McWilliams Hanwood Estate 2008 Riesling Highly Recommended by Whom You Know! McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate Winery Accentuates the Good Life, Imported from Australia
Founded in 1877, McWilliam’s Wines is one of Australia Australia ’s most important growing regions, including Coonawarra in South Australia (SA), Hunter Valley and Hilltops in New South Wales (NSW), Yarra Valley
From the very beginning, the McWilliam family has been dedicated to the craft of winemaking and the art of storytelling, which helps to continue their winemaking heritage over time. In 1913, John James McWilliam planted the first vines at Hanwood, just a few miles south of the thriving agricultural town of Griffith in New South Wales
Just as John James led the way in 1913, it was Glen McWilliam who pioneered the region’s profound shift from fine sherry styles and fortified wines to premium table wines during the mid-1950s. Not only was he responsible for the trial of premium varieties previously unknown in the district, but he was also responsible for leading the way in developing the winery technology necessary to produce table wines in a hot summer climate.
Today, the Riverina is credited with producing more than two-thirds of New South Wales ’ wine and almost one-quarter of Australia
Rich in character, depth and tradition, McWilliam’s Wines are consistent winners in wine shows across the globe and have received overwhelming endorsements from both the American and Australian wine media. In fact, this year McWilliam’s Wines was awarded the Most Successful Exhibitor trophy at the Royal Sydney Wine Show for an unprecedented 13 consecutive years. In addition, McWilliam’s earned 15 gold medals across its portfolio at the prestigious wine show. The winery was also recently named 2006 Winery of the Year by renowned wine writer and critic, Stuart Gregor. Other notable awards include Gold at the 2007 Taster’s Guild, Chairman’s Best of Class at the 2006 Long Beach Grand Cru, Gold and Best of Class at the 2006 Los Angeles County Fair Wine Competition and Critics Gold at the 2006 Critics Challenge International Wine Competition.
McWilliam’s Wines can be found in restaurants and fine wine shops throughout the world.
Harvest Report
Most wine regions throughout South Eastern Australia experienced extreme heat during the harvest season, but many growers were able to pick the grapes and bring them into the winery before they were adversely affected by the extreme temperatures in early to mid March. Before the heat wave began, the growing season was fairly normal although came a bit earlier than in previous years. During January, just before harvest, rain helped to relieve a decade‐long draught throughout Australia and assisted in lessening the severity of the March heat wave. Industry experts agree that the 2008 harvest yielded high quality wines with concentrated fruit flavors despite the record heat in March.
Winemaker’s Notes
The Riesling grapes were harvested during the cool of the night to reduce contact with air and preserve natural flavour. The grapes were then de‐stemmed and went directly into a membrane press. The juice was cold settled and clarified prior to being inoculated with the Vin 13 yeast strain to initiate fermentation in an upright fermentor. Fermentation lasted about 18 days at 13°C (55°F) with minimal handling to reduce oxidisation. After fermentation, the wine matured on its lees for 3 months to add complexity and body to the final wine. The wine was bottled under screw cap to protect the wine’s delicate flavours.
Taste Profile
Colour: Pale straw with green hues.
Aromas: Lifted aromas of jasmine and lime with subtle hints of citrus blossoms.
Flavours: Fresh lime, mineral notes and ripe tropical characters combine with a crisp, clean finish.
Cellaring potential: Enjoy at the time of release for its fresh fruit flavours.
Serving Temperature: Serve chilled (12‐14°C)
Finished Wine
Grape Source: South Eastern Australia
Varietal Content: Riesling
pH: 3.05
Residual Sugar: 0.37 g/100 ml
Titratable Acidity: 0.70 g/100 ml
Alcohol Level: 12.58%
The Champagne Wishes panel raved:
There's nothing like a cold reisling on a warm summer night. Rieslings are a white grape variety from the Rhine region of Germany. However in this instance, the grapes were brought right into my own living room. What a treat! This Australian family sure knows how to get this wine to perfection. Unlike the traditional corkscrew method I was thrilled to discover the ease of opening this bottle via the "turnscrew" method. This makes all the difference when hosting large parties or having that Sunday night gathering of family and close friends. The Mcwilliam's Harwood estate 2008 Reisling was dry, citrusy and strong in structure. These certainly are all the ingredients necessary in a refreshing crisp Reisling wine. I was completely overwhelmed by the quality of this Australian white. It was elgegant in its simplicity, robustness and strength. I also found it to be nicely balanced, full in the mouth, but also sweet and crisp. It may have been a tad dry for Reislings but the hints of apple flavor made up for that two fold. It made a perfect pairing for my grilled fish and corn on the cob. Another option would be to pair with with that steak BBQ you were planning, especially for white wine aficionados. The truth is the McWilliams 2008 Reisling is a perfect anytime wine. I was wholeheartedly blown away by the quality of this Australian Resiling. A final food pairing for indoor meals woulf be a light chicken dish, with a grilled asparagu. With its quality, price and taste, I wholeheartedly recommend the McWilliam's 2008 Reisling. Two thumbs up for the McWilliam's 2008 Reisling - well worth the investment for your next summer outing.
