Gracedale Hills 'Hill Paddock' Yarra Valley Rosé 2016
Style: Rosé
Closure: Screwcap
Gracedale Hills 'Hill Paddock' Yarra Valley Rosé 2016
Pick up
Burke Road
Camberwell VIC 3124
Australia
Producer: Gracedale Hills
Country: Australia
Region: Yarra Valley
Vintage: 2016
Critic Score: Not Rated
Alcohol: 13.5%
Size: 750 ml
Drink by: Now
The Hill Paddock vineyard was established in 1996 by Dr Richard Gutch and Verna Gutch on their 36 hectare property, Gracedale Hills Estate. It is situated on the Yarra River, ten kilometres from the township of Healesville in the Yarra Valley wine region.
A superb rosé from this tiny producer in the Yarra Valley - very European in style with elegance, structure and texture. Rose petal and red cherry aromas are extremely inviting; leading into a serious palate of strawberry and cherry fruit complexed by spicy components. Very stylish, with perfect balance and a very long, fresh finish. Highly recommended.
About the winery
The vineyard was established in 1996 by Dr Richard Gutch and Verna Gutch on their 36 hectare property, Gracedale Hills Estate. It is situated on the Yarra River, ten kilometres from the township of Healesville in the Yarra Valley wine region.
In 2005-2006 a purpose built winery with modern gravity fed utilities and an underground barrel hall was constructed on the property. The winery facility is called 'Hill Paddock Winery.' Sadly both Richard and Verna have passed away and the Estate is now being managed by their daughter Penny Gutch and her husband Chris.
The vineyard was planted after a chance meeting between James Halliday and Dr Richard Gutch. As an aside, Richard's claim to fame is for being the doctor who delivered Olivia Newton-John, Aussie singer and actress, into the world on September 26, 1948, in Cambridge, England.
Richard and Verna's neighbour at Gracedale Hills happened to be Newell Cowan, who established Eyton on Yarra and Rochford Wines. At Eyton’s opening in 1996, Dr Gutch sat next to James Halliday, who advised him to plant vines on his estate, "Because of the northeastern slope you’ll never get a frost." According to Penny Gutch, he was right, they never have.
Hill Paddock Winery produced its first wine in 2003 under the Gracedale Hills label, releasing 100 cases of shiraz, chardonnay and rosé. Now, the winery is leased under a ten-year agreement with well-known Yarra Valley winemaker Mac Forbes. He produces both the Gracedale Hills 'Hill Paddock' wines and his own wines at the facility.
Victoria
Victoria is home to more than 800 wineries across 21 wine regions. The regions are Alpine Valley, Beechworth, Bendigo, Geelong, Gippsland, Glenrowan, Goulburn Valley, Grampians, Heathcote, Henty, King Valley, Macedon Ranges, Mornington Peninsula, Murray Darling, Pyrenees, Rutherglen, Strathbogie Ranges, Sunbury, Swan Hill, Upper Goulburn and Yarra Valley.
Victoria's first vines were planted at Yering in the Yarra Valley in 1838. By 1868 over 3,000 acres had been planted in Victoria, establishing Victoria as the premier wine State of the day. Today, the original vineyards planted at Best's Wines are among the oldest and rarest pre-phylloxera plantings in the world.
Victoria's climate varies from hot and dry in the north to cool in the south and each wine region specialises in different varietals. For example, Rutherglen in the north is famous for its opulent Muscats and Topaque and bold reds, while the many cooler climate regions near Melbourne produce world class Chardonnay and pinot Noir. Victoria is truly a wine lover's playground.