Terra Rosa ‘Red Soils’
Terra Rosa (Red soil), is a special fertile soil that sits on a cigar-shape garden bed that measures in 12km long and 2km wide. Terra Rosa is dried limestone which is the most sorted after agricultural wine terroir region in South Australia. Vine went to outsource the best wines on these brilliant agricultural grounds of ours. The top three Coonawarra Cabernets were, Bellwether 2009: a milk Chocolate and Cassis with very fine grain tannins, drinking well but will age for 20 years or more. This wine was hand pruned and picked with natural yeast fermentation, Second place Majella Cabernet 2013: Dark red in colour, with a very complex nose with hints of blackberries and ripe cherries. And finally the best valued; is Raidis 2013 offering dry and with a complex and stunning black fruit.
We got lost in the Coonawarra and decided to use our glasses as a compass and that lead us to a humble little wine house of Bellwether – wines. Bellwether, Sue Bell (founder and chief wine maker) wholeheartedly focusing on single varieties. Sue Bell showed us the most unique, hands-on Australian boutique wine making approach. We asked Sue how she would describe her wine making methods in a few words or less “Bellweather returns to the heart and soul of winemaking, hand pruned, handpicked, open fermented, indigenous yeast, basket pressed and French oak and at the same time paying respect to the ancient terroir I’m so fortunate to work with, Please Enjoy as I have”.
