Category: Pyrenees Wine Region

Rave reviews from Huon Hooke for our new release wines

Nancy

Huon, we couldn’t agree more with your assessment of our wines. A couple of comments in particular caught our attention. Read on to find out which comments go with which wine.

– Drive and elegance
– Ripping shiraz
– Supple tannins and excellent balance
– Pretty and easy going
– Long, resonating finish

SubRosa 2019 Malakoff Estate Shiraz

95/100
Deep colour and aromas of fresh-turned earth, plum, spices and overtones of graphite and ironstone. The wine is intense and focused, taut and precise on the tongue. Lovely wine of real concentration and focus, drive and elegance, the stony mineral theme running throughout. A ripping shiraz, great to drink now and has a bright future.
Drink: 2022–2034

Top rank, #1 in 2019 Shiraz from the Pyrenees

SubRosa 2019 Grampians Pyrenees Shiraz

SubRsa 2019 Grampians Pyrenees Shiraz91/100

Deep colour; aromas of fresh-turned earth and plum and a whiff of star anise. Medium-full bodied shiraz with supple tannins and excellent balance. Good early drinking shiraz which will also keep well.
Drink: 2022–2031

SubRosa 2019 Pyrenees Nebbiolo

91/100
Medium-full red with a purple trim, bright and attractive. There are dried-herb, sweet berry and floral aromas, more fruity and aromatic than expected of nebbiolo, while the palate is medium-bodied and quite mild in its tannins. Gentle sweet berry fruit leads. It’s a moderately complex, fruit-driven wine, pretty and easygoing—just a mild kick of firmness lingering on the farewell to remind us of the grape.
Drink: 2022–2029

SubRosa 2021 Grampians Viognier 

94/100
Light, bright yellow hue leads into a creamy, talcy, nutty, savoury barrel-fermented style of bouquet, wheaty/mealy and quite complex. The spice/apricot fruit is a little hidden just now. In the mouth, it’s intense and medium-full bodied, with richness and roundness typical of this grape. Long, resonating finish. Very good, but it could benefit from another year to tone down the oak.

Purchase your new release SubRosa wine here.

Easter food and wine pairings

Nancy

Easter is a busy time of year in the winery, but for most Australians, it means an extra long weekend and a road trip to visit friends and family. 

We’re lucky to enjoy Easter at home, hopefully Adam will be able to duck out of the winery for at least one meal!

What wine do you pair with your Easter feast? We’ve put together a few suggestions. 

Good Friday: Fish 

Fish is traditionally served on Good Friday. We love grilled fish (with a little seasoning – see below), especially Snapper or Barramundi. We often serve it with homemade fries, tartare sauce and some home grown lemon. 

While Chardonnay is frequently recommended as a pairing suggestion with fish, we enjoy our Grampians Viognier (textural with crispness, richness and body). 

Easter Sunday: Lamb 

We’re lucky, the Grampians is also lamb country! On Easter Sunday, we’ll be serving Lamb rack with roast veggies including home grown chat potatoes (first time success with growing potatoes!) and tomato and onion bake. 

Rich, structured wines work well with lamb as the tannin helps balance the fattiness of the meat. Our SubRosa Nebbiolo, Grampians Shiraz or Grampians Cabernet would pair beautifully. 

Enjoy making memories with those you love this Easter. 

Buy our Easter Feast SubRosa wine six-pack

  • 2021 SubRosa Grampians Viognier x2
  • 2018 SubRosa Nebbiolo x1
  • 2018 SubRosa Grampians Shiraz x 1
  • 2019 SubRosa Grampians Shiraz x 2

$245 + free shipping 

Limited availability. Available for purchase until 10am, 6 April, or until sold out.

Our favourite seasoned flour mix: 

  • 1 tbsp. oregano (can also add tarragon, marjoram and/or sage)
  • 1 tsp. ground chilli (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tbsp. black peppercorns
  • 1 tbsp. paprika
  • 1 tbsp. onion flakes
  • 1 tbsp. rock salt
  • 3 tbsp. of dried garlic
  • 450 g plain flour 

Blitz the herbs and then mix with the flour. 

This seasoning can be used on fish or chicken, grilled or baked and can be kept in the pantry in an air tight container for months. 

