Handpicked Trial Batch Nebbiolo 2018

Handpicked wines produce a select number of Trial Batch wines - small quantities of alternative varieties made with innovative winemaking techniques. The fruit for the 2018 Trial Batch Nebbiolo comes from the Malakoff Estate Vineyard in the Pyrenees.

"A wonderful Australian expression of this noble grape variety. Utterly beguiling, this delicate Pyrenees nebbiolo resides in the prettier, finer interpretation of the Piedmontese grape. The palate is irresistibly savoury and inviting with cherry, fig, orange peel, dried fruit and rose petal. The tannins are tamed and in balance and the finish has lovely lingering length. A pinot lover's nebbiolo. Delicious!"  Nick Munday

"Perfume, red cherries, tar, skin contact, persistence. This wine has the typical light-red colour of Nebbiolo together with its intense perfume of red cherries, pink blossom, almond meal and tar. The palate is a mix of clear fruit and savoury spice – again the cherry, almond and tar, but also dried herbs and anise. The tannin, as you would expect, is grippy and the finish lingers.

This fruit was grown by the John family at its Malakoff Estate Vineyard in Landsborough, harvested in early April and destemmed and vinified in open fermenters with hand plunging. An extended maceration on skins continued for 11 weeks post-ferment and the wine was racked to barrel for a further 10 months maturation in mostly older French barriques.

It was a tale of two vintages in the Pyrenees – outstanding wines and average crops from well-sited vineyards, yields and quality severely affected by a cruel late-spring frost in others. Luckily, Malakoff Estate is one of the former and our Nebbiolo benefitted from a warm-to-hot and dry summer followed by milder weather in March and April during ripening."  Handpicked Wines

Expert reviews

"A wonderful Australian expression of this noble grape variety. Utterly beguiling, this delicate pyrenees nebbiolo resides in the prettier, finer interpretation of the Piedmontese grape. The palate is irresistibly savoury and inviting with cherry, fig, orange peel, dried fruit and rose petal. The tannins are tamed and in balance and the finish has lovely lingering length. A pinot lover's nebbiolo. Delicious!"  Nick Munday, Canterbury Wines - 94 points and Special Value Wine  ★ 

"Light, rather washed-out ruby to orange colour, and a shy, elusive aroma of vague 'forest floor', compost and vegetal aromas. Dried flowers, too, rose petals and spices. The palate is likewise light in weight but intensely-flavoured, the tannins soft and gentle but plentiful. A complex and quite delicious nebbiolo. A really gorgeous wine that really grows on you. Drink: 2020-2027."  Huon Hooke, The Real Review - 93 points

Awards

Special Value Wine - Canterbury Wines  ★ 

About the winery

Handpicked Wines is a family-owned, multi-regional business that focuses on the production of high-quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Their winery is located in the Mornington Peninsula adjacent to their flagship vineyard Capella, but they also own top quality vineyards in the Yarra Valley, Tasmania and Barossa Valley.

Handpicked Wines produce three tiers of wine; a Single Vineyard range, a Collection range and a budget Regional Selections range.

The Single Vineyard releases, as the name implies, are sourced from their six vineyards; the Capella Vineyard in the Mornington Peninsula, the Wombat Creek and Highbow Hill Vineyards in the Yarra Valley, the Auburn Road and Native Point Vineyards in Tasmania's Tamar Valley, and the Watunga Road Vineyard in the Barossa Valley.

The Collection range, which sits below the Single Vineyard range, is a set of premium wines that encapsulate the best characteristics of each region. Fruit is sourced from their own vineyards and other top quality leased vineyards. Director of winemaking Peter Dillon travels extensively to oversee quality throughout the regions; he and assistant winemaker Rohan Smith work closely with a team of viticulturists who manage the vineyards.

"Handpicked Wines founder and managing director William Dong admits that he came into the wine industry knowing little about the challenges ahead; he just loved wine and wanted to make wines that people would want to share together. It didn't take long to realise that to make truly great wines that express the best of their region he would need to invest in special vineyards and passionate people.

Capella Vineyard on the Mornington Peninsula was the first vineyard purchased, in 2013. It remains Handpicked's spiritual home and where our winemakers are based. We now own six vineyards in Mornington, Yarra Valley, Tasmania and Barossa Valley. In other regions in Australia and around the world we work with exceptional growers who have become part of the Handpicked family over many years.

We've come a long way - our team has grown, we make more wines in more regions, we've won a lot of trophies, received great reviews, thrown some epic parties and begun an exciting journey into organics - but our purpose to share the love of wine has not wavered. And as William would say, 'The real journey starts today.'"  Handpicked Wines