Gibson sees an Italian accent as the way forward for the Barossa

Experienced Barossa viticulturist and wine producer Rob Gibson knows the industry needs to change.

For Gibson that means incorporating grapes more suited to increasingly warm regions to the usual varietals in Australia.

Gibson Wines has just released The Prospect, a shiraz montepulciano blend from the 2023 vintage.

It is a deliberate response to a rapidly warming Barossa - and contemporary tastes.

“The future comes every new vintage… challenging our skills and adaptability,” says Gibson.

"Warmer seasons and compressed harvests are no longer outliers. They are the working conditions."

For Gibson, blending has become a practical tool for resilience.

“As a viticulturist we try and predict the unpredictable," he said. "There is no crystal ball for the future. Gut instinct and experience lead the way.

"Montepulciano plays a central role. It holds structure and freshness through heat, bringing lift and savoury tension to shiraz’s depth and familiarity.

"Together, the varieties deliver clarity and balance without excess weight. The blend of shiraz and montepulciano reflects the cooler style of Barossa.

“The Prospect was born from a restless curiosity, seeking continued improvement in what we do and what we produce. 

”This is not experimentation for novelty’s sake. It is refinement. A wine built with the realities of climate in mind and with confidence in where the region is heading."

The wine has an impressive balance between power and elegance; bold fruit and savoury notes. 

The Prospect Shiraz Montepulciano 2023 is available now for $40 through Gibson Wines at https://gibsonwines.com.au/

A taste of Italy that won't break the bank

Well-made Italian wines that are age worthy, but ready to drink now?

If that is your desire, then the wines under the Astrale label - imported into Australia by Single Vineyard Sellers - are well worth a look.

Unlike many Italian producers, Astrale does not have a pedigree dating back centuries.

The business was founded in 2011 as a negociant-style operation, making wines using fruit from several different regions.

Winemaker Peppe Randazzo (below) is originally from Avola in Sicily and has 20+ years of experience. 

He and his team travelled across different Italian wine regions to meet with local grape growers, sourcing fruit from the best vintages, while maintaining a Tuscan focus from a base in Castellina in Chianti.

Currently available in Australia are three red wines where I found it difficult to find a definitive favourite.

The 2022 Astrale Chianti DOCG is a smooth, food-friendly wine with classic sangiovese red fruit characters to the fore, and a steal at $20.

The unusual NV Astrale Rosso ($40) - a blend of primitivo, sangiovese, montepulciano and Nero d’Avola across several regions - is more savoury and herbal but has plenty of depth and freshness and would pair well with dishes like rabbit ragu.

Probably the pick, though, is the 2019 Astrale Chianti Riserva ($40), with its layers of darker sangiovese fruit flavours, earthiness, well-integrated oak and soft tannins. Lovely stuff. 

The appeal of Randazzo's wines to an Australia audience should not be as surprise. His CV includes vintage stints at Leasingham and Chalk Hill, as well as at Nobilo in New Zealand 

New venture produces Barossa reds that shine

It is always exciting to be able to see the initial releases from a new wine producer.

So meet Tribus Wines, produced by three friends using fruit sourced from the Hoffman family vineyards in Ebenezer, also known as the North Barossa.

The trio of Paul Thomas (winemaker), Dan Fitzgerald and Chris Gray have created a small joint venture in the Barossa Valley, describing themselves as "a team of three, who all have families and are one big tribe".

Fitzgerald says: "We are building something for the kids and the future generations. We have completely lucked out, and gained access to some truly spectacular grapes from one of the Barossa’s, if not Australia’s, most sought-after grape producers, Adrian Hoffmann from Dimchurch Vineyards.

"This incredible opportunity allowed us to create something really special for our first few offerings, and of course being South Australian and Barossa-based we knew shiraz had to be one of them.

"Our larger aim and future story is to branch out of the Barossa and to hunt and gather the best grapes from different regions or sub regions we can."

There are three initial offerings from Tribus, one from 2021 and two from 2022. They can be purchased individually, or as part of a three-pack fror $100.

All are impressively presented with eye-catching pink wax bottle seals that certainly stand out from the crowd. 

The 2021 Barossa Valley Shiraz ($40) is a big, bold wine using grapes that were hand-harvested from the youngish Mickan Block off the Hoffmann family’s Dimchurch Vineyards - which produce fruit for some of the region's big names. This is a dark, rich wine with ripe fruit and a chewiness on the palate. I would be cellaring this one for a couple of years, at least.

The 2022 Tribus Grenache ($35) is much more immediately accessible with red and black fruit flavours and some impressive tannin structure. Very stylish, this one.

My favourite of the trio, however, was the 2022 Tribus Mataro Shiraz ($35), a compellingly complete wine for one so young. The two varieties are as one; beautifully balanced and medium-bodied with spice hints, and this proved very food friendly when paired with a steak and kidney casserole. A comfortable 96 points.

A label worth watching out for. See https://tribuswines.com/