CRFT 2022 Mencía – The Rohrlach Vineyard (organic)

WILLIAMSTOWN - BAROSSA VALLEY


The Wine
Organically grown and made (uncertified), this is the first release of our new Rohrlach Vineyard Mencía.
A vibrant, fresh, early-drinking style, this wine is all about the fruit.

Strawberry, raspberry and pomegranate on the nose, with fresh beetroot, cinnamon and liquorice. The palate is plush and round, loaded with juicy sweet fruit, it lingers with notes of vanilla and boysenberry.

Enjoy while young and fresh or within two years of release.
Best served cool at 14-16C or enjoy chilled from the fridge in warmer weather.
14.5% alc/vol

The Winemaking
Hand-made at CRFT certified organic winery in Carey Gully.
Hand-picked on the 4th and 6th April 2022.
Destemmed to an open-top tank for wild fermentation with around 2 weeks on skins.
Then pressed to oak for wild malolactic fermentation followed by maturation for 6 months with regular lees stirring.
100% French oak, all seasoned barriques 3yo+. Unfined and unfiltered.
Bottled October 2022. Vegan friendly.

The Vineyard
Our Rohrlach Mencía comes from the same vineyard as our Old Vine Rohrlach Shiraz. It’s located on the southern fringe of the Barossa Valley wine region, just a couple of kilometres from the boundary of the Adelaide Hills wine region.

The Rohrlach Vineyard has fully converted to organic and regenerative farming practices from 2021 with full Organic Certification to follow.

Vineyard: Owned and farmed by Matt Rohrlach with his parents, Dennis and Carolyn
Location: Williamstown – Peramangk Country – Barossa Valley
Map: 34°41'12.4"S 138°53'58.0"E
Elevation: 320m
Planted: 2019 & 2020
Soil: Dark loam and dense clay scattered with Mica and fool’s gold, making the soil sparkle in the sunlight.

SOLD OUT - CRFT 2021 Mencía - The Schmidt Vineyard

VINE VALE - BAROSSA VALLEY

Reviews
93 POINTS - JENI PORT (HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION)
”Matured 10 months in French oak. A bold and fleshy wine, a new addition to the CFRT portfolio, with the promise of a second planting at the Rohrlach Vineyard in the Barossa also coming on stream soon. Black is the abiding theme: black as night in colour, dark blackberries, black licorice, black Vegemite-yeasty savouriness. Generous and supple, it's all wrapped up in bold tannin.”

The Wine
The nose shows beetroot, rhubarb and ripe black mulberries with a creamy mid pallet and blackberry jam finish. Sour cherries, bay leaf and nutmeg in the mix.
Benefits from a little time to breathe upon opening.
Drink at release or cellar to 2026, possibly beyond.
Suggested serving temperature 15-17C.
RRP $31

The Winemaking
Harvested 26th Feb 2021.
Hand-made at CRFT Carey Gully winery.
100% Barossa Valley Mencía grapes, hand-picked.
Wild fermented in an open-top tank, gentle hand plunge only, then pressed to barrel for wild malolactic fermentation and maturation. Occasional bottonage.
Matured for 10 months in 100% French oak, 25% 1yo old, 75% older oak.
Alcohol- 13.5% alc/vol, Sugar/GF - Dry/<0.1g/L
Bottled 24th January 2022, Vegan friendly.

The Vineyard
Elaine Schmidt owns and farms the Mencía vines at Vine Vale (Barossa Valley).
Organically farmed (uncertified) from the 2018/2019 growing season onwards.
Planted: 2012 (half grafted, half planted on own roots)
Soil: Deep sandy loam topsoil, over deep red clay subsoil.
Map: -34.686931, 138.898547

SOLD OUT - CRFT 2020 Mencía - The Schmidt Vineyard

VINE VALE - BAROSSA VALLEY

Introducing our 2020 Mencía - same wine, beautiful new label.

