The Battle of Bosworth Winery is located in the prestigious McLaren Vale region foothills in South Australia. The family-owned vineyard has been organic since 1995 producing a range of red and white wines. The Bosworth winemaker and owner, Joch Bosworth, paid Copper & Oak a visit last month to give us the inside tips on their range of red wines.
History of the Bosworth Winery
The Bosworth vineyard in McLauren Vale was first planted in the early 1840s. The winery is named after The Battle of Bosworth which was fought in Leicestershire, England back in 1485. The battle was significant because Richard the lll was the last King of England to die in combat. The white boar that appears on wine labels and the tops of bottles first appeared on Richard the lll’s battle standard.
Organic Vineyard
Concerned by the synthetic chemicals being used on the vineyard soils, winemaker Joch Bosworth converted the winery to organic viticulture in 1995. As such, the Bosworth winery cannot use blending components from other vineyards. Instead the experienced winemaker creates his own blends from within the vineyard to add a delightful complexity to their wines. Joch was named one of the ‘most important organic winemakers in Australia’ in the book The Future Makers: Australian Wines for the 21st Century. Battle of Bosworth carry the Australian Certified Organic and USDA Organic stamps and an A Grade rating. Certification by Australian Certified Organic took four years and ongoing includes random sampling and annual audits.
Without the use of pesticides, the soursob yellow flowered weed is encouraged to grow under the vines during early winter rains to form a natural weed mat in spring and summer. The importance of the soursob is represented by the bright yellow flower appearing on their wine labels.
Family Affair
The Bosworth's have been growing grapes since the 1840s. Edgehill Vineyard began in the early 1970’s with Peter and Anthea Bosworth planting the vines that are producing most of the grapes today. All wine producing vines on the property are over 20 years old. Son Joch Bosworth took over in 1995 and today manages the vineyard with partner Louise Hemsley-Smith.
Range of Wines
Best of 2011
This is very much an elitist wine made up of the best from the winemaker’s favourite barrels from the best batches of Cabernet (47%), Shiraz (37%) and Petit Verdot (16%) from the 2011 vintage. The three varieties went through the old-school winemaking process by being individually fermented in open vessels and finally fermented in barrel.
Suggested Food Pairing: A beef lasagne which can be made richer with a little wine added to the simmering meat sauce.
Cabernet Sauvignon
A lively medium-bodied, very fresh wine with redcurrants, blackberries and blackcurrants on the nose. Release the aromas by decanting before drinking to give the wine some air. The wine has a structured but accessible palate.
Suggested Food Pairing: The red fruits will compliment a roasted duck dish perfectly.
Puritan Shiraz
If you are looking for a Shiraz with no added preservatives, then look no further. The Puritan is bursting with the flavour of black and red fruits and soft tannins. The process is quick from vine to bottle straight after malolactic fermentation.
Suggested food pairing: Enjoy your Puritan Shiraz with a juicy porterhouse steak.
Sauvignon Blanc
Picked at night to keep the grapes cool and before the taste of the tropics creeps into the grapes, this Sauvignon Blanc has kept the delicate flavours of the grape. The wine is fresh and delicious with a zippy, citrusy palate. Cut grass, lantana and a touch of passionfruit are on the nose.
Suggested Food Pairing: The citrus inclusion lends itself well to a meal of grilled fish.
Shiraz
Flooded with flavour, this Shiraz is an all-round stylish wine. Maximum fruit characters and colour from the skins has been achieved before fermenting in predominantly French oak barrels with a few American barrels added in for good measure.
Suggested Food Pairing: A lean leg of lamb can be enjoyed with this delightful Shiraz.
Touriga Nacional
The early bottled wine is open fermented to allow floral characters to come through. With a hint of musk, red fruit and bergamot, this is a mid weight wine. Red fruit and black cherry are evident on the palate.
Suggested Food Pairing: A stew will accompany the full flavour of the Touriga Nacional wine.
Chardonnay
Their medium-bodied Chardonnay is full of delicious flavour; complex but still delicate. The palate and nose enjoy a hint of nut, stone fruit and underlying citrus characters.
Suggested Food Pairing: A creamy vegetable soup will compliment the Bosworth Chardonnay very nicely.
The Battle of Bosworth’s old fashioned grape growing techniques and sustainable modern viticultural practices are producing world-class wines. As the interest in high quality organic wine grows, Battle of Bosworth is well-placed to increase sales to the domestic and export market.
Ask us in-store or contact us online for our recommendation of a Battle of Bosworth red to enjoy with your favourite winter meal.
