Galafrey Wines the Jovial, Premium Western Australian Wines Mount Barker
GalafreyWines “The Jovial” 2003
Wednesday, Jun 10 2009 ·
By Gary Walsh
As Mattinson writes so eloquently in the introduction to The Big Red Wine Book 2009/10
A great wine is a great miracle. It is the end play of a remarkable endeavour, and it should be cherished.
And never was a quote so apposite as it is to this wine, dedicated to the memory of IanTyrer of Galafrey, who passed away in 2003. I’m not sure that this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc is still commercially available,as it came along with a box of samples from this delightfully and quirkily named winery. Never mind, I’m enjoying it immensely, and I’m glad it made the trip across the Nullarbor safely to find an appreciative home on this cold Sydney winters night. Update’: winery says yes - still available.
Mint, licorice, sweet rolling tobacco, vanilla, truffle and ripe blackcurranty fruit - a comforting gentleman’s club scent that’s so very appealing to this taster, and for which it earns an extra point. It’s medium bodied and sweetly fruited with firm dry tannins that grip and hold, yet don’t dominate, although appropriate food is of great benefit. Fresh and expressive with an abundance of character, no shortage of length and no annoying excess of alcohol. Lovely wine - one where the total effect and charm overrides a more clinical and technical appraisal.
Galafrey Wines Frankland River Shiraz, Premium Western Australian Wines Mount Barker
FRANKLAND RIVER SHIRAZ 2002
Light- to medium-bodied; spicey, earthy, foresty notes with touches of cedar and cigar box; almost lemony acidity.
Rating 88 JAMES HALLIDAY
,
“ Dark red-purple in colour. Black cherry, plum and some fleshy characters on the nose. Medium-ripe palate showing good fruit characters married to fine oak before nice long finish. A very nicely made shiraz showing the cooler spectrum characters. Medium term cellaring.” 90/100 Excellent Value
Winestar
TOP OF THE CATEGORY WINESTATE NEW RELEASES WINESTATE
BEST OF THE NEW RELEASES ANNUAL ISSUE 2008 –2009
Tight and tannic wine with nicely focused varietal fruit well integrated with chocolaty oak. Good backbone of fine tannin's cellaring potential.
Beautiful sweet red berry and slightly perfumed aromas. The palate is supple and succulent with quite delicious sweet fruit. Fine grained tannins and attractive integrated oak.
Excellent berry, plum, chocolate bouquet with a nice merlot lift. Long juicy sweet varietal fruit palate over a beautiful oak backbone.
“This is one of the most refined and stylish reds yet made by Ian Tyrer. Beautiful sweet red berry and slightly
perfumed aromas. The palate is supple and succulent with quite delicious sweet fruit. Fine grained tannins and attractive integrated oak. Very promising’ 89/100 RAY JORDAN
“ Galafrey’s Mount Barker vineyard has made its mark with white wines in recent years but its reds are also top quality.
This merlot from low yielding wines has intense black pepper aromas and a palate of ripe mulberry”
WEEKENDER
This old vineyard now approaching 30 years, pumps out deeply concentrated velvety Shiraz. This wonderful seamless and silky smooth wine delivers with poise and style. Will cellar for many years. Great price for a wine of this quality.
93 POINTS JAMES HALLIDAY
Galafrey Wines Dry Grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Premium Western Australian Wines Mount Barker
Inky black colour gives the first pointer to the power and concentration in this awesome statement. Blackcurrant and cedary on the nose with a little chocolate and tobacco leaf. The palate deeply intense and beautifully structured with fine powdery tannins and substantial oak to support a long term cellaring wine."
As a child, I used to hide behind the sofa when Doctor Who came on the television, and these days, would probably do the same again given the spate of ordinary Doctors more recently. Peter Davison was passably good, although I found it very hard to get past seeing him as the idiot brother, Tristan Farnon, in All Creatures Great And Small. The vines at Galafrey are nearly thirty years old now, planted around the same time that Tom Baker was doing such a magnificent job of playing The Doctor. Tom was to Dr Who as Sean Connery was to James Bond. Old Tombliboos also, more recently, did the voice over work for Little Britain.
Rich blackcurrant/blackberry fruit with the scent of gum leaf, a
dollop of chocolate and an intriguing sort of soy sauce/vegemite
character - oak nicely done too. It’s full bodied with intense
blackcurrant fruit, firm tannins and lively acidity - muscular sort of
cabernet - must have been working out amongst amongst the gum trees.
Good finish with an attractive chocolaty aftertaste. Really like this
and it’s excellent value too.
WINESTATE MAGAZINE July, August Issue 2007 Best Cabernet in Australia
AUSTRALIA’S TOP WINES FOR 2007 Winestate Annual 2008
TOP IN CATEGORY
Big, rich, dark and chocolaty on the nose
Big, bold palate - quite hot with lashings of rich, spicy, chocolaty flavours edged with attractive spicy notes. Plenty of character.
