I heard from my PR contacts at Trinchero Family Estates, who have been working in partnership with Angove Family Winemakers, that Tim Boydell, their senior vice president, was making a visit to Dallas and had a great story to tell me about their history and their wines.
Tim Boydell was brought on several years ago to help the winery manage change. That’s tough at a winery that has been part of the family business for 127 years and is currently on its fifth generation, but with Australia’s renewed focus on quality wines, biodynamic processes and expanding its reputation for world-class wine, the family knew it needed to invest to grow. Tim chuckles at the time he provided John Angove, the Chairman, with his strategic plan for the winery which involved writing a check “with many zeros.”
First, a bit of history about the Winery’s Founder William T. Angove, MD, who came from Cornwall, England to Adelaide in 1886. Like most doctors of his time, wine was used for medicinal purposes and he developed a vineyard. Like many, his hobby became his passion and he started making wine full time after he closed his practice a year later.
Today Angove is a major player in Australia. It provides about 1 million cases of wines per year, which includes 14 different labels. It is the eighth largest Australian winery and exports half of its production to more than 40 countries. The Angove shield depicts the family interests of mining and winemaking.
We tried a number of wines that showcased why Australian wines have been scored so highly over the last year or two. Here was the line-up:
- 2010 Angove Warboys Vineyard Range – an elegant mix of licorice, berry and spice with lots of fruit and finesse
- 2010 The Medhyk – this is the Angove’s approach to a flagship wine. Lots of chocolate, spice, black fruit and terrior. I loved this wine.
- 2008 Coonawara Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard Selection — all fruit up front. Meat in a glass, screams for food, blackberry, cassis, mocha and oak.
- 2012 Dr Angove “The Recipe” – red blend that was made specifically for the US market that was based on the wines he used to make in England. Very juicy with mocha and cedar.
- 2012 Nine Vines Moscato – oldest grapes in Australia which result in a wonderful dessert wine with hints of orange blossom, honeysuckle and apricot.
Unfortunately because the Four Seasons appeared to have no understanding of Friday Dallas traffic from Las Colinas to the West Village, we had to cut our visit short. But, based on the Australian hospitality and the quality of the wines that I tried that day, I was glad to find out Texas is the number one US market for Angove Wines. I look forward to watching what comes from Angove Family Winemakers.
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