New Release Wines for 2023

We are excited to now share our award-winning 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2020 Nebbiolo!

2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested on the 18th and 24th of February 2020. The fruit was then destemmed, cooled to approx 16 degrees C and a wild yeast was added. Prior to completion of the ferment, Malolactic ferment began. When the wine had fermented to dryness, skin contact was maintained for a further 7 days. The wine was pressed off skins and transferred to a stainless steel tank and allowed to settle for 36 hours before transfer to oak barrel. The wine was aged in a mixture of new and older French oak barriques for 12 months.

Our Cabernet Sauvignon is a velvet and warm red with luscious blackberries and boysenberries on the palate.

Our 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded Best Geographe Cabernet Sauvignon and a Silver Medal at the 2022 Labelmakers Group WA Alternative Wine Varieties Wine Show.

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2020 Nebbiolo

The 2020 Nebbiolo was harvested on the 25th of March 2020. The fruit was destemmed, cooled to approx 14 degrees C and placed into closed fermentation for two days. The juice was warmed to 16 degrees C and yeast was added. The juice/wine was then controlled to a maximum of 29 Degrees C during fermentation. The wine was not plunged for the first 36 hours. Then gentle plunging was done twice daily for 20 minutes.

Prior to completion of the ferment, Malolactic ferment was begun. When the wine had fermented to dryness, skin contact was maintained for a further 14 days. Tanks were closed off from the atmosphere. The wine was plunged once every 2 days during this period. The wine was pressed off skins and transferred to a stainless steel tank and allowed to settle for 36 hours before transfer to oak barrel. The wine was aged in 3-5-year-old French oak barriques for 18 months.

Our Nebbiolo is savoury, plummy and tannic wine with spices, light raspberry, and cherry characters, with a dry finish.

The 2020 Nebbiolo was awarded a Gold Medal at the 2022 Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show.

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Open That Bottle Night 2023

Saturday 25th February 2023 is ‘Open That Bottle Night’

What is all this about you ask?

Back in the year 2000, ‘Tastings‘ columnists, Dorothy J Gaiter and John Brecher created Open That Bottle Night to encourage their readers to open a significant bottle and share their stories about the wine. They decreed it would be the last Saturday in February each year. It has become a day to celebrate your cherished bottle of wine, that you may have been given or are saving for a special occasion.

Don’t wait for that rainy day, ‘Open That Bottle Night’ is here

I think we’d all agree great wine is made to be shared. It doesn’t have to necessarily be the oldest bottle of wine you have in your cellar. It could be a bottle that takes you back to a special moment in time, or the latest release wine you’ve been meaning to open. One of the great things about wines are the stories attached to them, whether it be about how you first discovered it, where you tried it or maybe the company you were keeping at the time.

Get involved!

Unearth that wine you’ve been saving, gather friends and family and make an occasion of it. If it’s an Italian variety from us here at Vineyard 28, why not have an Italian theme dinner.
Share with your guests all you know about the wine and why it is special. Did you meet the winemaker ? Purchase it on a special weekend away? or just pop down to your local for something new and different?
If it is an older red wine we suggest you consider decanting it.
Tag us on social media (@vineyard28) and use the hashtag #OTBN or send us an email of how it all went. We’d love to hear your review if its an older Vineyard 28 wine, but equally we are interested to hear about all wine.
There’s even a FaceBook page you can connect to – https://www.facebook.com/Openthatbottlenight

Start planning now for ‘Open That Bottle Night’.

2022 Jasper Rose

Remembered as the Chief Concierge at our Cellar Door, our beloved family wine dog Jasper passed away in May 2021, at the age of 15. Heading into the 2022 vintage, Mark and Pippa wanted to do something to commemorate Jasper and decided to make the 2022 Jasper Rose.

Jasper joined the family in April 2006 and grew up alongside our kids. He loved to go on walks in the bush and to visit the beach. Then at home, if he wasn’t following one of the family around, Jasper could be found on his beloved couch.

Many of you would have been able to meet Jasper over the years when visiting the Cellar Door and knew how much he loved meeting and greeting you all. Although, he would get a bit slack on his duties in summer, as it was much too hot some days and he would stay indoors with the airconditioning.

One of his favourite times of year was vintage when he could round up the harvest crew and snack on some grapes (when he really shouldn’t have). When it came to morning tea time, he would stare longingly at whoever he decided might give in and sneak him some of their muffin or biscuit.

This label, with Jasper wearing his usual kerchief, has been designed by local artist and friend of Vineyard 28, Yvonne Chapman.

