Crush, press, pump - vintage 22 is underway!

We’re no stranger to ups and downs, with all the happenings of the last couple years, and our vintage 22 was full of them. 

With a wet spring and less-than-optimal summer temperatures, it was definitely a challenging growing season.

But at Contentious Character, we don’t turn away from trials and we were still able to work some of our magic, like we always do. 

With our own vineyard in Wamboin, we were able to keep on top of the rain and stave off any potential diseases (did you know the netting to keep away those pesky flying foes?).

We’ve been slowly working through harvest, with the last of the red grapes due to come off over the Easter long weekend. We leave the red grapes until last so they can continue to ripen with deeper colours, higher sugar levels and more complex flavour profiles. 

Thanks to our foresight over 2020-21 with our growing arrangements, we’re also getting in some magnificent fruit from other regions. From Cowra, we’re already picked and processed our Shiraz, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Rosé and sparkling bases. For our Chardonnay and sparkling wine, the early picking time helps make sure the acidity and flavour of the grapes are perfectly balanced.

Mudgee has also delivered some uber-tasty Shiraz and Cabernet, alongside Chardonnay which we’ve got under oak, as well as some muscat, which will be laid down as a fortified wine. 

From Orange, we’ve also sourced some additional Pinot Noir and from the Hunter; Shiraz (which apparently is some of the best fruit from the region this season!)

Unfortunately the wet weather did significantly impact the vineyard in Bigga and the fruit there. However, we will be bottling the 2021 Pinot Noir mid-year and this is looking fantastic. We can’t wait to see what vintage 23 brings from Bigga. 

Over the coming months, we’ll continue to apply ourselves to getting these new wines settled and then onwards to bottling some of vintage 21 and vintage 22 wines.

For all those that have assisted us during this year’s harvest - a big thank you to you!

Gifting, the Contentious Way

Canberra Gifts, Done The Contentious Way

Never before has the sentiment of ‘support local’ been stronger and we’re here for it. Just 20 minutes from Canberra Airport is our Wamboin winery. Here you’ll find beautifully packaged gift hampers of quality, delicious locally and regionally produced goods. Order online with Australia-wide shipping or purchase on-site to treat a loved one. 

You’re On My Mind Hamper

This $49 hamper has all the ingredients for a little me-time.

Let us paint a picture for you. It’s been a looong week for your loved one. The doorbell rings. They open the front door to a package. They’re curious - what could possibly be inside? They’re already giggling at the wrapping, with our quirky manifesto all over it.

Inside, there’s a bottle of our 'Give Me One Good Riesling' 2021 Riesling, a jar of our house-made chutney and a bar of our soap that smells INSANE (it’s lemon, lime and coconut, as inspired by our Riesling, ICYW).

They remember life’s to be enjoyed and immediately chuck their OOO on. They grab a wine glass, some manchego cheese and rosemary crackers. And then with Ziggy Alberts playing in the background, they settle in for a slow, relaxing arvo on the sunlit deck... 

And who do they have to thank? You.

Inclusions:

• 1x bottle of Contentious Character wine from our Statement Range with quirky names like 'Give Me One Good Riesling'.
• 1x Contentious Character Chutney
• 1x Contentious Character Soap

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Pamper Me Hamper

We know how to make the best bath ever. 

It starts in an emerald green, antique claw foot bathtub, with gold fixtures. The water is just a few touches below scalding hot. It’s golden hour outside and the sun is casting long, romantic shadows in the bathroom. 

We throw in a Loveshak Sea Soak (Champagne with lavender and peppermint please) and let the salts, clay and oils steep…

While we’re waiting, we pour ourselves a generous glass of our ‘Coming Up Rosés’ 2021 Rosé; we barely get the lid back on the bottle before taking a sip, savouring those raspberry and strawberry tones.

We throw on some soulful tunes, pump in some Contentious Gerani Yum soap to really get those berry aromas going and…that’s us for the next hour or, dare we say it, two. 

Gift a loved one (or yourself) the ultimate bath with a $59 Pamper Me Hamper.

Inclusions:

• 1x bottle of Contentious Character wine from our Statement Range, with funny, punny names like 'Coming Up Rosés'
• 1x Loveshak Tea Soak
• 1x Loveshak mini test tube salt soak
• 1x Contentious Character soap

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The Gourmet Hamper

The makings of an indulgent, boozy afternoon picnic are found in this $59 hamper. 

It starts in a fragrant, verdant backyard, with colourful rugs spread out and giant, soft cushions. There’s an almost obnoxiously large platter in the middle, brimming with artisanal cheeses, cured meats, freshly baked focaccia, fig and olive crackers, grapes and berries and more. A bottle of our Pinot Noir is already opened, sitting pretty next to a set of shiny RIEDEL glasses.

An hour passes, just crumbs remain and glasses have long been empty. Just when you think it’s over, a beautifully ornate bowl of cherries, dotted with squares of Jasper & Myrtle chocolate appears. A large teapot pours out our Pinot Gris and Fabulous tea, a floral French Earl Grey tea that reminds us of a Parisian afternoon…

Even still, there’s really nowhere else we’d rather be. 

