SOLD OUT - CRFT 2022 Mencía – The Schmidt Vineyard (organic)

VINE VALE - BAROSSA VALLEY

92 Points – Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion :
”This is superlative mencia, a Spanish variety showing considerable promise on these shores. Lifted aromas of violet, sarsaparilla, clove, iodine and the most impeccably ripe slather of dark cherry-crusted tannins, lithe, sinuous and just the right amount of astringency. I could gripe about the sweetness of fruit being a bit excessive, but this is the Barossa. It comes with the turf.”

The Wine
Dark cherry, blueberry, tea leaves and coconut over hints of dried herbs with just the slightest savoury undertone.

Has a fresh and lively palate with red fruit and plush tannins. Smooth and delicious.

Benefits from a little time to breathe upon opening.

 Organically grown and made (uncertified).

 Enjoy now or drink/cellar to 2027.

 Suggested serving temperature 15-17C.

The Winemaking
Hand-picked 17th March 2022 and made at CRFT winery in Carey Gully.

Destemmed to an open-top tank for wild fermentation with around 2 weeks on skins.

Then pressed to oak for wild malolactic fermentation and maturation

for 11 months with occasional lees stirring.

100% French oak, all seasoned barriques 2yo+.

Bottled Feb 2023. 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 2022 Pinot Noir – The Whisson Lake Vineyard

PICCADILLY VALLEY - ADELAIDE HILLS

94 points – Gary Walsh, The Wine Front :
”It’s one of those wines where you don’t quite know what to make of it on first taste. It’s a bit reductive, matchstick and cap gun, and after that it gets a whole lot more interesting. There’s sour cherry, liqurorice, amaro herbs, mint, spice and leaf litter. It’s kind of sappy and confronting, but also a wine of fine bones and juicy intrigue. It marches to its own beat, which I always like, and has a dusty peppery feel to tannin, and a raspberry pip finish of good length. It’s a bit of a madhouse, yet it’s kind of cool. It’ will be better with more time in bottle, though I kind of love its scratchy personality as at now.”

The Wine
The view from the Whisson Lake slope (Mt Carey) is expansive and impressive. The vines drink in a view of half the Adelaide Hills. Like the view, the wine has a lot going on. The more you look, the more you realise is there.
Deep dark and bright in the glass. Flinty and matchstick on the initial opening evolves into cherry ripe and anise on the nose.
The plate is plush with sour cherry notes that follow through to apricots and vanilla.  The finish is mouth filling and expansive.

Serve at 15-17C. Released June 2023.
Drink or cellar to 2034+

The Winemaking
Hand-made at CRFT Carey Gully winery.

100% Piccadilly Valley Pinot Noir, hand-picked on 7th April 2022.

Cold soaked followed by wild fermentation in an open-top tank with 25% whole bunch. Pressed to barrel once dry for wild malolactic fermentation and maturation. Occasional battonage. Matured for 9 months in 100% French oak, 20% new. Bottled 9th February 2023. Vegan friendly.

The Whisson Lake Vineyard
Owned and farmed by wife-and-husband duo Andrie and Mark Whisson.
Location:      Carey Gully, Kaurna + Peramangk Country (Adelaide Hills)
Elevation:     610 meters
Aspect:        North East facing
Planted:       1985
Clone:         D5V12
Map:           -34.967153, 138.751102
Soil:          Clay with schist and Gneiss

SOLD OUT - CRFT 2022 Pinot Noir – The Fraser Park Vineyard (organic)

PICCADILLY VALLEY - ADELAIDE HILLS

94 points - Gary Walsh, The Wine Front :
”I kid you not, back in the early days of my wine career, I used to drink wine with a Scottish fellow who’s name was Fraser Park. Good bloke. A finance guy. Always brought good wine to the table. I guess if anyone googles his name, they may come here at some stage. Auld Lang Syne, and all that.