Made from our Nebbiolo grapes, this rose is gorgeous salmon pink in colour with hints of strawberries on the palate. Luscious and refreshing, with a hint of spritz.

We hope you enjoy our 2022 Jasper Rose.

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New Wine Releases

All the details on the new release wines are right here including our new Immigrants – Montepulciano and Barbera.

2022 Wildwater Sparkling Pignoletto

The first of our new release wines is the 2022 Wildwater Sparkling Pignoletto which was harvested on 16th February 2022 at our Wildwater Vineyard. At the winery, the grapes were whole bunch pressed and fermented to dryness in stainless steel. The wine was then bottled and began secondary ferment in May 2022. It then spent 14 months on lees, before being disgorged in August 2023.

With this wine, we use the ‘methode traditionelle’ to make the wine with minimal intervention to allow the Pignoletto grape to be the star. It reflects the Wildwater vineyard terroir, its landmark towering gum tree and the guinea fowl who live amongst the vines.

2023 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

Our 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon began its journey in late February with the Sauvignon Blanc from Kinglake harvested on the 2nd March and the Semillon from Wildwater harvested slightly earlier on the 23rd of February.

The winemaking process for the 2023 SBS involved a separate cold ferment using stainless steel. The two wines were blended to achieve optimum balance and flavours whilst maintaining a predominantly Sauvignon Blanc character.

This 2023 SBS is pale straw in colour, with fresh apple to lime notes and herbaceous overtones. A clean crisp wine best enjoyed with grilled fish or chicken, or a simple Caesar salad.

2023 Arneis

Harvested on 17th February again this year. The fruit was crushed and pressed within 2 hours of harvest. The juice was cooled to 10 degrees C, settled and racked after 36 hours. Fermentation was performed at 13-15 degrees C, using a wild yeast from the vineyard. It was fermented to dryness within 21 days. After this the wine was left on lees for 3 months before the wine was racked. Further fining and cold stabilisation took place prior to bottling in June.

A lovely fruity textured style this year, with lots of depth to the palate. Highly recommended to be enjoyed with seafood.

2023 Moscato Rosa

Always our first harvest these grapes were handpicked on the 8th February this year. It is an absolutely delicious wine this year, our sweet but dry Italian.

A touch of ‘rosa’ (pink hue) with all the richness of peach and apricot on the palate.

Best enjoyed with a plate of traditional Turkish Delight.

Awarded Best Sweet Table Wine at the 2023 WA Alternative Varieties Wine Show.

2022 Dolcetto

Our 2022 Dolcetto was harvested on the 23rd March at our Wildwater site before being crushed, destemmed and transferred to an open fermenter, where the juice was inoculated with yeast. Once the ferment had begun, the skins were plunged every 6 hours and kept under 30°C until dryness was achieved. Then, before the ferment was complete, the wine was inoculated with an MLF bacteria. The wine was then left for 7 days on skins, once fermentation was complete.

Our 2022 Dolcetto is a deep raspberry hue, with a palate of black cherries and liquorice. It is a dry and scrumptious red wine with mouth-filling savoury tannins. Enjoy this wine with pasta with a meat sauce, roasted poultry or a simple pizza.

The New Immigrants – Only available at the cellar door.

The following are the first releases of our small batches of new Italian red varietals, Montepulciano and Barbera. These grapes are grown at our Wildwater Vineyard in the Harvey hills. There is a small quantity available at the cellar door for those who get their quickly.

2022 Montepulciano (Mon-tae-pul-chee-AH-noh)

This is the 2nd most planted variety in Italy after sangiovese, and we grow it up at our Wildwater Vineyard.

Red plum, blackberry and thyme are all characters of the palate. It is juicy and delicious. Pairs well with a wide variety of foods due to having a natural elevated acidity.

Enjoy with aged cheddar, parmesan and relishes or a simple pizza.

$35.00 per bottle

2022 Barbera (Bah-beuh-ruh)

Originating in the Piedmonte region of North West Italy, this is the 3rd most planted grape variety after Sangiovese and Montepulciano.

Think tart cherry, black pepper and licorice with low tannins and high acidity.

A prefect match to mediterranean style foods rich in high fat, a traditional Spaghetti Bolognese and Ragu.

$35.00 per bottle (limit of 3 bottles per order)

Head over here to get yourself a bottle of our new releases!

Destination Cabernet 2022

To celebrate 20 vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon at Vineyard 28 we are holding an afternoon tasting on Saturday 27th August, where you could have the exclusive opportunity to experience how our Cabernet has changed over 20 years.

Guided by our winemaker, Mark, you’ll get to taste a selection of 10 of our Cabernets including our newest release. You will even get to have a sneak peek at our 2021 vintage which is currently spending some time in bottle and our 2022 vintage, that after being harvested in March this year, is now in barrel.

