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Ian and Suzanne Little present a terrific range of wines encompassing both traditional and emerging varieties. Here's a few little words from them...
"After many years making the benchmark varieties of the Hunter Valley, Shiraz, Semillon and Chardonnay, we were both very interested to experiment with new varieties from the Hunter Valley and further a field. We have learnt by trial and error how to manage some of the vagaries of these new varieties. We have made some big discoveries along the way and no doubt there will be many more.
We make wines that we like to drink and we make the best wine we can. We trust that you will enjoy our wines as much as we enjoy making them."
~ Ian and Suzanne Little
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Gewurztraminer 2006
Meaning "spice" in German, Gewurz is a fitting prefix for the distinctive Traminer grape. The grapes themselves are highly coloured just prior to harvest and often turn a deep golden copper. This somewhat brutish colour belies the delicate juice within. We have a long history of award-winning Gewurztraminer. Since 1984 we have won numerous trophies and medals for our unique style of "Gewurz".
Gewurztraminer : Viticulture
We are continually seeking to improve and refine our Gewurz, in our quest for the perfect grape we searched the high regions of NSW and Victoria for the best possible cool climate Traminer vineyard. To our delight we unearthed a beauty in the Goulburn Valley. This 'secret vineyard' boasts both exceptional position and mature vines, the grapes showing intense yet delicate flavours. We harvested the grapes in late March at a Baume of 12.5.
Gewurztraminer : Winemaking Notes
The making of Gewurz is all about retaining the grape's natural aromas and flavours. We crush and press the grapes quickly, ferment the juice at 13°C (we use only the free-run portion) and bottle the wine quick smart. With this variety, it's all about the grape.
Gewurztraminer : Analysis
pH 3.12
TA 6.5 g/L
Alcohol 12.9%
Gewurztraminer : Tasting Notes
Banish the thoughts of the sweet, cloying Traminer of the 70's. Our Gewurz is racy and restrained with a crisp dry finish. It captures the flavours of musk, Turkish Delight and lychees while maintaining a beautiful line of citrus flavour to the finish. Perfectly matched with seafood, Thai food or any dish with a bit of spice.
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Viognier 2007
Viognier is a newly rising star on the landscape of Australian wine. It shows a wide range of textural qualities that stimulate the palate with intense fruit characters that explore the whole gamut of the flavour spectrum: floral, citrus, stone fruit and spices.
Viognier provides a fabulous alternative to Chardonnay with its magical ability to be rich and delicate at the same time.
Viognier : Viticulture
Our Viognier grapes are sourced from a single vineyard in the Broke Fordwich sub region of the Hunter Valley. This site is especially suited to white grape production with its light alluvial soils. The vines are planted in a north south direction with extended trellising to allow the sunlight to penetrate the canopy. To maintain the delicate fruit flavours of the variety and to avoid any hot, oily characters we harvest the grapes a little earlier between 13.0 and 13.5 Baume.
Viognier : Winemaking Notes
After harvesting, the Viognier grapes were gently crushed. The juice was then quickly separated from the skins, with only the free-run portion of the juice used in the creation of the Viognier. For complexity 15% of the juice was fermented in new and one year old French Oak barriques. The wine was matured for four months on lees with regular battonage. The remaining juice was fermented in stainless steel.
Viognier : Analysis
pH 3.27
TA 6.4 g/L
Alcohol 13.4%
Viognier : Tasting Notes
The 2007 Viognier is built like a fascinating story, with complexity that at times appears almost contradictory. The result is an intriguing, deliciously drinkable wine. The wine tantalises from start to finish. It opens with the delicate taste of pears and then segues into the fuller fla¬vours of honeysuckle and apricot. The finish is crisp with a rich, lingering mouth feel. Enjoy now or cellar until 209.
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Semillon 2007
Semillon from the Hunter Valley is one of the world's great wine treasures with its magical ability to transform from a vivacious and zesty wine in its youth to a rich and complex wine with age.