Cherry, dried herb, and really aromatic in that way, with a blood orange tang, and some liquorice. It’s juicy and sappy, with a Kukicha twig tea flavour (reminds me of my vegan days), cool acidity, and a savoury finish of good length. It has fair bit of energy. I like the slate-y ‘mineral’ feel too. Very good. Heaps of personality.”

The Wine
The Fraser Park homestead is one of the original estates in the area, the townships of Aldgate and Stirling have crept up on it over the years. They may have neighbours now but they also have a wicked little vineyard to boot.
But this isn’t just another wine from the suburbs, she’s a slick sophisticated individual. Nostalgic flavours of musk lollies, dried herbs and baseball card bubble gum, lead to a lush palate of cherries and dark plums.

Organically grown + made (2022 vintage certified in-conversion).
Enjoy now or drink/cellar to 2028+. Serve at 15-17C.
Released June 2023.

The Winemaking
Hand-made at CRFT Carey Gully winery. 100% Piccadilly Valley Pinot Noir, hand-picked on 22st March 2022. Cold soaked followed by wild fermentation in an open-top tank with 25% whole bunch. Pressed to barrel once dry for wild malolactic fermentation and maturation. Occasional battonage. Matured for 9 months in 100% French oak, 50% 1yo. Bottled 9th February 2023. Vegan friendly.

The Fraser Park Vineyard
Managed and organically farmed by Frew and Candice since mid-2021.

Nestled on the northern side of the Stirling and Aldgate townships, the harp-shaped vineyard is surrounded by native forest and the majestic gardens of Fraser Park homestead. Being surrounded by trees makes it feel low, but it is one of the highest hills in the area. The birds in the area are savage, so early netting is a must.

Our 2022 vintage Fraser Park Pinot Noir was organically grown but not yet certified. We received full certification in February this year (2023), so we're thrilled that 2023 vintage onwards will be NASAA Certified Organic.

Vineyard:      Managed + farmed by Frew and Candice
Location:      Aldgate, Kaurna + Peramangk Country (ADL Hills)
Elevation:     500 meters
Aspect:        West facing
Planted:       2005
Clone:        MV6
Map:          -34.967153, 138.751102
Soil:          Oxidised ironstone with gravel and grey cracking clay 

SOLD OUT - CRFT 2022 Pinot Noir – The Arranmore Vineyard (NASAA Certified Organic)

PICCADILLY VALLEY - ADELAIDE HILLS

92 points – Gary Walsh, The Wine Front :
“I used to not greatly enjoy tasting Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir. I’m not sure if the wines have got so much better, or I’ve come around to them. Either way, I kind of like them quite a bit these days.
It has a bit of Beaujolais feel to it, for sure. It’s earthy and fungal, in a nice way, red fruit, dried roses, aniseed/mint, with some dusty Fernet Branca spices in tow. Medium-bodied,  juicy, something of a ripe tomato character to acidity and flavour, a little stony, kind of gamey, but in a nice way, a juniper berry tang through squishy red and black fruit, with a soft but amaro-laced finish of solid length. Good drinking here. Quirky and individual.”

The Wine
Since we went organic, no till and dry grown, a grass sward has grown under the vines. The new and welcome competition has forced the vine roots deep into darkness of the soil profile in search of water and nutrients.

In vertical tasting of this wine, we noticed that from our first organically farmed release (2017 onwards) the wines were deeper, darker and generally more flavoursome and livelier. We feel this is a reaction to vine roots being exposed to more of the soil profile and mineral resources. The roots have now made it to the ironstone bedrock 3-5m down. Because behind the broody and dark fruit characters on the nose is an ironstone character, like the airborne smell of wet slate after a rain.
Forest floor and gamy characters lead to a structured, soft, and lengthy palate. Plenty of potential for cellaring up to 8yrs.
Serve at 15-17C.
Released June 2023.
Vegan friendly.
Drink or cellar to 2031.

