Hold on to your winter socks friends, as we are about to blow them off...
Jean Jaures once said, ‘Tradition does not mean to look after the ash, but to keep the flame alive’. Here at Cape Jaffa Wines we agree wholeheartedly.
Our newest release does just that and is an exciting and very, very different range of wines which will bring even your most oenophile of friends off their pedestal. For such a long time in Australians have held the notion that the best wines come from straight varietals. Well we’ve gone and tipped that notion on its head with stunning results. Aptly named ‘Winemaking on The Edge’, this new range closes the rule book, embraces the blend and sprinkles the result with a little dash of Cape Jaffa Wines magic.
If you are up to date with everything Cape Jaffa you will remember our immensely popular ‘Riptide’ made using viognier juice on Shiraz skins. Well, ‘Mesmer Eyes’ is kind of like Riptides rebellious brother where we have fermented Gewürztraminer on a combination of its own skins and a small proportion of Shiraz skins. This has created an aromatic medium bodied white wine which is actually red in colour. It’s lies somewhere between a rose and a red but not like anything you’ve tasted before. It will appeal to those looking for a light bodied, versatile red wine with a floral aromatic quality that was once only achievable with white wines. It goes incredibly well with a range of foods and, like us, pushes the boundaries and the senses to the limit.
This range also includes ‘Samphire’ which sees a melding of tradition and innovation. Based on the ancient Georgian craft of making wine in clay pots - which Anna learnt whilst working a vintage there in 2015. These pots, called qvevris, were traditionally buried anywhere from the family garage or, in the old days BC, in the local monastery for ‘ritualistic purposes’ or so they say. As Cape Jaffa Wines don’t have a monastery available we achieved a similar result using Australian fruit, a similar ceramic egg-shaped vessel, and a carved from Limestone barrel hall which may or may not have been blessed. Left fermenting on full skins in the egg for 5-6 months and then barrelling has led to a softening of the tannins, an explosive depth of flavour and a creamy mouthfeel.
Interest in these wines is bubbling throughout wine circles and our favourite winemaker, Anna Hooper, has been recognised in the top twelve at the 2017 Australian Young Gun of Wine award for her willingness to bend the rules. Even the very stylish Delicious magazine has picked up the range as the perfect match to their August recipes.
This new range encompasses everything that is right at Cape Jaffa Wines. Edgy, creative winemaking, a love of craft and beautifully drinkable wines. These wines are made distinctive in the range with a sketchy version of the regular label, reminding us of an artist’s draft-work, of our continual move back to the drawing board, of our promise to experiment and explore the very heart of winemaking out here on the edge.
07/08/2017 at 2:08 PM
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