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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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January Release |
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Italian Varietals |
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| It seems only logical given the warm Australian climate that our Winemakers would experiment with Italian grape varieties. It has been quite a long time coming, however, the wait is worthwhile. Garry Crittenden has been a pioneer with his "I" range and now Neil Pike has released this supreme Sangiovese. Neil is justifiably very happy with this wine...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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January Release |
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Italian Varietals |
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| Australian Winemakers have been somewhat reluctant to embrace Italian varieties, preferring to attempt to master the French ones. The nature of our climate, in both grape growing regions and where the population base lives, is in many ways very similar to Italy. Recent changes to the style of food we prepare and enjoy has looked towards Italy for inspiration, so it naturally follows that we should explore Italian grape varieties...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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January Release |
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Cabernet Sauvignon |
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| Neil Pike has long been a master of the precious Riesling in the Clare Valley. In recent years he has concentrated on refining his reds, being very successful at taking them up to another level. It is no coincidence that the area as a whole is now being recognised as one of the finest producers of full bodied red wine in Australia. First the Shiraz variety was conquered and now it is the Cabernet Sauvignon and its associated varieties of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. This is clearly his finest example of this style to date...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| Neil Pike doesn’t select "Reserve" wines. He lets the wine tell him if it warrants extra special treatment. He tastes and re-tastes various vats as the wine is fermenting, and in the case of the Shiraz only the very finest, most intensely flavored fruit will then be put into a high percentage of new oak and undergo barrel maturation for a greatly extended period...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| Again another triumph for Pikes. This Shiraz epitomises the Clare Valley's suitability for the variety, and in particular the 1996 vintage as one of the finest in recent years. The warm climate sits comfortably between the extremes and displays fully ripe fruit from low yielding vines. The result is sweet ripe fruit with a touch of spice. The careful attention to detail in the winery produces a wine with added complexity to the abundance of fresh fruit...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| Each year Neil and Andrew Pike release exceptional wine. Always their wines have great charm and drinkability at an early age, and many will age further and develop into great wines. They have surpassed their own high standards with this superb wine...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| This is a truly exciting addition to the Pikes range. The Clare Valley is simply a great area to grow grapes and the success Neil and Andrew Pike have had with Shiraz led them to experiment with the other varieties of the Rhone Valley usually blended with each other in the Southern Rhone. It has been a very successful experiment...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| In 1994 the ripening conditions were superb and Neil was able to select a tiny portion of his Shiraz crop for special treatment. Only the most highly flavored and concentrated bins were selected and then given extra aging in new oak barrels to further build depth and complexity...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| Some may say the quality of the standard wines from Pikes is so consistently high they do not need to put out a reserve range, however the Pike brothers, Neil and Andrew, like to test their skills to the limit. Only if they are completely satisfied with the quality do they release the wine. This '96 is very worthy of its Reserve status...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| Typically the Merlot fruit from the Pikes vineyard is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to produce a superb full bodied red wine. In 1994 a small amount of the Merlot was deemed by Neil Pike to be so exquisite that he kept it separate from the main blend and gave it longer maturation in new oak barrels. The result is a rare but wonderful expression of the variety's potential...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| Once again Neil Pike has triumphed with a red wine. He may soon be known as a red wine specialist who dabbles in a little Riesling! The Clare Valley has long been regarded as home to Australia's finest Rieslings, however it is equally suitable for the production of robust and generous red wine, such as this 1996 Cabernet Merlot...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| Typical of Pikes wines this new release Cabernet Merlot has generous fruit and therefore an easy drinking style, but still retains the potential to age and develop further...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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January Release |
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Sauvignon Blanc |
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| In typical Pikes fashion this wine is very clean and fresh with clearly defined flavors. The warm days of the ripening period are contrasted with cool evenings, due to the high altitude of the Clare Valley. This diurnal fluctuation prolongs the development of flavor in the berries and when eventually picked they contain the maximum of varietal impact...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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January Release |
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Sauvignon Blanc |