Semillon : Viticulture
The grapes for this wine were sourced from two vineyards in the Hunter Valley with an average vine age of 16 years. 2007 was an excellent season in the Hunter Valley with a cool, dry spring and a warm, dry summer. The drier season ensured optimum ripeness and flavour development. The lower yielding vines produced extraordinary flavours and we harvested a little earlier than normal in mid January at 11.0 Baume
Semillon : Winemaking Notes
Only the free-run portion of the juice was used to produce this wine, thereby maximizing the fresh, clean fruit flavours. The juice was fermented at 13oC in Stainless Steel ensuring an even and steady fermentation period. The wine was held on yeast lees for 4 months to add flavour complexity and a creamy texture to the palate.
Semillon : Analysis
pH 3.16
TA 6.5
Alcohol 11.1
Semillon : Tasting Notes
This wine is made in the traditional unoaked Hunter style with aromas of fresh lime, hay and green apple. The palate shows generous tropical fruit flavours with a crisp lively finish. As the wine ages the fruit will develop beautiful toast and honey characters. Enjoy it young with seafood or Asian flavours or cellar carefully for up to 10 years and enjoy with mature cheese.
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Sangiovese 2005 HUNTER VALLEY
The wonderful Italian grape, Sangiovese, is one of the oldest known varieties in the world. Its beauty lies in its ability to produce wines that are highly concentrated in flavour yet have a lighter, more approachable structure than Cabernet or Shiraz. The 2005 Sangiovese is a perfect example of this accessible, ready to drink style.
Sangiovese : Viticulture
The grapes used in our Sangiovese were grown on a southwest-facing slope in the Broke Fordwich sub region of the Hunter Valley. The vineyard lies at the foot of the sandstone cliffs on free draining 'mountain wash' soil. An open canopy and an excellent aspect created perfect conditions for steady ripening and brilliant colour development.
Sangiovese : Winemaking Notes
In 2005, the grapes were harvested at 13.6 Baume in the last week of February. The fruit was crushed to open fermenters and approximately 30% of the juice was removed to produce our Sangiovese Rosé. The remaining juice was fermented on skins for approximately 10 days. The wine was then pressed and transferred to 1 and 2 year old French barriques. The wine was racked frequently to aerate and soften the tannins. The blended wine was bottled after 18 months oak maturation.
Sangiovese : Analysis
pH 3.54
TA 6.2
Alcohol 13.8
Sangiovese : Tasting Notes
Our 2005 Sangiovese is imbued with sweet cherry and leather tones and loaded with fabulous smoky chocolate and mushroom characters. The savoury tannins and complex fruit characters make this an ideal food wine. Great with any tomato based dishes such as pasta and piazza. Enjoy now or cellar for up to five years.
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Tempranillo 2005
Tempranillo (from the Spanish Temprano, meaning early) is a grape variety originating in the Rioja region of Spain. A relative newcomer to Australia, it is capable of producing a variety of styles depending on climate and winemaking technique.
With the 2005 Tempranillo we have created a wine that is powerful yet elegant, showcasing how well suited this variety is to the Hunter Valley.
Viognier : Viticulture
The grapes used in our Tempranillo are from one of the oldest vineyards in the Upper Hunter Valley. The vines are situated in sandy soils adjacent to the Hunter river. These mature vines have achieved their balance with age, yielding just 1.5 tonnes to the acre. 2005 was a drought year in the Hunter Valley and the vines achieved full ripeness approximately two weeks earlier than typical years.
Viognier : Winemaking Notes
In 2005, the grapes were harvested at 13.2 Baume in the last week of February. The fruit was crushed to open fermenters and cold-soaked for 24 hours prior to fermentation. The juice was fermented on skins for approximately 10 days with a combination of hand plunging and pump-over method. The wine was then pressed and transferred to 2 and 3 year old French barriques. The wine was racked frequently to aerate and soften the tannins. The blended wine was bottled after 18 months oak maturation.
Viognier : Analysis
pH 3.60
TA 6.7 g/L
Alcohol 13.6%
Viognier : Tasting Notes
Our 2005 Tempranillo shows aromas of green olives, spice and a hint of tobacco. The palate has a beautiful silky texture with flavours of liquorice and sour cherry fruits. The smoky oak flavours and fine, savoury tannins make this wine an excellent match with antipasto, duck and mature cheese. Enjoy now or cellar for up to four years.
