Burn Cottage — Attraction in Cromwell Community

Wine review - Burn Cottage 2015

Burn cottage is owned by the Sauvage family, which also owns the Koehler Ruprecht estate in Pfalz. The wines here are made by Claire Mulholland, who completed stints at Martinborough and Amisfield prior to joining Burn Cottage. The winemaking consultant here is Ted Lemon of Littorai fame. Most of the Burn cottage wines accessible to me are young, hence it was nice to be able to access a 2015 burn cottage and take it for a spin. I associate Burn cottage with bright red fruits with seductive floral phenolics, racing out with a little swirling, beckoning you in for more with an intoxicating bouquet. The backvintage version however is a little more shy, a dense amalgamation of cherry and blackcurrant pie, interlaced with the tertiary notes of forest floor and autumn chanterelles. The acidity and integration are absolutely on point, and through some oxygen exposure, further complexity in the form of dried alpine herbs and tobacco leaves are coaxed out. The finish is tainted by a slight amount of alcoholic heat, but this is not as unpleasant as it sounds. I already enjoy having Burn Cottage PN young, but the aged version presents a compelling counterpoint to what is a very well made wine deserving of all...

Another stellar winery making magic in the area. Sitting on the foothill of Pisa ranges comes the Burn Cottage Pinots (Sauvage from Bannockburn). Wine maker Claire is an OG in the area, previously at Chard, Rippon and Valli (this is the most interesting one as BC and Valli swap several barrels each vintage to do a crossover). Not limited to Aus, she has also spent time at Burgundy’s Cote de Nuit at Domaine De L’Arlot and Domaine Dujac (the influence is noticeable)

The ’19 was the standout for me. It’s like the making of a mulled wine with the fruits and spices, freshly squeezed glass of berries, plums and violets. It has vibrancy and a great mouthfeel, conplexity and poise. Second was the Sauvage, same style but different fruits. The tannin is in your face and confronting, wanting to pick a battle with your senses. I’d love it with a confit duck or some hard cheese.

Another winery focusing on the fruit (biodynamic), doing less with more. Love it!

Note, wine tasting is NOT where the vineyards are. You will need to book in advance and head into Cromwell...

The experience was intimate and so good. Andy did a good job in explaining all the wines and the histories and the structures of the vineyard etc. Had a really good chat and the best winery experience we’ve had in...