Thousand Candles Farm - Beauty of Yarra Valley

Hidden away in the greenery and beauty of Victoria’s Yarra Valley is the Thousand Candles Farm. This farm was bought with the aim of creating a unique and remarkable wine that changes the whole outlook of Australian wines. William Downie, the chief winemaker wants to see this vision fulfilled by the use of modern, effective and environment - friendly methods.

The driving force behind the success of Thousand Candles is good farming. The estate covers a lot of area, which gives the winery space to carry out other side projects such as beef processing but the main goal of the estate is to produce remarkable and world - famous wines. Another philosophy that the team of Thousand Candles follows is that complexity as well as biological mass is essential in regard to the quality of the wine.

The process of farming should be carried out keeping in mind that the place should be respected and the soil should be cared for, regardless of the fact that grape vines are being grown on the piece of land or beef is being reared.

Ever since the birth of Thousand Candles, the winemaking team has worked on producing as well as making use of their own compost teas that have been brewed using biological matter found on the Thousand Candles farm itself. The team has carefully nurtured and nourished the soil, which has resulted in an exponential increase in the nutrient concentration as well as the biological activity of the land. This has led to stronger, healthier and high - yielding grapevines.

Although tending and caring for the land in this way is hard and laborious, without any short cuts or bullet points for guidance, all of this ensures that little or no corrective measures are required in the functioning of the winery.

The 2013 vintage of Thousand Candles has an excellent palate structure and complexity, with mouth - watering flavours and blissful fragrances that speak volumes of the quality of Thousand Candles wines.

This marvellous wine tastes savoury like a Wendouree, is perfumed like Vosne Romanee and shaped and structured like Hermitage. But even though it combines all these great features, at its heart, it is still Australian. There are no indications of the varietal or the ingredients used in this wine and Downie too is reluctant to reveal the secrets of this wine. With the introduction of this new creation into the wine market, Bill Downie will no longer be remembered as ‘Mr. Pinot’ as this elegant wine (not a Pinot Noir, mostly) is rumoured to be his best till date!

The wine evolves as it is being consumed, with bright violet hues, black currant and liquorice flavours and exotic spices jumping out of the bottle and embracing the tongue with a smooth structure of fine, velvety tannins.