What are the greatest Australian wines you have consumed? WINESTAR
1962 Penfolds Bin 60A
1985 Draytons Reserve Shiraz
1990 Grange
1990 Petaluma Cabernet
1995 Houghtons Show Reserve Shiraz 1996 Galafrey Mt Barker CabSav
1997 Ashton Hills Reserve Pinot
1998 De Bertoli Noble One
2002 Sandalford Riesling
2005 Seppelt Drumborg RieslingWINESTAR
Galafrey Wines Sauvignon Blanc, Premium Western Australian Wines Mount Barker
SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009
AUSTRALIA’S BEST SAUVIGNON BLANCS WINESTATE 2009
4 STARS
Pale straw and green in appearance, the 2009 SB is
rich and fragrant on the nose with asparagus, guava, and freshly cut
grass characters emanating. The palate is medium bodied with a
concentrated density of fruit, balanced by clean fresh mineral acidity.
Luscious and tight, passion fruit, lychee and herbaceous notes meld and linger, finishing fresh and crisp.
New Release Wine and Awesome Reviews!
How to beat the Kiwi Sav Blancs – get the acidity right – weniger Säure macht Australiens Sav Blanc so richtig gut
Posted by Michael
November 23, 2009
I am a big fan of small family run vineyards, where the hard work of family members is alomst tasted in the bottled wines itself. One of these wineries is Galafrey Wines, which remains the oldest family owned winery in Mount Barker in Western Australia.
Sunset @ Galafrey Vineyards
The Vineyard is over 32 years old, the grapes are dry grown, giving intensity of fruit and lots of body to the wines.
One of my favourite wines from Galafrey is their 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, a variety working hard to compete with the Kiwis Sav Blancs out there. I tried a bottle the other night – pale straw and green in appearance, the 2009 version is rich and fragrant on the nose with asparagus, guava, and freshly cut grass characters emanating.
The palate is medium bodied with a concentrated density of fruit, balanced by clean fresh mineral acidity. I particularly like the passion fruit, lychee and herbaceous notes, its finishing is fresh and crisp. And most importantly the acidity levels of this Sav Blanc are in line with my taste butts – not too much acidic taste as so often realised with the New Zealand Sav Blancs.
Well done Galafrey Wines – you clearly deserve a mentioning in WINESTATE’s 2009 Australia’s best Sauvignon Blancs this year.
Cut grass, fresh herbs, lemonade, minerally tonic water, slightly spicy aromas on the nose with fresh fruits, lively refreshing minerally– all the flavours on the nose but more complex, subtle style, fresh pineapple on the palate.
Low alcohol of 11%.
A herbaceous nose that shows some cut grass characters , the palate is offering green beans, gooseberry and crunchy apple notes. There is a fine backbone of acidity that gives the wine complexity and texture, and the fruit seems to carry forever on the mid-palate with a fine apple-derived finish.
SAUVIGNON BLANC 2006
Rating 89.JAMES HALLIDAY
Mount Barker Sauvignon Blanc 2006. A clean grassy, herbal and gooseberry mix.
WINESTAR
Galafrey is the oldest family vineyard in Mount Barker in Western Australia. The vineyard is moving well into true old vines territory. This wine is 13% alcohol and the bottle is naturally sealed in screwcap.
Pale straw in colour. The nose is pleasantly aromatic with light fruit salad notes with
understated herbal notes. The palate lifts the fruit profile with some nicely natural fruit sweet character combining with soft acid which broadens across the palate before a nice long finish.
This is a nicely enjoyable Sauvignon Blanc made in the softer, less overly aromatic, style. A lobster is well and truly edging it's way
toward this wine. Suited to early term drinking.
Quality: 91/100 (Excellent)
Murray Almond
Galafrey Wines Reserve Chardonnay, Premium Western Australian Wines Mount Barker
RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2004 SOLD OUT
90/100 WINE STAR
The back label of the wine notes that Galafrey is the oldest family owned winery in Mount Barker, with a 30 year dry grown vineyard. The range of wines, particularly the whites, are modestly priced particularly considering the market they're playing in. Alcohol is 14% and the bottle is sealed in cork.
Quite a deep straw colour. The barrel aging shows on the nose with noticeable, albeit refined oak
characters combining with the melon and peach characters. The palate is medium to full bodied with melon and peach fruit characters becoming more evident, providing balance to the oak. The wine should better when the chill had come off it. It's a wine for the full bodied chardonnay drinker.
_________WINESTAR ________
Murray Almond
Galafrey Wines Unoaked Chardonnay, Premium Western Australian Wines Mount Barker
UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2008
A restained fresh and slightly creamy melon Chardonnay.It has some attractive soft fleshy pithy textures with a fine acidfinish.
The 2010 Wa Wine Guide from Ray Jordan is now available and has ranted Galafrey 2009 in the Top 5 Rielsings in WA.
' Another cracking Riesling from the dry grown riesling vineyard.
