A new star producer from Beechworth : Domenica & Two Cells

I was wandering around the huge 3 Winos tasting today and spotted a name that rang a bell in the back of my mind – Domenica. 

Domenica is the label of Beechworth’s Peter Graham, ex-Giaconda assistant winemaker (of 13 years) and also joint partner with Rick Kinzbrunner and Michel Chapoutier in the Ergo Sum vineyard project.

In 2012, Peter bought out Rick and Michel to claim the 20 year old Ergo Sum (nee Nantua) vineyard for himself, releasing the wines under the Domenica label.

Given the history of the wines produced from this vineyard (including the famous Nantua Roussanne blends and the Giaconda Nebbiolo), it is of little surprise that the Domenica wines are immediately impressive. Yet that is doing the quality a disservice – these are seriously stylish, cool-climate wines of texture and grace, all at a serious discount to Giaconda.

Part of the reason why these are so successful is that plenty of the ‘model’ Giaconda winemaking style has been brought over too. Think multi-batch wild ferments, careful (and occasionally extended) barrel ferment and maturation, long pre and post ferment maceration for the reds and whole bunch pressing/oxidative winemaking for the whites.

With such a combination of site and thoughtful winemaking, it’s of little wonder that these Domenica wines have such consistent weight, texture and acidity.

But I digress…

What’s even more satisfying is that Peter is a genuinely affable and honest winemaker/producer, more than happy to critique his own wines in the bottle. I dig that.

On show today was the rich and almost too full 2012 Domenica Chardonnay, which had more than a few Giaconda pangs, plus the wonderfully textural 2012 Domenica Roussanne Marsanne, which was a wonderful reminder of just how delicious the old Nantua blends were.

The stars of the range, however, was both the 2011 Domenica Shiraz and the cheaper ‘Two Cells’ Shiraz. The difference between these two wines? Just a few classification decisions, with the best barriques going under the $40 Domenica label and the rest to the $25 Two Cells.

Current vintage of both was 2011 and even in this light and tricky year the wines looked svelte and stylish, the Domenica an ultra long, sophisticated and fragrant number driven by acid and a cavalcade of pepper and spice (plenty of whole bunch in the blend methinks), the Two Cells richer and rounder (but still ultra-stylish). A quick taste of the 2012 Two Cells Shiraz revealed a supremely tannic, long and mouthfilling red with Grampians-esque ripeness, yet the perfume and rocky acidity of Beechworth, pointing to superstardom for the 2012 Domenica Shiraz…

Demand, apparently, is strong, and given the price versus the quality on offer, it’s little wonder. I’d buy them in a heartbeat.

Domenica website.