My first visit to the Land of Oz was back in 2015, and it was magical. But as with many first time experiences, it was too brief, slightly overwhelming and looking back on it, I could have done better. So the second time around, I did a bit more research. I reached out to my contact at Wine Australia and asked if he knew any winemakers that were looking for American importers. One of the recommendations was to visit Damon and Jono in the Clare.

A small orientation of Australia- it is frigging huge! And also quite empty. Geographically speaking, it is as big as the continental US but only has about 25 million residents compared to our 330+. 90% of the population live within 65 miles of an ocean, with the Clare Valley being no different. The closest city is Adelaide, the capitol of South Australia- a state that accounts for about 2/3 of the country's wine production. It is home to some of the world's oldest continuously producing vines having been protected from disease by a combination of the outback, sandy soils, and forced isolation due to the British learning their lesson about letting colonies trade amongst themselves (thanks USA!). In California terms, if Sydney is akin to LA, Melbourne would be SF, then Adelaide is much more like San Diego or Sacramento if it was on the coast. A strict quarantine is in place between the Australian states to keep agricultural disease out. If you thought the Nevada/California border stop was something, try bringing an apple from Victoria into South Australia... No way mate!

About 2 hours north is the sleepy region of the Clare Valley. A region filled with contrasts and contradictions. It is HOT, but also makes some of the best Riesling in the world... huh? The neighboring behemoth is the Barossa Valley (Australia's version of Napa), settled by mostly German immigrants starting in the 1840s- hence the Riesling. The Clare benefits from being just about 50 miles from the cold Gulf of St. Vincent, feeding the frigid Antarctic fog into the outback and letting the Clare have one of the widest temperature swings in Australia- 45 or so degrees at the height of summer.

The Koerners have been in the Clare for three generations. Gullyview vineyard has been owned and managed by Christine & Anthony Koerner, for over 40 years! Their sons Damon and Jonathan (Jono) both studied at the University of Adelaide for Enology, and then it was off to Corsica for some hands on experience. The time on the French flag flying, but Italian culture leaning island has inspired them to work with off the beaten path varieties like Vermentino and Mammolo for their signature label. It also taught them the techniques of early harvest in a hot region, necessary for freshness in the Clare. 

There is also a distinct playfulness in all of their wines. Who said rosé needed to only have red grapes? Why not pick Cabernet to taste like Bordeaux? Why does Pinot Gris have to be basic? You tasted their more avant garde label LEKO, exclusively from the Adelaide Hills in June. We hope to bring you their flagship Clare Valley estate label as part of the wine club next year. For now, a bit of both!

Brothers Koerner showcases two regions, the Clare Valley and the Adelaide Hills. Both areas are climatically unique and produce distinctly different wines. However, the aim is to make them in a similar way, picking fruit early and taking a minimal intervention approach to the winemaking.

The Clare Valley wines are produced from fruit grown within a 500m radius of the Watervale area in the Clare Valley, with the majority coming from their family vineyard, Gullyview. In 2017 Damon and his wife Maddy bought a property in Lenswood, which is now home to their winery. The Adelaide Hills project is working with select vineyards primarily in Piccadilly, Balhannah and Lenswood. They work with varieties suited to the cooler climate. Their focus is on classic varieties, with Brothers giving them a platform to continue experimenting with our winemaking across both regions.

The Koerner's winemaking philosophy is simple – to make wines that reflect their place in the world, wines that are made in the vineyard. They believe the date of picking is the most crucial part of the process. Once the grapes make their way to the winery, they work with each batch individually. An understanding of terroir and the individual varieties enables them to produce unique wines using nothing but the grapes and a small amount of sulphur. Organic practices are currently being implemented within their vineyards.  Ultimately the aim to make really good wine that appeals to all palates.