Growing where he is planted
Claudio Radenti remembers turning the handle to crush grapes when he was four years old. His Italian family moved to Launceston 45 years ago and Claudio was born there. At first his father bought grapes to make home supplies but later grew enough around the house. When, as a teenager, Claudio began making his own wines, and his father’s friends preferred it to his dad’s, his career was set.
He did a Bachelor of Science oenology at Roseworthy College in Adelaide and was working as senior winemaker at Goundrey Wines in Western Australia in 1990 when Lindy Bull was hired as his assistant.
In 1992 Lindy’s father, Geoff Bull, who had established Freycinet Vineyard in 1980, needed extra help and the couple returned to Tasmania, Lindy to work with her father and Claudio at Moorilla. And a year later, Claudio went to work at Freycinet too.
The site for the 9 hectare vineyard was carefully chosen. In a small valley, it has a north-facing slope that drains well – and frosts also roll down the slope to the flat – and it is sheltered from westerly winds, which all combines to help the fruit to ripen. The soil is “lean, mean and rocky” dolerite, which says Claudio, is the soil that produces some of Tasmania’s best wines.
Despite all the care of selecting the site “you don’t really know the potential of a vineyard until years later,” said Claudio. When his 1988 pinot “raised eyebrows” Geoff Bull began to more excited about his and his wife Susie’s venture.
Downplaying his own skills, Claudio says: “It’s easy to make good wine from a good site.” Unlike the beverage industry, in which shortcuts are made and expected, Freycinet Vineyard makes no compromises in the production of its quality wines. “If years go by and you have been consistent your reputation grows,” he said.
And that is what has happened. Over the years, Freycinet Vineyard wines have won many awards and first-class passengers on Qantas have been offered five different Freycinet wines.
As well as the Freycinet wines, there is the drink-now label Louis, and some wines, such as the Louis riesling-schonburger, that can be bought only by visiting the cellar door, just off the Tasman Highway near Bicheno.
“We follow every berry right through the whole process to the end,” said Claudio. The fruit is pruned and picked by hand. “We go to a lot of effort, there is a fair bit of manual input.”
The chardonnay, pinot and cabernet-merlot wines are matured in the “Rolls Royce” of oak barrels, imported from France, where the coopers select oak that has grown slowly and has a tight grain that suits the types of wine grown in Tasmania. Riesling, on the other hand, is stored in stainless-steel vats and is in the bottle within three months of harvest in order to maintain its freshness and fruitiness. The much acclaimed Radenti sparkling, a blend of 60% chardonnay and 40% pinot, however, takes seven years to make. It is aged for six years on yeast lees in the bottle, a time also taken by the best French champagnes.
Claudio Radenti says he has no wish to grow wines anywhere else than here. “I am really excited about wine-making in Tasmania,” he said. “Tassie is where it’s at for me.”
The vineyard produces 80 to 100 tonnes of grapes a year, and if further expansion is required, Geoff and Susie have some land over the hill on the Swan River that includes some excellent vineyard sites. Claudio says he will be happy if he can hand over a vineyard that has improved with each generation. That next generation is his and Lindy’s sons Giorgio, six, Pino, four, and a baby due in September.
Tasting Notes
2005 Freycinet Riesling
The unique location of Freycinet’s warm vineyard site in a cool climate, produces rieslings with marvelous structure and fully ripened fruit flavours. Primary fruit aromas abound and descriptors like perfumery of flowers and citrus spring to mind. A fresh palate of lively mouth-watering citrus flavours, finishing with a taut, lingering mineral aftertaste, perfect with oysters! Definately a wine to cellar for five to 15 years for those who enjoy the added complexity of an aged riesling.
2004 Freycinet Chardonnay
Traditional techniques including barrel fermentation in French oak casks and extended lees stirring were utilized. The aromas are reminiscent of spice, fresh bread and ripe citrus. The palate exhibits a backbone of citrus and melon flavours, with a lingering casher and mineral finish. There is complexity and power seldom seen in cool climate wines. An excellent accompaniment to a wide range of foods. Cellar for four to eight years.
1999 Radenti Sparkling Wine
The cool Tasmanian climate provides ideal conditions for premium sparkling wine. This wine is a blend of 60% chardonnay and 40% pinot noir, and is produced totally by the traditional methods champenoise process on the Freycinet estate. Six years of maturation on yeast lees prior to disgorging, has contributed a lovely smooth creamy texture and yeasty complexity. A very moreish, complex, full-flavoured sparkling with a fine persistent bead for lovers of fine champagne. Serve chilled, it is excellent drinking on its own or accompanying any fine foods. This wine tempts even those who are not traditional sparkling drinkers. What a way to celebrate that special occasion.
Freycinet Pinot Noir
Freycinet’s unique vineyard site and cool climate consistency provide ideal conditions for distinctive powerful pinor noir. The pinot noir hallmarks of spice, dark plum, cherry and truffle character are becoming more apparent as the wine matures. This is wine to be savoured and enjoyed in the company of an appreciative audience. The wine will develop a complexity with prudent cellaring, over five to 15 years, that is certian to delight the patient pinot enthusiast.
2002 Cabernet Merlot
Cabernet sauvignon(60%) and merlot(40%) were matured for 18 months in French oak barriques. The sweet blackcurrent, darkly intense cabernet flavours combine beautifully with the spicy, plum-like mid palate merlot flavours. The texture is smooth with soft tannins, suble oak complexity and a delicious long aftertaste.
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