Growing up in the UK, I became aware of Australian wine long before I had ever tried a New Zealand one. I would stand in my local Oddbins store on a Saturday afternoon, and read the labels coming from places like ‘Coonawarra’ or ‘Barossa’. To someone who grew up in an area with town names like ‘Hull’ or ‘Halifax’ I’d be wondering where these exotically named wine regions were and what they might be like.
I knew what the wines were like – I’d buy a precious bottle, and my friends and I would love those darky, inky, hugely alcoholic reds. It was always the reds. We could get pretty good whites cheaply from anywhere – but there was something about those big bruising reds. One of the labels we could get was Orlando (alongside Penfolds and Jacob’s Creek for example) – so it was with some delight that I got sent a couple of bottles from the new Orlando ‘Legends’ and ‘New Heroes’ ranges that are going to be available in New Zealand soon.
As well as being well known to a 20-something in the UK, Orlando have been a household name in Australia since the 1950s. Established in 1874 in the Barossa valley by the Gramp family, Orlando grew around the turn of the century – moving out of times when fortified wines were dominant (sounds similar to our own NZ history) and into top quality table wines. Pernod Ricard now own Orlando – acquiring it in 1989.
“Orlando’s winemaking history, and the legendary name that comes with it, is founded on exploring new opportunities yet respecting what’s already been discovered and proven. I look forward to introducing New Zealand to these amazing icons and next generation wines,” says Ben Thoman, South Australian born and bred, and Orlando Chief Winemaker.
The Legends capture all that is great about Australian classics with iconic wines such as Steingarten, Centenary Hill, Jacaranda Ridge and Lawson’s, with The New Heroes set to introduce New Zealand wine drinkers to modern Australian wines with true varietal expression and sense of place. Under the skilled hand of Thoman, hailing from South Australia, the Orlando portfolio features regionally focused wines with five in The Legends range, and three under the New Heroes collection.
THE LEGENDS
Lawson’s™ Padthaway Shiraz, first released in 1990 is an embodiment of great Australian Shiraz. Made only in exceptional vintages, the fruit is selected entirely from the original J Block on Lawson’s Vineyard in Padthaway; an eclectic vineyard that was planted as a mix of varietals and in a T-trellis style, unusual for Australia but now iconic to the historical vineyard.
Jacaranda Ridge™ Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, is an exceptional single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from northern Coonawarra. Always exhibiting its Coonawarra provenance in the form of regional aromas and flavours, the intensity of the fruit produced by this location is exceptional for the region. This wine will age well for decades to come.
Centenary Hill™ Barossa Shiraz is a wine that stands out as an icon, a testament to Orlando’s legacy in South Australia, and the love of the Barossa. The vineyards from which Centenary Hill is created are made up of gnarled vines, each only yielding a few bunches, producing a small quantity of exceptional wines that will develop elegantly for up to 20 years.
Steingarten™ Eden Valley Riesling was the first Riesling of its kind in Australia, setting the benchmark for cool-climate Riesling for the past 50 years. From the creation of the rocky vineyard that imitated the mountainous winemaking regions of Germany, to the innovative wine style, Steingarten is one of Australia’s most awarded Rieslings.
Lyndale™ Adelaide Hills Chardonnay is a stunning, contemporary cool-climate Australian Chardonnay from the Adelaide Hills. The hilly vineyards of Woodside and Piccadilly provide the balance of softness, generosity and length, together with purity of fruit, fine acidity and mineral precision.
THE NEW HEROES
The Orlando New Heroes wines are modern Australian wines with legendary roots. A true varietal expression of both a time and place, the New Heroes range are redefined with every vintage. Crafted from specifically selected fruit to showcase the terroir and vintage conditions, these wines are shaped to demonstrate stand-out varietal flavour.
Printz Shed™ Northern Barossa Shiraz is a reserved but extraordinary Barossa Shiraz. Sourced from the Greenock and Ebenezer subregions in Northern Barossa, this Shiraz is blended from barrel tastings to deliver knockout varietal style and quality. The wine offers exceptional depth and concentration whilst retaining great balance and freshness.
Bungalow Lane™ Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon is a celebration of the stand-out varietal character of premium Barossa Cabernet. This robust, full-bodied wine showcases the rich fruit flavours and distinct varietal characteristics associated with premium Cabernet Sauvignon from the Barossa Valley.
Hilary™ Adelaide Hills Chardonnay is a thoroughly modern and elegant Australian Chardonnay that offers a creamy style with subtle flavours and approachable character. The restrained use of oak balances the quintessential Adelaide Hills fruit character to deliver a wine that will reward with careful cellaring.
Look out for my reviews of two of the wines – one from each range – the Lyndale Adelaide Hills Chardonnay from 2019, and the Orlando Printz Shed Northern Barossa Shiraz 2018. These will appear in the new section on WineFolio where we’ll start to talk about (gasp) wines from OUTSIDE New Zealand!
Links will be added here in a couple of days.
