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HISTORY
Keith Tulloch is a fourth generation Hunter Valley winemaker. The history of winemaking in the Hunter Valley goes back to 1825, making it Australia's oldest wine producing region.
In 1997 Keith left the larger Tulloch family wine business to strike out on his own; he produces wines focusing on the traditional Hunter Valley varieties - Semillon and Shiraz, and more recently he has expanded to include Viognier, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon - sourcing grapes from both his own vineyards and from a small group of growers with some of the best Hunter Valley vineyard sites. For Keith the greatest reward has been found - making his own wines with a unique stamp of personality, power and integrity - away from the mainstream, and with an individual style and flair.
Australian Writer James Halliday says of Keith Tulloch Wines: ¡°I cannot remember being more impressed with an initial release of wines than those under the Keith Tulloch label. The only problem is their small scale of production, like that of Geoffrey Grosset in his early days. There is the same almost obsessive attention to detail, the same ascetic intellectual approach, the same refusal to accept anything but the best.¡±
THE REGION
The Lower Hunter Valley in New South Wales, less than three hours drive north of Sydney, is arguably Australia's best-known wine region. The region enjoys a warm climate with cooling afternoon sea breezes being the savior for winemaking. The Hunter Valley is renowned for producing 'classic' Chardonnay, Shiraz and Semillon wines which have a great capacity for aging. The region now boasts many boutique wineries catering to the many tourists and Sydney wine lovers who venture north to this picturesque area.
WINE AND WINEMAKING
These wines are hand-made with meticulous care, and epitomize the best qualities of Hunter Valley wine. All Keith's wines have the style, balance, structure and integrity necessary for graceful maturation and cellaring. Winery production is very limited, with total annual production of only 12,000 cases. Keith makes his flagship Keith Tulloch range as well as the Per Diem range, which is a more modestly priced set of wines for every day drinking that are crafted to enjoy without cellaring..
The Wines Available in the U.S. are:
Semillon: The Keith Tulloch Semillon is a very complex wine. It is a blend of many different components - including part early picked, part fully ripe, part barrel fermented, and part whole-bunch pressed - to create a harmonious marriage of different subtle characteristics, and a more complete expression of Semillon. ¡°Whole-bunch¡± pressing contributes herbaceous ¡°grassy¡± scent, barrel fermentation gives velvety mid-palate texture, and early picked fruit contributes crisp, fine acidity. The principal characters are fine lime and lemon, these being the true varietal signatures for this great variety. In its youth it is fresh and zesty; over time it develops delightful honeyed characters and is on the finest white wines for long term ageing.
Chardonnay; A classic Hunter Chardonnay. Pineapple, citrus and pear aromas. A creamy texture and complex stone fruit palate.
Per Diem Viognier: A rich and velvety unoaked white wine showing varietal honeysuckle perfume and tropical fruit allure, a rich velvety flavor, and a generous silky finish.
There is also the new Per Diem Quantum Red, which is a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet and Durif. This wine is a juicy, spicy red made with soft, supple tannins so that you enjoy it on release.
Shiraz-Viognier: Up to 9% viognier is blended into this northern Rhone style, highly aromatic ¡®red wine' that is crafted with soft, approachable tannins so that it can be enjoyed closer to its release.
Kester Shiraz: Deeply influenced by a love of Rhone Valley Shiraz and a vintage spent with Jaboulet, Keith adapted his Shiraz winemaking in the Hunter Valley to gain more fruit power and greater overall wine personality. The result is a profusion of powerful aromas and flavors: dense plum and currant fruits with savory/spicy power, hints of earth and spice, and a lingering complex finish of ripe briar-berry and silky smooth tannin
Botrytis Semillon: A classic Hunter Valley sweet wine. Full gold; ultra-rich; cordon-cut, but also strong botrytis influence; cumquat, honey and cr¨¨me brulee characters are offset by lingering acidity; remarkable wine.
