CRITTENDEN ESTATE SAUVIGNON BLANC

CRITTENDEN ESTATE PINOT GRIGIO

Crittenden Estate 2008 Pinot Grigio
A very good example of an Australian Grigio with delicate pear and musk and that full yet crisp texture that makes good Grigios such happy partners with seafood. 
Greg Duncan Powell, Grazia Magazine, March 30 2009.  

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CRITTENDEN ESTATE CHARDONNAY

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CRITTENDEN ESTATE PINOT NOIR

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CRITTENDEN ESTATE CABERNET

Crittenden Estate 2005 Cabernet
Garry Crittenden persists with cabernet in Mornington. This is ripe and nicely balanced - just 13.5 per cent alcohol. Aromas of dark fruit, earth and nicely integrated oak. The tannins are ample and the ripe berry flavours are almost succulent. 90 points, Fours stars.
Huon Hooke, Gourmet Traveller, 100 Top New Releases, August 2008

Crittenden Estate 2005 Cabernet
Mornington Peninsula pioneer winemaker Garry Crittenden - formerly of Dromana Estate, but now heading up Crittenden wines - fears climate change could affect the quality of the regions signature varietal wine, pinot noir. If the increased warmth is permanent, the red pinot will simply not perform at its best; it's a classic cool climate grape. The upside of this possible gloom and doom is that the Peninsula could become an ideal environment for cabernet sauvignon. As a pointer to future delights, Garry has released his 2005 cut cane cabernet, which includes a significant amount of wine made from fruit dried on the vine. It's a delicious red with short to medium term cellaring potential.
Paddy Kendler - Paddy's Tipple tips, Herald Sun City Style, Tuesday 23rd April, 2008

Crittenden Estate 2005 Cabernet
DR BOOZE
As a wine style, Amarone is a fairly recent addition. Only officially recognised in 1990, this technique was developed more by accident than choice. It involves selecting grapes and drying them on straw mats over winter to concentrate the flavour. As techniques have been fine-tuned, winemakers have embraced the style. One such winery is Crittenden Estae on the Mornington Peninsula. Labelled a Cut Cane, the 2005 Cabernet is deep in colour with briary fruit, high alcohol and low acidity. Drink with rich braised meats, blue cheese or cellar to 2015.
Henry Livingstone, Sommelier, MX Nosh, May 8 2008

Crittenden Estate 2005 Cabernet
You won't hear me say too many nice things about Mornington cabernet but I do regularly make an exception for the cabernet of Dromana Estate - and now of Crittenden Estate. This wine is made off 25 year old wines growing in a warm, sheltered site, and if you shelve your prejudices it cannot be classified as anything other than a damn good wine. It is full of expansive, Italianate tannin, the flavours of dried leaves and olives tight against more robust blackcurrent and tar. It needs time in the bottle - at least five years I reckon - but this has interest and quality aplenty. Drink 2013-2019. 92 points.
Campbell Mattinson, Wine Front Monthly March 2008

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THE ZUMMA PINOT NOIR

Crittenden Estate Zumma 2007 Pinot Noir
The massive, non-eco friendly bottle does accurately foretell the high quality of this effortlessly bright and silky wine, which flows smoothly from start to finish. Screwcap. 13% alc. Rating 94 Drink 2015 $49  James Halliday Wine Companion web site Tasted Feb 09.
Note: We fully understand and endorse his slightly oblique comment about the 'non-eco friendly bottle. We are committed to doing all we can to be friendly to the environment including gradually converting out Estate to Bio-Dynamic viticulture. Unfortunately we committed to these heavy weight imported (French) bottles well over a year ago, so Mea Culpa, and we promise in future to be more considerate and use only Australian bottles. Notwithstanding it's a great review with 94 points which in Halliday speak equals 'OUTSTANDING'. 

Crittenden Estate "The Zumma" 2007 Pinot Noir
A new single-vineyard release, this is restrained and tight -knit and needs breathing and a big glass to show it off. It should really bloom with a little bottle age.
Greg Duncan Powell, Vogue Entertaining & Travel, August/Sept 2009

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CRITTENDEN ESTATE PINOCCHIO ARNEIS

Crittenden Pinocchio 2008 Arneis - Rating: 90 points
The Crittenden camp has its eye in here with an authentic and confidently savoury take on this northern Italian native. Bright, fresh and appealing aromas with plenty of fresh pears and gentle green almonds. Crisp fresh acid holds flavour safely in place.
Review - Wine Business Monthly Magazine by Nick Stock, August 2009.  

