Introduction
With the recent announcement that Philip Shaw will be devoting more time to his eponymous wine label, and less time to Cumulus Wines, FirstPress thought it timely to speak with Philip about his aspirations for Philip Shaw Wines.
For our overseas readers, Philip has one of the most impressive resumes in the Australian wine industry, having worked his entire life trying new and engaging approaches to viticulture, wine-making and marketing. Amongst other accolades, Philip was Australian Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine’s Winemaker of the Year in 1999.
Over a strong cappuccino in Sydney’s Strand Arcade, we covered a wide range of subjects.
FP: It is fair to say that you are one of the shining lights of wine-making in Australia over the past 3 decades. To begin can you give our readers a little on your background and experience in the industry?
PS: I was inspired to make my first wine at the age of 12 or 13 after a visit to what was then the Roseworthy Agricultural College in South Australia. I always wanted to work on the land, originally as a farmer. After high school I studied at Roseworthy (now part of the University of Adelaide) for 5 years, and then joined Lindemans Wines (now part of Fosters Wine Group) at their facility in Corowa on the Murray River, where I gained valuable experience.
At the age of 23 I was assigned the task of building and operating what was then one of the largest wineries (crush capacity of 50,000 tonnes and storage capacity of 50,000,000 litres) in the southern hemisphere at Karadoc, near Mildura.
In the early 1980s I became involved with the Oatley family and the Rosemount wines. We started out there with a limited range of low to mid priced wines in expressive, bigger (at least by the standards of the day), fruitier styles. The wines won a swag of trophies and medals at the Hunter Wine Show awards, and sales took off. We then began exploring early drinking reds, as we were fortunate to have a wide variety of vineyard sites around Australia that took advantage of the varied soil types and regional climates.
With the reverse takeover of Southcorp Wines (Penfolds, Lindemans, Wynns, Devil’s Lair and a dozen other reputable brands) by Rosemount, I became chief winemaker for the entire group. I left that somewhat flawed corporate entity in 2004, before it was in turn acquired by drinks giant Foster’s.
Around that time I became involved with Cumulus Wines, the company that rose from the ashes of Cabonne Wines / Reynolds Wines in the Orange district. Since 2004 until just recently I was both chief executive and chief winemaker at Cumulus, and I am proud of what the young team has developed there under the Rolling (Central Ranges) and Climbing (Orange) labels.
FP: You’ve made wines for some of the great commercial labels in the Australian industry over the last couple of decades. What prompted you to “set up shop” in the Orange district under your own name?
PS: Actually I spent years looking for the ideal site. One day back in the late 1980s when I was with Rosemount, we flew over the Orange district, and it caught my eye. I researched the usual vineyard selection parameters (soil, rainfall, peak summer temps, latitude, etc) and decided to make another visit. Amazingly I identified the Koomooloo Vineyard site within 4 hours, and about 12 months later it was mine. I’ve long had a theory that ideal grape growing regions are where apple orchards have succeeded. Indeed Orange had a history of grape growing at the turn of the 19th century, and it has a long-held reputation for producing fine apples.
FP: You’ve certainly held responsible wine-making jobs, and yet you managed to find the time to establish Philip Shaw Wines in 1988. With the vineyard based at Caldwell Lane, Orange, where do you process the grapes and turn them into the range of Philip Shaw Wines?
PS: We planted most of the 46 hectares at Koomooloo Vineyard in 1988 and 1989. I wanted to wait enough time to ensure the vines were mature enough from which to make wine. We currently produce around 10,000 cases per vintage, with aspirations to be bigger. By the way we’ve just purchased an old apple orchard just past Orange Racecourse with some classic old bluestone buildings, which will be ideal for establishing tasting rooms, and maybe more.
FP: Can you explain why you chose to plant the varieties of sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, shiraz, merlot cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon?