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Petit Verdot 2004
Originating from the Bordeaux region of France, Petit Verdot is a late ripening variety that suits Australia's dry, sunny climate perfectly. It ripens even later than Cabernet Sauvignon and although it has long been used as a blending component it is increasingly being given the chance show its true colours as a varietal wine.
Petit Verdot : Viticulture
As a late ripening variety the best Petit Verdot flavours are found in old vines in the warmer regions of Australia. In 2004, the Petit Verdot grapes were harvested from two vineyards in the Murray Darling region across the NSW and Victorian border.
The grapes were harvested between 13.0 and 13.5 Baume, with excellent colour and flavour intensity.
Petit Verdot : Winemaking Notes
In 2003 the Petit Verdot grapes were crushed to stainless steel vats. The must was then pumped over the fruit four times a day to maximise colour extraction. After 6 days on skins the wine was pressed off with 50% matured in two and three year old American barriques. Each barrel is carefully assessed before inclusion in the final blend.
Petit Verdot : Analysis
pH 3.55
TA 6.4 g/L
Alcohol 13.4%
Petit Verdot : Tasting Notes
The beauty of this wine is in the perfumed lift of spice and violets overlaying the subtle tobacco characters on the palate. American oak maturation has imparted interesting complexity with its typical mocha and coconut aromas. The palate is supple, medium bodied with lingering tannins and a pleasant dry finish. Lightly oaked, this wine is ideal for current enjoyment.
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Merlot 2005 HUNTER VALLEY
Traditionally the supple characters of Merlot have been harnessed as a blending ingredient for Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Today, it is an increasingly popular variety in its own right. Merlot's unique ability to produce rich yet velvety wines has allowed this variety to take its place in the great spectrum of wine.
Merlot : Viticulture
Around the world the best Merlot grapes are grown in clay soils, and this is the secret to the powerful fruit of the Merlot. The vines are planted on a southwest-facing slope in podsolic red clay and loam soil.
The lead up to the 2005 vintage was a very dry spring with an unusually warm, dry summer. The low yields on the Merlot vineyard ensured even ripening with intense fruit flavours. In the third week of February the fruit was harvested at 13.8 Baume.
Merlot : Winemaking Notes
The grapes are destemmed and crushed into open vats. The wine takes approximately ten days to complete fermentation with regular plunging to maximise colour and flavour extraction. After the completion of fermentation the wine was drained off the skins and transferred into acombination of new and older American barriques. To soften the tannins the wine was matured in oak for 18 months with regular racking. Each barrel is assessed before the wine is brought together for bottling.
Merlot : Analysis
pH 3.48
TA 6.8
Alcohol 14.3%
Merlot : Tasting Notes
The complex construction of our 2005 Merlot is unique. It leads with lifted mint and spice characters on the nose and then builds with soft mulberry and chocolaty flavours that are complemented by the savoury oak aromas of American barriques. The finish is long with soft, powdery tannins. The textured fruit flavours with earthy tannins will allow for medium to long term cellaring. Enjoy now or cellar up to 2010.
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Shiraz Viognier 2005
Adding Viognier to Shiraz turns a humble winemaker from an artist into a magician. With a magician's slight of hand an almost imperceptible amount of Viognier (approx. 5%) is added to the Shiraz and the results are remarkable. The Viognier lifts the natural aromatics of the Shiraz and creates a beautiful silky quality on the palate.
Shiraz Viognier : Viticulture
The Shiraz grapes were grown in our own and other carefully selected vineyards in the Hunter Valley, the average age of the vines is more than 12 years old with naturally low yeilds, this ensures even ripening and concentrated flavours.
The Viognier grapes were sourced from a single vineyard in the Broke Fordwich subregion of the Hunter Valley.
Shiraz Viognier : Winemaking Notes
In 2005 the Shiraz grapes were harvested slightly earlier than normal in the third week of February. The fruit was crushed to stainless steel vats and plunged up to four times daily in the early stages of fermentation to maximise colour extraction. After a fermentation period of approximately 12 days, the wine was drained off the skins and pressed. The wine was then transferred to a combination of French and American barriques where it matured for 20 months.