You’ll stay warm on the day with a wonderful warming soup, either Oxtail or Tuscan Bean, from Thyme and Place, as you listen to Mark discuss how he has made Cabernet differently over the years and learn more about one of the world’s most recognised grape varieties.

If you’d like to join us in celebrating 20 years of Cabernet at Vineyard 28 click on the link below to book your ticket!

When: 27th August, 12:00pm-3:30pm

Where: Vineyard 28

Price: $45.00 per person

Click Here to Book Ticket

20 Years of Cabernet Sauvignon

2022 will be the 20^th vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon harvested here at Vineyard 28. (In reality there were only 19 wines produced, but in 2003 we created two versions, our usual Cab Sauv and a second known as the Tuart Red, so I’m sticking with 20 Cab Sauv in 2022).

Back in 1998 when Vineyard 28 first commenced we planted an initial row of Cabernet Sauvignon as a trial. That row still exists today, and in 2022 the vines will be 24 years old. The Cabernet block expanded quite quickly growing to an area of approximately 0.5 hectare here on the coastal property.

The first ever vintage was the 2002, although we did experiment in 2001 to make a Cab Sauv just for ourselves and family.

20 Years of Cabernet Sauvignon in 2022

Planted at Vineyard 28 in 1998
First official vintage = 2002
Produced approx. 18,000 bottles over the last 19 years.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world’s most recognised grape varieties, grown in nearly every major grape growing country. It came to prominence in France in the Bordeaux region where is usually blended with Merlot or Cabernet Franc. Despite this prominence, the grape is a relatively new variety, the product of a chance crossing between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon blanc during the 17th century in south western France.

Wine Labels

The Cabernet Sauvignon shows an amazing evolution of our wine label designs. From the very basic green in 2002 to the red version in 2003, to various forms of connecting to the 28 parrot to the current. I think we tried just about everything, but the wine inside has always been consistently delicious to drink.

Vintage Notes of Note

2002 was incredibly young, a much lighter style than more recent vintages. It spent 8 months in a combination of French and American oak prior to its bottling.

2003 was the year we received 70mm rain all in a 24 hour period. Miraculously the Cabernet survived this. This was the year we produced two versions, the Tuart Red which had been matured in Hungarian oak, and our traditional Vineyard 28 Cabernet Sauvignon.

2004 to 2009 were all produced offsite at various contract facilities. It wasn’t until 2010 that Mark took over control of the Cabernet destiny, and we begun producing it here at Vineyard 28.

2011 to 2018 – Consistently good wines, always with an emphasis on expression of fruit, with a light hand on the use of French oak.

In the early days winemaker, Mark, experimented with some American and even Hungarian oaks, but ultimately feels the fruit we produce is best suited to French Oak.

Harvest dates for Cabernet have varied somewhat over the 20 years. Some years it’s been the first week in March, but generally it is harvested mid March.

Cabernet Sauvignon today

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is our current release, drinking superbly, and will continue to do so for another 3-5 years depending upon how you have stored it.

2020 is spending some time in bottle, before its release later this year.

2021 is still enjoying its time developing in barrel.

2022 was harvested on Thursday 10th March 2022.

ABC – Anything but Chardonnay

Why do we grow mostly Italian Varieties ?

Mark’s Answer: ABC – Anything But Chardonnay

Whenever Mark is asked why we grow Italians? His answer is often literally ‘ABC, anything but Chardonnay’ and not because he dislikes Chardonnay, far from it. There are some great Chardonnays out there to enjoy. Instead Mark enjoys the challenge of growing something different, producing unique wines and sharing them with those amongst you curious about wine.

There is something like 10,000 grape varieties in the world, 3,000 or so in Italy alone, and most people would only be able to name 5-6 at best.

30 years ago, you would find Mark & myself roaming the Victorian countryside looking for elusive, unique wines. This was a time when Brown Brothers and a few other smaller wineries were starting to experiment and beginning to plant lesser known varieties. It was these ventures that encouraged our curiosity about wine, beyond the world of Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet.

How did we stumble upon the Italians?

We were on holiday back visiting family in Western Australia 25 years ago, when we stumbled upon the Three Hills label produced by Erl Happ, and in particular a grape variety we’d never heard of – Nebbiolo. It was so different, sort of like Pinot to look at, but a different shade of red, and tannic and dry, with a rich palate. This led us on a journey to find out more about this grape and where it came from.

