to make itself,” said David.
“Not that the fruit doesn’t hold plenty of secrets in making great pinot noir. It’s just that there seems to be a lot more care and work to be undertaken in the winery — a lot more options to assess.”
Many of the winemaking challenges arise from the more oxidative, less flavour-saturated nature of pinot noir fruit.
“In this regard, pinot noir is more like grenache than like shiraz. You have to be really careful not to oxidise the juice and the wine and to maximise the colour and flavour that you have,” said David.
“The first response might be to use more SO2 to protect against oxidation, but SO2 also has a bleaching affect so high levels just aren’t an option. So the only real option is to take great care — and then some more care still.”
David Powell regards the clonal mix of Aldgate Ridge’s pinot noir as one of his greatest assets, especially the high proportion of Burgundian clonal material.
“With shiraz there doesn’t seem to be much clonal variation. Indeed, I wouldn’t even know what shiraz clones we had planted in our Barossa vineyards,” he said.
“With pinot the differences are immense. Most Australian pinot vineyards have been planted with locally developed clones which tend to produce relatively large berries and quite aromatic flavours.
“When they were establishing their vineyard in the late 80s the Whissons had the foresight to seek out supplies of Burgundian clones of pinot as well and they were among the first in Australia to commercially plant them.
“The Burgundian clones tend to be smaller berried, deeper coloured and to produce more intense palate flavours.”
The differences in fruit character have led David Powell to keep batches separate in the winery and treat them quite differently.
“The fruit from the Burgundian is a bit less easily oxidised than the local clones are, and I can afford to allow the wine to macerate on the skins for 10-12 days after fermentation has finished,” he said.
“This builds flavour and complexity, provides the more meaty, gamey flavours that I really like in pinot.
“Because it’s more easily oxidised and because I want to capture its aromatics, I press the fruit from the local clones as soon as fermentation is complete and the wine is still protected by its own blanket of CO2.
“I use French oak exclusively with Aldgate’s pinot but I tend to give the Burgundian material more new oak and the local material older oak.
“New oak has more open pores and tends to be more oxidative, so what I’m trying to do is preserve the colour and aromatics of the Australian clonal material.”
The Whissons believe they have been extremely fortunate to be able to work with a winemaker with the skills and dedication of David Powell.
“We were lucky enough to meet David before he achieved icon status in the US and we’re obviously pleased that he’s continued to see potential in our fruit and to make our pinot,” said Jill Whisson.
The feelings of gratitude do flow the other way as well.
“Aldgate Ridge presents a great opportunity for a winemaker confronting the challenge,” said David Powell.
“Apart from the clonal mix, the vineyard is almost perfectly located — high enough at about 440 metres to escape the heat that can so easily drain flavour from pinot noir, and with a textbook-perfect aspect that maximises exposure of fruit to sun and hence flavour development.
“The Whissons are also prepared to take my advice on vineyard management — something that costs them dearly, at least in terms of crop. They are prepared minimise irrigation and cut back on yields to achieve the flavour and colour intensity I believe is essential to produce great pinot.
“I’m really pleased with the result. I’m not a fan of pinot that reeks of strawberries and raspberries. I much prefer the violets, blackberries, red cherries, earthiness and spicy cedar in this wine.
“I also like the weight, viscosoity, texture and length on the palate, the savoury fruit characters and silky tannins. It’s an elegant red but I think it’s a bit ballsy as well.
“Perhaps that’s my background coming through. Maybe it is a case of being able to take the boy out of the shiraz but not being able to entirely take the shiraz out of the boy.”
