The wines of Cobaw Ridge, Macedon Ranges, Australia

The wines of Cobaw Ridge, Macedon Ranges
Superb wines from this cool climate region in Victoria, Australia

Website: www.cobawridge.com.au

Cobaw Ridge is a small 5 hectare vineyard in the Macedon Ranges of Victoria, Australia. It’s at an altitude of 610 m, and this is cool climate viticulture. Established by the owners Alan and Nelly Cooper, Cobaw Ridge is now organically certified and working biodynamically.

In the vineyard, work is done by hand, and irrigation is used – but only enough to maintain the leaf canopy so the grapes can ripen properly. The wines are bottled using Diam, as opposed to screwcap.

These are brilliant wines, with real personality. My favourite is probably the remarkable Lagrein, but they’re all really good. These are the sorts of wines that Australia should be making more of.

THE WINES

Cobaw Ridge Syrah 2007 Macedon Ranges
14% alcohol. Lovely nose showing raspberry and blackberry fruit with pepper and clove savouriness. The palate is fresh, grippy and peppery with lovely focused ripe black fruits. Rich yet perfectly defined: not over-ripe. Yes, this tastes Australian but it has such personality and the precise, peppery, meaty fruit is reminiscent of the northern Rhône, yet different, too. 93/100

Cobaw Ridge Lagrein 2007 Macedon Ranges
Vivid colour. Lovely black fruits nose showing black cherry, blackberry and spicy notes. Vivid and bright. The palate is really fresh, vivid and peppery wityh ripe black cherries, fresh grippy structure and good acidity. This wine has vivid fruit, good concentration and brilliant acidity. Savoury and refreshing; tannic but not at all rustic. 94/100

Cobaw Ridge Chardonnay 2009 Macedon Ranges
Organic, 13.5% alcohol, minimal sulphites. Intense nose of minerals, nuts, almond and fig. The palate is lively, citrussy and fresh with a nutty, toasty edge to the ripe fruit. Rich yet focused with good freshness and minerality. 92/100

Cobaw Ridge Chardonnay 2010 Macedon Ranges
Very refined and quite complex with warm spice and toast notes as well as some minerality. Peach and pear fruit is quite textured. There’s roundness and complexity here: a rich wine yet showing sophistication and focus. Brilliant effort. 93/100

Cobaw Ridge Pinot Noir 2010 Macedon Ranges
Organic, minimal sulphites, 14% alcohol. Lovely warm, complex aromatic nose with some herbs, a bit of warm spice, and sweet cherry fruit. The palate is textured and sweetly fruited, rounded and elegant. I love the sweet cherry fruit framed by the slightly spicy, grippy tannins. 93/100