Angove Family Winemakers have been dedicated supporters of the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) in its work to save the wild koala for over 10 years.
"Bear Crossing" wine with its delightfully iconic label was created especially for the AKF to raise money through wine sales and create awareness of the plight of wild koala.
For information go to
www.savethekoala.com
REGION:
South Australia, 2009
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING:
The grapes for this wine were sourced from Angove's own Nanya vineyards and premium growers in the Riverland region.
The 2009 Vintage was relatively cool, the exception being a short heatwave in February. This cooler year has been great for aromatic varietal expression, and a general lack of disease pressure has allowed us to harvest the fruit at optimal ripeness. White varieties also benefited from a juicy natural acidity contributing to excellent palate weight and flavour persistence overall.
Picked late at night to harvest the grapes as cold as possible the grapes were transported to the winery and pressed using modern membrane tank presses. After cold settling the clear juice was carefully racked to cooled fermentation tanks and inoculated with selected yeasts. Cool fermentation was followed by minimal handling filtration and bottling at the Angove's winery.
WINEMAKERS' NOTES:
Attractive pale-medium straw colour with green hues. Aromas of ripe stone fruit, melon and peach abound in this superb Australian Chardonnay. The palate has good weight, peach and melon flavours dominating with a hint of citrus, tasty vanillin oak, good length and a soft smooth finish.
This wine is delicious on its own, but is also a perfect partner to seafood paella, roast chicken and creamy pasta dishes.
TECHNICAL:
Variety: Chardonnay
Alcohol: 13.0%
Total Acidity: 6.1 gms/l
Residual Sugar: 5 gms/l
Every bottle of Angove's Bear Crossing sold throughout the world generates funding to assist the Australian Koala Foundation in their efforts to save the Koala.
Hubrecht Duijker - Netherlands Wine Writer - Interview with John Angove - October 2008
Bear Crossing Chardonnay 2007
'Characterized by up front citrus fruit and juicy tropical notes are a temptation.'
Wine Trade Winds Diary May 2006 - Canada Tasting Australian Wines - Bear Crossing Chardonnay 2004
"French oak chip on the finish, strong vanilla component."
Toronto Star (Canada)
Bear Crossing Chardonnay 2003 and 2004
87 Points
A crisp chardonnay for 2003 and 2004, showing more vinafication in stainless steel than oak. Aromas of lemon blossom, lime, melon and a hint of butter and cashews. Flavours unfold with spicy pear, lime and just a slight note of vanilla from minimal exposure to wood. The finish reveals spicy apple, pear and lemon.
Gordon Stimmell - 18th January 2006
DININGOUTGUIDE.COM
Bear Crossing Chardonnay 2004
This wine has good fresh peach and melon fruit, the oak is pleasantly subtle and the finish is crisp and dry. Great value!
Bruce Stephen, 16th October, 2005
HERALD SUN
Bear Crossing Chardonnay 2004 - 4 Stars - Watch out for koalas on the roads and on the labels. That's the message from Angove's, which informs us that July is Save the Koala month. A percentage of sales of the various Bear Crossing wines go to koala preservation and after sharing a bottle of this handy Riverland chardonnay, you too could easily become cute and cuddly. It's a soft and fruity style, simple and basic but easy to quaff and not unfairly priced. Bear up and try a bottle.
Paddy Kendler, Victoria- 13/7/04
WINESTATE
Bear Crossing Chardonnay 2004 - 3 Stars - Ripe varietal nose a bit like apples. Nutty, well-balanced palate showing good use of oak.
2010 Vintage - Concours Mondial Bruxelles 2011 - Silver
2009 Vintage - Concours Mondial Bruxelles 2010 - GOLD
2009 Vintage - Berliner Wine Trophy - GOLD
2008 Vintage - Int. Wine Challenge 2009, Commended
2006 Vintage - Int. Wine Challenge 2008, Commended
2005 Vintage - Vino Revue Prague Trophy Competition 2007, Bronze
2004 Vintage - International Wine Challenge 2005, Seal of Approval
2005 Vintage - Rutherglen Wine Show 2005, Class 103, Bronze
2005 Vintage - Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2005, Class 2, Bronze
2004 Vintage - Rutherglen Wine Show 2004, Bronze
2003 Vintage - SFO Int'l Wine Competition 2004, Bronze
2003 Vintage - Sydney Royal Wine Show 2003, Bronze
2003 Vintage - Aust. Inland Wine Show 2003,Commended
2002 Vintage - Ottawa Wine & Food Show, 2004, Gold
2002 Vintage - Riverland Wine Show 2003, Bronze
2002 Vintage - Perth Royal Wine Show 2003, Bronze
2002 Vintage - San Francisco Int'l Wine Comp 2003, Bronze
2002 Vintage - RNA Brisbane Wine Show 2003, Bronze
2002 Vintage - Royal Perth Show 2002, Bronze
REGION:
South Australia, 2008
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING:
Sourced from our Nanya Vineyard in the Riverland, and from selected long-term growers in the Renmark area.
2008 was an early vintage of low yields and these Chardonnay grapes were some of the first of our harvest. Careful water use and canopy management was essential for harvest of high quality fruit.
Picked late at night to harvest the grapes as cold as possible the grapes were transported to the winery and pressed using modern membrane tank presses. After cold settling the clear juice was carefully racked to cooled fermentation tanks and inoculated with selected yeasts. Cool fermentation was followed by minimal handling, filtration and bottling at the Angove BRC Accredited winery.
WINEMAKERS' NOTES:
This wine is an attractive pale-medium straw with green hues. Aromas of ripe stone fruit, melon and peach abound in this superb Australian Chardonnay. The palate has good weight with peach and melon flavours dominating with a hint of citrus, tasty vanillin oak, good length and a soft smooth finish.
This wine is delicious on its own, but is also a perfect partner to seafood paella, roast chicken and creamy pasta dishes.
TECHNICAL:
Variety: Chardonnay
Alcohol: 13.5%
Total Acidity: 6.5 gms/l
Residual Sugar: 3.8 gms/l