New wine label for Kooyong/Port Phillip Estate

The Gjergja family has added a new label to its Port Phillip Estate, Kooyong and Quartier collection. 

The family purchased the Bellvale vineyard in Berrys Creek, South Gippsland, in early 2025 and is releasing the 2025 vintage releases.

Approximately 120 kilometres east of the winery on the Mornington Peninsula, this area of South Gippsland has potential for producing some of Australia’s finest pinot noir and chardonnay, the family believes. 

"We are honoured to become the custodians of this remarkable cool-climate site," managing director Marco Gjergja announced after the purchase from John and Athena Ellis. 

The 19-hecatare vineyard is located in the Tarwin River Valley and its north-facing, dry-grown, high-density vineyard lies at 165-195 metres above sea level on deep red loam of volcanic origin.

"Building on the strong foundations laid by John [Ellis] over the last 27 years, we look forward to progressing Bellvale’s legacy, propelling it into the future, and producing compelling pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot gris," the Gjergja family says. 

The Ellis family will retain the 2024 vintage wines with the new 2025 vintage wines released now for an RRP of $32-39. All are made by Tim Perrin

They are distributed by Negociants. The pinot gris is underwhelming. The chardonnay very good. The pinot noir the star. 

See www.portphillipestate.com.au  

One Bordeaux wine producer defies downward trend

There are plenty of doom and gloom stories about Bordeaux, with some vineyards being stripped in the wake of falling demand.

In contrast, historic right bank estate Château des Mille Anges is expanding its operations and planting new vines.

Chateau des Mille Anges has acquired neighbouring estate Château Génisson and is planning to replant 20 hectares of vines, news hub the drinks business reports.

The 25-hectare Mille Angles, situated outside Cadillac-sur-Garonne, 30km from Bordeaux city, has acquired Château Génisson with a view to re-planting the site as part of a long-term plan by owner Heather van Ekris to position the château “for recovery rather than retrenchment”.

“We are looking beyond today’s challenges and see light at the end of the tunnel,” van Ekris said.

“Bordeaux will bounce back, and we want to be part of that recovery. We plan to gradually re-plant approximately 20 hectares as market conditions improve over the next three years.

“The integration of Château Génisson is expected to enhance vineyard potential while continuing a shared winemaking heritage spanning more than two centuries.”

Château des Mille Anges has been producing fine wines for over 300 years. It was purchased by van Ekris in 1994 and has since undergone a revitalisation project, including the construction of a new barrel cellar and storage facilities.

Its red vineyards comprise 70% merlot, 20% cabernet sauvignon and 10% cabernet franc, while there are also plantings of sauvignon blanc and sauvignon gris.  

Château Angélus’s owner Hubert de Boüard and his team have been consultants at the estate for over a decade.

See https://www.chateaudesmilleanges.com/

A stunning new canvas for artisan Kiwi wine producer

Artisan Marlborough wine producer Blank Canvas has upped the ante by announcing the purchase of a spectacular looking nine-hectare vineyard property in the Omaka Valley, in the Southern Valleys sub region.

The vineyard will become the sustainability focused producer's long-awaited home site and will complement fruit sourced from nine existing partner vineyards, whose grapes anchor the Blank Canvas single-vineyard philosophy.

Blank Canvas was founded in 2012 by award-winning international winemaking consultant Matt Thomson and Master of Wine Sophie Parker-Thomson with the vision of crafting world-class wines.

“This is a defining moment in our evolution as we approach vintage number fourteen," says Sophie. "We have dreamt of the perfect home for Blank Canvas from day one and have been actively searching for it over several years. We are delighted that we have finally found it.”

The amphitheatre-shaped hillside vineyard that Blank Canvas will call home was established in 2003 and planted at very high density.

The property offers 360° views across the Wairau Valley.

The company plans substantial phased investment and careful development to realise the site’s full potential.

Winemaker Matt Thomson, who has completed an even split of 66 harvests over 33 years in Europe and New Zealand, says: “Site drives style. In the Old World, the best sites typically grow one or at most two varieties.

"In the New World we often try to force many varieties into one terroir, frequently with mediocre results. This site gives us two complementary terroirs - a cooler east face and a warmer west face - that will allow us to match variety and style to place, which is a founding ethos of Blank Canvas.”

While a small parcel of established pinot noir on the cooler eastern face will remain, Matt and Sophie plan to convert the remainder of the block, currently planted to sauvignon blanc, to varieties better suited to the microclimates created by the differing aspects.

“In New Zealand’s climate and with our high costs of production, it’s important we grow only varieties that are capable of true greatness,” says Matt.

“There is no doubt that nebbiolo, syrah and pinot noir produce some of the world’s greatest wines. These red varieties form a trifecta of great aromatic red wines of the world, and together with our belief in Marlborough chardonnay, we think we can achieve something very special from this extraordinary property.”

Blank Canvas will continue to release single-vineyard wines from its grower partners, while the new vineyard will reinforce the small-batch fine wine program.

The first vintage from the new Blank Canvas vineyard site will be harvested in 2026.

See https://blankcanvaswines.com/