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| Ask Neil Pike when he last made a bad wine and his natural modesty will prevail and he will probably mutter something to effect that he is always trying to do his best and sometimes things don’t work out to please everyone. Ask any person who is familiar with his range of wines and they will be far more forthright, and state categorically that he would not know how to make a bad wine and that he continues to improve the quality of his whole range with each succeeding vintage...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| The consistency of this line of wines is staggering. The Clare Valley was blessed with damn near perfect ripening conditions for the 1997 harvest. It was warm in the summer but substantially cooler in the fall, but most importantly very dry as the grapes were going through the final stages of ripening. This enabled low yielding vines to produce very healthy grapes that were crammed with flavor...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| The ’98 vintage was exemplary at Neil’s Polish Hill River Estate, and it shows in this wine...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| As if Neil Pike's standard Riesling is not good enough. Well it is good enough, however every so often Neil receives a batch of fruit that is so exceptional in every way he is forced to keep it separate and release it as a "Reserve" wine...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| Many of the wine critics in Australia have hailed 1997 in the Clare Valley as one of the greatest vintages ever for Riesling. High praise indeed, and certainly there have been some memorable wines. The vintage has produced wines with superior aging potential than is the norm, and with that objective in mind Neil Pike selected the best parcels of fruit for long term cellaring potential. The result is his Reserve Riesling and it is truly magnificent...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| It would seem that there is no such thing as a bad, or even ordinary vintage for Clare Valley Riesling. The reds seem a little more variable, although the overall wine quality from Pikes is remarkably consistent. This vintage can be seen as triumphant for the Riesling...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| The great beauty of the Riesling grape variety is that is the purest expression of the concept of "terroir" of all the premium grape varieties. Generally the wine is vinified in a similar manner. This means using cool ferments, protection from oxidization, and no oak or malo-lactic fermentation. This results in different parcels of fruit exhibiting different characteristics only because of their vineyard location...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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January Release |
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Case Size: 6/750ml |
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Italian Varietals |
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| There are climatic similarities between the Clare Valley and Tuscany. The summer and fall seasons are generally warm and dry. Both are situated amongst rolling hills where morning dew is trapped to protect the vines during extended periods of sunshine...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| Neil Pike believes 1998 could be overall his finest red wine vintage. High praise indeed given the quality wines he has produced from the other vintages...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| This is Neil’s second release of this blend inspired by the wines of Chateaneuf-du-Pape and other fine wines from the Southern Rhone Valley. This style has developed along its own path in Australia and in a particularly distinctive way for Neil Pike. The 1998 is even more appealing than the prior vintage. Much could be attributed to a modified blend - 40% shiraz, 40% grenache and 20% Mourvedre. It is immediately appealing with its finesse and elegance on show from the moment you nose the wine...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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January Release |
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Bordeaux Blends |
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| Generally this is the lighter and slightly shy red in the Pikes stable. Not that it is ever a light red, just a little less full bodied than the straight Cabernet Sauvignon and indeed quite a different sensation to the powerful Shiraz which is so "in your face". The vagaries of the vintage sometimes changes these characters and with the outstanding 1998 vintage this wine takes on a new dimension...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| Clearly this is now Australia’s most eagerly awaited Riesling. Each year the number of fans seems to grow although Jeffrey Grosset steadfastly refuses to compromise his great wine and include other vineyards in his wine...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| Deep purple red. Complex aromas of dark berries, leather and a suggestion of liquorice nicely integrated with new French oak characters...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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Current Release |
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Cabernet Sauvignon |
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| Medium purple red. Fragrant aromas of cassis, violets and rose petals, beautifully integrated with high quality new French oak...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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| From the contemporary ‘King” of Australian Riesling comes yet another great vintage of Polish Hill. The bouquet delivers lemon and lime characters, with a slightly dusty/floral nuance. On the palate you are confronted by the laser like precision of the wine. Mineral notes support all of the fruit, and the acid holds it all together. Beautifully well defined flavors in a lean, long framework...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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August Release |
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Case Size: 6/750ml |
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Riesling |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY/SOUTH AUSTRALIA |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY/SOUTH AUSTRALIA |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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January Release |
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Case Size: 6/750ml |
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Riesling |
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| Neil Pike will only release a Reserve wine in years that he determines the fruit from this particular plot deserves the special Reserve designation. 2001 was one of those years. The fruit delivered wonderful intensity of flavor within a classic Riesling framework...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY/SOUTH AUSTRALIA |
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January Release |
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Case Size: 12/750ml |
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Riesling |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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March Release |
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Case Size: 12/750ml |
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Riesling |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY |
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January Release |
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Case Size: 12/750ml |
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Riesling |
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| This is one of the best vintages yet courtesy of the “Master”, Jeffrey Grosset. This is a wine for long term if you can hold back...... |
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POLISH HILL RIVER, CLARE VALLEY/SOUTH AUSTRALIA |
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November Release |
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Case Size: 12/750ml |
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Riesling |
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