‘The best yet’ says Peter Bourne in GOURMET TRAVELLER WINE. ‘Dense in colour and flavour with perfumes of dried sour cherries and ripe damson plums lifted by dried herbs…Has the depth and length to reward a decade in the cellar.’
So if you haven’t poured all yours yet – lay it down!
The NSW Hilltops reputation as Australia’s ‘Little Italy’ took another step forward at the 2017 Hilltops Wine Show, with the announcement that the relative newcomer FREEMAN Sangiovese 2016 won the Best Italian Varietals Trophy, and a Gold Medal.
FREEMAN Sangiovese had what might best be described as an accidental start. One clone planted in the estate Altura Vineyard never matched the surrounding Nebbiolo vines, a viticultural anomaly that was ultimately determined by DNA testing. The rogue vines were in fact Sangiovese. Since then more Sangiovese has been propagated, significantly adding another Italian origin varietal wine to the FREEMAN range.
‘There is no doubt the Hilltops terroir is ideally suited to Italian origin grape varieties. With every vintage we are seeing even greater quality as the vines mature, which gives me terrific confidence for the future,’ commented winemaker Brian Freeman.
‘This award highlights my optimism and belief that the NSW Hilltops will one day produce red wines that rival the Italian wines of Tuscany and Valpolicella.’
FREEMAN Dolcino 2013 won the Trophy for Best White Wine at the same show.
Esteemed wine observer Philip White has cracked his bottle of FREEMAN Robusta 2012 – and been transported to Shakespearean times.
‘ …A world of opulence and style, where the polished sheen of the drink hides the great aristocratic engine whirring within; where the complex panforte aromas of currants, figs, dates, prunes, nutmeg, mace, citrus rind and whatever are presented in such a finely-homogenised and harmonious syrup you simply cannot win … you name any luxurious item from the table of a renaissance monarch in Verona and it’s here with bells on.
In summary, Philip White sees this new addition to the portfolio as a ‘wine of incredible strength and depth that doesn’t seem gloopy. Instead, it’s savoury. It makes me hungry…’
For the full Renaissance rendition read on:
http://drinkster.blogspot.com/2017/07/robusta-terreno-power-of-one.html
The FREEMAN Robusta Corvina 2012 continues to attract attention. The latest practised palate to review this powerful dried grape wine is Huon Hooke who scored it a feisty 92 Points and wrote,
‘The bouquet has some foresty soubois notes as well as red berries, the palate fruity and fresh; clean, bright and loaded with berry flavours. Lovely sweet raspberry and cherry…backed by good tannins….Delicious wine.’
Brian’s latest brainwave is FREEMAN Robusta Corvina 2012, which has 16.6% alcohol – but you wouldn’t guess it when you taste it. A spectacular red wine.‘
FREEMAN Robusta Corvina 2012 is attracting some powerful comparisons…
‘Rich as James Packer and dark as Rupert Murdoch’s soul, it’s Freeman Robusta 2012!’ writes Fergal Gleeson in his http://www.greatwineblog.com
He goes on to say,
‘Freeman Robusta tastes of cherries, chocolate and Christmas pudding. It has a heady 16.6% alcohol but it carries it comfortably, finishing dry and savoury. It swats aside most Shiraz like Jonah Lomu used to do with Englishmen. A meal in itself. This is the inaugural release but Robusta could become an Australian classic.’
Gourmet Traveller Wine RED EDITION – WINES TO CELLAR nominates FREEMAN Nebbiolo 2014 as one wine that deserves cellar care…
Wine reviewer Jeremy Oliver sipped and said,
‘One of the finer expressions of this variety in Australia, this well-constructed nebbiolo flaunts its restrained power and strength. A faintly herbal bouquet laced with fresh and preserved plums and cherries, nuances of dried herbs, red flowers and Puer tea reveals a whiff of cedary oak.
Fullish to medium in weight with a powerful core of pristine fruit wanting to explode, it’s framed by a firmish, bony spine and drives long down the palate towards a finish of freshness and balance.’
Conjuring wine scores over 95 from wine writers is a relatively rare event, to attract 95-plus concurrence from more than one wine reviewer, even harder. All of which makes the FREEMAN Secco Rondinella Corvina 2010 a high achiever.
Tim White ranted this wine 95 Points and declared it his Financial Review 2015 Red Wine of the Year. While Huon Hooke rated it 96 Points in Gourmet Traveller Wine. ‘ Attractive complex leather and spice aromas with hints of violets, dried cherry and plum. It’s an intense and elegant wine with a combination of grip, structure and flavour, that is all its own. Will age well.’
A recent bottle drawn from the winery cellar is living up to the claim.
Just launched the FREEMAN Robusta Corvina 2012 has packed a punch with the Winefront team. Mike Bennie rates it 93 POINTS and uses descriptors like ‘ Cracking wine..’ and ‘Super Stuff…’ It is Australia’s first and only home grown 100% Corvina wine made entirely from dried grapes, and joins a very small club. Very few Italian Amarone wines are pure Corvina. More lateral thinking from the FREEMAN team.
The annual Gourmet Traveller Wine Cellar Door Awards have again recognised the unique and rustic experience of a visit to FREEMAN in the NSW Hilltops (near Young). The 2017 Award is for ‘BEST TASTING EXPERIENCE’ in the region…and in winter it may be accompanied by a steaming bowl of soup and crusty bread.
As Prunevale is not on a beaten track we prefer visitors to make appointments for TASTINGS. That way we can ensure you take home memories with your wine.
Call 0429 310 309 or email sales@freemanvineyards.com.au
INDAILY.COM.AU By Philip White
‘If this wine’s pretty pale straw meadow aromas and delicate waft of honeydew melon oozed from a flute of the sparkling wine made in that part of France they call Champagne you’d be happily paying at least three times this price, so that’s a dollop more incentive if this fetching bouquet doesn’t suck you in far enough.
It’s a husky, freckled sort of a blonde. In keeping with that, the wine has a gentle pale flesh, inbuilt deliberately by fermenting half the assemblage in barrels and keeping that wine on yeast lees for regular stirring. So you get comforting texture made more reassuring with a barely-detectable sweetness, delivered in a slightly prickly, petillant fizz that dances right bonnie to a bagatelle of crunchy almond biscotti. I imagine my Ferrari ticking impatiently outside when I drink this.’