Pinocchio 2008 Arneis
Lovely delicate fragrances of pear and musk with a trace of fresh lime zest. Palate has delicious appeal with pear and white peach characters. Lovely fine long palate. Very easy on the gums, this. 87/100.
Ray Jordan, The West Australian Fresh, Thursday May 21 2009.

Pinocchio 2008 Arneis
The Crittenden family were pioneers of planting and growing Italian varieties in Australia and winemaker Rollo Crittenden has produced a superb white wine, aromatic with tight mineral and pear characters on the palate and lovely balance. Great for summer drinking.
Winsor Dobbin, Golf Magazine, Vol 12, No. 2

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CRITTENDEN ESTATE PINOCCHIO ROSATO

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CRITTENDEN ESTATE PINOCCHIO DOLCETTO

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CRITTENDEN ESTATE PINOCCHIO MOSCATO

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CRITTENDEN ESTATE PINOCCHIO BARBERA

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CRITTENDEN ESTATE PINOCCHIO SANGIOVESE

Crittenden Estate Pinocchio Sangiovese
13.5% a/v - screwcap. Deep ruby in colour with a brick red rim. An earthy, dry, tobacco leaf, inky nose with slowly emerging fruit in a weighty wine style. Good balance on the palate with grippy, well integrated tannins, spice and dried fruit flavours. A savoury, meaty finish. "This wine is developing well" one taster said.    
The Australian & New Zealand Wine Industry Journal, September/October 2008, Volume23 Number5
 

Pinocchio 2008 Sangiovese
Sangiovese produces some of Italy's finest - and worst - wines. Locally there is huge variation too. This is earthy, with sour cherry characters. Serve it with meatballs.
Sally Gudgeon, The Age Sunday Life, May 2009

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"Wine Drinkers are much more adventurous than they were a decade ago" says style pioneer Garry Crittenden of Crittenden Estate on the Mornington Peninsula. "When I started making Italian varieties, in the early 1990s, I found people were happy to buy a glass of wine made from a variety they hadn't heard of, but were unwilling to splash out on a bottle. Now, Italian varieties are hugely popular, almost mainstream." 
Reader's Digest - April 2009 An Italian Affair by Windsor Dobbin

CRITTENDEN ESTATE GEPPETTO NV BRUT

The Great Cellar Guide
Fine wine experts list what they would buy for their cellars
Crittenden Estate Geppetto NV Brut
Listed by Nobuko Okamura
Sommelier, Sofitel Wentworth
Gourmet Traveller Wine Collectors Issue August September 2008

It’s that time of the year when bubbles are popped with abandon, as are some reputations – of horses, I mean! The variety of bubbles available is amazing, as is the quality. There are sweet bubbles, dry bubbles, low-alcohol bubbles, bubbles that are stunning and bubbles that are boring, bubbles that can’t compete with food and those that complement a good nosh, those that make you want to keep drinking and those that best suit the temperance association’s annual dinner. In a crowded marketplace Garry Crittenden’s Geppetto is very drinkable.
Jeff Gordon, City Weekly, Thursday 25th October, 2007-11-08

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CRITTENDEN ESTATE GEPPETTO PINOT NOIR

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CRITTENDEN ESTATE GEPPETTO SHIRAZ

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CRITTENDEN ESTATE GEPPETTO CABERNET MERLOT

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CRITTENDEN ESTATE GEPPETTO CHARDONNAY

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CRITTENDEN ESTATE GEPPETTO SAUVIGNON BLANC SEMILLON

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LOS HERMANOS TRIBUTO a GALICIA

This is made from grapes planted around Australia, which were originally thought to be Albarino from Galicia in northern Spain but turned out to be savagnin. Most winemakers renamed their wines to reflect the new grape, but this pays tribute to the white wines of northern Spain. It smells and tastes of pears, tropical fruits and honeysuckle, with some smoky notes and has a gorgeous silky texture. A top example of this interesting varietal.  
Ben Thomas, Review/Decanter, August 2010

