Wines

Bress wines are produced from grapes that have been grown using biodynamic farming practices.  This fruit is then handcrafted to reflect the varietal characters and the sense of place that each parcel of fruit expresses.

2010 Gold Chook Harcourt Valley The Kindest Cut Riesling

The Name

Whilst living and winemaking in the Yarra Valley, I discovered the joys of breeding and showing chickens.  This passion led me to visit France in 1996 to witness first hand their traditional methods of breeding chickens and I dedicate our wines to the famous chickens of France and what they represent – artisan production using traditional, age old methods.

 The Vineyard 

This Riesling was grown in the Harcourt Valley, central Victoria. HarcourtValleyis uncharacteristically cool for a central Victorian wine region.  Nestled between the Mount Alexander range and a large ridge line, the valley is subject to particularly cool mornings and afternoon shading due to the large ridge line.  This combination results in a prolonged growing season which produces intensely flavoured fruit. The vines were caned pruned and when the fruit developed good flavour, the canes were cut allowing the fruit to shrivel on the vine, further concentrating the sugar, acid and flavour compounds.  A small amount of Botrytis infection also occurred which has added complexity to the wine.

 Winemaking:

Our winemaking belief is that good fruit should be treated gently and with minimal intervention.   Our 2010 Harcourt Valley Riesling was treated in this manner. 

 This wine has been unashamedly modelled on the great sweet Rieslings, which are produced in the Mosel region of Germany.

 A range of techniques were utilised in the making of this wine.  These include:

 Cane cutting the vines to have the fruit naturally desiccate and concentrate fruit flavour, natural acid and sugar levels. 

• Using 100% juice solids and 100% indigenous yeast strains to undertake the fermentation. 
• Ensuring that the fermentation took over 6 weeks to complete at low temperatures, (generally 10 to 12 degrees).

Following fermentation, the wine was occasionally lees stirred to retain freshness and gently filtered prior to bottling.

 Our 2010 Harcourt Valley Riesling was bottled using a Screw Cap closure. 

 Using a Screw Cap closure is our attempt to ensure that our wine is presented free of cork characters (good or bad) and that the full aroma and flavour of this wine is expressed.  

Tasting Notes:

Colour:  Light golden straw with youthful green tinges.  Aroma:  The wine offers a complex array of fruit aromas of apricot, citrus and spiced fruit.  Palate:   The wine is deliberately made as a sweeter desert style Riesling.  It has very attractive Riesling flavours of citrus and spiced fruit and the Botrytis influence of dried apricot characters. There is a textural mid palate richness evident in the wine due to the prolonged fermentation.  The finish is unctuous, well rounded and has a lovely acid balance which ensures the wine is not cloying.