Exceeding Expectations! There are certain types of wine that I stay away from. Riesling is one of them. Therefore, I decided to open and share these bottles with friends. Memorial Day Weekend, with the sun out, friends in the pool and a feast in front of us. I felt I needed to give the McWilliams Riesling a fair shot since I have enjoyed many of their other wines. I definitely went into this thinking I am going to hate it. It is fair for me to say that I have never met a Riesling I liked… until now. Instead of sickeningly sweet, the flavor was refreshing and smooth. All of my friends agreed! A pleasant experience as the wine hits your palette, followed by a burst of flavor. We tasted citrusy and apple notes yet again not overly sweet. Lively acidity yet a smooth clean finish. Perfectly paired with our typical Summer Fare. The Riesling along with grilled fish and pasta salad was a scrumptious combination. Crisp and Clean is a must and this exceeded expectations. As at any good dinner with friends, the wine flowed freely and conversation always turns to the wine. My guests were interested to learn the wine was from a South Australian vineyard, which brought comments of no wonder it tastes so good. Leading me to believe that Australian Wines have gained such popularity and a great reputation over the last five years, I will turn to McWilliams consistently from now on. This wine was such a great surprise and opened my eyes and my palette to a whole new world of the McWilliams Aussie Riesling.
If you're in the market for a white wine that will go well with this summery, balmy weather and the lighter cuisines that are usually consumed at this time, then you can't go wrong with McWilliam's Hanwood Estate Riesling 2009. This wine starts off sweet, soft and fruity but it goes wonderfully tart, acidic and crisp by the time you finish your sip. The fruitiness component consists of hints of tropical fruit as well as citrus, with the passionfruit and lime notes standing out most. I tend to shift to lighter fare in the warmer weather, consuming alot more seafood than red meats or anything heavy, and found that this wine paired extremely well with the trio of Asian-spiced seafood dishes (lobster, soft-shelled crab, shrimp) that I had. The layers and complexity of the wine enhanced the flavors, spices and enjoyment of the trio of dishes for me. This is a pretty good Riesling to be had for a bargain price in the area of $10 per bottle. And yielding from as renowned a winery (and most awarded in Australia) such as McWilliam's, you're certainly not foregoing the quality. An added feature, which I appreciate for its convenience and ease, is the wine is bottled with a screw cap to protect the wine's delicate flavors. There's no struggle to remove the foil and then having to use a corkscrew to dislodge the cork. This is a wine I'll surely be packing to a picnic or to the beach to enjoy this summer!
McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate Riesling 2009 is made using the finest grapes from South Eastern Australia. The highly renowned McWilliam’s winemakers started in 1877. They continue to draw on six generations of winemaking experience. South Eastern Australia is Australia’s most renowned wine regions. The easy to access screw cap makes this wine perfect for picnics. The bottle’s labeling oozes elegance. McWilliam’s Riesling is a classic dry Riesling. The palate seems fruit driven. The finish is clean and pleasant. The nose exhibits generous aromas of jasmine, passion fruit, and freshly cut lime. The taste is crisp and steely. This was a great surprise when I first tried this wine. I expected sweet; however I got the classic Australian Riesling. This really is one of those old-style Rieslings. This should be served chilled. I found this an exceptional compliment to cheese, hence perfect for a picnic. But I must admit this is the perfect glass of wine on its own. I highly recommend this Riesling, drink it and you will feel great. I guess when you have been in the business since 1877; you kind of know what you are doing at this point!
Whom You Know highly recommends the McWilliams Hanwood Estate 2008 Riesling. It is one of our favorite wines for summer!
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Peachy Deegan was pleased to meet Scott during his recent visit to Manhattan!
Scott McWilliam
Winemaker & Family Spokesperson
Being born into one of Australia
In 1989, at the age of 14, Scott McWilliam began working at the McWilliam’s Winery, where he was hired to clear tanks and smash excess port bottles. He’s come a long way since then, quickly establishing himself as one of the Riverina’s brightest and most promising young winemakers.
Scott earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the Australian National University in 1998 and a postgraduate degree in Oenology at the University of Adelaide New South Wales
Scott has continually diversified his skills by completing vintages in several regions throughout Australia Griffith (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004), Hunter Valley (2000, 2005, 2006), and Coonawarra (2004) in Australia ; Bordeaux (1994) and Beaujolais (2001), in France ; and Sonoma (2002), Central Valley (2003) and Napa (2005), in the United States
Throughout his time overseas, Scott has served as a judge at the 2004 LA County Wine Fair and hosted wine seminars for the Australian Wine Bureau in the 2005 Boston Wine Expo.
Scott counts the time he spent working vintages overseas as invaluable to him as a winemaker. Scott also gained enormous experience during his time working in the Microbiology department of the prestigious Australian Wine Research Institute, in Adelaide
“And of course all the time I spent working at the family winery gave me a good grounding and amazing hands-on experience,” Scott said.
Scott lives in the Hunter Valley , in Australia
His interest in fine wine and food also extends itself outside of work. Scott spends quite a lot of time visiting, tasting and enjoying world-famous wine regions.
