Here at Wine SMS we are very fortunate to try great wine and then work with the wine makers, on behalf of potential customers. One of the great family wine stories has come out of the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale regions.
Neil and Kaye Jericho and their family, have two distinct vineyards. Their McLaren Vale vineyard is specifically and fittingly produces their Shiraz and GSM wines. The Adelaide Hills vineyard will produce their cooler climate wines and include their Fume Blanc, Fiano, Tempranillo and Syrah.
In their words, the philosophy is based on an excerpt below from their website:
We look to make wines that reflect the vineyard and the variety – that are a true reflection of the soil, the climate and showcase these differences through careful winemaking choices. It has been a conscious decision to only produce small batches of handcrafted wines of elegance and sophistication.
They have an array of outstanding wines using both regions to their full potential. At the time of writing this I've just finished a bottle of their GSM from McLaren Vale and can well and truely vouch for it!
The one variety which has grabbed some attention of late, is the renaissance of Fume Blanc. Jericho are one of a number of wine growers who have revitalised this variety and producing smooth oak fermented Sauvignon Blanc. Naturally, unlike much of the Sauvignon Blanc we see now, theirs is not distilled in stainless steel.
For more on Fume Blanc below are some thoughts from a recent article in the AFR.
"Fumé blanc, a barrel-fermented and matured sauvignon blanc, is traditionally known for its gun-flint-like, slightly smoky perfume.
Fumé blanc is back. The wine style that was all the rage in Australia in the 1980s – sauvignon blanc fermented and matured in barrel, to give it a rich, toasty, smoky character (fumé in French) – is popping up again in bottle shops and on wine lists.
OK, I might be exaggerating a bit. Fumé blanc isn’t going to overtake prosecco or rosé in the popularity stakes any time soon. But I am definitely seeing more and more barrel fermented and matured sauvignon blancs on the market now than I was, say, a decade ago."
Finally, like many stories in the wine industry, they are built around families and Jericho Family Wines is no different. Along with Neil and Kaye, their daughter Sally and two sons, Andrew and Kim are playing key roles in the businesses development.
You can find a range of Jericho's wines on our website and in our deals and mixed cases.