Opens with intense spicey pear and lime character on the nose. The
mouth-puckering dry palate has a piercing acidity supporting intense
and lively fruit. A very fine riesling style that has great aging
potential.' 93 points Ray Jordan
Galafrey - Dry Land Reserve – Riesling – 2009
(18+). Essence of riesling here. Really perfumed with roses and
violets. The palate is long, fine and complex. There is fine acid
structure and zesty fruit too. Sweet fruit to close. Seductive. Galafrey
was a highlight. Given that the reserve will sell for $20 or less,
they represent outstanding value. Buy a case of each, and drink the
standard while you wait for the reserves to mature
DRY LAND RIESLING 2008 ($20)
90 POINTS Ray Jordan's 2009 WA Wine Guide
This dry-farmed vineyard produces some mighty fine Riesling. This one is one of the most delicate and fine, yet loses nothing in lingering flavoursome intensity. Fine spicy palate with traces of citrus and mineral with wet, salty finish.
DRY LAND RIESLING 2007
A gentle mix of citrus and talcy mineral flavours; falls away somewhat on thefinish. Screwcap. JAMES HALLIDAY
RESERVE RIESLING 2006
93 POINTS JAMES HALLIDAY
An intriguing mix of apple, citrus and a hint of lavender on the bouquet . Light to medium bodied palate is clean and crisp, boarding on delicate; very good acidity. Similar flavours to the varietal version, but more length and intensity, and a fraction more apple-accented flavours.
A fine dry style with crisp palate and fine acid. Galafrey have maintained their passion for riesling and their endeavor to be one of Australia’s best producers.
FOUR STARS WINESTATE MAGAZINE
Austere minerally lime aromas with hints of bath salts. Lovely zingy, crisp palate with lost of acid. Nice to drink now or in the future with some bottle age
RIESLING 2006
90/100 Ray Jordan The West Australian.
Galafrey have been turning out some beautiful Rieslings for years now. This one of the more delicate and
tighter examples, but it has wonderful fruit and palate intensity. Crisp , piercing and bracing
RIESLING 2005
The Mount Barker sub-region in WA Great Southern is well-suited to fine minerally Riesling and Galafrey
offers one of the best value wines in the area.The wine is quite dazzling as well, with lifted floral,
tropical, nectarine and peach bouquet ushering in a long, minerally palate with a firm finish. 91/100 Love it! Tyson Stelzer.
Pale straw colour. Aromatic lemon and lime on the nose. The Palate shows quite a bit of natural fruit sweetness with nice crisp acidity. Nice breadth across the palate. The Aromas carry through nicely on the palate with nice length before a good long finish. A very nicely structured Riesling showing quite a contrast to the South Australian examples. It’s structure wine and fruit sweetness will provide a great match to salads and seafood dishes. 90/100 Winestar
RIESLING 2004
This wine is spicy and fragrant with floral overtones on the nose. Has brilliant pale green straw colour. The
palate is crisp and tight with the spiciness of the nose following through to the palate. Touches of lime zest and
a fine delicate acid. Attractive clean wine with impressive length. Looking very good.
92/100 Ray Jordan The West Australian.
Pale straw. Clean slate. Lemon, lime, floral notes. Powerful fruit on the palate: lemon, stone fruits. Fine acid
and good length. Finishes with sour pith. Excellent juice. 90/100 EXCELLENT WINESTAR
“ 92 points, firm and tightly focused, with abundant lime and mineral varietial character. It has the balance,
structure and length to sustain it for a min 10 yrs, a future guaranteed by its screwcap”
James Haliday WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
RIESLING 2003
Pale straw in colour, with a wonderful combination of lime, lemon, grapefruit with a dash of talc on the nose.
The palate is quite full, maybe a touch sweet, and it finishes with some bracing acidity. A lovely drink now
for a warm summer evening, and should improve with a few years in the bottle.
Quality: 90/100 Value: Very Good - WINESTAR
RIESLING 2002
A clear straw coloured wine from Mount Baker which greets you with lovely citrus aromas. Some Concentrated
ripe fruit, lime, honey toast flavours with good acid on the palate. Schweppes lime cordial was brought to mind
with a long , clean finish. Note tangerine. Very nice balance and persistence of flavour. 91/100 Winestar
RIESLING 2001
A flinty dry and minerally crisp example of fine and lean Riesling from the Great Southern. The crisp fine
acid sustains a pleasant refreshing palate. Crunchy crisp and ideal as a aperitif. Picking earlier and
Good vineyard practices have helped. Encouraging 90/100 Ray Jordan The West Australian.
All content Copyright 2009 Galafrey Wines |
WARNING: Under the Liquor Control Act 1988, it is an offence to sell or supply liquor to a person under the age of 18 years on licensed or regulated premises; or for a person under the age of 18 years to purchase, or attempt to purchase, liquor on licensed or regulated premises. Licence number; 6180024802 - class of licence ; Producers licence – the name of licensee; Galafrey Wines –432 Quangellup Rd, Mount Barker, Western Australia, 6324. Phone: 9851 2022
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