New releases by Adelaide Hills star BK Wines, some of Australia’s most interesting low intervention wines
Website: https://bkwines.com.au/
I caught up with Brendon Keys at East End Cellars in Adelaide to taste through some of his wines, after tasting one of them at Mother Vine, the wine bar that’s associated with East End Cellars.
I’ve visited Brendon, whose brand is BK Wines, which he runs with his wife Kirsty, and I’ve also followed the wines a lot. He has managed to find some exceptional vineyards in the Adelaide Hills, and makes wines in a low-intervention style. They count as natural, if you are going to use a sensible definition of natural.
I’m really impressed by them. They are natural but intentional. They used to be brought into the UK by Swig, but currently aren’t represented. These wines need to be in the UK!
BK Wines The Fall Chardonnay Carey Gully 2022 Adelaide Hills, Australia
12.5% alcohol. Planted 1987, east facing. This is mealy, spicy, savoury and rich, but it also has precision. So lovely and energetic with a nice acid line, and there’s also a tangy sweetness to the acid suggesting slightly elevated acetic acid, although it doesn’t stick out. There’s some lovely spicy intensity and a twist of sourness on the finish. a distinctive, flavourful wine of real appeal. 95/100 ($100 on the list at Mother Vine, Adelaide)
BK Wines Carte Blanche Chardonnay 2024 Adelaide Hills, Australia
Rack the barrels to make the single vineyards and then use the lees into the barrels that don’t fit the profile. So this is 5% new oak. Mealy, creamy and textural with layers of complexity. Textured and expressive with a nice citrus edge. So nicely weighted. 94/100
BK Wines Yandra Chardonnay 2024 Adelaide Hills, Australia
Geisenheim clone. 50/50 terracotta and barrel. Fresh and vibrant with some toast and meal and lively citrus with real intensity. Mineral, fine, pear and peach, but with some drive and some edges. Mineral and long, with some saltiness. 95/100
BK Wines Ego is the Enemy Pinot Gris 2024 Adelaide Hills, Australia
12.8% alcohol. This wine used to be called Ovum, as it is raised in a concrete egg (there were trademark issues with another winery). This is spicy, complex and mineral. Open with lovely texture and some fine-grained detail. So expressive and textural, with depth but also salty finesse. So many dimensions here. 94/100
Skin and Bones Pinot Noir 2024 Adelaide Hills, Australia
12% five clones. Barrels. 100% whole bunch like all their reds. This is aromatic, fresh and chalky with some nice green hints as well as textured, sweet cherry and raspberry fruit. So supple and expressive but also showing depth and a bit of structure. Hint of mulch here from the whole bunch, but this works so well. 95/100
Skin and Bones Gamay 2024 Adelaide Hills, Australia
12.8% alcohol. This is old-vine Gamay and it is brilliant. Full aromatics with vivid raspberry and cherry fruit showing some lovely mulchy detail. Very expressive and quite bold. Structured but fine with texture and depth. This is very fine with potential for development. 96/100
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