|
In 2006 two of Australia’s most respected wine families, De Bortoli and Shelmerdine joined forces to create a range of single site wines, PHI, from the Lusatia Park Vineyard in the Yarra Valley. After an overwhelming response to the inaugural release, the second vintage of PHI is now available.
Lusatia Park Vineyard established in 1985 was the unique vineyard site chosen for the PHI project. Steve Webber and Stephen Shelmerdine decided the purity, vibrancy and complexity of both the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Lusatia Park was so impressive, they deserved to be bottled and branded in their own right.
Derived from the 21st letter of the ancient Greek alphabet, PHI symbolizes perfect balance and harmony, a quality inherent in the wines and the PHI partnership itself.
PHI brings together two diverse but complementary wine partners. The Shelmerdine family has vast viticultural experience in central and southern Victoria and for the past thirty five years has committed to identifying and developing distinctive vineyard sites. Equally, the De Bortoli family, with its long history of winemaking, has a strong understanding of what a 'sense of place' can bring to wine.
Together they are proud to present three wines that are a true reflection of a unique vineyard. Lusatia Park Vineyard is situated at Woori Yallock, high in the south-east hills of the Yarra Valley. This elevated, maritime influenced site enjoys significantly cooler conditions to those of the valley floor, lending itself to more elegant wine styles. Planted in 1985 to Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the densely spaced vines are now 20 years old. A combination of intensive hand-cultivation, low yields, cool climatic conditions and volcanic rocky soil produces fruit with distinctive characters and flavours.
The combination of mature vines, meticulous hand-cultivation, and an exceptional site allows the PHI wines to evolve with minimal intervention. Just as the vines are gently cultivated, the wines are similarly treated with meticulous care.
Handling fruit and wine by gravity, knowing when not to interfere, the use of indigenous yeast and the subdued use of oak, all help to give detail to the wines. Elegance and finesse are the defining characters and these are matched by an attention to texture and structure. The results are three wines that favour subtlety over sunshine, terroir over intervention and delicacy over extraction. Above all, they are beautiful to drink.
|
|
“It has a sole viticultural base: the Lusatia Park Vineyard of the Shelmerdine family. Usually however it is of specific rows of vines, not even blocks, although the rows are continuous. They are pruned and managed quite differently to the rest of the block, with the deliberate aim of strictly controlled yields. While the joint venture was only entered into in 2005, De Bortoli have been buying grapes from the vineyard since 2002, and had had the opportunity to test the limits of the grapes. The outcome has been wines of the highest quality, and a joint venture that will last for many years. Courageous pricing for a new kid on the block, but reflects the confidence the families have in the wines”. Five Star winery rating.
2006 Chardonnay – 92 points, 2006 Pinot Noir – 94 points, 2007 Sauvignon – 95 points
James Halliday – Australian Wine Companion - 2009
|