📸 Lamb rack by SubRosa wine lover Kate McClure

Winemaker Adam Louder’s perspective on harvest 2023

Nancy

Harvest 2023 has begun in the Grampians. Our winemaker Adam is in the thick of his 39th vintage (three countries, four regions). What does that mean?

39 times (in 25 years) he has participated in the process that includes harvesting grapes and turning them into wine.

His roles have varied over the years. He has cleaned the winery and equipment, worked in a laboratory analysing samples, picked grapes, managed vineyards, run a cellar, been a harvest winemaker and chief winemaker.

Each year is different thanks to seasonal weather conditions, staff and experience. Here’s Adam’s take on how harvest 2023 is shaping up.

Is harvest late, early or about the same time this year?

“Harvest is later than average in the Grampians this year,” says Adam. “We had a cooler than average growing season with plenty of spring rain followed by a dry mild summer.”

Are you going to do anything new/differently this year for SubRosa?

“We’re working with organic shiraz for our Rosé for the first time.”

How is this vintage shaping up compared to previous vintages?

“It is definitely a challenging season with disease pressure. We only make SubRosa wine when the grape quality is of a high standard as I want us to maintain our integrity. If the grapes are not up to my standards we will not make a variety.”

10 years since you started making wine for SubRosa, what’s the biggest change in your winemaking style/fruit selection over that time?

“In 2013 I made wine my way for the first time. We made Grampians Shiraz, Nebbiolo and Chardonnay. We moved to Viognier from Chardonnay in 2015 as a white variety. I really enjoy making, and drinking Viognier. It’s a complex and more exotic white wine. Stylistically our wines haven’t changed that much. I’m enjoying trying our wines as they age.”

We will re-release a limited amount of our 2013 wines later this year – keep your eyes out.

Chocolate and wine pairing

Nancy

Red wine and dark chocolate make a wonderful pairing

When you love chocolate AND wine, you naturally find a way to make them work together!

Adam is a chocoholic. There is barely a day that goes by that doesn’t include chocolate! Mostly cadbury dairy milk.

As Easter is just around the corner, we thought we’d share with you why chocolate and wine pair beautifully and which wines we would enjoy with chocolate.

Characters of chocolate

Dark chocolate

Dark Chocolate is intense thanks to 70 – 100% cacao (Nancy loves 70% but is not a fan of 100% cacao chocolate!). You will find a combination of fruit, earth, wood, ash and nut notes. The intense flavours of dark, rich chocolate call for bolder, denser wines. Big and big work.

Varietal matches: We enjoy rich dark chocolate with our newly released 2019 Malakoff Estate Shiraz. This bold Shiraz from the warmer climate of the Pyrenees has bright yet rich fruit flavours. Our 2017 Grampians Cabernet would also pair beautifully.

Milk chocolate

Milk chocolate (Adam’s favourite) is higher in milk and sugar and has a smaller percentage of cacao than dark chocolate. This makes it sweeter and milder with flavours including cocoa, cream, nuts, malt, vanilla and honey.

Varietal matches: Milk chocolate characteristics pair well with wines that are lighter, savoury and/or fruity. We enjoy our 2019 Pyrenees Nebbiolo or 2019 Grampians Pyrenees Shiraz as the complex savoury characteristics of our SubRosa wines complement milk chocolate.

White chocolate

White chocolate isn’t a true chocolate as it doesn’t include cocoa, but its rich sweet flavours of cream, honey and vanilla make it a great pairing with bright aromatic and fruity wines.

Varietal matches: Our 2021 Grampians Viognier would be our go to as the apricot, stonefruit and ginger notes enhance the flavours of white chocolate (or chocolate mousse). Crisp sparkling is also another favourite pairing in our house.

What’s your favourite chocolate and wine pairing?

We all have a unique palate, likes and dislikes. So give it a go. Experiment with chocolate and wine and discover what works best for you. Have fun!

Wine offer, with free shipping, for your Easter Feast

Like to conduct your own wine and chocolate pairings this Easter? We’ve put together an Easter Feast 6-pack. It includes wines in this article, as well as our new release 2019 Grampians Shiraz.

Order by April 5 to receive free shipping. (Enter code: SREaster6)

Why decant wine?

Nancy

Why decant wine?

You don’t need a fancy decanter to get the most out of a bottle of wine.