Los Hermanos 2009 Tributo a Galicia
I'm still surprised that Australian producers opted for the name savagnin in place of the grape-formerly-known-as albarino. To me it was a failure of imagination, and the wrong call. I'm happy to stand corrected though - in the press release accomapnying this wine, it mentions that the new name "has been very well received in spite of its identity issues". The wine is grown in the King Valley - at altitude, at the 'Symphonia' vineyard. Fifty percent of this wine sees time in oak.
It smells and tastes lovely. Of honeysuckle and white peach, of spice and various florals. It offers up a lot flavour, and it comes delivered with thick, velvety texture. There's almost a brinyness here, and I'm always in favour of that. Excellent wine. Rated 92 points. 
Cambell Mattinson, http://www.winefront.com.au/category/wine-reviews/king-valley/ July 19 2010

The Crittenden siblings Rollo and sister Zoe are hardly likely to make the 'same olds', when their old man is the restless and inqusitive Garry! In fact they do made great 'same olds' with Mornington classics Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, as well as Garry's beloved Italian varieties. This gorgeous fresh white is a further twist; planted as Albarino, the premier Spanish white variety, it turns out instead to be the southern French Savagnin - a mistake which has caught all would-be Albarino producers. Undaunted and happy with the irony (or whatever) 'Los Hermanos' plug on to offer this beautifully made wine, with pear, peach, lemon and crisp creamy texture in the originally intended Spanish theme. A lively, dry grip finishes all this nicely. 
David Ridge, The Adelaide Review, July 2010

"Don't be put off by the complicated name; this is a cracker. Made from the grape variety formerly called albarino in Australia (which actually turned out to be savagnin) the label is Rollo Crittenden's little joke; a tribute to Galicia in Spain, from where albarino originates. This is floral on the nose, with juicy ripe pear characters on the palate and a crisp, dry finish."
Winsor Dobbin, Sunday Examiner, May 9 2010

"I love the Los Hermanos label and wine savagnin. It's lightly fragnant with a floral note and a hint of spice alongside pear essence. The phenolic touch adds some grip. Pour a glass of this slightly chilled then enjoy with salt and pepper squid."  
Jane Faulkner, The Sydney Morning Herald, 13 February 2010

"Producers such as Gemtree, Tscharke, Chapel Hill, Crittenden, Allinda and Coolangatta Estate produced lovely savagnins in 2009 - wines that display the variety's intriguing combination of light, fresh floral perfume and satisfying weight and richness in the mouth."
Max Allen, The Weekend Australian Magazine, Feb 20-21 2010. 

"So without further a do, the runners-up for the wow-factor 2009 Max Crus Trophy are: ..... Los Hermanos Savagnin. 2009, (9/10) ...." 
Max Crus, "Trophy Life", The Daily Examiner, Saturday January 23 2010. 

"The other noteworthy savagnin-that-was-once-albarino is Los Hermanos by Crittenden Estate on the Mornington Peninsula...." more 
Online Magazine - Brisbane News, Issue 766 Jan 13-20 2010, Pages 24-25.

Los Hermanos 2009 Tributo a Galicia
Earlier this year we learned that all of Australia's albarino - sourced orginally from Galicia, Spain - was savagnin and that in all likelihood even the Spanish had savignon mixed in with their albarino. We also learned that even Spanish experts couldn't separate the two vines or the wines made from them. But Australia's savagnin makers adopted the name change in their stride. In Crittenden's case they've simply removed 'albarino' from their Los Hermanos label, added 'Tributo a Galicia' and happily publicise the name confusion. The wine is attractively aromatic, tending floral, with a full, juicy, shimmering, dry finish.
Chris Shanahan, December 27th 2009, www.chrisshanahan.com.au

2009 Crittenden Estate Los Hermanos Tributo a Galicia Mornington Peninsula 
PERFECT MATCH - Spiced Snapper with Savignin
THREE OF THE BEST
Another Aussie savagnin that makes a sly nod to the Spanish grape confusion in its name, this example has telltale traminer musk aromas and a depth of yellow stone fruit kernel flavour.
Max Allen, Gourmet Traveller, January 2010.

