Shelmerdine Vineyards

It's no coincidence that Alliance is becoming known as one of the places to buy top quality Australian wine - our policy of only buying from the best in each region is ensuring that Australia becomes an important part of Alliance. Also integral to our portfolio is the belief in regionality, character and typicity and although some key commentators criticise Australia for homogeniety, no one could accuse our list of producers as homogenous.

We'll also make no apologies for adding to our range when we meet a producer who is doing something genuinely different, exciting and most of all....quality. Stephen Shelmerdine is no stranger to the international wine trade - as one of the key people behind Mitchelton estate, he has a history of being one of the influencers in the trade. His family own vineyards in Yarra Valley and in the rising star region of Heathcote and it is from these vineyards that he has produced his new Shelmerdine Estate range of wines.

Heathcote is home to some of the most exciting Rhone style wines in Australia though prices can be quite ambitious. What struck me when I visited Shelmerdine back in February was the common sense approach coupled with great fruit and stylish winemaking. Though not budget priced, these are very polished wines with a true sense of place - not something that is easy to achieve. Utilising Viognier fruit that is much coveted by some of the majors, Shelmerdine have crafted one of the purest, unoaked examples of this grape in Australia - already an instant sell out back in Oz, the limited production will ensure that the same happens in the U.K.

We've been looking for great Yarra Pinot and Chardonnay for some time and Shelmerdine manages to marry great typicity with a level of restraint and complexity - along with a sense of pricing reality that is not always present in the region. All in all, with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Shiraz (5% Viognier) and Cabernet Sauvignon available, this is a great acquisition for Alliance and we'll be delighted to launch the wines at our London portfolio tasting on September 12th.