Hi everyone, from the crew at Stumpy Gully

Hope you are enjoying the festive season and have a fun, safe New Year.

There has been much discussion about climate change, its so-called effect on the various grape growing regions throughout Australia and in particular the more traditional cooler zoned areas, such as the Mornington Peninsula. More recently the MPVA has been discussing the idea of re-zoning the sub-regions, a relatively new dynamic to the region. The plains of Moorooduc always have been a separate sub-climate - in particular to that of elevated areas- and at Stumpy Gully we have long been pushing the argument that Shiraz, Cabernet, Merlot, together with grapes such as Sangiovese, can grow successfully here.

James Halliday in his Wine Companion, gave the top Shiraz in 2008-9 to a Moorooduc winery, and recently, our winery received news that our 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon has been awarded the ‘Gold Medal’ for “Best Cabernet & Cabernet Blends‘, section of the prestigious ‘Concours des Vins‘, together with the ‘Trophy’ awarded for ‘Best Red‘ in the same division. The style is refined, driven by subtle, yet definitive fruit, and provides an elegant alternative to some of the excellent, though often monster cabernets, produced in other parts of Australia. It is an achievement we are proud of, not only because we also won the Trophy in the white wine division the previous year with our Sauvignon Blanc, making us the first to win back-to-back Trophies in this show - but moreover, it reaffirms our belief in this unique sub-region, that we can deliver on the more traditional warmer climate reds in Australia by way of contrasting styles. The 2006 Cabernet is in limited supply because of demand since the Trophy announcement, so if you’re a Cabernet fan, make sure you order some before this vintage is sold out.

The reputation for our Merlot was reaffirmed in 2008, with renowned wine writer for the Age, Ralph Kyte-Powell, giving our 2005 Merlot ‘Wine of the Week‘(July 2008), and our newly released 2006, has already been compared to Bordeaux by David Hume. Merlot has been described as Australia’s mystery grape because many of those made here are inferior in quality and structure to their French counterparts, a point well made by Ralph Kyte-Powell in his Age article, where he also stated, that they are too often made to drink like a Cabernet or Shiraz. This is surprising when the world’s most expensive red wine is, in fact, a Merlot - there is also more Merlot planted in Bordeaux than Cabernet. We think it’s about time you all came down to the winery to try our 2006 - already compared to a Bordeaux- and see why the French think so highly of this grape. Watch this space because recent marketing research shows that Merlot is on the move big time in this country!

Pinot Grigio/Gris was also Australia’s biggest mover in the white wine last year, and there’s no better region for it than the Mornington Peninsula. Stumpy Gully has some of the earliest plantings of this divine white grape made in two distinctive styles. Our new release 2008 is one of our best vintages perhaps even rivalling the 2003. Also released is the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc which needs no introduction, our 2008 Riesling, as always dry, crisp and full of citrus flavour.

In the Peninsula Panorama range, the Unwooded Chardonnay got a five star 94-100 in Vintage Direct. Not bad for a $15.00 wine. In the reds- our 2008 Peninsula Panorama Pinot Noir, Stumpy Gully Pinot Noir, and Magic Black Reserve 2006 have been released with new labelling in the SG range. Also the 2006 Sangiovese, second only to our 2003. And last, but not least, the FORTIFIED SAUVIGNON BLANC - be quick..this extremely limited wine does not last long..we hope to see you soon at Stumpy Gully’s cellar door.

Happy New Year and Cheers from the Stumpy Gully Team!

Cheers!

The crew at Stumpy Gully