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‘McGEORGE’ produced by winemaker, Simon McGeorge, is the tangible realization of a long held desire.
After many years of creating wines for an array of boutique and international brands, Simon wanted to create wine just for the sheer pleasure of it. The result is this unique wine, made with the passion and energy that comes from working on your own project; free from traditional constraints and pressures. So join Simon; kick back, relax and let McGEORGE wines be part of your wine collection.
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Winemaker's Notes
This is the very first release of our Méthode Traditionnelle and we’re excited to show it off! The fruit is from the 2017 season, which in Waipara was a really great growing season. I can really see that in the wine. I made the McGEORGE in a traditional Champagne style, with a nice balance of elegant fruit and biscuity, autolysis characters.
Making Méthode Traditionnelle takes time and involves many steps. It’s a process that I’ve be keen to try for a long time and Olive and I are thrilled with the result.
We hand picked the Pinot Noir in the second week of March 2017. The fruit was gently pressed, cold settled, cool fermented and then left on yeast lees until blending. Tirage, (transfering the wine into bottle, with some yeast and a small amount of sugar added) was done in November. The bottle fermentation was completed in a few weeks and then allowed to age in a cool, dark corner of the winery for 3 years. Then we disgorged the wine, added the dosage and corked and labelled the bottles.
The wine has predominantly sweet red fruit flavours complemented by cream and brioche It is a delightfully complex wine that rewards the palate, yet remains poised and fresh. The bead (fizz) is elegant, refined and persistent.
Hand on heart, I can say that I’m immensely proud to share this wine. It’s been a great learning opportunity and I’m blown away with how well it’s been received by everyone who has tried it.
Olive and I urge you to get your friends together and open a bottle to celebrate the wonder that is fine wine!
Cheers – Simon.