Scores and Reviews
92 POINTS - MIKE BENNIE, THE WINE FRONT
“Mencía from Vine Vale, Barossa Valley. Smells like a cherry Danish pastry! Slippery textured, juicy and bright, cherry juice, cranberry, a web of gentle tannins, lots of cool acidity and a sprinkle of green herbs. I like the vibe here, it feels great to drink. Good energy.”

The Wine
Lifted and aromatic the nose shows raspberry and tea leaves with floral notes of rosewater and Turkish Delight. The palate is fleshy and lush, with fine tannings and a beetroot earthy character.
Ready to drink at release or cellar to 2025 (possibly beyond).
Suggested serving temperature 16-17C
Alcohol - 13.0% alc/vol
Sugar/GF - Dry
Released – 14th May 2021

The Winemaking
Harvested 6th March 2020.
Hand-made at CRFT Carey Gully winery.
100% Barossa Valley Mencía grapes, hand-picked.
Wild natural fermented in an open-top tank, gentle hand plunge only, 10 days on skins, then pressed to barrel for malolactic fermentation and maturation.
Matured for 10 months in 100% French oak, 45% 1yo old, 55% older oak.
Bottled February 2021. Vegan friendly.

The Vineyard
The Schmidt family own and farm the Mencía vines at Vine Vale in the Barossa Valley.
Organically farmed (uncertified) from 2018/2019 growing season onwards.
Planted - 2012 (half grafted, half planted on own roots)
Soil - Deep sandy loam topsoil, over deep red clay subsoil.
Map -34.495745, 139.010397

Mencía – About the variety
Mencía (pronounced MEN-cee-ah or MEN-thee-ah) is a Spanish native grown mostly in the northwestern corner of Spain and if you enjoy Pinot Noir you should definitely give this a go!
The variety often shows lifted aromatics of red fruit, floral notes and earthy tones. It can be medium to full bodied and suits savoury red meat dishes, poultry or wild game, and vegetarian dishes such as mushroom risotto.
In Australia, there’s just a tiny handful of plantings and producers, with the variety found in South Australia’s McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills and Barossa Valley as well as the Pyrenees Wine Region in Victoria and Orange in New South Wales.
Australian Mencía will be an exciting variety to watch over the coming decades as our vines age and as we learn how to grow Mencía in our climate.
In 2019 our second planting of Mencía was established at the Rohrlach Vineyard in the Barossa Valley and we look forward to producing our second single vineyard Mencía in the future.

SOLD OUT - CRFT 2019 Mencía - The Schmidt Vineyard

Review

91 POINTS - CAMPBELL MATTINSON (THE WINE FRONT)

CRFT wines always keep things interesting.
This has drinkability written all over it but there’s a bit more to it than that. It’s fruit-driven, soft and berried, maybe a bit floral too, but tea leaf, game and sweet-earthen-root-vegetable characters add that something extra. In fact it tastes like beetroot-at-the-peak-of-its-powers. It’s as delightful as it is delicious. Personally I would drink it now/young but it may well age. Drink : 2020 - 2024+

The Wine

Lifted and aromatic the nose shows blackcurrant, pomegranate and blackberry jam, with secondary characters of beetroot, chocolate bullets and leather polish. Tea leaf and dried prune add to the complexity. Super juicy palate bursting with plush concentrated red fruit and smooth supple tannins.

A beautiful wine to drink right now or watch it age and develop over the coming few years.

Ready to drink at release or cellar for up to 5 years (possibly beyond!).

Suggested serving temperature 16-17C

Alcohol - 13.5% alc/vol

Sugar/GF - Dry

RRP - $31

Released - April 2020

The Winemaking

Harvested 5th March 2019. 100% Barossa Valley Mencía grapes, hand-picked.

Hand-made by Candice and Frewin at their winery in Carey Gully.

Wild fermented in an open-top tank, gentle hand plunge only, 10 days on skins, then pressed to barrel for malolactic fermentation and maturation.

Matured for 9 months in 100% French oak, 25% 1yo old, 75% older oak.

