A visit to Cape Horn Vineyard is like a day out. Vineyards are noted to be great picnic grounds, but after negotiating a couple of kilometres of unsealed road, Cape Horn is like a small piece of paradise, tucked neatly beside the Murray River. Owners Ian and Sue Harrison own the house which is architect-built to be environmentally sustainable, and the vineyards are like an extension of the gardens. Ian has big plans. He’d like to wow the community of Echuca with concerts by the [...]

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Cape Horn 2006 Durif Winemaker’s tasting notes: The Cape Horn signature wine, Durif is a black grape variety, also known as Petit Syrah (Small Shiraz), developed in France initially to combat downy mildew. Reflecting a particularly small grape size, the wine has incredibly intense colour, flavours and tannins that are often so overwhelming that they can prevent the wine from being drunk for a long period of time. The warm Cape Horn microclimate is ideal for this late ripening grape variety allowing an intensity of [...]

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Cape Horn 2008 Marsanne Winemaker’s tasting notes: A full bodied, deep coloured wine with a heavy aroma of honeysuckle and almonds.It is a variety that will age well in the bottle if not over cropped. In 2007 the vineyard was affected by drought conditions and this brought out the best in the wine creating intense fruit flavours, small berries and low yield. Screwcap. Price is for a case of 12 x 750ml bottles. Sells: $216 Share on Facebook

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Cape Horn 2009 Zinfandel Winemaker’s tasting notes: Also known as ‘Primitivo’, a black Italian grape variety, it performs best in warmer, hot climates to ripen evenly and also grown in California. It is an alternative variety that is often used to make both a light rose style wine or a full bodied fruit driven red which is the style we have developed. It is clean, fresh and spicy with excellent colour and flavour but not overly exposed to oak. Screwcap. Price is for a case [...]

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Cape Horn 2008 Chardonnay Winemaker’s tasting notes: By far one of our best Chardonnay’s produced to date; this wine has achieved the perfect balance of citrus and stone-fruit characters, crisp acidity and elegantly integrated oak. It is fresh and vibrant perfect for drinking now and will cellar well for a number of years if you can hide it. A truly more-ish wine! Screwcap. Price is for a case of 12 x 750ml bottles. Sells: $216 Share on Facebook

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Cape Horn 2005 Sparkling Durif/Shiraz Winemaker’s tasting notes: This wine is made because it really tastes fantastic on a summers day, when you really want a red but it is just too hot. It is light sparkling wine with lots of berry fruits typical of shiraz and durif. The natural fermentation in the bottle lightens the style and the addition of a dosage of port when disgorged gives the wine a sweet finish. The wine still has the oak characters due to its 15 months [...]

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A word which will be spoken a lot in wine circles is “terroir”. It’s a fancy way of talking about the soil in which the grapes are grown. Cathy Branson at Mount Burrumboot in the celebrated Shiraz region of Heathcote gives the French word a fresh, honest Aussie farmer type feel: “We’re farmers, and in Heathcote we have great soil. That allows us to grow great grapes which we know transfers into great wine. That’s what we do. “Although I’m from a science background, we [...]

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  Winemaker’s tasting notes: Rubust and flavoursome, Sangiovese craves the company of crusty breads, antipasti, garlicky, chunky meat. “The wine has the fine structure of sangiovese from Tuscany, and great continuity and line; the mix of sour cherry, cherry and spice is also very good indeed.” (James Halliday). Awards: Rated 93 Halliday’s Wine Companion 2010 Screwcap. Price is for a case of 12 x 750ml bottles. Sells: $290 Share on Facebook

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While most wineries don’t put relics on show, many of them are libraries of historical wonder. As Molly Morgan’s heroics are documented in the Hunter Valley, Echuca’s Hopwood Winery takes note of Henry Hopwood – a likeable rogue and entrepreneur whose efforts helped ensure the town was a major link in Australia’s mid-1800s economy. Echuca is full of history. The town maintains strong links with its past. Buildings are restored to their former glory. And plaques tell visitors about the past – good and bad. [...]

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Winemaker’s tasting notes: This wine has intense deep inky purple colour a rich complex perfumed Cabernet aromas and wild berry fruits mixed in with lashings of sweet toasty oak. The lovely aromas carry through to an intense mouth filling palate with bold yet soft tannins. The wine will develop and improve over the next 7-10 years. The depth and length of flavour and makes this a perfect food wine to match with your favourite steak and red meat dish or great with hard cheeses, blue [...]

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