Our Wines
White wines
RIESLING
Bellarmine is one of the very few vineyards in Pemberton to grow Riesling grapes, and the winery has done very well with its three styles of Riesling wines. The German influence of course dictated that Riesling must be planted here and with spectacular results. A dry Riesling, a medium sweet wine known simply as "Riesling" and a very sweet low alcohol Riesling called the "Riesling Auslese" (pronounced owss-laze). All three wines have such an abundance of citrus fruit and floral notes that it is very exciting for Riesling grown in this region.
RIESLING DRY Musk and floral aromas, balanced palate with lime and mineral flavours. Good length and crisp dry finish.
Cellaring: 8-12 years
RIESLING Fragrant and floral aromas. Tropical fruit flavours with some sweetness balanced by zesty natural acidity.
Cellaring: 8-12 years
RIESLING AUSLESE Focused and pure this sweet, with low alcohol level, style Riesling is laden with flavours from lime to mango. Delicate and well balanced with a clean finish.
Cellaring: 10-20 years
SAUVIGNON BLANC Another white variety that Pemberton is renowned for, again due to the cool night temperatures, yet sunshine during the day that makes flavour development optimal. This wine is made by picking some fruit early to achieve the grassy end of the flavour spectrum and a second harvest of rows further up the hill to provide the riper flavours thus making a more complex style. Grassy, herbal nose. Balanced palate showing intense fruit with guava, passionfruit, and gooseberry flavours. Excellent length and crisp finish.
Cellaring: best enjoyed in its youth
CHARDONNAY A variety that does very well in the Pemberton region due to the slow cool ripening afforded by cool night temperatures. This wine see 4 months of new French oak and some lees stirring, giving it a complexity without too much oaky richness which would dominate the complex fruit flavours. Full palate with ripe apple, nectarine and peach, a subtle spicy oak and tight acidity give a crisp clean finish.
Cellaring: up to 5 years
Pink wines
BELLARMINO A marriage of varieties in a style unique to Bellarmine. This wine is made like a sparkling wine with juice from the Pinot Noir grapes 'bled' off from the skins before it has a chance to pick up too much colour from these red grapes. The Pinot juice is cold settled just like a white juice, racked off from the solids and then fermented cool with a yeast strain that is easy to stop before all the natural sugar is converted to alcohol. Meanwhile, the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc components are fermented separately to dryness. The final blend becomes the delicious Bellarmino wine. A pale salmon colour with a blend of strawberry, peach and watermelon flavours. A luscious mouth filling texture completes this wine and makes it an ideal wine to share with friends as a cool summer drink or over a spicy meal.
Cellaring: best enjoyed in its youth
ROSE
An upcoming limited release, the Rose is a blend of Shiraz, Merlot and Pinot Noir. These 3 varieties give the wine strawberry, plum, berry fruit and subtle spicy notes. It is slightly sweet with balancing acid making it a wonderful summer wine. Cellaring: best enjoyed in its youth
Red wines
PINOT NOIR Again, this variety has had good results in the Pemberton region. This wine is made with the influence of French oak to add spice and tannin structure. Although enjoyable while young, this wine will reward a few years cellaring as it builds in character and depth. Vibrant light ruby colour, velvety texture with dark cherry and ripe berry flavours. Integrated oak and excellent length.
Cellaring: 7-12 years
SHIRAZ Due to the relatively early ripening of grapes in this vineyard, Shiraz has made elegant but generous fruit-filled wines in both the 2005 vintage (when it sold out rapidly) and the 2007 vintage, which is our current release. Rich ripe aromas of plum and spice. The palate is complex and shows savoury dark fruits mingled with fine tannins.
Cellaring: 7-12 years