Wine
Metala - Bringing Fortified Wines Back in Style
A RETURN TO STRENGTH FOR THIS ICONIC AUSTRALIAN WINE BRAND.
It’s been a productive couple of years for Metala Vineyards: reclaiming its place of origin after a decades-long fight, resurrecting a legendary Australian wine brand, championing Langhorne Creek winemaking, producing new and exciting wines, and winning accolades around the world in the process.
Now, with its future looking so bright, a desire to revisit the past has been awakened - with the help of an old friend, Australian winemaking legend Nigel Dolan.
The call of history Metala is responding to is the legacy of its fortifieds, once such a considerable part of its output - and a style that many feel deserves to be celebrated and enjoyed once more. To this end, the winery is recommencing its fortified programme - and while the fruits of this labour will not be tasted for some time yet, it is a tantalising and exciting prospect.
“The history of fortifieds at Metala goes back a long way,” says former Stonyfell winemaker and now winemaking consultant at Metala, Nigel Dolan. “The industry for a long time was geared towards these wines, and the Metala Vineyard produced many.”
Dolan cites the 1945 Vintage Port, made at Stonyfell by then-winemaker Jack Kilgour. “This wine won numerous Trophies and Gold medals and became an icon of its style in the Australian Wine Industry,” says Dolan.
“Later my father Brian, also at Stonyfell, made vintage ports from Metala, most notably the 1971, 1972 and 1973 vintages. All terrific wines which won many accolades and awards.”
JIM URLWIN, NIGEL DOLAN, AND THE RETURN OF METALA FORTIFIEDS
With such a strong history of fortified production under their belt, it’s no wonder Metala is revisiting an old favourite.
“A lot of those old fortifieds that came from Metala have legendary reputations, and there aren’t many left!” says current chief winemaker Jim Urlwin. “The vines that those wines were made from are still the same, just older (just like Nigel).”
“I’ve always had a huge interest in the history of the Australian wine industry,” he continues. “It’s fascinating for me working with Nigel and gaining insights from his experience and family history with this property. The passion that Nigel has when he speaks of the wines made by his father is quite infectious.”
By re-introducing the fortified program, Metala is re-connecting not just itself, but generations of Australian wine lovers old and new with that history, helping to preserve Metala’s cultural heritage and restore an important chapter in the story of Australian wine. “It will also give interested consumers a chance to taste what those wines were like all those years ago,” says Urlwin.
It’s a development that Dolan feels energised by. “While the appetite for fortified wines has now decreased, the potential and pedigree to continue to produce these wines from Metala is real and exciting,” he says. “The current winemaking team are working on just this. A lot to remember and also to look forward to.”
A mouth-watering prospect, to be sure - for us, the future of Metala fortifieds can’t come fast enough!
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