Wine tasting these days can be quite an impersonal “pour and swill” operation and only a few select wineries take the time to explain their vision and philosophy. Zimmerman’s Wines falls into the latter category with each wine tasting reminiscent of a personal wine consultation.
The winery is owned and run by Hans and Ulrike Zimmermann, who settled in the McLaren Vale after coming out from North Germany. Their heritage shows through in their hospitality and the style of wines they make. Take the Arneis for example, normally a lighter crisp and floral variety from Italy the few examples made in Australia are normally light, insipid and not very complex. The Zimmerman Arneis is a much better example showing finesse, great mouth feel and only 12% alcohol making it a great food wine.
The whole experience was enhanced by the studio setting with tables and chairs surrounded by Ulrike’s art pieces. Sitting at the tables and sampling the wines while overlooking the hilly vineyards and dams is complimented by the commentary from Ulrike. Stories about the wines and the philosophy behind them are interspaced by Ulrike disappearing into the cellar to get the next bottle to try.
The wines are definitely in the lighter European style – made for enjoying with food. The Merlot is quite savory, with some herbaceous notes and the fruit on a lighter side more in the Italian style. The standout is the Shiraz which they pride themselves on how well they age, offering back vintages with a ‘not insignificant’ premium. Of the two Shiraz’s we sampled one was quite elegant and medium bodied while the other was showing some warm stewed characteristics indicating a warmer year or a hot ferment.
It was a pleasure to receive Ulrikes hospitality and a visit here is highly recommended. Please note that their website has not been updated to reflect the latest vintages and it may be a good idea to call ahead to make sure they are open for tastings: http://www.zimmermannwine.com/
And in the meantime…enjoy some wine.