The Winemaking
Hand-made at CRFT Carey Gully winery.
100% NASAA Certified Organic Piccadilly Valley Pinot Noir, hand-picked in two batches on 7th April. A blend of two clones, D5V12 and 115. Cold soaked followed by wild fermentation in an open-top tank with 25% whole bunch. Pressed to barrel once dry for wild malolactic fermentation and maturation. Occasional battonage. Matured for 9 months in 100% French oak, 30% new oak. Bottled 9th February 2023. Vegan friendly.

The Arranmore Vineyard
Estate-owned, managed and farmed, the 5-acre Arranmore Vineyard has been farmed organically since Frewin & Candice took ownership in January 2016.

NASAA Certified Organic since February 2019.

Location:      Carey Gully, Kaurna + Peramangk Country (ADL Hills)
Elevation:     550 meters
Aspect:        East facing
Planted:       D5V12 planted in 1994, 115 planted in 2000.
Map:           -34.969564, 138.760102
Soil:          Dark loam topsoil over clay subsoil, with shale and ironstone bedrock.

SOLD OUT - CRFT 2022 Chardonnay – The Arranmore Vineyard (NASAA Certified Organic)

PICCADILLY VALLEY – ADELAIDE HILLS

95 Points – Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion : “Matured seven months in French oak (45% new). A febrile, more tensile expression than its Blefari Vineyard sibling, yet with no sacrifice of flavour, nor any forage into the wildrness of hard reduction. A chiselled nose of white peach, nougatine, cashew and just the right amount of flint. The finish is long and contagious of intensity. Very good, Linear, taut and an exemplar for those who seek to make tighter styles of chardonnay.”

The Wine
A wine of great presence, like it’s hill top location. Shows great intensity with peach, nougat and a light flint. Seamless natural acidity with lemon, citrus and stone fruit.

Drinking beautifully at release, it will continue to develop with bottle age and careful cellaring.

 Enjoy now or drink/cellar to 2030+

 Suggested serving temperature

8-12C.

The Winemaking
Hand-made at CRFT winery in Carey Gully.

Hand-picked on 30th March then whole-bunch pressed to tank.

Wild fermented in tank for a few days then transferred to oak for full solids, wild barrel ferment. 100% French oak, 45% new. 7 months in oak.

Partial wild MLF and occasional lees stirring throughout maturation.

100% natural acidity. Unfined and lightly filtered.

Vegan friendly.

The Vineyard
Estate-owned, managed and farmed, the 5-acre Arranmore Vineyard has been farmed organically since Frewin & Candice took ownership in January 2016.

NASAA Certified Organic since February 2019. 

There are just 8 rows of Chardonnay planted at Arranmore yielding a very limited quantity each year.

Location:      Carey Gully – Kaurna & Peramangk Country

Elevation:     550 meters

Aspect:        East facing

Planted:       1994

Clone:        I10V1

Map:           -34.968760, 138.760506

Soil:          Dark loam topsoil over clay subsoil, with shale and ironstone bedrock.

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 2022 Grüner Veltliner – The Longview Vineyard

MACCLESFIELD – ADELAIDE HILLS

The Wine
The 2022 Longview Grüner is fresh and bright with apple, passionfruit and lime cordial. The palate is creamy with celery, pear and grapefruit, tannins a plenty.

Drink 2022 to 2028, possibly beyond.
Serve 9-11C, cooler in warm weather
13.5% alc/vol
Vegan Friendly

Winemaking
Hand-made at CRFT winery in Carey Gully.
100% Macclesfield Grüner Veltliner hand-picked on March 15.
Half the batch was whole-bunch pressed; the remaining fruit was destemmed, followed by 24 hours of skin contact before pressing.
Both batches were then blended in tank to begin full solids wild ferment. Partway through fermentation half of the batch was transferred into oak for wild fermentation in older seasoned (neutral) French barriques. The balance was wild fermented on full solids in tank.
100% wild yeast ferment. Full wild MLF. Occasional lees stirring. 12 weeks in oak.
Bottled July 2022.

