Garamond
Hurley Vineyard ‘Garamond’
Garamond comprises 1.2 ha of easterly aspect. It gets the gently warming morning sun. It exudes peace, calm and fecundity. It is the good child. It sets well, but does not overcrop. It is balanced in every way. After shoot thinning, we do very little in Garamond, except to genuflect. The purity of the fruit and the fineness of the tannins can be tasted while the grapes are ripening on the vines. It is all of clone MV6, which came from pre-phylloxera stock brought to Australia from Burgundy in the very early 1800’s by that pioneer of Australian viticulture, James Busby. Garamond is a perfect marriage of vine and place, the apotheosis of Hurley Vineyard terroir. It was planted in 1998.
Garamond the name honours the artisanal ethic of the Renaissance typographer, Claude Garamond, who designed the elegant font we have used on our label.
THE WINE
Garamond exudes effortless style. It ripens evenly and is always harvested last. It is classical. In this wine, the fragrance of Hurley Vineyard is the perfume of the boudoir. It is a step up in complexity and intensity. In the palate, there is usually an array of soft, red fruits, plus meat, mushrooms and cake spice. It is succulent, creamy and sweet, but balanced by lively acidity. The wine usually tastes of red minerals and has fine, silky tannins. There is often toffee. The palate is typically tight and firm in its youth, opening up as time goes on. Garamond is complete, ends fresh and lives long.
