Exploring the Macedon Ranges (3) Cobaw Ridge and Joshua Cooper Wines
Cobaw Ridge is a really interesting producer, based on the north side of the Macedon Ranges in Victoria, Australia.
When nurses Nelly and Allan Cooper bought this property in 1981 there were no vines in the area, so they were quite brave pioneering viticulture in what was a truly marginal site. Alan was 28 and Nelly was 26, and their adventurous spirit has been rewarded by some lovely wines, and a legacy that is being taken on by their son Joshua (Nelly, Alan and Joshua are pictured above). This was my second visit, some nine years after my first in December 2015.
They met over night shift in 1977.
All the vines here are own-rooted, and they began planting in 1985. We chatted as we looked over the Chardonnay block which is Penfolds P58 clone.
Alan was from a family of broad-acre farmers and as he wasn’t in line for the family farm he had to go and buy his own land. He ended up finding this 17.5 hectare plot, so to make this work for a family living, farming had to be something intensive. Back then, grape growing was seen as an emerging industry, and there was plenty of government help to assist those willing to take the plunge.
There weren’t many vineyards in the area. Virgin Hills and Knight’s Granite Hills were the two closest. Initially the idea was that the Coopers would simply be growers, but when they realised that the yields here in Macedon were around 1.5 tons/acre, they realised they needed to add value by making and selling the wines: it wasn’t going to be viable financially to grow grapes and sell them.
To get a vintners licence at the time you had to have 4 acres of vines. As they began, they had help from the state viticulturist and the state enologist. Initially they planted Shiraz and Chardonnay, and there are 10 acres of vines. Initially they were organic, but couldn’t keep up with the weeds, so they turned to herbicides to establish things. Then in 2005 they converted to organics and then 2009 they turned biodynamic.
Their son Joshua is now making his own line of wines under the label Joshua Cooper Wines, sourcing grapes from priveliged sites in Victoria. These are really interesting.
THE WINES
Cobaw Ridge Chardonnay 2023 Macedon Ranges
Chardonnay here is whole-bunch pressed, fermented on solids in barrel for a year and then finishes off with 6 months in stainless steel. The only addition is a bit of sulfur dioxide. Full malolactic this vintage. This shows lovely intensity with high acidity and som toast and spice. Great concentration with lively acidity and some mealy detail, with great focus and intensity. 95/100
Cobaw Ridge Chardonnay 2021 Macedon Ranges
Refined mineral nose is bright and limey with nice intensity. There’s some peach and melon intensity here as well as a lovely mineral character. Such purity, with some mealy detail. Very fine with concentrated citrus fruit and a bit of depth. 94/100
Cobaw Ridge Chardonnay 2019 Macedon Ranges
Toast and meal on the nose with lively citrus fruit. The palate has layered citrus fruit with a touch of pear and peach, and nice mealy complexity, with a hint of popcorn on the finish. Lovely. 94/100
Cobaw Ridge Skin Contact Chardonnay 2018 Macedon Ranges
One-half of this blend has three weeks on skins and then goes to barrel. The other half spends 2 years on skins in a steel tank. Full gold in colour, with nuts, honey and spice on the nose. On the palate this is powerful with lovely structure, and some honey and raisin, a touch of marmalade and then some lime. 94/100
Cobaw Ridge Original Pinot Noir 2023 Macedon Ranges
100% destemmed. Vibrant, fresh aromatics with strawberry and cherry fruit and a hint of rhubarb and ginger. The palate is supple and fresh, and quite elegant, with tart cranberry fruit. So pretty and expressive with a nice spicy flourish on the finish. Such a light, pure expression of Pinot Noir, with some hidden tannin in the background. 94/100
Cobaw Ridge High Density Pinot Noir 2022 Macedon Ranges
This block was planted in 2011 with 7000 vines per hectare. Brooding, fresh, intense nose of ginger, cherry and strawberry. Nice concentration with sweet finely spiced cherry and berry fruit. Has lovely spicy intensity and nice grippy tannins. Quite granular with lovely intensity and depth. This is very fine and needs some time to show its best. 95/100
Cobaw Ridge Lagrein 2022 Macedon Ranges
Full colour with lovely fruity floral aromatics of raspberries and cherries. Nice concentration here with freshness and nice acidity, as well as good tannins. Quite fresh and structured with real vibrancy, finishing with slightly dusty tannins. 94/100
Joshua Cooper Wines
Dash Farms Mount Alexander Chardonnay 2023 Central Victoria
Tight but aromatic with appealing pear and white peach fruit, as well as some lime. The textured palate is refined with lovely weight to the pear and white peach fruit. It’s rounded with some mealy detail and a nice acid line. 95/100
Dash Farms Mount Alexander Chardonnay 2022 Central Victoria
Subtle mealy hints here as well as refined citrus fruit. So lively and fine with nice, complex, textured citrus fruit as well as some ripe pear. Lovely detail, with some fine spicy complexity. 95/100
Dash Farms Mount Alexander Chardonnay 2021 Central Victoria
Subtle nutty detail with nice pear, apple and white peach fruit. There’s a touch of citrus, too. Good depth and refinement here. 94/100
Doug’s Vineyard Romsey Pinot Noir 2023 Macedon Ranges
This is from a cooler and wetter part of the Ranges with basaltic soils. Rocky hillside site with 25 year old vines. 25% whole bunch. Very fine and pure with elegant raspberry and strawberry fruit, with some warmth and texture. Very fine and elegant, with some ferrous energy, too. 95/100
Balgownie Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2024 Bendigo
This is a barrel sample from 1970 plantings on shale and mudstone. Chalky aromatics with sweet blackcurrant notes, showing great concentration and freshness on the palate. Fresh with red cherry notes, as well as a touch of gravel. Vital, with lovely balance. 95/100
Redbank Cabernet Sauvignon 2024 Pyrenees
Sample from tinaja (terracotta). Early 1970s plantings, dry grown. There’s a touch of reduction here, but also insane concentration with firm tannins and great acidity. Such concentration and depth here. Fine, mineral and wild. 96/100
Cabernet Merlot The Williams Vineyard 2022 Macedon Ranges
Supple, elegant and very fine with red cherries and raspberries as well as some blackcurrant. Good weight and nice structure. Very fine. 94/100
MACEDON RANGES
