Category: News

Vintage 2024 Update

Vintage has kicked into top gear this week with a run of warm and dry weather over the last two weeks after a mild start to the summer. We are looking at lower yields than previous years with colour and flavour looking fantastic.

An early Easter often means an early start and finish to vintage, and true to form we are well ahead of previous years for our first picks. We started vintage 2024 with Marsanne from Marananga on the 15th of February and Roussanne from Kalimna on the 21st of February. The first reds in the winery this year were Shiraz from our Marananga and Krondorf blocks in the central Barossa Valley, which traditionally are some of our earliest ripening Shiraz blocks.

As the weather warmed up over the last two weeks we are seeing reds ripening at a steady pace, Tim and JD are out in the vineyards daily, walking the rows and sampling grapes to monitor flavour ripeness and making the all important picking calls.

Excitingly this year we have a new variety in the winery that Tim and JD are having a play with, its from the Bethany foothills of the eastern ranges of the Barossa Valley. Watch this space as to where this one ends up.

The first of our Cabernet Sauvignon blocks from Moppa was picked on the 29th Feb and we will see the Eden Valley Cabernet Sauvignon arriving in the winery within the next few weeks to go towards our Compono Cabernet Sauvignon that we first launched mid last year. Over the next week will see the arrival of some of our key Shiraz parcels from the northern section of the Barossa as well as old vine Grenache and Mataro hit the winery and our prized Eden Valley parcels dont look to be too far behind.

Cheers

Tim and John

Vintage 2023 update

With a long and cool spring with good rainfall and a mild summer, the Barossa has seen a slower start to vintage than normal. At this stage we are currently two to three weeks behind our average picking date. The long, slow ripening period has ensured that the grapes are accumulating great colour and flavour ripeness and our yields are looking to be only slightly above average.

The first of the whites, Marsanne from the sub-region of Marananga, was picked in early March. Roussanne from the Kalimna sub-region followed last Friday and is looking sensational in ferment. To complete our Plexus White trio, Viognier from the cooler Eden Valley will follow in a few weeks. Each of these varieties will be fermented separately, with a portion of the wines finishing fermentation in new French oak to help build texture, length on the palate and spice notes.

We will receive our first red for the vintage this week, some Shiraz from the Krondorf area kicking us off as has been the case in previous years. We will then work our way to the northern end of the Barossa Valley and then up into the Eden Valley.

Annexus definition: Attached, linked or joined to; highlighting exceptional elements of Plexus from outstanding vintages.

In response to many requests from our restaurant customers, in 2018 we created a wine exclusively for them. The first ‘Concilio’ was made from Grenache sourced from an old bush vine block located to the south of Tanunda and blended with a small portion of Shiraz. The wine reflected the style evolution of Barossa Grenache towards wines of vibrancy, texture and savouriness and those eminently suitable to accompanying food.

Due to the success of the Concilio Grenache, and after being blessed with near-perfect conditions for the 2021 vintage, John and I contemplated adding a second ‘Concilio’ to the range, one that this time spoke of the more modern interpretations of Barossa Shiraz. Our decision was made easier when one of Australia’s most respected sommeliers, Leanne Altmann of the McConnell Restaurant group, gave the idea a big thumbs up and looked to place the very first order.

The much anticipated second release of our Integro Cabernet Shiraz from the 2018 vintage is imminent, with the official release date of the 16th of May just around the corner.

Although not quite released, we are over the moon that the wine has recently received 97 points from Wine Companion

​​97 pts "John Duval’s flagship cabernet shiraz blend. Eden Valley represents the lion’s share (90%), as does cabernet sauvignon, with shiraz contributing 10%. Stunning fruit purity and detail on display here, with cascades of blackberry and blackcurrant along with cassis, kirsch, spice, cedar and licorice. The fruit is the star though. Achingly pure and beautifully integrated with all the components of the wine. Lovely tannin and oak management too, with an opulent yet graceful flow through to the enduring finish." Dave Brookes

We asked Ryan Edwards, Head Chef at Essen by Artisans of Barossa for his favourite dish to serve with our Concilio Grenache, and boy did he come up with a cracker.

Roast Duck with a Davidson Plum and red wine sauce.

