About
2019 Young Gun Of Wine - Winner Damon Koerner
Koerner Wine is a partnership between brothers Damon and Jonathan Koerner. Our wines are produced from fruit grown in the Watervale area of the Clare Valley, with the majority coming from our family vineyard, Gullyview- owned and managed by Mum & Dad, (Christine & Anthony Koerner), for the past 38 years. Our winemaking philosophy is very simple - the wines are made in the vineyard. The date of picking is the most crucial part of the process. Once the grapes make their way to the winery, they are carefully nurtured and each batch treated individually. An understanding of terroir and the individual varieties enables us to produce unique wines using nothing but the grapes and a small amount of sulphur! We attempt to produce wines to a style that we both enjoy drinking. Generally these wines are light, fresh, textured and well structured with high drinkability in mind. To achieve this we pick early and use very hands off winemaking techniques. Our reds are bright, vibrant and can be enjoyed young with a great balance between primary fruit, acidity and phenolics. Our whites express their aromatics and primary fruit, while showing mouthfeel, structure and texture.
Koerner Wine New Releases
Pigato Vermentino 2022
Vermentino on skins - peach, iced tea and super refreshing
Vineyard: Gullyview Vineyard, Watervale
Planted: 2007
Soil type: Terra Rossa, red clay on limestone
Picking date: February 15, 2022
Picking method: Hand harvested and sorted in vineyard
Processing: Destem retaining ~ 50% whole berries. No whole bunch
Fermentation: Natural ferment in open top steel fermenters, hand plunged twice daily
Time on skins: 20 days
Pressing: Free run and pressings combined
Settling: Settled off gross lees for 7 days
Aging vessel: Steel for 7 months
Filtration: No
Fining: No
Alc: 10.7%
pH: 3.25
TA: 6.9
SO2: 23 free / 59 total
Production: 890 dozen
Nielluccio Sangiovese 2021
Pure Sangiovese - soft cherry and dusty tannins
Vineyard: Vivian Vineyard, Watervale. Organically farmed
Planted: 1998
Soil type: Terra Rossa, red clay on limestone
Picking date: February 26, 2021
Picking method: Hand harvested and sorted in vineyard
Processing: Destem retaining ~ 50% whole berries, no whole bunch
Fermentation: Natural ferment in open top steel fermenters, hand plunged twice daily
Time on skins: 2 weeks
Pressing: Free run and pressings combined
Settling: Settled off gross lees for 7 days
Aging vessel: 2000 litre Slavonian Oak foudre for 9 months and steel for 3 months
Filtration: No
Fining: No
Alc: 12.3%
pH: 3.21
TA: 7.0
SO2: 26F, 50T
Production: 300 dozen
Classico Red Wine 2020
A classic Clare Valley Red Wine – dark fruits, velvet, amazing length
Varieties: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Malbec, 6% Sangiovese & 4% Grenache
Vineyard: Parish, Vivian & Gullyview Vineyard
Planted: 1998, 2010 & 1945
Picking dates: 20, 23 & 26 February & 21 March
Soil type: Red clay on limestone
Picking method: Hand harvested and sorted in vineyard
Processing: Destemmed retaining 50% whole berries with no whole bunch
Fermentation: Natural ferment in open top steel fermenters, hand plunged twice daily
Time on skins: 3 weeks
Pressing: Free run and pressings combined
Settling: Settled off gross lees for 7 days
Aging vessel: French Demi-muid for 12 months, then racked to steel for 4 months
Filtration: no
Fining: no
Alc: 13.5%
pH: 3.75
TA: 4.8
SO2: 26F, 50T
Production: 300 dozen
The Clare Red Wine 2021
Bordeaux varieties made in a Loire style - vibrant, bright fruits & soft tannins
Varieties: 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 13% Grenache, 6% Malbec, 6% Carignan & 2% Sciacarello
Vineyard: Vivian, Parish & Gullyview Vineyards
Planted: 1998 & 1930
Soil type: Red clay on limestone, 'Terra Rossa'
Picking method: Hand harvested and sorted in vineyard