Bottled December 2019, 104 dozen produced. Vegan friendly.

The Vineyard

The Schmidt family own and farm the Mencía vines at Vine Vale in the Barossa Valley.

Organically farmed (uncertified) from 2018/2019 growing season.

Planted - 2012 (half grafted, half planted on own roots)

Soil - Deep sandy loam topsoil, over deep red clay subsoil.

Map -34.495745, 139.010397

Mencía – About the variety

Mencía (pronounced MEN-cee-ah or MEN-thee-ah) is a Spanish native grown mostly in the northwestern corner of Spain and if you enjoy Pinot Noir you should definitely give this a go!

The variety often shows lifted aromatics of red fruit, floral notes and earthy tones. It can be medium to full bodied and suits savoury red meat dishes, poultry or wild game, and vegetarian dishes such as mushroom risotto. In Australia, there’s just a tiny handful of plantings and producers, with the variety found in South Australia’s McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills and Barossa Valley as well as the Pyrenees Wine Region in Victoria and Orange in New South Wales. Australian Mencía will be an exciting variety to watch over the coming decades as our vines age and as we learn how to grow Mencía in our climate.

In 2019 our second planting of Mencía was established at the Rohrlach Vineyard in the Barossa Valley and we look forward to producing our second single vineyard Mencía in the future.

SOLD OUT - CRFT 2016 The Fechner Vineyard Shiraz

The Wine                                  

Dark chocolate and cardoman notes with fresh blackcurrent, blueberry and dried prune fruit. Full bodied, rich and dark with smooth velvety tannins. Spicy and warm, with black olives and pepper. With all it’s power and length, it still shines with elegance and bright fruit.

Drinking... Drinking beautifully right now at release, and will continue to develp with age - cellar to 2030, possibly beyond.

Alcohol: 15% alc/vol

The Winemaking                              

Hand-picked and destemmed to open-top tank for fermentation with 15% whole bunches, then gently hand plunged two to three times daily.

Pressed directly to oak with 3 weeks barrel fermentation followed by 10 months maturation – 100% French oak, 30% new oak.

Unfined, unfiltered, vegan.

Bottled:  10th February 2017

Production:  92 dozen

The Vineyard                                  

Fechner Vineyard is owned & farmed by brothers Michael Fechner & Graeme Fechner near Moculta in the northern end of the Eden Valley.

The Fechner Vineyard is unique being one of only a few eastern facing vineyards in the Eden Valley region.  The eastern slope which offers cooler daytime temperatures, together with higher altitude and cool valley winds produces optimum growing conditions for Shiraz.

Site location: Moculta – Eden Valley

Map coordinates: -34.475005,139.071367

Clone:  1654

Planted: 1999

Elevation: 345m

Aspect: East facing

Harvest: 7th March 2016

Tonnes:  1.33T

Soil:  Broken Grey schist integrated with shallow limestone and red clay, very complex ancient soil. 

SOLD OUT - CRFT 2018 Mencía - The Schmidt Vineyard

The Vineyard

The Schmitd's grown our Mencia grapes at their property in Vine Vale, located in the heart of the Barossa Valley.

The Winemaking

Picked in the cool of the morning and gently destemmed to preserve whole berries. Fermented in an open top tank with a light hand plunge once or twice daily.
Pressed directly to barrel for Malo-lactic fermentation and left to mature in oak for 10 months’ - 100% French, 50% 1 year old / 50% older oak.

100% Barossa Valley Mencia.

Unfined, unfiltered, wild fermented, vegan. Hand made by Candice and Frew at their Arranmore property winery in Carey Gully.
Bottled on 13th December 2018, 57.5 dozen produced.

The Wine

Medium bodied and deep in colour,. Lifted with dark flavours of blackberry jam, currents and loaded with spice of black cardomon and anise.

Drinking: Ready at release, or cellar for 3-5 years and beyond.

Alcohol: 13% alc/vol
RRP: $31

Released May 2019