For the duck:

1 duck whole, bought locally off the guy that grew it if possible

10g native pepper berry

10g good quality salt

400g of interesting potatoes ie purple skinned, purple fleshed, sweet potato

200g warrigal greens, washed and spun (or baby spinach)

2 bulbs of garlic

For the sauce:

200g duck/beef/chicken stock

40g shallots, peeled and diced

100g fresh or frozen Davidson plums, peeled and seeds removed and discarded

15g sugar

10g butter

200ml concilio or other good quality red wine (but its good to cook with what you are drinking)

Method:

For the sauce: Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat.  Add the shallots and cook for five minutes until soft.  Add red wine and turn up heat with the aim to reduce the liquid by two thirds.  Once reduced dd the stock and reduce again by two thirds or until slightly syrupy.  Add the plums and sugar and cook for 10 minutes over low heat until plums are soft and delicate.  Check sauce for seasoning, it should be a little rich, a little soft and fruity, a little sour, a little tannic not unlike the wine with which you are about to enjoy.

For the Duck: Wash duck inside and out very well with cold water and pat dry with clean cloth.  Peel (or don’t) the potatoes and cut into roasting sized pieces.  Place duck breast side up in a large roasting dish and surround with your potatoes and whole garlic bulbs.  Season duck with native pepper and salt and roast slowly in a moderate oven about 155C for 2 hours.  When the internal temperature reaches 65c (when probed on the inner thigh hard up against the bone) it is cooked.  If you don’t have a thermometer, skewer it in the that same spot and if the juice runs clear you are pretty good to go.  At his point place duck in a new pan and cover gently in foil to let it rest, but not too long because you want the skin to be crispy.  Turn up the oven to 220C. Place the potatoes back into the oven for a few minutes to crisp them up. Remove the garlic and let cool a little so you can handle it.  In a frypan add 2 tablespoons of your duck fat and bring to heat.  Meanwhile add your greens and squish out the inside of your roast garlic into the pan and fry gently until the greens have collapsed slightly.  Season with a little salt and pepper.

To finish: carve your duck as you see fit, serve duck with wilted warrigal greens, roast potatoes, and before using the sauce add any juices to it that are in your resting dish, even a little of the fat won't hurt.  

Sauce liberally, and enjoy with a glass of JDW Concilio.

Whether you celebrate the big day with the traditional hot lunch or with a more relaxed approach, a glazed ham is the perfect dish for the table. Either served warm or cool, it is even better for Boxing Day leftovers.

Marmalade and ginger glazed ham.

7kg leg of ham 

350 grams of orange marmalade

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup ginger beer

Cloves for decorating

Pre-heat oven to 180c

Remove the rind from the ham by cutting 10cm in from the shank end in a decorative pattern and then run thumb under the skin to remove rind, keeping the layer of fat intact. 

With a sharp knife score the top layer of fat in a diamond pattern making sure to not cut deeper than the top layer only.

In a saucepan over low heat stir together the marmalade, sugar and ginger beer until sugar has dissolved and set aside to cool.

Line a large baking dish with greaseproof paper and place ham on a wire rack in the tray. Brush with some of the glaze.

Bake for 40 minutes, then decorate as desired with the cloves, brush with the remaining glaze and place back in oven for a further 40 minutes. Serve warm or cool and Merry Christmas!

The fantastic team at Orso Kensington recently hosted team JDW for one of their regular and much loved Winemakers Lunches. The menu was spectacular and perfectly matched to a selection of wines including some delicious treats from the cellar. The Roast Lamb Rump was the winner on the day and perfectly paired with the Annexus Grenache.

Lamb rump, beetroot leaves, jus, peas, mint.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 Lamb rump, with cap on.

1 bunch beetroot leaves, roughly chopped

2cloves garlic, finely chopped

150g green peas

50g butter

A few mint leaves, torn

For the jus

1 litre good quality chicken stock

100ml red wine

6 sprigs thyme

Pre heat your oven to 180ºC.

To make the jus, bring the wine up to the boil in a large sauce pan, boil for 1 minute. Add the thyme and chicken stock, reduce to about 300ml. set a side.

To cook the lamb, heat a skillet over a medium. Season the lamb generously with salt. heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil, then place the lamb carefully fat side down in to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes on medium heat then transfer the pan to the oven, cook for 10-12 minutes. Transfer to plate to rest for at least 15 minutes. Keep warm. Alternatively, you can cook the lamb over charcoal in a bbq, using to same method.

To cook the beetroot leaves

Fry the garlic in oil for 30 seconds add the beetroot leaves and fry until soft.

To assemble

Warm the jus over a medium heat, add the butter stirring to emulsify, add the peas and mint, season with salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Place lamb in the oven for 1 minute to warm through, slice the lamb and arrange over the beetroot leaves, pour over the sauce and finish with fresh cracked black pepper.