Inclusions:

• 1x bottle of Contentious Character wine from our Statement Range, with eyebrow-raising (and conversation-starting) names like 'Whiffle Waffle'.
• 1x Jasper & Myrtle's artisanal and award-winning chocolate bar (70g)
• 1x Contentious Character tea range, inspired by our wines

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The Ultimate Contentious Hamper

Tell them you love them in a BIG way with our $99 hamper. 

If the essence of our winery had to be captured and put into a box, this would be it.

For an at-home grazing board, we recommend some aged cheddar, an organic brie cheese and some creamy blue, alongside salami and proscuitto, with lavosh crackers and freshly baked baguette. On the side, a bunch of red grapes, crunchy green apple slices and squares of Jasper & Myrtle chocolate. And to tie it altogether, our trio box of condiments (a chutney, jam and honey) and two bottles of wine. 

Unfortunately, we can't package up the views but their taste buds will definitely think you're at our boutique winery in beautiful Wamboin!

Inclusions:

• 2 x bottles of Contentious Character wine from our Statement Range
• 2 x Jasper & Myrtle chocolate bars (70g)
• 1 x Contentious Character soap
• 1 x Contentious Character condiments trio pack

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The RIEDEL (Virtual) Wine Tasting Experience

If your loved ones are far away, they can still experience the Contentious way with a virtual wine tasting experience, in partnership with RIEDEL. 

For $280, we send out FOUR bottles of our best-selling wines alongside a set of 4 RIEDEL Performance Tasting glasses.

We pair the Sauvignon Blanc glass with our ‘Viva La Verdelho' 2021 Verdelho (it’s organic); the Chardonnay glass with our ‘Chardy Party’ 2021 Chardonnay; the Pinot Noir glass with our ‘Undercurrents Run Dry’ 2018 Pinot and the Cabernet/Merlot glass with our premium 2018 Merlot. 

We’ll organise a private virtual wine tasting for them so they can sip, savour and slosh in the comfort of their own home. 

We’ve learnt that distance is no matter when it comes to good friends, good food and good wine. We’d be honoured to be the maker of good times for your loved ones. 

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Vintage Wine Tasting with 3-course Lunch for 2

Please two people with one experience. 

It's 11am on a Saturday or Sunday and there's not a cloud in the sky. Your loved ones are about to taste up to 8 Contentious Character wines, spanning across aged vintages from our Founders Museum Collection and our more recent ranges. We pair our wines with a tasting plate of matched food elements such as cheeses from down the road in Wee Jasper and cold-cured, nitrate-free meats sourced locally.

With the taste buds well and truly tickled, they then enjoy a 2-course lunch that blends traditional Italian with contemporary Australian. Their meal is complemented with a glass of wine of their choice - and sweeping views of the Wamboin hills.

The sun is high in a bluebird sky when they leave, full and happy - and so reconnected, rejuvenated after a wild 2021. They say people never forget how you made them feel. You’ll be down in the good books for life with this one and all for just $270.

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Bespoke hampers + gift cards

And if nothing above quite fits, we can put together custom hampers for you, tailored to your budget. Simply email us at info@contentiouscharacter.com.au or call us on 02 62383830 to start creating your hamper. 

Gift cards are also available from $25 to $250. These can be spent in person or online. Whether they spend it on some cool-climate Canberran wine to drink over in WA, or they use it to book a wine tasting and lunch, they’re guaranteed to have a wonderful time.

SHOP GIFT CARDS

 

 

THE FUTURE OF COCKTAILS: A Canberran three-way has never tasted better.

Adapted from the Underground Spirits' blog

Two award-winning Canberra region producers and a cocktail guru. It sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it’s actually the future of cocktails, newly launched.

We’ve teamed up with Underground Spirits, and Canberra’s cocktail guru, The Martini Whisperer to bring you Sunset Forage, a unique, boutique cocktail experience that you can enjoy at home. Because even as things open up, we’ve all learnt the beauty and power of our own backyard.

Our new Future of Cocktails pack is the mélange of a wine and a gin - and the addition of a garnish that could come from your very own garden.

Each pack contains a full size bottle of Contentious Character’s 'Coming Up Roses', a savoury-styled rosé made from shiraz grapes and a 250ml bottle of Underground Spirits' Shiraz Gin with Tasmanian Pepperberries, offering notes of vanilla, toast and cedar with the fruity juicy characters of the shiraz.

The Martini Whisperer worked with us to develop the delicious Sunset Forage cocktail out of our gin and wine combined with a make-at-home cherry liqueur made with Underground Spirits Vodka. Warning: it is seriously, dangerously moreish. 

With a video to guide you through the mixology, all you need to do is dress up a little, set the mood with some music and immerse yourself in the Future of Cocktails.

For the first round, garnish with fresh raspberries and mint for a seriously, dangerously moreish cocktail. Next, have a gander for your own garnish to personalise your Sunset Forage. We're imagining sliced strawberries and rosemary from the garden or keep it simple with some orange peel.

So cheers to the future of cocktails, available now at 110 dollars (and makes 8 cocktails so gather the troops!)