What does decanting do to wine? Let’s break it down.

Wine smell and taste can be improved from exposure to air, oxygen to be specific.

According to Adam, when you decant a wine you let it breathe. And in doing so, the aromas come out. It opens up. “You get more out of your wine,” says Adam. Try this with our 2016 SubRosa Malakoff Estate Pyrenees Shiraz.

Young wines with high tannin can benefit from decanting for as little as 30 minutes. Wines with a little bottle age not only open up from the air exposure, but by decanting you can limit the sediment making it to your glass.

A red wine stored in a cooler location can reach ideal drinkable temperature by decanting.

Decanters don’t need to be expensive crystal, the same effect on the wine can be achieved using a glass or ceramic jug (our favourite when travelling) or the winemaker’s go to – a flask!

“If you are buying wine of a high quality, there is a good chance your wine will benefit from decanting,” says Adam.

A little secret trick of the trade…decant the wine in a jug, and pour it back into the bottle to serve. Voilà.

SubRosa rated in top 10% of Australia’s wineries

Nancy

Real Review Top Wineries 2022 certificateSubRosa has been named as one of the Top Wineries of Australia in 2022 and awarded a Certificate of Excellence according to Huon Hooke and his team at the Real Review.

Rated at 226 (up from 307 in 2021) SubRosa is amongst the top 10% of Australia’s 4,156 wineries.

“We’re very proud that our small batch wines are receiving this recognition,” said Co-founder Nancy Panter. “It’s our aim to produce complex wines that can be enjoyed now or cellared for years and this rating by the Real Review shows we are on the right track.”

According to The Real Review, who review 10,000 wines each year, the Certificate of Excellence is awarded to a select group of wineries that consistently produce excellent wine. The Top Wineries of Australia list is a national benchmark.

Certificate recipients are determined by a proprietary algorithm, which takes into account the rating and recency of reviews by The Real Review team over the assessment period.

Recent reviews include our sold out SubRosa 2020 Grampians Viognier (96 points) and sold out SubRosa 2021 Pyrenees Nebbiolo Rosé.

SubRosa has been recognised in this list of impressive wineries since 2019.

Huon Hooke on our SubRosa 2020 Grampians Viognier:

There is elegance and restraint here as well as intensity and varietal authenticity, all delivered without any heaviness. There are nutty barrel ferment nuances, which are subtle while contributing to complexity. A lovely wine.

Shop our highly rated SubRosa wines here.

SubRosa wine new releases – 2021

Nancy

They’re here! Our SubRosa new release wines for 2021.

2020 SubRosa Grampians Viognier

The eagerly awaited 2020 SubRosa Grampians Viognier has finally arrived! We’re thankful to those who have patiently waited for our 2020 vintage release.

We produce Viognier when the grapes are the highest quality, which is why we did not produce a vintage in 2019. We are very proud of our 2020 Grampians Viognier.

This wine is a cracker. Beautiful aromas of stone fruit with great texture and complexity. We like to serve this wine at room temperature, much like you would a good soft cheese. In our house, Viognier is the go-to wine for a Sunday roast chicken, or, thanks to the versatility of the wine, is a great pairing for heartier dishes like pork, veal and even lamb!

Drinking beautifully now – or if you can, hold on to a couple of bottles/cases and see how it evolves over time (from five to seven years), This special, Grampians Viognier is a lovely wine to watch evolve.

RRP: $30

100 cases produced.

Naturally fermented and matured for nine months in French oak. Vegan-friendly.

Limited availability – two bottles / order.

BUY HERE

2018 SubRosa Pyrenees Nebbiolo

Jenni Port of Halliday Wine Companion describes our 2018 SubRosa Pyrenees Nebbiolo as a “pretty complex picture”. And recommends you “give it time in the cellar”. We agree, but it’s also drinking really well right now. We enjoy our 2018 Pyrenees Nebbiolo with pizza or pasta and as the weather gets warmer with friends as we BBQ.

RRP: $45

190 cases produced.

Matured for 16 months in French oak.  No fining or filtration. Vegan-friendly.

Huon Hooke describes our 2018 Nebbiolo as:

Like a pinot with tannin.

