Saumaize-Michelin Pouilly-Fuisse Premier Cru Vers Cras is made from 100 percent Chardonnay
2006 marked the purchase of part of the original sharecropping of the vines, including “Les Crays”, half of which had previously been returned to the owner.
This vintage is made up of two small plots, one 50 years old, the other 30 years old, covering 24 ares. Density: 9,000 vines per hectare
Located on the southern slope of the Vergisson rock which climbs very quickly: 320M at the bottom and 390M in altitude at the top, its situation is very sunny with a lot of wind. A blue marl soil covered by the scree of the Vergisson rock, we find some iron oxide.
Hand-picked, crushed, pneumatically pressed, full fermentation in Burgundy French oak barrels (15% new). Aged for one year on fine lees. Bottled according to the lunar calendar by us, without filtration.
Nose with aromas of ripe fruit, with mineral notes. Generous palate with beautiful body. Finish with tension and salivation. Discreet in the first year, its minerality is very fine but with a lot of depth.
It is best enjoyed at 12°C with all meats in white sauce, Burgundy snails, fine fish and even certain strong cheeses.
Schwarz Meta Mataro is made from 100% Mataro (a.k.a. Mourvedre).
Meta: An abstraction from a well-known concept. Fruit sourced from Bethany and Marananga.
Dark, spicy and built for max expression. Built over a foundation of blackberry and red plums this is a punch, expressive Mataro of spice rubbed meat, tea smoke and beef jerky. All dark, brooding and masculine in its fragrance, the palate is expansive with punchy tannin and sweet cinnamon spice.
Coming from 2 different vineyards. Average age of the vines is 90 years old for the first parcel and 70 years old for the second parcel. Hand-picked, wild yeast, 72% whole bunch.
Minimal use of Oak, the majority is aged in tank in order to avoid oxydation.
Pairs with pizza, pasta, burger, charcuterie and mild cheese.
Review:
A gorgeous, glossy purple hue. Saturated dark fruit scents melding with smoked meat and violet. The tannins, a ferrous timbre. This has no pretence. Just an honest Mataro, scented with fidelity, extracted appropriately and easy to drink. Delicious! - Ned Goodwin"
- Halliday Wine Companion (August 2020), 95 pts
Schwarz Nitschke Block Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz.
This Bethany vineyard was planted by Jason Schwarz's parents in 1968 and has been tended to by the hands of his family ever since. The vines are dry-grown and produce small crops of intensely flavored fruit.
A display of the purest blood-plum and black cherry, with cracked black peppercorn and streaky bacon over some seriously fine oak. Some subtle herbaceous qualities, nettle and thyme bring life to an otherwise immense nose. Very juicy on the palate, deeply flavorsome, long and with mouth-coating tannin for a very textured, very focused Barossa classic.
Slow cooked beef ribs, grilled meats, wild game and grilled vegetables.
Review:
"All the good stuff: dry-grown and fermented under the aegis of wild yeast; a smattering of whole-bunch seasoning (25%), French oak (20% new), conferring poise, freshness and authority. As far as Barossa shiraz goes, this is benchmark. Plush but nicely taut. A stream of boysenberry fruit and violet scents sashay to a samba of thyme, tapenade and smoked meats, nicely avoiding any sense of reduction, or clunky jam. This is smart. Very. - Ned Goodwin"
- Halliday Wine Companion (August 2020), 96 pts
Schwarz Nitschke Block Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz.
This Bethany vineyard was planted by Jason Schwarz's parents in 1968 and has been tended to by the hands of his family ever since. The vines are dry-grown and produce small crops of intensely flavored fruit.
A display of the purest blood-plum and black cherry, with cracked black peppercorn and streaky bacon over some seriously fine oak. Some subtle herbaceous qualities, nettle and thyme bring life to an otherwise immense nose. Very juicy on the palate, deeply flavorsome, long and with mouth-coating tannin for a very textured, very focused Barossa classic.
Slow cooked beef ribs, grilled meats, wild game and grilled vegetables.
Review:
From a single 55-year-old vineyard in the Bethany subregion of Barossa, this is a modern, finessed and approachable Shiraz, with open-knit aromas of succulent red and black berries, florals, clove and earthy spice. The palate shows restraint and silkiness. Fine tannins are neatly woven between the juicy fruit. Drink now or cellar up another decade or so.
-Wine Enthusiast 94 Points
Schwarz The Grower Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz.
Dedicated to all the Growers we work with, whose hard work and dedication to their craft enable us to purchase lucious fruit year after year. The Grower range is a testament to the amazing growers Jason has forged long-term relationships with since 2001.
The full spectrum of Barossa Shiraz's aromatic capability is here on show: from scorched earth, bitter couverture chocolate just-dried raisin, sweet red licorice and cola bean, all heady, defined and un-wound for all to see. Here. The fine line between luxurious fruit and energy is walked gracefully, it's warming and full-blooded nature tethered by lifted acidity.
Pair with marbled steak or rich beef stews, roast beef, grilled bbq meats.
Schwarz The Schiller Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz.
The Schiller Shiraz is a wine rich in both flavor and history. The 400 Shiraz vines planted by Carl August Otto Schiller in 1881 are something to be treasured. Earmarked for bulldozers in 2006, a last minute reprieve would see these Ancestor vines remain in the ground. The grapes are hand-picked from the sixth generation Schiller family vineyard at Hallett Valley in the Barossa. Jason first made this wine in 2008, and since then it has been his flagship wine.
Opens quickly to luxe fruits, black plum & fruits of the forest, building in layers of toasty smoked bacon, tobacco leaf and Mediterranean herbs with nuances of spice and earthy tones. A luxurious palate of old vine fruits, savory overtones and fine slippery tannins. A long harmonious finish.
Review:
Dark fruit with hints of blackberry cobbler, graphite, and sandalwood. Mostly grown on warmer sites of the Walla Walla Valley including our estate, Bob Healy Vineyard. Beautiful tannins that are lush and have a strong core that broadens out last minute to an ultra-long finish. A really pleasing and luxurious wine.
Review:
Ripe blue and blackberry notes with floral quality, minty cherries and elegant oak spices undertones. Chocolatey texture on the palate, dense and concentrated, rounded. Dense core of dark plummy fruit supported by a refreshing acidity.
-Decanter 97 Points
Argot Pinot Noir Kanzler Vineyard is made from 100 percent Kanzler.
Pinot Noir finds its nirvana tucked away in the Goldridge soils and rolling topography of the cool and foggy Sebastopol Hills. Kanzler is one of Sonoma’s undisputed Grand Cru sites. This terroir produces deeply fruited wines with dazzling spice-box complexities, wonderful acidity and undeniable focus and freshness. A masterclass in Pinot Noir.
Review:
The 2021 Pinot Noir Kanzler Vineyard is deep ruby-purple in color. It explodes with bombastic scents of juicy blackberries, black raspberries, and tar with nuances of cracked black pepper, espresso, and crushed rocks. The full-bodied palate is laden with black fruit preserves flavors and savory nuances, framed by fine-grained tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long and spicy.
-Wine Palate 95 Points