2014 Jilly Margaret River FIFO (Semillon)

This is an unusual Semillon if you're used to a Hunter Valley Sem – or perhaps not. For there can be some unusual HV Sems. Nevertheless, the Jilly Sem is probably recognisable as a Sem – a drink for adults. It's serious, high art, modernist, unyielding in any quest for popularism. A shy, clear mid gold in colour, maybe even with a tinge of lime, and it would seem, on some glances, without that yellow pigment, it could be as colourless as Australian Chenin Blanc. It is its perfume that is most unusual: nutty, nutty, nutty, and honey/hay, roast chicken,  corn, summer grass. The palate is also nutty, with popcorn. The young and emerging winemaker (not all emergent artists are young), Jared Dixon, of Clunes, NSW, Australia, says he felt sympathy for Semillon, under-rated and, as a consequence, usually mixed with Sav Blanc. The Janice Robinson Oxford Companion to Wine says that Sem  is an 'unsung' hero; but from the Hunter Valley, 'it is responsible for one of the most idiosyncratic and historic wine types exclusive to the New World'. (Strange to hear Oz described as the new world!) But here is a winemaker prepared to acknowledge sophistication.   A superb Semillon, with an idiosyncratic  label made by a friend: a snake outline, and yellow and ballet-pink blotches reminiscent of Rothko. From the Margaret River, Western Australia (gravel loam, Upper Wilyabrup, hand-picked, left on skins for 36 hours in the cold, basket pressed, barrel fermented, flew in  2/2/14, flew out 2/3/14): now contending the Hunter Valley!

2014 Jilly Lone Ranger Rosato

This is the second Rosé-style wine from emerging winemaker, Jared Dixon (of Clunes Cellars, Northern New South Wales coastal hinterland). His first was Vino de Noche, made from Tempranillo, left on skins overnight, basket-pressed the following morning, so not the sangee style,  but, rather, made in the ancient Roman tradition. The Rosato (Italian for Rosé) is from Dixon's favourite variety, Nebbiolo, grown in the ideal conditions of New England's Topper's Mountain vineyard, curated by viticulturalist Mark Kirkby. The Neb is left on skins for twelve hours and barrel fermented with the indigenous yeast populating Topper's Mountain. While Jilly comes from Dixon's paternal grandfather's lost love, a maid named Jilly, the 'lone ranger' series refers to small batch production: one barrel. All Jilly wines have a cloth-like wraparound label, the back-label information handwritten to support the 'handmade' quality of the wine. Already the 2014 has sold in quantity to specialist bottle shops in Australian capital cities, so not much is left in Clunes Cellars (Be quick!). The Rosato is bronze-highlighted, medium rosy-red in colour. A light sweetness finishes off the perfume which is characterised by roses and strawberries with an undertone of orange sherbet. The deep, luscious palate features dryness high on the long length. Dixon is interested in food-matching wines – having his drinkers think, 'I need ... to eat ... with this'. I'd recommend a yellow cheese and/or nuts, maybe some savoury popcorn or tart, or brioche with cherry or smoked tomatoes. Rather than a Chardonnay, or Dixon's new Semillon, this Rosato went well with pasta carbonara at chez nous. So this is a serious rosé for a business lunch, or cultural discussion.

 

2014 Jilly Vino de Noche.

A black (naturally, for 'noche' , the night leaving), wraparound label says this, my bottle, is 48 out of 380 bottles. Made from New England hand-picked and crushed Tempranillo. Left on skins overnight, basket-pressed the following morning when I did about an hour's worth of juice collection.  It's colour is a cross between blood and strawberry juice. And this is symptomatic of its style: not quite as luscious as your left-over sangee style, but more grown-up, elegant, adult and textured. It smells of earthy strawberries. And on the palate, very dry with a length in that dryness. A kind of mysterious, alchemical rose made for what it is, as it is, in the ancient Roman tradition, yet remaining mysterious, keeping some of its subjectivity secret, unarticulated. Over the $20 mark which is quite probably a stunning price too for such a consciously conceived wine.

2013 Imogen's Farm Innes Chambourcin

'Handcrafted by the Kesteven vineyard'  in the Byron Bay hinterland at Whian Whian, this Chambourcin smells, and tastes (somewhat), like a Barossa Shiraz, all black pepper, but with some dry dirt, then a very light underplay of sweet berry. It's a pink and ruby crimson red. On the palate - very dry, with tartness in the length and light tannins.

It would be good with ... A light gamy meat maybe: duck. Or perhaps pork.

Douglas Kesteven, at a Lismore evening market, implied that he was hitting his stride with this wine that came out of an unusually dry summer.

2013 Jilly FIFO Margaret River Chardonnay

As with all his handmade wines so far, each bottle of Jared Dixon's 2013 Jilly FIFO Margaret River Chardonnay is numbered in a series, in this instance, of 780 bottles. Again with a cloth label as with the reds, but this time marbled to be denim/jeans/flying-clouds-like originally designed by the local, Kylie Bridges. The MR grapes are grown on gravel lime in Upper Wilyabrup. Unfined/unfiltered in French bottles, it's available at the Clunes Wine Store—or when dining at Harvest café, Newyrbar. Its aroma is possibly persimmon, fairy floss or bubble gum, because it has some sweetness, but coupled with some wood and pear. It opens up later with malt and honey, so I wouldn't serve this wine too chilled. On the palate it’s all citrus with something sweet underneath like vanilla, or a touch of malt here too. It’s therefore layered, textured, complex. Dry, minerally. From the bottle now it's not flirtatious or lulling. You have to be alert. It's alert. It would be good with food rather than a standalone drink, possibly with pesto, prawns or tout, or a light meat such as pork in a sweet and sour, with blood orange in a savoury or dessert. It will develop in the bottle, possibly with some 'warmth' and lusciousness.

2013 Jilly New England Tempranillo

 

Jared Dixon, winemaker at the Clunes General Store and Cellars, has his 2013 Jilly Tempranillo for sale right now, barrelled and bottled in a small cellar behind the store. The grapes are sourced from New England's Topper's Mountain Winery where Mark Kirkby, a seriously good viticulturalist, grows fruit that flourishes in New England's high altitude and basalt soil. The 2013 Jilly Tempranillo has aromas of toast and stewed berries, and is matchable with food in its vegetal silkiness of mushroom and potato on the palate, followed by a warm and generous red jube. The Jilly label is a wrap-around cloth in a hessian colour with red and yellow printing, designed by local graphic artist, Kylie Bridges. Jared uses thick glass bottles imported from France.