PS: Well Orange is unique place to grow grapes. The range of altitudes affords us the opportunity to plant and cultivate a wide range of varieties. I like to plant as many varieties as possible, and make wines from them to determine which is best suited to the particular locations, altitudes and aspects. That way, distinctive wines can be made that reflect the region. If something is unsuccessful or doesn’t thrive, we can always graft them to a more successful or robust variety.
FP: What is the style of wine Philip Shaw Wines is trying to develop for each of the varieties?
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Chardonnay
- Shiraz
- Merlot
- Cabernet Franc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Pinot Noir
PS: I’m looking to make wines with a softness, a texture, an elegance. And we put in a huge effort to deliver these complex, varietal fruit-driven wines. You only get one shot per year, and we are subject to all the agricultural and climate risks. It is not like making beer!
I believe that the winemaker’s job is to finish off in the winery what has been accomplished in the vineyard. So controlling the grape crop in the vineyard is paramount, ensuring that there is only a single bunch per shoot, thinning the bunches three times during vintage, and generally hand-tending the vines. The aim is to get ripe fruit at low baume.
Right now I’m excited by the emerging possibilities with a newly acquired Merlot clone. Merlot has great prospects. We’ve also grafted some new Pinot Noir clones onto old root stock and have high hopes for those.
FP: FP has been a fan of some makers’ versions of predominantly cabernet franc wines, such as Mt Tanglefoot from Victoria. What is Philip Shaw Wines approach to this variety?
PS: We like to innovate, so we’ll just have to see what evolves through that process. Cabernet Franc blends nicely with Merlot and with Cabernet Sauvignon. Our No.17 Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet 2006 is a fine example of how they marry so well together. There will be other blending opportunities for all our “Bordeaux” red grapes. Since we “hand polish” our berries, we’ll have great fruit to work with.
FP: There has been much debate over whether Australia should be producing big, fruity, alcoholic wines or more balanced, lower alcohol, food friendly wines. Indeed even some of Australia’s most respected wine writers appear, on accasions to being swayed towards bigger wines. How do you react to that?
PS: It is a vibrant debate. Robert Parker’s penchant for big fruity, alcoholic wines does seep into the consciousness of many other writers. Those styles have become fashionable. The reality is that there is room for a range of styles. At De Bortoli wines, Steve Webber makes innovative wines, using less new oak, and picking fruit at its prime. I’m pro innovation, and for trying different approaches. It could be a concern for South Australian producers if high alcoholic wines ever fall out of favour.
FP: What are the challenges facing Philip Shaw Wines?
PS: We don’t want to take a conservative, conventional approach to our wine-making. We want to continually push boundaries, explore new directions, and try things … like getting the best out of our merlot vines, and refining it into great wine. Those are our internal challenges, and the external challenge is to get more recognition for that work from writers, critics, wine enthusiasts and the public.
FP: Philip Shaw Wines continue to be distributed through Cumulus Wines system and channels, but what does that mean form availability and accessibility for Australian consumers?
PS: It is fair to say that the Rolling and Climbing brands of Cumulus Wines are in broader distribution across Australia through Dan Murphy’s, Vintage Cellars, and the other chains owned by the major supermarkets. They are not the locations where Philip Shaw Wines necessarily do best. In Sydney, specialist retailers like Porters, Ultimo Wine Centre, Camperdown Cellars, and Kemeny’s at Bondi carry many of our wines. For your readers in other states they can call Cumulus Wines on (02) 8977-2800 or e-mail them at sales@cumuluswines.com.au for the latest information on their nearest retailer.
FP: Is there any international distribution of Philip Shaw Wines?
P.S: Yes. Once again our wines are distributed in the US, the UK, Europe and Asia via Cumulus Wines in those markets.
With that we wrapped up our interview, and Philip made his way to the international airport to begin a 10 day trip to the US to visit friends and distributors. Philip Shaw’s life is as busy as ever, and he’s enjoying having his own space. It is clear that he feels very fortunate to have had a career doing something he is passionate about.
FirstPress believes we will continue to see, read about, and drink the fruits of Philip Shaw’s labours for years to come.
For more information on Philip Shaw Wines visit www.philipshaw.com.au