Cobaw Ridge
Macedon Ranges, Victoria
Winemaker: Alan Cooper
Cobaw Ridge winery was established in 1985 by Alan and Nelly Cooper. Vines were planted on granitic, sandy soil in the cool climate Macedon Ranges, on the cusp of the Great Dividing Range at some 610m. Their positioning, in a natural amphitheatre, provides the perfect place to produce terroir-driven wines. 100% estate grown, they are now fully certified organic and biodynamic, something they are very proud of, and deservedly so.
CERTIFIED BIODYNAMIC NASAA 2011
'We feel these practices will further our holistic, sustainable, and above all natural approach to grape growing and winemaking, and provide an even greater opportunity for the wines to speak of the land which bore them’. Alan Cooper, Winemaker, Cobaw Ridge.
Honest, authentic and passionate are words that we use to describe the wineries we work with and without a doubt, Cobaw Ridge fits this mould perfectly.
CERTIFIED BIODYNAMIC NASAA 2011
'We feel these practices will further our holistic, sustainable, and above all natural approach to grape growing and winemaking, and provide an even greater opportunity for the wines to speak of the land which bore them’. Alan Cooper, Winemaker, Cobaw Ridge.
Honest, authentic and passionate are words that we use to describe the wineries we work with and without a doubt, Cobaw Ridge fits this mould perfectly.
2020 'Il Pinko' Rosé
Matured and fermented in Qvevri and old white French oak. Taut, mineral, savoury, spicy and dry. Fine tannins. Texture from the qvevri ... will age well into the future. Classic pale salmon pink. A wine of great focus and interest.
2017 L'Altra Syrah / Lagrein
L 'altra, Syrah Lagrein 2017 Comprising of 80% Syrah and 20% Lagrein. Juicy supple with poise and drive.
Vintage 2017 was a Cooler Year, the Syrah and the Lagrein Picked Late May. Be 11.1% Alc. 80%Syrah /20% Lagrein .
Matured and fermented in Qvevri and old white French oak. Taut, mineral, savoury, spicy and dry. Fine tannins. Texture from the qvevri ... will age well into the future. Classic pale salmon pink. A wine of great focus and interest.
2017 L'Altra Syrah / Lagrein
L 'altra, Syrah Lagrein 2017 Comprising of 80% Syrah and 20% Lagrein. Juicy supple with poise and drive.
Vintage 2017 was a Cooler Year, the Syrah and the Lagrein Picked Late May. Be 11.1% Alc. 80%Syrah /20% Lagrein .
2019 Chardonnay - New Release
100% certified Organic / Biodynamic, 32 yr old Cobaw Ridge (clone-Penfolds 58) Chardonnay vines, fruit hand harvested and picked when possible according to the lunar cycle, all other winery operations where possible follow a similar course, processed in our onsite small winery.
Fruit is picked into half ton bins which is foot crushed. This is then lifted via fork lift and tipped direct into our air bag press. Pressed via a short press cycle of three hours. A pressing cut is made towards the end. Juice is pumped to tank, to settle lightly overnight. Very rough racked the next day, taking all the light solids and some of the heavy solids (all the good things are in the lees) then pumped direct to barrel, for full natural primary and secondary fermentation.
The wine usually spends twelve months in French oak, a mixture of 228 / 500 barrels and around 20% new. No lees stirring in situ. Topped every seven days.
Wine is pumped out of barrel the day after picking the new vintage fruit, so the barrels are never empty. All fermentation lees are taken with the now mature wine. Allowed to come together and settle in tank on light lees for another two or so months.
After this time in tank the wine has settled crystal clear and is very carefully racked off lees. Malo status is tested prior to bottling.
No additions, fining, filtration or stabilisation are inflicted on the wine, other than, minimal sulphites just prior to bottling.
100% certified Organic / Biodynamic, 32 yr old Cobaw Ridge (clone-Penfolds 58) Chardonnay vines, fruit hand harvested and picked when possible according to the lunar cycle, all other winery operations where possible follow a similar course, processed in our onsite small winery.
Fruit is picked into half ton bins which is foot crushed. This is then lifted via fork lift and tipped direct into our air bag press. Pressed via a short press cycle of three hours. A pressing cut is made towards the end. Juice is pumped to tank, to settle lightly overnight. Very rough racked the next day, taking all the light solids and some of the heavy solids (all the good things are in the lees) then pumped direct to barrel, for full natural primary and secondary fermentation.
The wine usually spends twelve months in French oak, a mixture of 228 / 500 barrels and around 20% new. No lees stirring in situ. Topped every seven days.
Wine is pumped out of barrel the day after picking the new vintage fruit, so the barrels are never empty. All fermentation lees are taken with the now mature wine. Allowed to come together and settle in tank on light lees for another two or so months.
After this time in tank the wine has settled crystal clear and is very carefully racked off lees. Malo status is tested prior to bottling.
No additions, fining, filtration or stabilisation are inflicted on the wine, other than, minimal sulphites just prior to bottling.
2019 Pinot Noir - New Release
100 % NASAA certified organic vineyard, picked over multiple passes from two seperate blocks, oldest block planted in 1995 with Pinot Noir clones (mv6, 114, 115). Vine planting kept to traditional Burgundian spacing
at 3m x 1.5. Youngest block planted in 2011 with clones (777, q390-02, pomard , able, 115 and mv6) with high density planting at 1.2m x1.2m (= around 7000 vines /ht).
All clones are fermented and kept separate till post maturation blending.
Small open vats used with a layer of whole bunch ( 10% ) on the bottom then fully de stemmed fruit on top.
Small So2 addition to must. Full natural fermented and malo ( spring / summer post vintage)
Generaly hand plunged twice a day then transferred into small tight grain French oak barrels (20% new oak) and matured for 12 months, a couple of months on light lees in tank prior to racking and bottling.
Small so2 addition to the final blend before bottling.
Zero fined or filtered.
Allowed some time in bottle prior to release.
2018 Pinot Noir
2017 Pinot Noir
100 % NASAA certified organic vineyard, picked over multiple passes from two seperate blocks, oldest block planted in 1995 with Pinot Noir clones (mv6, 114, 115). Vine planting kept to traditional Burgundian spacing
at 3m x 1.5. Youngest block planted in 2011 with clones (777, q390-02, pomard , able, 115 and mv6) with high density planting at 1.2m x1.2m (= around 7000 vines /ht).
All clones are fermented and kept separate till post maturation blending.
Small open vats used with a layer of whole bunch ( 10% ) on the bottom then fully de stemmed fruit on top.
Small So2 addition to must. Full natural fermented and malo ( spring / summer post vintage)
Generaly hand plunged twice a day then transferred into small tight grain French oak barrels (20% new oak) and matured for 12 months, a couple of months on light lees in tank prior to racking and bottling.
Small so2 addition to the final blend before bottling.
Zero fined or filtered.
Allowed some time in bottle prior to release.
2018 Pinot Noir
2017 Pinot Noir
2016 Syrah
100 % certified organic NASAA Vineyard, planted with two clones of Syrah PT 23 (planted in 1985) and sa 1654 (planted 1995). 10% whole bunch in base of fermenter and gently destemmed the balance on top. Given a little bit of extra working when fermenting for air. Most extensive barrel maturation of 24 months in similar oak to Pinot but also large format ( 500/700 Litre ) just small amounts of So2 added prior to bottling. 12 months or more time spent in bottle prior to release
2015 Syrah Museum Release - very limited