Michael Hill Smith MW: Australia is breaking away from blending

Modern Australian winemakers are breaking away from the old tradition of blending plots and vineyards to focus on terroir-driven, single vineyard wines, says Michael Hill-Smith MW, co-founder of Shaw + Smith Winery in Adelaide Hills.

The latest wines from Shaw + Smith available in Hong Kong market

Speaking about Shaw + Smith Winery’s single vineyard Chardonnay ‘Lenswood’ at a lunch event organised by its Hong Kong importer, Links Concept, Hill-Smith MW explained: “There’s a movement moving away from blend of regions. If you look at bigger companies like Penfolds, they’ve got a tradition of blending one region with another. There’s a history of blending for the best wine, and nowhere else in the world would that happen for premium wine.

“Despite the history, the modern wine movement is about single origin, single site and single block.”

The ‘Lenswood’ 2014 is only the second vintage released from the winery after it purchased the vineyard in 2012, and it has already been lauded by Australian wine critic James Halliday. Not that Hill-Smith seems very interested.

“Who cares what James Halliday gives,” he declared. “Until you get a 98, then it really does matter,” causing a room full of guests to burst into laughter.

Compared with Australia’s famous Shiraz output, Smith believes that Chardonnay is “one of the most exciting grapes, if not the most exciting” grape in Australia. “Because where would you go to buy these lively, fresh, vibrant wines at a price that doesn’t make your eyes bleed?” he asked.

“What is fascinating about Australian Chardonnay is that it has evolved and continues to evolve in an exciting way. The wines are no longer oaky, golden, old fashioned or heavy. As we learned to plant the grape in cooler vineyard sites with some vineyard age, we are making some of the most exciting Chardonnays in the world, even more than Burgundy or California,” he continued.

In 2016, the country’s total white wine production amounted to 808,000 tonnes and Chardonnay is responsible for half of that figure, with a total of 406,000 tonnes crushed, according to Wine Australia.

In addition to its Chardonnay range, which includes ‘M3’ and the single vineyard ‘Lenswood’, the winery also makes Pinot Noir and a cool-climate Shiraz including a single vineyard called ‘Balhannah’.

Its latest offerings including Shaw + Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2016, M3 Chardonnay 2015, Lenswood 2014, 2015 Pinot Noir, 2014 Shiraz and Balhannah Vineyard Shiraz 2013 which are all available in Hong Kong now.