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At the age of 19, I was the recipient of a trainee Winemaker and Viticultural scholarship at Riverina College of Advanced Education. I trained under Andrew Birks, Andrew Hood and Max Loder (guru German Viticulturist), and worked in many grape growing areas, including Coonawarra and Cowra and throughout the Riverina. Next followed a stint at Brown Brothers working under Rick Kinzbrunner (Giaconda) and then to the Yarra Valley working for various labels including Fergusson, also Cuthbertsons Murrindindi, and St Huberts under Brian Fletcher. During this period I went to work in Sonoma California for Dave Stare at Dry Creek and in South West France mainly in Bordeaux region at Chateau Giscours and three or four other small establishments. In 1984 I started working for myself in the viticultural consultancy business. This entailed setting up vineyards and overseeing their day to day management. Over the years this has given me the opportunity to source some very good grapes for wines made under my label. In 1989 I started making wine under the Jinks Creek label and have continued to do so. Currently I oversee some 10 vineyards ranging in size from 1 acre up to 50 acres. I love the challenge of producing the best fruit possible in any given year and still have clientele from when I began this work in 1984. The first acre of Jinks Creek vineyard was planted in 1979, consisting of equal portions of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Sauvignon Blanc was planted in the early '90's and has performed well. Now over 8 acres but currently expanding. Not noted as a viticulture region and still fairly obscure, the vineyard has produced strong varietal and mineral characters, especially in the whites. My growing philosophy is minimal. The soil gets little of no fertilizer and the spraying of the vines is kept as close as possible to organic using basics like sulphur and copper. Irrigation is kept to an absolute minimum except in unusually dry years. My winemaking philosophy is the same, with minimal inputs, lots of solids, some wild ferments, no filtration (except for Sav Blanc) and minimal use of SO2. I like to think that the vineyard is as close to its "Terroir" as possible and that the wines reflect that approach.Sauvignon Blanc - The Jinks Creek winery is situated at the foothills of the picturesque Black Snake Ranges in Victoria's West Gippsland region. A combination of hungry granite soil, low yields and a long cool ripening period have produced this mouthfilling, aromatic wine heavy with tropical fruit, gooseberry and grassy characters. Picked cool, fermented cold, minimally filtered. Drink chilled. Longford Shiraz - Grapes grown by Harry and Lyn Stephenson from vines planted on the old river bed at their East Gippsland property in Dutson, Victoria. The vineyard soil is a mix of rounded river stones of different sizes and colours amongst sandy loam, with limestone at depths and varying amounts of clay. The vineyard enjoys coastal influence with a slow dry ripening period. The result is a vibrant-coloured wine which displays intense spiciness with soft oak and tannins backed up by rich fruit character and a hint of pepper. Cultural practices include the use of the Scott Henry trellis and low crop levels to encourage palate density. Grapes hand picked in late April. Fermented in open pots, hand basket-pressed and aged on a small amount of lees in new Seguin Moreau American oak and some 1 to 2 year old French oak barrels. The wine was hand-bottled without filtration. Very limited production. This wine should cellar to 2010. Serve at room temperature. Pinot Noir - The Jinks Creek winery is situated at the foothills of the picturesque Black Snake Ranges in Victoria's West Gippsland region. A combination of hungry granite soil, low yields and a long cool ripening period has produced a well-balanced wine with good mouth feel, spiciness and forest-floor characters. From a varied selection of Pinot Noir clones including 114, 115, MV6, D2V5, D4V2 and G5V15 (some planted 24 years ago), left on lees for 12 months in french oak barrels and unfiltered before bottling, this wine is best enjoyed at room temperature. Yarra Valley Shiraz - Grapes grown at Barry and Barbara Saunders property in Dixons Creek at the northern end of the Yarra Valley in predominantly clay soil with pockets of sedimentary rock dispersed throughout. Situated on a steep westerly facing slope and trained to the Henry Scott system, the grapes were picked to achieve around 13% alcohol. Aged in new and 3-year old French barriques on lees, lightly sulphured and hand-bottled, this wine boasts a delicate Shiraz nose with full flavour on the mid palate and intese colour. Best enjoyed at room temperature. Heathcote Shiraz - An intensely flavoured wine made by Andrew Clarke from Shiraz and a small portion of Dolcetta grapes grown north-east of Heathcote, Victoria. The result of a 3 year collaboration with owner Shane Higgs at his Heathcote Ridge vineyard, the pre-cambrian soils and warm climate have produced a multitude of flavours with lots of middle palate and soft silky tannins. Using traditional French methods, the vines are cropped at 1 tonne to the acre, picked ripe between 13.5 and 14.5 baume, fermented in open pots, then pressed and settled. The wine is placed in a mixture of 40 to 50% new sirugue and bousseut barrels, aged for 12 to 18 months and bottled without filtration. The first acre of Jinks Creek vineyard was planted in 1979 consisting of equal portions of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The vineyard has been growing ever since and now is around 8 acres (very small by most standards). The soil gets little or no fertilizer and the spraying of the vines is kept as close as possible to using basics like sulphur and copper. Irrigation is kept to an absolute minimum and normally the vines are not irrigated except in unusually dry years. Winemaking is the same; minimal inputs, lots of solids, some wild ferments, no filtration (except for Sauvignon Blanc) and minimal use of SO2. Andrew likes to think that the vineyard is as close to its "Terroir" as possible and that the wines reflect that. In 1984 Andrew started his own viticulture consultancy business. Over the years this has given Andrew the opportunity to source some very good grapes for wines made under the Jinks Creek label. Born in Melbourne in 1955, and holder of diplomas in Fine Art and Education, high-profile Esther Erlich is best known for her gritty style of portraiture. In 1998 she won the prestigious Doug Moran Portrait Prize, and in 2000 the "People's Choice" Award. She has been a finalist in the Portia Geach Memorial Award seven times and in the Archibald Prize in 2000 and 2002. Her style is raw, vital and spontaneous, yet also displays the skill and gloss of a well-seasoned artist of fifteen years standing. It is the brilliant combination of striking, even haunting portrait-like features with the light, grace and somewhat abstract fluidity of her more decorative style, that makes her work so inspiring. Be it in the muted haze of a retreating figure, the subtle turn of an outstretched ankle, or the provocative expression of her subject, one cannot help but recognise themselves. Erlich brings us face to face with our own reality, but softens the blow with a hint of froth and bubble. Cleverly, she manages to hold our attention with the intense stare