Welcome to the September edition of Instinctively Curious, the Two Hands Wines monthly newsletter. In this months edition you will find updates from the vineyard and our winemaking team, and some exciting news around new releases.
HOLY GRAIL VINEYARD
SPRING HAS SPRUNG
Spring has arrived and so has the magic of budburst at our Holy Grail vineyard!
It’s amazing to see the vineyards change and begin the next growing season as we witness budburst taking place across the Barossa. Budburst, literally the leaves bursting from their buds, is the term given to the arrival of the new spring leaves on the vines. Different vines shoot at different times, for example Chardonnay tends to shoot early than Cabernet Sauvignon. The transition is rapid, from the formation of tiny buds, to the bursting of the leaves all happens in a matter of days. Next the vines will flower, self-pollinate and eventually tiny grapes will appear. This is a crucial time of year in the vineyard as the amount of potential fruit we harvest next year is determined over the next few weeks. Frost is also a concern at this time of year as a heavy frost can damage the new growth.
WINERY
Richard, Kennedy and the team are busy putting the final touches on the blends for our 2023 Picture Series. The process of racking or transferring wine from one vessel to another, such as from tank to barrel or vice versa, is important for several reasons. The first is to remove sediment. An initial racking is done typically after malolactic fermentation is complete, to separate the wine from what is referred to as gross lees. These are dead yeast cells and other solids leftover from fermentation that settle over time. It also allows the winemaking team to consolidate some of the smaller parcels of wine that we have to larger vessels for ease of preparing for bottling. Another reason to rack the wine is to provide oxygen, which can impact the maturation process and for tannin management. The French refer to this process as délestage.
SCORES & REVIEWS
WINE ADVOCATE 2023
2021 GARDEN SERIES RELEASE
You may have seen our recent announcement that the 2021 Garden Series has been released in cellar door and online. Sourced from six of the finest wine growing regions in Australia, the Garden Series epitomizes the Two Hands Wines ethos of quality over compromise.
The 2021 wines have been getting some very high praise recently and whilst still young, they are looking terrific. Follow the link below to read the recent reviews and order your 2021’s today!
If you are looking for a particular vintage or something from our museum, don’t hesitate to reach out to the team and we will happily see if we can make something available for you.
2021 Bella’s Garden
Barossa Valley Shiraz – 95 points
“The 2021 Bella’s Garden Shiraz is from the Barossa Valley and, like last vintage, shows all the earth and might of the Barossa dirt. It has red earth, licorice, iodine, blood, layers of mulberry and blackberry and metal shavings. Interestingly, it is sedate on the palate but very long. This suggests it might need a decant or, at the very least, might benefit from one. It is a lovely wine that is big, buxom, dense and persistent. I really love the finish—it is chewy and full, very satisfying.” – Erin Larkin
SHOP 2021 BELLA’S GARDEN READ THE FULL LIST OF SCORES
CHARITY INITIATIVES
BLUE SKIES
HUTT ST CENTRE ADELAIDE
A massive thank you to everyone who purchased a bottle of Blue Skies Cabernet Franc this past year. This charity initiative was created in collaboration with Hutt Street Centre, Adelaide. With your support we raised over $42,000, helping with their very important mission to end homelessness for every person who walks through their doors.
Thank you, and for those who are lucky enough to have a bottle of this wine at home, enjoy it knowing you have helped a worthy cause.
EVENTS
BRUTUS, BEATS & THE BEARDED COOK
CELLAR DOOR LAWNS, MARANANGA
Our 2023/24 summer series of Brutus Wine Bar events is almost here! First off the line to open the season we have the very awesome, local food truck The Bearded Cook providing delicious food on the Two Hands lawns for October. Follow the link below to grab your tickets, which include a glass of wine from our Picture Series, and secure your seats. Music curated from our rad cellar door playlists will set the vibe. We can’t wait to see you there!
Anthony came to Two Hands Wines as the Chief Financial Officer in early 2017. Although new to the Wine Industry at the time, Anthony bought with him a wealth of knowledge and experience in accounting across a variety of industries. A devoted father of two children, Anthony is ambidextrous and a mad Adelaide 36ers supporter, and most weekends you can find him by the basketball court cheering on his kids!