BUY HERE

2018 SubRosa Grampians Shiraz 

Ah Grampians Shiraz. It’s why we are here. This vintage of our Grampians Shiraz is best summed up by Huon Hooke who awarded it 96 points.

Deep, rich, bright colour, with a smoky-char and earthy-ironstone shiraz nose, surprisingly complex for its years and savoury, the palate likewise supple, mellow, savoury and multi-layered. Toasty, pepper-spicy, the palate elegantly crafted and refined, with a core of fruit sweetness and finishing with lovely balance and completeness. Harmony and charm. A really superb shiraz, and great value.

RRP: $30

100 cases produced.

Naturally fermented and matured for 16 months in French oak.

Drink by 2028. No fining. Vegan-friendly.

BUY HERE

Coming soon: 2021 SubRosa Pyrenees Nebbiolo Rosé

Say I love you dad this Father’s Day with SubRosa Shiraz

Nancy
SubRosa winemaker Adam Louder with his children
SubRosa Winemaker, and dad, Adam Louder.

Every day is father’s day in our house – but the first Sunday in September is extra special.

If your dad loves Shiraz like our in-house Dad Adam Louder, give the gift of SubRosa.

Your dad will love our Father’s Day Shiraz gift packs.

Shipping is challenging in Victoria at the moment. If we can’t hand deliver your order, we will send you a gift certificate for you to share with your dad to let him know his handmade, small batch SubRosa wine is on its way!

If you have any questions – please contact Nancy at nancy@subrosawine.com.

Father’s Day Shiraz six pack

Father’s Day Shiraz 4-pack special – local delivery only

How to get your Chardonnay drinking friends to try Viognier

Nancy

SubRosa Viognier poured into a wine glass“Viognier is like Chardonnay – but more exotic,” says SubRosa’s winemaker Adam Louder when he introduces the variety to wine lovers at tasting events like Grampians Grape Escape in Halls Gap (first weekend in May).

Every wine drinker has tried Chardonnay and will know if they like it oaked, unoaked or not at all. But Viognier is a different story. Most Australians are new to the variety that is originally from the Rhone region in France.

Today, Viognier is also well known in the new world regions of California and Australia.

Viognier in Australia

While many vineyards in Australia grow Viognier, it is not often made as a stand-alone variety, instead, it’s blended with Shiraz to add complexity (and not always listed on the label). Some of Australia’s best known Shiraz Viogniers are made by Clonakilla (Canberra wine region) and Serrat (Yarra Valley).

SubRosa’s first Viognier was crafted by Adam Louder in 2015, drawing on his extensive experience making the variety at Araujo Estate in Napa Valley (acquired by Chateau Latour in 2013 and now known as Eisele Vineyard).

“Viognier is an interesting variety,” says Adam. “I love its exotic flavours and texture and as it ages it shows flavours that are honey, toasty and nutty”.

Red wine drinkers who don’t like white wine are often surprised by its full body and age-ability. It has less acidity than other white wines and more complexity than varieties like Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc.

Adam likes to mature SubRosa Viognier in French oak for more than 12 months, like Shiraz, which adds texture, depth and complexity.

Why is Viognier sexier than Chardonnay?

Chardonnay shows characteristics of citrus, while Viognier is an aromatic wine with expressive floral aromas and flavours of stone fruits like peaches, nectarines and apricots.

Best food pairings

While Chardonnay is often paired with white meat (fish or chicken) Viognier is more versatile. With its rich full body and array of flavours it can be paired with seafood (rich buttery prawns), creamy sauces (from korma to alfredo), pork and even lamb. For the vegetarians, try pairing it with pumpkin, sweet potatoes, carrots and squash or a simple tomato, garlic and herb pasta.

How cold should I serve my Viognier?

Just like a good Brie or Camembert cheese, serve Viognier closer to room temperature. If it is too cold, the aromas and flavours will be masked.SubRosa 2018 Grampians Viognier

Best in its class

Since SubRosa began producing Viognier, it has been recognised as one of the best in Australia and top value by reviewers James Halliday, Huon Hooke (Real Review) and Mike Bennie (Winefront).

#subrosamoment

What are you eating with your SubRosa Viognier? Share your #subrosamoment with us on social.

Buy here. 

