Barrecas wines is a producer from Donnybrook, a small town on the South Western Highway, some 200 kilometers south of Perth, that lays on Western Australia’s Geographe wine region, an area that owes its name to Le Geographe, the ship of French explorer Nicolas Baudin, who christened the area during a notorious scientific expedition in the beginning of the 19th century.
The winery was established in 1994, after Filippo Barrecas discovered his vocation for winemaking following a trip to Sicily that culminated in a work experience at a local winery that defined his life path. Currently, Barrecas wines is still a family owned and operated business, despite the cultivated area of approximately 46 hectares that yields a broad wine portfolio that ranges from sparkling to Port. Besides wine, the producer also makes extra virgin olive oil.
I met Fillipo’s wife, Kelly, at the cellar door, for wine tasting of their range, in a very friendly setting. These are the three wines that make their way to Perth.
The following tasting notes are succinct, not because of the wines lack of interest, but because, sometimes, rather than dissecting a moment or what it brings us, the most important thing is to feel, to enjoy, to live.
A fine combination of Italian and French varieties. Young, fruit forward and fruit driven, full of currants and cherry, with a floral touch that resembles the violets that are typical of the Tuscan variety. In spite of this exuberance in the nose, the dry and firm palate guarantees versatility and an always welcome gastronomic side. It’s a powerful, extracted red with enough depth and freshness to keep things balanced. Nice!
Shiraz & Malbec 2017
60% Shiraz, 40% Malbec. Again, big, bold and fruity. Riper and darker than the Sangiovese/Merlot blend, but still really fruit forward, in spite of what I noticed as slightly earthy, savoury elements. Shiraz is the predominant variety in the producer’s vineyards and often takes sweet and warm contours in the Geographe region, with an alcoholic tendency that demands optimum acidity to balance. And they did it. A cute wine that’s also happy.
Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot 2017
Once more, the ripeness of the fruit was the clincher. Interesting that both Cabernet and Merlot were initially developed and gained fame in colder climates, giving wines that shone via greener shades. Still, the remarkable fruity core of this full bodied red comes along with a very interesting added complexity: pine and cedar, vanilla and chocolate. And the end result is really compelling.
In a nutshell, all the wines showed very well-made and pleasant, big and powerful, but without this representing imbalance. Let’s add to this quality the very reasonable prices practiced, we end up with a great range of really remarkable wines, by themselves and for their value for money… in a place to visit.
