Send to a friend

Print

del.icio.us this

Digg this

Winemaker of the Year 2009 finalists: Ray Nadeson & Maree Collis - Lethbridge Wines

Ray Nadeson and Maree Collis of Lethbridge Wines have transcended their ambitions through trial and error and open-mindedness. Steeped in a culture of scientific research and grounded in the reality of physical toil this remarkable couple are making exquisite wines of individuality and voice of place. With vines planted only 12 years ago, Lethbridge Wines is the Australian fine wine dream built with imagination, determination, perspiration, integrity and confidence.

It takes a decade of vintages to gauge the quality of a vineyard or the craft of the wine maker. For Ray Nadeson, an academic at Monash University’s Department of Anaesthetics, it was a regular Wednesday afternoon of philosophical conversations and wine tasting with physician Adrian Thomas (now based in the United States). Nadeson’s partner Maree Collis, a research scientist in medicinal chemistry, would make up a PhD triumvirate of unprecedented brainpower. This unusual group of 20-something wine lovers tasted, debated and fell in love with the classic wines of the world, eventually gravitating towards the savoury wines of Europe and buying a property in the Moorabool Valley in Geelong (12kms from Bannockburn).

Nadeson and Collis, who both studied winemaking at Charles Sturt University at Wagga Wagga, credit neighbour Ken Campbell of Mount Duneed as their most influential supporter; “He has been a fabulous mentor. With an academic background and longstanding experience in the region, he acted just like a PhD supervisor always challenging us about how or why we were doing things,” says Nadeson. “He taught us how to grow grapes and make the best of our vineyard site.” Wine-man Doug Neal, erstwhile of Giaconda, an intuitive taster and long-term friend, has been a sounding board since 2003.

First vintage took place in 1999 on the front verandah. Soon after, Nadeson began building a straw-bale winery with his own hands. The 2000 vintage took place without a roof. With long service leave extinguished and the realisation that this project was no longer a hobby, Nadeson and Collis finally left their day-jobs. In 2000 Lethbridge Wines made seven barrels. In 2009 production has increased to 400 barrels and a bewildering but impressive line-up of 16 different wines. During the same period their household increased by 100 per cent with an extra three children along the way; conveniently their reserve wines are named Indra Shiraz, Mietta Pinot Noir, Allegra Chardonnay and Hugo George Merlot Cabernet.

Collis describes Nadeson as “all or nothing; he never stops thinking about wine. He is very physically involved whereas I act as an executive winemaker. We make all the critical decisions together. Our wines are very much a reflection of mutual trust, our own thinking,  disciplines and a shared philosophy.”

The gentle sloping Lethbridge Estate Vineyard, comprising both black mulching clays over basalt and sandy clay loams and ironstone, was planted in 1996. It is a jigsaw puzzle of grape varieties including chardonnay, pinot noir, shiraz, sangiovese, merlot and zinfandel. Nadeson also leases Ken Campbell’s Rebenberg Vineyard – which began Geelong’s renaissance as one of Victoria’s premier wine districts. Biodynamic principles are followed; a philosophy that conjoins Australia’s most thoughtful wine producers.

There is a clarity, vibrancy and minerality that pervades through all of Lethbridge wines. While it was the beautifully pitched Allegra Chardonnay that filled the trophy cabinet this year, it is the Mietta Pinot Noir that is the most interesting and confounding. Its sublunary beauty evokes the physicality of vineyard site and underscores Nadeson and Collis’ individuality and promise. The pattern of style differs because of its earthy complexity, muscular texture, paradox of prettiness and potential for longevity.

Ray Nadeson and Maree Collis are among the brightest and most hard working stars of the contemporary Australian wine industry. Their personalities and their wines illuminate the fine wine landscape and add something extra to our emerging identity. This is a significant and moving achievement; a triumph in fact.

TEXT ANDREW CAILLARD MW PHOTOGRAPHY LETHBRIDGE WINES

This article appeared in the June/July 2009 issue of Gourmet Traveller WINE.