We visited the Sevenhill Estate earlier this month and, after a couple of very sturdy sessions with Will Shields and team, we came back with some limited lines that they’d been hiding under the counter at cellar door. Joining the incredibly solid line-up of world-class Riesling, Grenache and more, we now have three small-batch fortifieds. All are in premium nocturne bottles, their contemporary packaging belying the very old contents.
Named after the space above the original winery where the fortified barrels were previously stored, the ‘Attic’ Verdelho has an average age of 10 years and emulates single-variety quality Madeira, with a balance of candied citrus peel and caramelised nuts with an intriguing acid line and languorous finish.
Meanwhile, the Topaque is similar to the Rutherglen styles and made from Muscadelle, a variety that Sevenhill was the first to establish in the Clare Valley. The blend contains wines from 5 to 40 years of age and is an intense, exotic wine with malt, spices and nut-butter notes.
Finally, named after the two shrines on the Sevenhill property, Sevenhill’s Tawny has been in production for over 150 years. The small solera system of 500 and 2000L barrels is drawn from and topped each year to produce this wine, meaning it’s very difficult to put an average age on it. The base blend is of Grenache, Touriga and Shiraz, which are strictly volume-controlled and harvested late.
