Nothin' but Praise for Philip Laffer and Jacob's Creek

Jancis Robinson, world class wino and connoisseur, has nothing to say but good things about Phillip Laffer & Jacob's Creek... and why wouldn't she? Jancis has the same opportunity I had a couple months ago: being wowed by Jacob's Creek Chief Winemaker, Philip Laffer, as she was taken through varying varietals, vintages and lines of the Jacob's Creek portfolio. She was impressed by the incredible aging potential of all three lines and found the Classic line to be above others in its category. As Jancis noted, the Shiraz and Cabernet also showed that despite the big name of Jacob's Creek, the implemented wine making techniques are just as meticulous as boutique winery collections.

Soon after that, Jancis encountered a blind tasting of 20 Chardonnays ranging in price and region. The Jacob's Creek Chardonnay, both Classic and Reserve, ranked amongst her favorites. As she said, "The distinguishing mark of the Jacob’s Creek Chardonnays is that Laffer has steered their stylistic evolution in parallel with the dramatic change in the style of the average Australian Chardonnay much higher up the ranks."

To read her first-hand account, visit the UK Financial Times website.

The Eco-friendly Jacob's Creek Winery

When Johann Gramp planted the first wines along the banks of Jacob's Creek in 1847, he understood that it was important to respect the environment in order to maintain the rich, fertile soil. Today, the Jacob's Creek winemakers have the same philosophy: be good to the Earth and it will be good to you.

This is precisely why Jacob's Creek has dedicated a holistic approach to ever aspect of the winemaking process. Although there have been encouraging results from the changes already underway, Jacob's Creek continuously strives to decrease the footprint it leaves on the Earth by always treading lightly.

Jacob's Creek has made it a priority to remove and replace invasive weeds with native plants to the are to retain the biodiversity of the Jacob's Creek River system. Two of Jacob's Creek properties, Centenary Hill and Menge's Island, are planned to be rehabilitated for the wild and removed from production in the coming years in an effort to restore much of the pre-European wildlife found in Australia that is dwindling today.

Something Different from Downunder

When you think of Australian wine varietals the usual Shiraz, Riesling and Semilion immediately come to mind. But what you might not expect are grapes that are indigenous to distinct European countries such as Grenache, Graciano, Tannat, Tempranillo, Sangiovese and Lagrein Dolcetto blends.

For the past seven years, winemaker Nick Bruer has been crafting these artisan wines. Some are produced and distributed throughout Australia, some are avaliable only at the Jacob's Creek winery in the Barossa Valley.

This past fall, the winery hosted a series of side-by-side comparison lunches in November that paired these wines and native European wines with traditional European fare and the response was overwhelmingly positive.

“As the traditional Australian wine palate matures and the ever-changing climatic conditions of our grape growing regions challenge us to adapt, innovate and experiment, Australian grape growers and winemakers are frequently turning to alternative grape varieties from the drier countries of the Mediterranean,” said Nick.

As noted, these wines are not, unfortunately, avaliable in the United States but they'd definitely be worth a trip to Australia to try!

A Chance to Chat with Phillip Laffer

Don't miss your chance to talk with Phillip Laffer at 10am on Thursday, February 4th at 10am EST time (3pm GMT)

"Internationally renowned winemaker Philip Laffer has been at the forefront of Australian winemaking for over 40 years. He heads up a 20 strong winemaking team, and oversees the process from vineyard to bottle, capturing the essence of Australia in every varietal produced. He is a true ambassador for fine wine the world over"

Phillip will be joining www.webchats.tv live and will be avaliable to answer all of your wine questions about wine making to the delicious food and wine pairings!

Don't miss this chance!

For more information visit www.jacobscreek.com