Move on a few years and we had decided to move back to the West from Melbourne, leaving behind the corporate world, and look to raise our then 18 month old Bailey with family around him. We had discussing the dream of having our own vineyard and making wine, and the move to the West made this a reality when we purchased our 10 acres on Bagieau Road, establishing Vineyard 28.

In all honesty, we didn’t know much about growing grapes. We knew lots about drinking wine and all the styles, and what it was like to be on the other side of the cellar door counter. In 1997 we started planning; we’d plant a vineyard first, sell fruit to make some money and then build a cellar door and make wine. The grape glut of the latter 90’s – early 2000’s squashed that idea fairly quickly. Selling grapes wasn’t going to be viable, so we revised our plans and dived in to winemaking and building a cellar door.

A few conversations with Erl on how Nebbiolo grew resulted in us planting our first block in 1999. From there on, as they say, it’s history. The love affair with Piedmontese varieties began and we started investigating what other grapes we could grow from that region.

It was a lot of fun trying different wines, researching what could grow here and it still is today. Our vineyards doesn’t stand still. There are always new things to be learnt whether it is about the clone of a particular grape we are growing, the way we are making wine, or a shift to another variety that appeals more to the wine consumer. A great site we can recommend to learn more about lesser known grapes is Vinodiversity.

Present times

Today we grow Arneis, Fiano, Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Muscat Petit a Grains Rouge, Brachetto and Cabernet Sauvignon on our coastal property at Vineyard 28. In the hills above Harvey at the Wildwater Vineyard we grow, Pignoletto, Barbera, Montepulciano, Dolcetto and Muscat Petit a Grains Rouge.

2021 is our 24^th year in the wine industry, from a very small beginning in 1997 – 11 years of making wine onsite, and 16 years for our Cellar Door operation. Each year is an adventure as we’re never quite sure what the climate and elements have in store for us. We are now preparing to embark on our 2021 vintage journey – from picking the grapes to crafting the wine- and look forward to seeing our wines enjoyed by our loyal customers.

Autumn New Wine Releases

Just as the weather begins to cool and we head into the Autumn months, we are ready to share our new wine releases – the latest vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon and Nebbiolo.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is our usual fruit driven style. Lots of great berry fruit on the palate, luscious with a dry finish. $25.00 per bottle

The 2018 Nebbiolo is quite special this year. A slight change in winemaking practise, with 30% of the fruit undergoing wild ferment has added great depth to this wine. It was recently awarded 4 stars in the Winestate Italian/Spanish Tasting, of which the results can be seen in the March/April edition of the magazine.

As per the notes in the Winestate Magazine – “A bright nose of tar and rose petals with a well focussed longer vibrant palate of dried herbs, oak spices ad rose petals.”

$28.00 per bottle

We are looking forward to sharing these new wine releases at our Cellar Door, via our grazing and tasting experience, and also out and about as the opportunity arises.

We are planning to take them along to the Toast to the Coast Event being held at the Mindarie Marina on Saturday 4th April 2020.

The wines can also be ordered online via our website.

New Wine Releases

It might be the middle of winter here at Vineyard 28 but we’ve got some of our exceptional 2019 grapes transformed into wine, into bottle and ready for you to enjoy. Available at the cellar door now and online. We’ll also be bringing them to the Perth Good Food and Wine Show in August.

A fresh and vibrant, new release of our easy drinking blend of the Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.

Our gorgeous cherry pie, sweet chilled Dolcetto Freddo, which is a great accompaniment to a warming winter curry or even a Thai Beef Salad.

The one everyone has been waiting for, the 2019 dry Dolcetto. Rich dark cherries, mouth filling dusty tannins, a great winter warmer to enjoy now or over the next few years.

The wines are available to order online now. Free freight within Western Australia and $15.00 per case for our interstate friends.

New Wine Releases Available

2018 Moscato Rosa and 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon

Here at Vineyard 28 we are very pleased to announce our new wine releases – available at the cellar door now and online.

2018 Moscato Rosa – our scrumptious refreshing sweeter style. With a lovely blush hue, and yummy apricot flavours on the palate, this is a wine to be enjoyed as an aperitif with fresh fruit and cheeses or maybe splash it over a few peaches, leave to soak and enjoy with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.

$20.00 per bottle $216.00 per dozen

Awarded the Laser Electrical – Best Sweet Table Wine Award at the 2018 Geographe and WA Alternative Varieties Wine Show

2017 Cabernet Sauvignon – a staple of our range. Consistently full of rich berry and jammy fruit flavours. Ruby red as always, finishing dry with lovely soft tannins. Drinking nicely now, but will also benefit from some ageing.

$22.00 per bottle $240.00 per dozen

Pop over to our BUY WINE page to order your selection now.