Our 2004 Shiraz Viognier is 95% Shiraz and 5% Viognier.
Shiraz Viognier : Analysis
pH 3.61
TA 6.7g/L
Alcohol 14.3%
Shiraz Viognier : Tasting Notes
The beauty of this wine is the contrast of the tarry tobacco characters of the Shiraz with the light floral lift of the Viognier. The result is added complexity, with the Viognier cleverly unveiling cinnamon and clove characters in the Shiraz which would otherwise have remained hidden. The vintage conditions have produced a wine that will allow for medium to long term cellaring. Enjoy now or cellar up to 2011.
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Verdelho 2007
The Hunter Valley is the home of Verdelho in Australia. It is an early ripening variety that is ideally suited to our growing conditions. Crisp, refreshing and fruit driven, Verdelho is the perfect companion to a long summer lunch.
Verdelho : Viticulture
The grapes for this wine were sourced from our two selected vineyards in the Hunter Valley. In 2007 a long, dry ripening season ensured optimum ripeness and flavour development. The lower yielding vines produced extraordinary flavours and we harvested a little earlier than normal in late January at 12.4 Baume.
Verdelho : Winemaking Notes
Only the free-run portion of the fruit was used to produce this wine, thereby maximizing the intensity of the flavours. The juice was then fermented at 13oC in Stainless Steel ensuring a steady fermentation period. The wine was held on yeast lees for 6 months to add flavour complexity and a creamy texture to the palate.
Verdelho : Analysis
pH 3.22
TA 7.2
Alcohol 13.3
Verdelho : Tasting Notes
Our Verdelho is loaded with tropical fruit flavours and a long citrus finish. Harvested from mature vines in the Hunter Valley, this wine was made without the use of oak to showcase the true flavours of the vineyard. The fuller flavours and great texture of Verdelho make it a great choice with a wide variety of dishes or simply by itself.
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Talga Shiraz 2001
Talga is our cool climate range. The Talga Shiraz was made from the vineyard of Suzanne's parents, Anne and Anthony Ritchard at Gundaroo, a part of the Canberra District region of NSW. We hand harvest the grapes nearly two months after our last vineyard has been picked in the Hunter Valley, the flavours in the Shiraz grown at this altitude (nearly 700m) is very distinct from warmer climate fruit characters. The Talga Shiraz is a showcase for the elegance and finesse of cool climate fruit.
Talga Shiraz : Viticulture
The grapes for Talga Shiraz are sourced exclusively from Bald Hill Vineyard, which lies close to the geometric centre of the Canberra Wine District on the higher eastern-facing slopes of the Gundaroo Valley. The higher parts of the vineyard approach 700 M above sea level. At this elevation, 35°S latitude and MJT of 20.4°, the cool nights and warm days give a typically long ripening period which allows slow accumulation of grape sugars without degradation of acidity.
Talga Shiraz : Winemaking Notes
After de-stemming and crushing, the must is cold soaked for three to four days. A low vigour strain of yeast is added after the must temperature is raised and primary fermentation begins.
The ferment is pumped over twice daily to maximise colour and increase aeration. The temperature is maintained around 25°C and the progress of the ferment is carefully monitored to determine the optimum time to remove the wine from skins.
The wine is taken off skins when the tannins and overall mouth feel is in good balance, it is then transferred to new and one year old barriques, 70% French oak, 30% American.
Talga Shiraz : Winemaking Notes (p2)
The barrels are stirred for the short time that the wine is on lees; this gives a more savoury character and promotes spontaneous malo-lactic fermentation. The wine receives 16 months in oak and is racked three times for wine clarity and aeration. This wine has undergone only coarse filtration and may develop a sediment during bottle maturation.
Talga Shiraz : Analysis
Alcohol 13.2%
pH 3.34
Titratable Acidity 6.30 g/L
Talga Shiraz : Tasting Notes
This Shiraz shows an enormous lift of varietal berry fruit characters. The blackberry and white pepper aromas are subtly supported by oak. On the palate the vibrant fruit gives way to long savoury flavours with fine grain tannins on the finish. The elegance and balance will ensure that this wine will cellar for up to 10 years.
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