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Tim's Ravings
Tannins
Tannin is a strange beast, it is responsible not just for astringency and grip but also helps a red wine feel smooth and even sweet. The fact that one element can be responsible for both bitterness and silkiness is one of the most beguiling aspects of making wine.Mudgee – and Huntington Estate in particular – has some of the best, most [...]
It's all happening at Huntington
Enough already of my ravings, it's time instead to tell you all about what we’re doing at Huntington Estate. I promise I’ll get good and riled up in the next newsletter but I have so much good stuff to tell you now.Winter pruning is finished. We’re largely doing it in house this year and it’s [...]
Wine Bottles
I want to “talk” about wine bottles. Thrilling I know. Why? They are no more or less than a means to get wine to you, and for you to store it. Well exactly. Confused? Bear with me for just a minute longer.A recent conversation with a wine distributor triggered this column; the gentleman in question [...]
Age
As another year passes, I feel moved once again to write (not rave – I fear I may be mellowing…) in praise of age. Isn’t one of the perks of getting older the license to repeat yourself? I love a good aged wine and good ageing style wines, and I love making them. Using time [...]
Perfectionist
Hello, my name’s Tim and I’m a perfectionist and a control freak.You might not want to live with me or work for me but trust me, you want to drink my wine.I’m sure Bob the founder wouldn’t mind me saying that he was too. It’s why Estate grown, made, bottled (and sold) is a cornerstone [...]
Climate change
It’s the end of October and bushfire stoking 35 degree days alternate with a series of devastating frosts that have wiped out vineyards less favourably situated than ours across NSW and the ACT. The last “black frost” hit our Block 9 Cabernet pretty hard.As a farmer and a country dweller almost all of my life, [...]
Ten years of screw caps!
The greatest revolution I have seen as a winemaker is the dramatic switch from cork to screwcaps. For me, it was akin to the discovery of the theory of evolution or that the earth revolved around the sun.My vinous eye-opener happened around 10 years ago. The Clare Valley in South Australia will be recorded as [...]
Mudgee Reds
Mudgee produces the best red wines in Australia.This is a claim that I am sure will be disputed by many but allow me some space to explain exactly why I feel this.There is no doubt our style of red wine is unique; we have high levels of high quality tannin and acid that can the [...]
Old wines, old vines and me.
I have often spoken of the need for old vines to produce our wines. Here goes an attempt to explain why.Firstly, what counts as an old vine? There are no official definitions but the general view is that anything over 30 years is old, although some vines in Australia’s more historic districts have managed to [...]
An exciting mix of craft and science…
A bottle of wine from a single vineyard is truly rare and special.All year, year after year, vines are rooted to the one spot, growing and ripening their fruit amid sometimes dramatic climate changes. This year it’s floods, last year it was drought.The vigneron requires discipline and experience to be able to react to the [...]