Longview Vineyard
Vineyard: Owned and farmed by Peter and Mark Saturno with vineyard manager Chris Mein
Location: Macclesfield - Peramangk Country – Adelaide Hills
Elevation: 300 to 320m
Aspect: South facing steep slope
Planted: 2011
Clones: Iby, HHW1, HHW2
Map: -35.192097, 138.821556
Soil: Rocky, scattered with ironstone and quartz.
Fine silt and sandy loam topsoil, dense clay and loam subsoil

SOLD OUT - CRFT 2022 Grüner Veltliner – The Mt Bera Vineyard (organic)

CUDLEE CREEK – ADELAIDE HILLS

The Wine
This is our first release from the organically-farmed Mt Bera Vineyard at Cudlee Creek. The vineyard is currently in the organic conversion phase which comes before receiving full organic certification.
2022 was a challenging season at Mt Bera. The vineyard was hit by hail resulting in tiny yields, and because of this, we have an extremely limited 2022 release.

The nose shows citrus blossom, apple, peach and earthy parsnip. The palate has marmalade, pepper and fennel seed, it’s almost oily with a mouth-coating tannins.

Organically grown and made (uncertified)

Drink 2022 to 2030, possibly beyond.
Serving temp 9-11℃, cooler in warm weather.
Alcohol - 13.5% alc/vol
Vegan Friendly

Winemaking
Handmade at CRFT certified organic winery in Carey Gully.
100% certified ‘In Conversion’ organically grown Cudlee Creek Grüner handpicked on March 22.
Whole-bunch pressed to tank to begin fermentation then transferred into oak for wild fermentation on full solids. 100% older seasoned (neutral) French barriques.
100% wild yeast ferment. Full wild MLF. Occasional lees stirring. 12 weeks in oak.
Bottled July 2022.

Mt Bera Vineyard
Vineyard: Owned and farmed by Greg Horner.
Location: Cudlee Creek - Peramangk Country – Adelaide Hills
Elevation: 380 to 410 metres
Aspect: North North West
Planted: 2011
Clone: Iby, HHW1, HHW2
Map: -34.844650, 138.847464
Soil: Rich deep red clay loam soil high in iron, magnesium and manganese.

The Mt Bera Gruner vineyard has a three-sided cold-catchment with only drainage down to the Karrawirra Parri (Torrens) Gorge. This provides unique conditions producing a huge diurnal variation of 15-20C. These conditions favour notes of pepper and spice and higher natural acidity.

SOLD OUT - CRFT 2022 Grüner Veltliner – The K1 Vineyard

KUITPO – ADELAIDE HILLS

The Wine
The 10th release of our Kuitpo Grüner and our winemaking style has evolved over the past decade. In the early days we fermented in stainless steel tanks using commercial yeast, without solids, malo or oak. Now we wild ferment in tank and oak, leave wild MLF to take its own path and tinker less – it’s the textural style of Grüner that we love.

A nose of citrus and floral notes with honeydew melon and peach. The palate is textural with fine acid, white pepper, lime and pear.

Drink 2022 to 2030+
Serving temp 9-11℃, cooler in warm weather.
Alcohol - 13.5% alc/vol
Vegan Friendly

Winemaking
Handmade at CRFT winery in Carey Gully.
100% Kuitpo Grüner Veltliner harvested on 1 April, 2022.
Whole-bunch pressed to tank to begin full solids wild ferment.
Part way through ferment a third of the batch was transferred into oak for full solids wild fermentation in older seasoned (neutral) French barriques. The balance was wild fermented on full solids in tank.
100% wild yeast ferment. Partial wild MLF. Occasional lees stirring. Twelve weeks in oak.
Bottled July 2022.

K1 Vineyard
Vineyard: Owned and farmed by Geoff Hardy
Location: Kuitpo – Peramangk Country – Adelaide Hills
Elevation: 300 to 320m
Aspect: North West facing
Planted: 2008 (grafted)
Clone: Elite
Map: -35.226406,138.668736
Soil: Rocky, flinty ground with ironstone and sandstone, and orange clay loam.

