Regional Hero - The Punt & The Rebel

Posted April 29 2008
By Daenna Van Mulligen

In a time when competition for shelf space and consumer attention is at an all time high, how are individual wine producers supposed to stand out? Every winemaking corner of the world wants to sell their wine. Some sell it locally - out of the cellar door – and some only within their own country. But many want to sell their wines internationally, to grab the attention and appeal to the palates of wine drinkers everywhere. But it’s not possible, we only have so many wine stores, and there's only so much square footage that can be filled.
An individual winery, traveling the world, flogging their liquid wares to an already saturated market is a hard game, just ask Cameron MacKenzie - Marketing Director at Punt Road in Australia. Cameron lives in the Yarra Valley. The Yarra Valley is only one of more than twenty appellations within the south-eastern region of Victoria – an appellation he continuously promotes.
What makes him different? Nothing and everything. He, like any winery representative in the world, wants you to try his wines, and he wants you to like them – of course. But I meet at least 365 winery representatives, winemakers and owners per year, and about 300 of them talk strictly about their own products. Sometimes it’s scripted and repetitive, but more often than not it’s a natural pride in their own wines. Cameron is one of the few who talks about his wines but talks even more about regionality - about the Yarra, its terroir, its people and its history. Cameron understands that it’s important to promote his region as a whole because it will bring positive results and recognition to Yarra as a whole.

In May 2007 Wine Australia began a long term marketing initiative promoting “Regional Heroes” in an effort to defend their market shares by reintroducing Australia as a country formed by many unique wine regions as opposed to one large continent of juice. Through educational tastings and consumer events Wine Australia has started to focus on classic varietals of Geographical Indication (GI). For instance: Pinot Noirs from Yarra Valley, Rieslings from Eden Valley, Cabernets from Coonawarra and Semillons from Hunter Valley. This has forced many of us to wake up and pay attention. After all, it’s always been far easier to lump Australian wines into one large group - but also far less interesting. Getting to know an appellation, be it within Champagne, Burgundy, Friuli, the Okanagan, Rheingau, Rioja, Sonoma or Victoria gives you unparalleled insight into the terroir and more importantly, the ability to recognize a common thread which those wines share. Yet for many regions around the world it’s an ongoing battle to promote themselves and their uniqueness.
Saying that, the wines from Punt Road in the Yarra Valley do share a common thread – they are bright, fresh and the fruit shines through. They aren’t a bodacious meal-in-a-glass; they are the glass that goes with the meal.

Punt Road Pinot Gris, 2007 – Lovely amber glints with clean, pear, white floral, apple and honey aromas with a fresh palate, softly rounded with bright citrus, minerals and crisp acidity.
90 points

Punt Road Chardonnay, 2006 – Ripe tree fruit and lemony aromas with caramel notes. On the palate its softy rounded with bright acidity and flavours of orchard fruits, hazelnuts and a hint of vanilla – fresh and clean - the oak adds to rather than detracts from the wine.
90 points

Punt Road Pinot Noir, 2006 – Brilliant ruby in colour with sweet red fruit – cherry and raspberry, violets and cedar notes. Clean and juicy on the palate with layers of fresh red fruits, earth and spice. Lovely.
90 Points

Punt Road Shiraz, 2005 – Bright Ruby with indigo glints showing fragrant dark floral and dark berries – suggests blueberry – with spiced oak notes. Juicy on the palate with flavours that echo the aromas – mixed purple berries, spice and classic Yarra Valley white pepper. Elegant.
90 points

Punt Road Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005 – A rich ruby colour with sweet red fruit – cassis and red berries in cream and chocolate. Medium-full bodied, nicely balanced with a silky texture and supple fruit spiked with minty/herbal nuances and lingering spice on the finish.
91 points

* the Punt Road wines will soon be available in select private stores (approx $25-$35) and in select restaurants. All are screw-capped.

The fun and easy-drinking Little Rebel Wines from Punt Road
 

Little Rebel Chardonnay, 2006 - Sweet, ripe fruits, butterscotch and citrus aromas. On the palate - buttery pear, hints of pineapple and vanilla - crisp but rounded on the palate - oak use is well-handled, adds sweetness.
89 points

Little Rebel Pinot Noir, 2006 - Fresher than the last vintage with a brighter ruby hue and aromas of tart cherry, raspberry and sweet spice, soft earth and vanilla notes. The flavours echo the palate with more sour cherry, spice, cedar and leather with light toast on the finish.
89 points

Little Rebel Cabernet-Merlot, 2005 - Sweet upfront red berry aromas with red plum, vanilla and spiced oak notes. Juicy sun-warmed red currant berries - then black plums on the palate, earth, cocoa and supple tannins on the finish.
89 points

* the Little Rebel wines are available in BC at select private wine stores (approx. $20+) and in select restaurants. All are screw-capped.