One great thing that has come from getting a regular writing column for APN ARM Weekend Magazine has been the exposure to wineries and labels that previously had been on the radar. This just speaks to the extraordinary amount of plantings there are in Australia and how cut throat the industry is with regards to that slim profit/loss margin. Eli Greenblat of The Australian newspaper, writes how even large, well known and seemingly successful family wine businesses, such as Tyrrell’s, are having to make serious decisions with regards to where their products lay in the price spectrum.

Which leads me to this piece on Berton Vineyards’ wines that arrived. 2 Cabernets and a Viognier. The Cabernets are vintages 2013 and 2014. These wines are also all in the sub $15 price bracket. Maybe the price can be justified by not having the extra cost of holding the wines back for release. Whilst quick turnaround from harvest to shelf hopefully sees increased cash flow for the producer, does it devalue the public perception of the wine? Seeing a red wine made and bottled in the current year and released is not unusual in Europe where fresh drinking, food friendly “table wine” is the norm, but less so in Australia where the proud mantle of a top vintage year is still the cover by which the vinous books are judged.

Berton Vineyards source their fruit from all over the country but have their spiritual vineyard home in the Eden Valley. Their winery and head office is in Yenda, in the Riverina area of New South Wales. These wines below are all marked as South Eastern Australia: that famous “G.I” that takes in every wine region in Australia except for Western Australia (and the Northern Territory…but I don’t think anyone has tried growing grapes there….yet).

Berton Vineyards, Foundstone Cabernet Sauvignon, S.E.A, 2013

Rich, ripe plums and generous blackcurrant pastilles. The palate brings comforting ripe black fruits and plushy couch-like oaky flavours. Surprising tannins that please. The wine is for drinking now. Hits all the right notes without going to great heights, but represents good value.

RRP: $8

ALC: 13.5%

Berton Vineyards, Metal Label “The White” Viognier, S.E.A, 2014

The colour of sun drenched straw. Appropriate varietal smells of apricot, rock melon and sweet, ripe stone fruits with an attractive jasmine lilt.

Slightly weighty with those ripe fruits. The apricot permeates the full palate. Finishes easy with remnants of spice and a nice cut of citrus acidity for pleasant summer drinking, but still grown up enough to handle more robust summer foods.

RRP: $12

ALC: 13.5%

Berton Vineyards, Metal Label Cabernet Sauvignon, S.E.A, 2014

Yep, 2014. Not sure how long this spent ageing in oak…but there’s definitely oak smells. Cherry red coconut slice, squashed grapes, fruit straps, spirit-esque menthol, ash, syrupy red/black fruits…that’s just the nose.

Sweet then savoury then sweet then minty freshness. Lasting impression is of syrupy black fruits. There’s a handful of tannins that sieve through the palate, like fine sand falling between your fingers at the beach. I actually preferred the cheaper (and older) brother as above for the moment, but may hold more authority with a little bit of age.

RRP: $12

ALC 13.5%

All wines samples courtesy of Berton Vineyards