As far as names go, Aussie-grown albarino is a sore point. And why? It turns out what has been planted here for more than a decade is not albarino at all but savagnin.
The producer of the funky new Iberian-influenced Los Hermanos label, Rollo Crittenden, comments: "There are important stylistic and historical reasons to keeep the link (with our savignin and Galician albarino) because its more in line with our style."
"We are making savagnin the Spanish way and that is dry, fresh, zesty and aromatic table wine." To drive that point further, Crittenden's Los Hermanos label now includes the words "Tributo a Galicia" in recognition of the style's origin. Yes, albarino from Galicia, its traditional home.
"We [Australia] are now the largest producer of this wine style and that's really exciting. It means Australia is defining that style of savagnin."
The Age - Epicure, September 14 2009, Jane Faulkner 

The CSIRO had imported cuttings of albarino - the grape that produces delicious, fragrant full-flavoured whites in the Rias Baixas region of Galicia, in Spain's green north-west - back in the late 1980's and the variety was available from many Australian vine nurseries.

So plants were planted, grapes were picked, wines were made, and the first few examples of home-grown albarino - from producers Crittenden on the Mornington Peninsula - were so good that many others planted the grape too. Industry observers were beginning to quietly refer to the variety as the Next Big Thing even the Great White Hope - the new pinot grigio, perhaps, or sauvignon blanc. 

And then, late last year, ie was identified an albarino vine was shown in the Barossa Valley as savagnin. Because of this misidentification, local producers can no londer use "albarino" on their labels. Rollo and Zoe Crittenden have decided to continue with their Los Hermanos theme- with its label image of the siblings in a sailboat - but where the 2008 was simply called albarino, the 2009 is called Tributo a Galicia and the name of the boat in tiny print is Savagin. There's every changes that when real Albarino is eventually planted, and produced here, it won't be anywhere near as good. 
Gourmet Traveller - What's in a name? October 2009: Max Allen   

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LOS HERMANOS TEMPRANILLO

When it comes to wine choice, Australia is bristling with new producers and varieties. In a world where the range of available wines beggars belief, I am somehow still surprised when new wine apprears. It is an easy task to buy from familiar producers that we see year-to-year, yet a far harder and frightening task to take your chance with those unfamiliar wines that sit stoically on shelves waiting to be chosen. Here are two wines that are a little different and are well worth hunting down. 
Los Hermanos 2009 Tempranillo
Los Hermanos means "The siblings" and refers to brother and sister duo Zoe and Rollo. The Los Hermanos label, with the cute sardine tin label, focuses on the wines of Spain. They also make a savagnin and a garnacha blend. Zoe and Rollo come from one of the Mornington Peninsula's most well-knowm winemaking families, the Crittendens, and the life expressed in these less-than-common grape varieties offers a new and delicious flavour to our palates.
This tempranillo is made in a Joven style, which means there is no or very limited use of oak. The wine mimics those of Spain's Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions, north of Madrid. The wine pours the colour of a ripe cherry, the nose is fresh and almost leads into smells of strawberry. There is  very pleasing red fruit character to this wine, which works well with the fresh acidity. Tempranillo like this goes well with a variety of foods, but is probably best with a little plate of Spanish jamon. Delicious.
Ben Knight, Melbourne Weekly, July 28 2010. 

Los Hermanos 2009 Tempranillo
'Los Hermanos' winemaker Rollo Crittenden is widely travelled and has gathered plenty of reference points in the form of vintages worked or bottles brought home, as he has a crack at Spanish varietals. This is quite different from what we are used to from riper SA versions and of a style quite similar to the young modern Riojas of the Joven category, made without richness or oak and to be more immediately useable. This works, and remains textbook Tempranillo with red fruits of plum and cherry and a nutmeg spice note. Its fresh, red fruity palate is lean, but long, savoury and zippy. You're thinking straight away of food and this would work with many Mediterranean dishes, not just Spanish. Works for me.
David Ridge, The Adelaide Review, July 2010 

Los Hermanos 2008 Tempranillo
The Crittenden siblings, Rollo and Zoe, have nailed this fruit-forward style. Defined and impressive nose, plenty of cherry fruit, cranberry and gentle herbs below, some anise and liquorice too. Fine fresh tannin and good acidity that holds and builds through the finish.
Nick Stock, Wine Business Monthly, Wine100, May 2009 

Los Hermanos 2008 Tempranillo
I'm a fan of the wines from Crittenden Estate, and while a new release wine is still vulnerable, this, as it turns out, is another success. Of course time will tell, but this wine right now is very very good. It is the first '08 red I have seen and I'm sure that will be the same for most of us. The wine is made as a 'drink young' or 'Joven' style Tempranillo and the acidity that licks at your cheeks and the fresh 'crunchiness' of the fruit backs this up. The wine has dark cherry notes and a sour cream-like flavour, very typical of many of the wines I recently tried in Rioja and Ribera in Spain, and it is so nice to see such flavours being exhibited in Victoria (Patterson Lakes of all places!).   
Ben Knight, http://www.benandwine.com/wine-review.htm

Los Hermanos 2008 Tempranillo
A great partner to the Los Hermanos albarino (released last year), this is all slurpy black cherry pulp and snappy juice. When to drink? Now. Well, tonight, perhaps. With tapas. Or tacos. Something messy and fun.
Max Allen, The Weekend Australian Magazine, April 11-12 2009.   

