Ocean View Estate - QWine Reviews

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Ocean View Estate

Ocean View Estate is a lazy 40 minute drive north from Brisbane at Mt Mee which sits 450 metres above sea level and is part of the Somerset Valley wine region. The majority of the vineyards have clay loam soils.
The winery and cellar door are surrounded by gorgeous sweeping views of the surrounding hills, with the vineyards within a few hundred metres of the winery.

For those Brisbanites wishing to indulge in a winery experience, this place has it covered. There are regular tours through the winery and vineyards to enhance the experience, as well as plenty of education sessions, live music and concerts. You can even have a picnic amongst the vines. The winery also hosts 60+ weddings a year and recently won the Queensland Tourism Award for Tourism Wineries, Distilleries and Boutique Breweries. After my experience, it's easy to see how they did it!

There are three labels in the range: Unwound, Estate and Reserve. All bar the Unwound come from estate grown fruit. The Unwound label is fruit sourced from other vineyards whilst the Reserve only comes from parcels of fruit which are of exceptional quality.

The winery also has a Wine Club which offers members privileges and discounts on purchases.

A run through the wines...

Viognier 2011 Viognier has been the most successful variety produced by Ocean View Estate, and there is plenty of evidence here to support that.
The nose is greeted by fresh apricots. Lovely fruit which fills the palate and has great length with a tidy grip to finish. Clean and fresh. $29



Unwound Verdelho 2011 The fruit for this wine is sourced from the South Burnett. A drop screaming out for some seafood or can easily be had on its own on a hot day.
Buckets of tropical fruit on the nose which flow through to the palate. A hint of lime cordial  in there too. Clean and crisp finish. $26

Unwooded Chardonnay 2011 The Chardonnay fruit here is quite deceptive. On first inspection I thought oak had been used in the wine, but not to be (after reading the label!). A light golden colour in the glass with typical buttery traits. Smooth and very satisfying with a neat texture to round it off. $26

Reflections 2010 This is a Rose made from 100% Cabernet fruit. Made to be a crowd pleaser and it is. Not much complexity here, just a fistful of fun. Fresh with strawberries on the nose and palate. Touch of residual sugar. One for the ladies who love a cheeky wine with a touch of sweetness. $25

Reserve Viognier 2011 This soon to be released Viognier is impressive. The Estate label holds its own, but this Reserve is a cut above. Grown on poor quartz soil with very shallow roots, the fruit for this wine produced smaller berries with thicker skins. A big nose of peaches and canned peach juice. Some mineral characteristics quite noticeable on the palate. The flavours here are firmer and more intense than the Estate (13.2% abv). A generous length is a great reward too. All this from a wet vintage, so the 2012 will be another step up going off current predictions.
This wine has deliberately been held back in the winery to gain some extra bottle age, something which has paid off. $35

Ruby Cabernet 2007 I was able to have a look at this back vintage to compare with the current 2010. The colour was deep crimson with an intriguing nose highlighted by touches of rose petals, a smidge of potpourri and a dusting of frangipani. A good dose of berries on the palate and a gentle finish. $26

Ruby Cabernet 2010 Having had a look at the '07 vintage, this '10 will be even better in a few years. In many respects it is already where the '07 is standing now. The colour is slightly more intense. A nose of rose petals leads to a palate of stewed fruit and berries. Tannins are fine with a persistent finish (13.5% abv). $26

Unwound Shiraz 2008 Granite Belt fruit (14.2% abv). Nose of some plum and dark cherry. There was a gentle pepper and spice on the palate with some subtle oak. Yum. $25

Mountain Top Reserve Cabernet 2008 Only made in a year when the fruit is of exceptional quality, this is a big Cabernet with only 12.8% abv. Time is spent in a mixture of American and French oak. A good depth of plums and blackberries on the nose is inviting. The palate is well balanced and lush with dark fruits. The oak adds to the complexity nicely and the wine offers a soft, drying finish with juicy tannins. Another two years of patience will repay you and then some. $35


A great day out and worth a look!