SOLD OUT - CRFT 2022 Grüner Veltliner – The Arranmore Vineyard (NASAA Certified Organic)

CAREY GULLY – PICCADILLY VALLEY – ADELAIDE HILLS

The Wine
With only 8 rows of Grüner planted at our place, each vintage is produced in a very limited amount. The cold 2021 Spring caused late and extended flowering into December. This together with windy conditions resulted in hen and chicken throughout the crop, reducing the overall yield for 2022.

The nose has honeysuckle, white peach, white pear and bee’s wax. The palate shows wet slate minerality, nutmeg, textural layers and a nougat finish.

Drink 2022 to 2030+
Serve 9-11℃, cooler in warm weather
Alcohol - 13.5% alc/vol
Vegan Friendly

Winemaking
Hand-made at CRFT winery in Carey Gully.
100% NASAA Certified Organic Piccadilly Valley Grüner Veltliner.
Harvested 30th March 2022. Hand-picked.
Whole-bunch pressed to tank to begin wild fermentation, then transferred into older seasoned (neutral) French barriques for barrel fermentation on full solids.
100% wild yeast ferment. Full wild MLF. Occasional lees stirring. 12 weeks in oak.
Bottled July 2022.

Arranmore Vineyard
Estate-owned, managed and farmed, the 5-acre Arranmore Vineyard has been farmed organically since Frewin & Candice took ownership in January 2016.
NASAA Certified Organic since February 2019.

Location: Carey Gully – Peramangk Country – Adelaide Hills
Elevation: 550 meters
Aspect: East facing
Planted: Grafted on 22yo Sauvignon Blanc vines, winter 2017. Cuttings from Geoff Hardy’s K1 vineyard Grüner.
Clone: Elite
Map: -34.969564, 138.760102
Soil: Dark loam topsoil over clay subsoil, with shale and ironstone bedrock.

SOLD OUT - CRFT 2021 Shiraz – The Rohrlach Vineyard (old vine)

WILLIAMSTOWN – BAROSSA VALLEY

Reviews
91 POINTS - JENI PORT (HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION)
Destemmed fruit, fermented wild; matured 10 months in French oak (20% new). Old vines, planted 1972, are the basis for this smart young shiraz. Solid Barossa credentials here in inky, dark hues and boldness of cassis, blackberry, cinnamon, clove, anise and smokey cigar-box oak. Tannins are firm and ripe, A bold presence in the glass.

Old Vine Shiraz
Planted in 1972, these vines are officially classified as Barossa Old Vines under the charter rules. That classification is for vines 35 years or older – “Their worthiness has been proven over many vintages, consistently producing the highest quality fruit for Barossa Wines of distinction and longevity”.

The Wine
An intense and lifted wine with red fruits, violets and liquorice. The palate is medium bodied with black pepper and warm spice. Vibrant and youthful at release, it will develop further complexity with careful cellaring.
Benefits from a little time to breathe upon opening.
Drink at release or cellar 5-10 years, possibly beyond.
Suggested serving temperature 16-18C

The Winemaking
Harvested 26th February 2021.
Hand-made at CRFT Carey Gully winery.
100% Barossa Valley Shiraz, hand-picked.
The grapes were destemmed to an open-top tank for wild fermentation with a gentle hand plunge two to three times daily during active fermentation. Towards the end of primary fermentation, the wine was pressed to oak for barrel fermentation.
10 months in oak with wild malolactic fermentation followed by maturation.
100% French oak, 20% new, 20% 1 year old, 60% older oak.
Alcohol- 14.0% alc/vol
Bottled 24th January 2022. Vegan friendly.

The Vineyard
Owned and grown by Dennis and Carolyn Rohrlach with their son Matt, just out of Williamstown (Barossa Valley).

The Rohrlach Vineyard sits on the southern fringe of the Barossa Valley wine region, just a couple kilometers from the boundary of the Adelaide Hills wine region.

Elevation: 320m
Planted: 1972
Map: -34.475005,139.071367
Soil: Rich clay soil scattered with Mica and fool’s gold which makes the soil sparkle in the sunlight.