Top Barossa winemaker hosts Douglas Shire tasting
Lambert Estate Wines
Lambert Estate has gained a reputation for outstanding wines with several in the range that are set to make a big impression in FNQ. Ahead of the Winery’s first tasting in Port Douglas next week, Newsport spoke to Jim Lambert to find out more about these unique wines.
Situated in one of the country’s most stunning regions, is what must be one of the country’s most stunning vineyards, the Lambert Estate.
The Estate is nestled in the rolling hills to the west of Angaston in the beautiful Barossa wine country, and the Lambert Estate is blessed with some of the region’s finest soils and climatic conditions.
“Because we are a little higher in elevation than much of the Barossa Valley to the east, it’s a pristine and unspoiled location that produces intense and complex wines,” says owner and founder, Jim Lambert says.
Jim is a Wisconsin native and, after coming to Australia in the 90s with his wife and co-founder Pam, he fell in love with the Barossa Valley and the rolling hills that would eventually become Lambert Estate.
The Barossa Valley is one of the best premium wine producing valleys in the world due to its long, hot and dry growing season. The Lambert Estate is perched on the edge a little higher up – right next to the Eden Valley – and that affords it its own microclimate.
According to Jim, that’s part of the reason why every bottle of Lambert Estate wine is unique and special.
“It’s a little cooler up here and that means our grapes can hang on the vines for a longer. We find that extra couple of weeks of growing before harvest allows for plenty of extra flavour,” he adds.
Lambert Estate produces a large range of wines and while this is a feature of the region, Jim told Newsport that their large range is due to another reason.
“We grow all our own grapes here, 11 different varieties and 20 different wines, and it’s mostly just because I like drinking lots of different wines,” Jim laughs. Fair enough!
There are no signs of slowing down either with another 16,000 vines very recently going in on the Estate.
These days Jim has handed over most of the day to day operations to his son Kirk and Daughter-in-Law Vanesa but says he still performs his most important role.
“My role now is mainly CTO, Chief Tasting Officer, and it’s a demanding role that requires my full attention during lunchtime and most afternoons!”
Northern delights
So which wines should people be on the lookout for at the local bottleshop or favourite restaurant?
“When I’m up North, I definitely tend to favour whites and roses over reds, particularly in summer or whenever it’s hot,” Jim reckons.
“I really love our First Kiss rosé on those days when you don’t quite feel like a white and you don’t feel like a red either, it’s a good in-betweener. It’s a zinfandel rosé so it’s a pale pink and it’s very light and refreshing!
“I also love our riesling, it’s very crisp. We actually have two, a sweet and a dry. Obviously with riesling there’s no right or wrong one; personally I prefer the drier one because that’s just who I am! It’s great with seafood as well so you can’t go wrong up there on the reef.
It’s hard to argue with that!
Lambert Estate Winery is hosting wine tastings at:
- Friday 26 November: BottleO Mossman (Woolworths)
- Friday 3rd December: IGA Craiglie
- Port Douglas (time and location TBD)