Gapsted Estate showcases rare grape varieties

When was the last time you had a sneaky sip of gros manseng, or guzzled a glass of saperavi?

Emerging varieties specialist Gapsted Estate from the Alpine Valleys of Victoria is launching two luxury wine tiers next month that it says signify a heightened pursuit of quality.

Sourced entirely from its estate vineyards, four new wines will be released: the Gapsted Estate 2023 Chardonnay, 2023 Grand Manseng and 2022 Saperavi (all $65); and the 2022 Gapsted Estate Reserve Saperavi in 1500mL magnums ($200).

Made in small quantities, the wines are a culmination of the changes Gapsted Estate has undergone since CEO and winemaker Andrew Santarossa, formerly at Mitchelton, took the helm in 2021 and has focused on refining viticulture, elevating cellar practices and investing in premium varietals.

“I see such an uncut diamond of potential not only in Gapsted Estate, but across the Alpine Valleys and the emerging varieties most expressive of our region,” said Santarossa.

“We have the right climate, soil types and aspects to make world class wines. So we’ve made improvements to our soil health, the way we prune, our planting densities and aspect. 

"We’ve planted new vineyards and invested in small-batch winemaking equipment, oak that complements varieties and style, and more. Our new luxury wines represent the pinnacle of what we do at Gapsted Estate, and being estate grown, we have total control over them from the vineyard to the bottle.

“We were very selective in our choice of varieties. I’ve always loved making chardonnay, but before coming to Gapsted Estate I hadn’t worked with grand manseng or saperavi - which they’ve been producing here for 25 years - and I continue to be blown away by their potential and ability to flourish in alpine conditions.” 

Gros (or grand) manseng is a white variety originally from south-western France. “Sharing some similarities with barrel-fermented chardonnay, chenin nlanc or viognier, the Gapsted Estate expression balances a richness and precise alpine acidity with layers of mandarin, white nectarine, pawpaw and white guava," says Santarossa. 

"Tightly wound and high in tannins for a white, we recommend decanting and storing in the fridge before serving to open up a cascade of aromas and flavours.”

There is certainly a lot to like here with a sunny taste of summer in the Basque country. Think market day in St  Jean de Luz and pair with thon rouge with xipister sauce. 

The Gapsted Estate Chardonnay is described as "intensely complex with lifted aromas of stone fruits, citrus, spice and struck match and a rich, powerful palate of pink grapefruit, nectarine and white peach".

“We want to showcase how Alpine Valleys chardonnay can be an Australian benchmark expression of the variety,” says Santarossa.

Originally hailing from Georgia, the red variety saperavi has a deep inky colour. This one is dark, intense and ultra macho. The alcohol tastes higher than the declared 14.5%. 

“Our new Estate Range saperavi is a brooding monster with aromas of forest fruit berries and blackberry with a generous palate of intense blackberry, satsuma plum and black cherry,” says Santarossa ."The reserve expression is a blend of Gapsted Estate’s finest barrels; bottled in 1500mL magnums and made in limited quantities. It represents the ultimate experience of saperavi.”

The wines will be released on September 4 via the Gapsted Estate website, wine club and cellar-door, and select independent wine stores. Pre-orders are available from gapstedestate.com.au.