2021 Halliday Wine Companion SubRosa reviews

Nancy

SubRosa wine Halliday Wine Companion

Adam’s done it again, our new release SubRosa wines from the Grampians and Pyrenees have been highly awarded by the team at Halliday Wine Companion. And for the third year in a row, we’re thrilled to be named a five star winery.

Halliday Wine Companion 2021 SubRosa reviews…

2018 SubRosa Grampians Viognier, 94 points + Special Value 

Natural ferment, 15 months in French oak, no fining. Good winemaking presents the attractive characters of the variety, and avoids those less so. Apricot and pear provide the fruit driven input, with some almond-like nuttiness which is probably an oak/varietal synergy. It’s silky and textural but retains a feeling of crispness through the palate and finish. Drink by: 2023

Buy here

Nancy’s tip: Don’t drink our SubRosa Viognier too cold. If you drink our Viognier straight from the fridge the beautiful flavours, texture and aromas will be dulled. Let this wine come closer to room temperature to get the most out it (like a good soft cheese).

2016 SubRosa Pyrenees Nebbiolo, 94 points

Hand-picked fruit from the Malakoff Estate. Matured for 16 months in French oak. Authentically pale in colour, the bouquet offers aromas of cherry, floral perfume, liquorice and woody spice. A just medium-weight palate, quite supple in texture although edged with fine, savoury tannin, the flavours mostly in a slightly tart red berry vein, persisting through the finish. Drink by: 2029

Buy here.

Nancy’s tip: Our SubRosa Nebbiolo is a go-to in our house. Great with pizza or pasta (the variety is from Italy after all), a BBQ or a plate of charcuterie. Enjoy it as the first red of the night in Winter (before you enjoy our Shiraz!) or as your red of choice in Summer.

2017 SubRosa Grampians Shiraz, 92 points 

Shiraz from Great Western, 16 months in French oak. A gamey first impression on the bouquet, a touch of peppery spice, slightly herbal, the fruit a bit reluctant to show itself. More open on the palate with some sweetish, quite generous red berry flavours, lightening off towards the finish. Drink by: 2027

Buy here.

Nancy’s tip: Adam makes our SubRosa wines to age. They are great to drink now too – but we like to let them air a little (5-10 minutes). You don’t need a fancy decanter to airate your Grampians Shiraz. You can decant our wine in any china or glass jug.

SubRosa Monseigneur Grampians Cabernet Sauvignon, 92 points

Hand-picked fruit from Great Western, matured for 16 months in French oak. 70 dozen made. Blackcurrant, green herb and a touch of mint/eucalypt on the bouquet. It’s ripe and solid in flavour through the palate and with good length, the tannin mostly unobtrusive but providing some grip on the finish. A bit more bottle age will only do it good. Drink by: 2030

Buy here. 

Nancy’s tip: This is a special wine. Our only Cabernet. Adam has worked in the world’s best Cabernet regions (Margaret River, Bordeaux and Napa Valley) producing outstanding wines. It won’t be our last Cabernet.

Congratulations Adam for crafting our amazing SubRosa wines. It’s not easy working with small batches.

The National Wine Centre hosts Grampians and Pyrenees wine tasting

Nancy

National Wine Centre NWC at HomeThe National Wine Centre is giving wine lovers the chance to visit Australia’s wine regions from home with online masterclasses.

Throughout 2020, the NWC at Home program will work through the A-Z of Australian Wine Regions with masterclasses featuring six wines from six wineries.

Tonight’s event features the Grampians and Pyrenees and SubRosa’s winemaker Adam Louder along with Grampians Wine Cellar’s Simon Freeman will be available as part of the Zoom experience to answer questions.

The wines featured are:

  • 2019 Fallen Giants ‘FG’ Riesling $30
  • 2017 The Story Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier $29
  • 2017 Best’s Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir $45
  • 2018 Pyren Vineyard ‘Franc’ Cabernet Franc $35
  • 2015 Sally’s Paddock ‘Sally’s Hill Cabernets’ Cabernet Sauvignon Blend $38
  • 2015 SubRosa ‘Aristocracy’ Grampians Shiraz $45 – Contact winery direct for purchase
  • Mystery Wine $25

The National Wine Centre is located in Adelaide and is the national showcase for the Australian wine industry.

Join the club

Enjoy seasonally handpicked wines delivered to your door.

Blog

Father's Day cook-up in the Grampians