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LOS HERMANOS HOMENAJE A CATALUNA

Los Hermanos 2009 Homenaje a Cataluna
You don't see too many Victorian grown wines with mataro and grenache included in the blend. Sets this new wine from Los Hermanos apart from the start. It's a blend of 47 percent tempranillo (grown in the King Valley, on the Symphonia vineyard) with 35 percent mataro and 18 percent garnacha (both grown at Patterson Lakes near Melbourne). It was wild yeast fermented and matured in third-use oak. It's a fabulous drink. Bright, spicy, interesting - but the fruit has enough sweetness to keep the accessibility factor high. It's a juicy mix of boysenberry and black cherry, and while the mid-palate is full of fine, sweet fruit, the finish is savoury and earthen and dry. Bonza drinking. Rated: 92 Points.
Cambell Mattinson, http://www.winefront.com.au/category/wine-reviews/king-valley/ July 19 2010 

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GEPPETTO VERGE®

Geppetto 2006 Verge
This Mornington mob also do the full range of trendy stuff like cogna and dukkah and they obviously couldn’t help themselves with their verjus, sexing up an already pretty sexy name, but now everything has to have that punchy, funky, vibe…..baby 8.8/10
Max Crus, The Daily Examiner, October 6-7, 2007

GEPPETTO COGNA

No current review for this product.

GEPPETTO DUKKAH

No current review for this product.

GEPPETTO VINOCOTTO

No current review for this product.

GEPPETTO EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

No current review for this product.

AUSSIE WINE ITALIAN STYLE

The curiosity of Australian wine drinkers for trying lesser known varieties has led to a wonderful array of Italian varieties being produced in this country. Most are terrific food wines that go beautifully with our lifestyle and the type of food we like to eat, whether it be an antipasto platter, a casual lunch or barbecue, pasta or risotto. One of the first to be captivated by Italian varieties was Mornington Peninsula winemaker Garry Crittenden who created the “I” range with its distinctive label in the colours of the Italian flag. “I became absolutely fascinated by the difference, the fundamental difference, not just in the flavour, but in the palate structure. And I began to see the endless possibilities they offered in partnership with food, “ he says. Although “I” continues under new owners, Crittenden is no longer involved, having gone on to establish a new range, Pinocchio, which includes a Sangiovese and Barbera made from King Valley fruit, Arneis from his own vineyard at Dromana, and a rosé-style wine.
Christine Salins, Hospitality magazine, November, 2007

GOURMENT TRAVELLER WINE

Garry Crittenden was one of the region’s few professional viticultural pioneers when he established Dromana Estate in 1982. Then, after selling the label a few years ago, he set himself up in business again (like-wise eponymously), and is now making even better wine than before. The wheel turned full circle earlier this year when Crittenden’s winemaker son Rollo left Dromana to rejoin the family firm. Mirroring Quealy’s renewed vigour, the restless Crittenden curiosity is, if anything, even more acute in this second enterprise: father and son are trialling new varieties such as melon (the grape used to produce the bone-dry, minerally white wines of Muscadet) with great success, and after years of ambivalence, Crittenden senior has finally succumbed to the charms of the regional white speciality, pinot grigio.
Max Allen, Gourmet Traveller Wine, December 2007

GENERATION NEXT

What is it that sets the new crop of Australian Winemakers apart from their predecessors? A global perspective, says acclaimed sommelier and author of The Juice and Thirsty Work, Matt Skinner. "In every respect, the world is a much smaller place today than it once was, and the key differences are how easy it is for today's group to travel, work and experience the rest of the world. Alongside passion, knowledge and enthusiasm, a greater understanding of international wine styles is a huge plus if you're planning on making wine for a living."...."Check you local wine list for the work of Rollo Crittenden (Crittenden Estate).
Catherine McCormack, Virgin Blue Voyeur APril 2008