VINTAGE AND CELLARING GUIDE
R.I.P.
DRINK
NOW
DRINK
SOON
DRINK
OR HOLD
HOLD
NOT YET
RELEASED
Wine is past its best
drinking (although if
well stored, it may
suprise).
Fully mature and
nothing to be gained
by aging for longer.
Likely to reduce
in quality if
cellared further.
Probably at or near
peak drinking,
but no hurry within
the next year.
Will provide
satisfying drinking
now, but should
also continue to age
positively.
Wine will benefit
greatly from further
bottle age.
Not yet released
Please note recommendations are for wines stored in optimum
cellaring conditions. This includes absence of light, vibration,
constant temperature between 10-12 degrees Celsius and bottles stored
with wine in contact with the cork (not applicable to screw cap).
Exposure to light, vibraiton, warm temperature, temperature fluctuations
or allowing the cork to dry out will accelerate the aging process.
GENERAL CELLARING NOTES BY VARIETY
CHARDONNAY
A more sensitive approach to winemaking is now yielding Chardonnay that ages more gracefully with medium
term cellaring, with an attractive mealy or nuttiness developing over time.
Church Road Chardonnay should age well for up to four years. It is also very approachable upon release with
fresh fruit aromas, subtle oak toast and a gentle, full palate.
Church Road McDonald Series Chardonnay, Church Road Grand Reserve Chardonnay and Church Road TOM
Chardonnay are hand-harvested and whole-bunch pressed. They need at least two years from vintage date to really
start expressing themselves and should age gracefully for a total of six to ten years.
PINOT GRIS
Fantastic while fresh and aromatic, though cellaring for two to three years from vintage date can provide some honey
and spice notes and develop an almost oily texture.
SAUVIGNON BLANC
Church Road Sauvignon Blanc is made in a style that expresses the fresh vibrancy of the variety from a cooler vineyard.
It is best drunk young when the flavours are at their purest.
Church Road McDonald Series Sauvignon Blanc is enjoyable as a young wine and should age well over the medium term.
Church Road Grand Reserve Sauvignon Blanc is grown in a warmer vineyard, hand-harvested, whole-bunch pressed
and barrel fermented. This style of Sauvignon Blanc can age gracefully for several years with some appealing mineral /
nutty / waxy characters developing while the palate becomes rounder and more textural. These wines can mature
positively for up to seven years.
VIOGNIER
The appeal of this variety is the apricot, musk and spice aromas, and the wines are best enjoyed young while these
aromatics are at their freshest. The aromatics appear to withstand short-term ageing, and drinking three years out
from vintage date is no problem.
MERLOT, CABERNET SAUVIGNON AND BLENDS
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and blends of the three can age very well and are suitable for mid to long term
cellaring (four to 15+ years).
Red blends develop lovely earth and leather complexity with age, and often become more aromatic with the
development of more cedar, sandalwood and dried lavender or dried rose-like characters. However they should still
have a core of dark fruit. On the palate, the more highly structured wines become softer and apparently fuller.
The Church Road Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon is built for earlier release and is very drinkable as a young wine.
Drink early for lots of rich primary berryfruit characters, or age to develop some earthy and savoury notes.
The Church Road McDonald Series and Church Road Grand Reserve ranges are more strongly structured and will
benefit greatly from four or five years age from vintage date.
Church Road TOM can be very brooding early on and the wines really don’t start coming into their own until
eight to ten years from vintage date.
SYRAH
Medium to full-bodied with lovely supple tannin, Syrah is quite approachable young, but also ages well for five to ten
years or more. It retains a core of dark fruit and pepper, spice and floral notes which become overlaid with earthy,
leathery complexity which can be very appealing. The decision here is really whether you prefer the wines to be fruit
driven and aromatic (drink younger), or a little more complex and savoury.
PINOT NOIR
Lighter bodied than Syrah, but similarly Pinot Noir has an approachable structure in youth, so ageing to soften
the wine is not really needed. However complex savoury, forest floor and leather notes develop which can add
interest and complexity. Again it is a choice between this and the fresher, more fruit-driven flavours and aromas
of the younger wines. Expect ageing potential of between five and ten years.
MARZEMINO
Marzemino is a medium-bodied red with a supple tannin structure that makes the wine approachable in youth.
However they can age very slowly. As young wines they can appear a little closed aromatically, though decanting an
hour or so prior to serving will help to express the brambly fruit and floral notes. With three to five years cellaring
they start to open up and become more aromatic. With further age some appealing savoury and earthy notes become
apparent.
SAUVIGNON GRIS
Earlier vintages of Church Road McDonald Series Sauvignon Gris were made in a fruit-driven expressive style best
enjoyed when young. From 2013 we have started hand-harvesting and whole-bunch pressing which provides more
elegant and complex wines with good potential for ageing. We still have limited experience of this variety but expect
the wines from 2013 onward to age similarly as the Grand Reserve Sauvignon Blanc.
VERDELHO
Another new variety to our region, it is hand-picked and gently whole-bunch pressed providing a very gentle,
elegant palate texture that will age gracefully. Certainly after two years the inaugural release has opened up and has
built in weight and texture and has aged positively. Expect the wine to age well over the medium term (five years)
at least and keep an eye on the cellaring guide updated annually.
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
Pinot Gris
Merlot Cabernet
or Cabernet Merlot
Syrah
Pinot Noir
Rosé
2009
McDonald Series
Chardonnay
McDonald Series
Sauvignon Blanc
McDonald Series
Pinot Gris
McDonald Series
Sauvignon Gris
McDonald Series
Verdelho
McDonald Series
Cabernet Sauvignon
McDonald Series
Merlot
McDonald Series
Syrah
McDonald Series
Marzemino
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Church Road Cuve
Chardonnay
Church Road Cuve
Pinot Gris
Church Road Cuve
Sauvignon Blanc
Church Road Cuve
Sauvignon Gris
Church Road Cuve
Cabernet Sauvignon
Church Road Cuve
Merlot
Church Road Cuve
Marzemino
Church Road Cuve
Viognier
Church Road Cuve
Malbec
Reserve
Chardonnay
Reserve
Sauvignon Blanc
Reserve Viognier
Reserve
Merlot Cabernet or
Cabernet Merlot
Reserve Syrah
Reserve Noble
Semillon or Viognier
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
1998
TOM Merlot
Cabernet
or Cabernet Merlot
TOM Chardonnay
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015