Processing: Destemm retaining ~ 50% whole berries, no whole bunch
Fermentation: Natural ferment in open top steel fermenters, hand plunged twice daily
Time on skins: 2 weeks
Pressing: Free run and pressings combined
Settling: Settled off gross lees for 7 days
Aging vessel: Slavonian foudre for 9 months, then racked to steel for 3 months
Filtration: No
Fining: No
Alc: 13.1%
pH: 3.59
TA: 5.7
SO2: 17F, 30T
Production: 890 dozen
Grace Riesling 2021
North facing, rich soils - lemon and lime with great drive
Vineyard: Gullyview Vineyard, Watervale
Blocks: Grace (G1)
Planted: 1974
Soil type: Terra Rossa, red clay on limestone
Picking date: February 4 & 9, 2021
Picking method: Hand harvested and sorted in vineyard
Processing: Crush and destem
Time on skins: 12 hours in press
Pressing: Free run only, minimal press rotations
Cooling / settling: Cold settled off dirt and heavy solids for 3 days
Fermentation: Natural ferment in 100% ceramic amphora for 2 months
Aging vessel: Stainless steel on fine lees for 10 months
Filtration: No
Fining: No
Alc: 11.5%
pH: 3.03
TA: 6.7
SO2: 20F, 55T
Production: 69 dozen
Winefront Review by Mike Bennie
Posted on 11 May 2022
"Gullyview Vineyard in Watervale. Hangs out in the press a bit on skins. All these wines have texture, not the run of the mill Clare expressions. Fine boned, chalky, intense and long. Screeches along in the nicest possible way. Zesty and fresh, bite of green apple, tart finish and lingers with this talc-like minerality. Beautiful wine in vogue of the classics, but with its own twist."
95 Points
Gullyview Riesling 2021
South facing, boney soils - ginger spice, mineral and soft textures
Vineyard: Gullyview Vineyard, Watervale
Blocks: Gullyview (GV1)
Planted: 1974
Soil type: Terra Rossa, red clay on limestone
Picking date: February 3, 2021
Picking method: Hand harvested and sorted in vineyard
Processing: Crush and destem
Time on skins: 12 hours in press
Pressing: Free run only, minimal press rotations
Cooling / settling: Cold settled off dirt and heavy solids for 3 days
Fermentation: Natural ferment in 75% ceramic amphora & 25% steel for 2 months
Aging vessel: Stainless steel on fine lees for 10 months
Filtration: No
Fining: No
Alc: 12.4%
pH: 3.08
TA: 6.6
SO2: 22F, 63T
Production: 77 dozen
Winefront Review by Mike Bennie
Posted on 11 May 2022
"Sees most of its resting time in ceramic vessels (rest stainless steel). The wine has this lovely powdery texture, a bit of extra depth, fine, light, savoury-nuttiness to taste and a rollicking feast of green apple with lime squeezed on a dusting of cinnamon spice. Extra lengthy, tight through the finish, mineral plus-plus, as they’d say. It’s a ripping, rollicking, exceptional riesling. For drinkability, this is through the roof."
95 Points
Parish Riesling 2021
South facing, rich soils with slate - floral, stone fruits and delicate texture
Vineyard: Parish Vineyard, Watervale
Planted: 1923
Soil type: Red clay on Slate
Picking date: February 7, 2021
Picking method: Hand harvested and sorted in vineyard
Processing: Crush and destem
Time on skins: 12 hours in press
Pressing: Free run only, minimal press rotations
Cooling / settling: Cold settled off dirt and heavy solids for 3 days
Fermentation: Natural ferment in 60% Ceramic amphora and 40% steel for 2 months
Aging vessel: Stainless steel on fine lees for 10 months
Filtration: No
Fining: No
Alc: 11.4%
pH: 3.28
TA: 5.2
SO2: 25F, 59T
Production: 88 dozen
Winefront Review by Mike Bennie
Posted on 11 May 2022
"Fermented in amphora and steel. Sounds like a Mills & Boon.
Here’s a bit of brightness, sloshy gentleness, fresh undertone of grapefruity acidity but more about peachy fruit characters, sweet lime, Golden Delicious apples and some powdery, talc-mineral stuff to finish. Floral scents, lavender and sweet lime too. A really pretty wine. Very approachable."
92 Points
(Image: Koerner Wine)