Ochota Barrels
Remarkable wines from Taras Ochota in Australia's Adelaide Hills

Website: www.ochotabarrels.com

Ochota barrels is run by Taras Ochota and his wife Amber. He’s a surf dude who also plays bass in a band. Super cool guy.

Taras, who has an enology degree, previously worked for Two Hands and Nepenthe, and also worked as a European flying winemaker for a Swedish import company. In addition, he has extensive experience working in California.

But he recently gave the day job up to concentrate on his own project. He started making the Ochota Barrels wines back in 2008 and currently produces around 1200 cases. These are astonishingly good wines, with nothing added save for a bit of sulfur dioxide. Home is in Adelaide Hills, but he also buys grapes from other places.

THE WINES

Ochota Barrels Weird Berries in the Woods Gewurztraminer 2013 Adelaide Hills, Australia
This spends a couple of days on the skins. Aromatic and textured with notes of Turkish delight on the nose. Fresh, bright, focused palate is lively and pure with nice texture. 90/100

Ochota Barrels Chardonnay The Slint 2012 Adelaide Hills, Australia
From a vineyard at 600 m in the Adelaide Hills, this has no malolactic and is matured in 50% new oak. Lively and fresh with some matchstick notes as well as keen, mineral pear and citrus fruit. Very precise. 93/100

Ochota Barrels Surfer Rosa Garnacha 2013 Adelaide Hills, Australia
Whole bunch Grenache picked early, basket pressed to old barrels with a natural ferment. Plus 5% Sagrantino in the blend. Pale pink in colour. Fresh, open, supple and elegant with nice cherry fruit, some red berry fruit and a bit of crunch. Lovely. 90/100

Ochota Barrels The Green Room Grenache Noir Syrah 2012 Adelaide Hills, Australia
66% Grenache, 34% Syrah, 80% whole bunch, old barrels. So pretty and pure with floral cherry fruit aromatics. Supple, fine, textured and ripe. Rounded cherry fruit with lovely grainy structure. Stylish. 92/100

Ochota Barrels The Green Room Grenache Noir Syrah 2013 Adelaide Hills, Australia
90% whole bunch, just 18% Syrah this year. Supple, bright and savoury. Fresh, fine notes of ginger and sweet, lively fruit. Taut, chewy and pure. Very drinkable. 91/100

Ochota Barrels A Forest Pinot Noir 2012 Adelaide Hills, Australia
From 2 vineyards, this is 70% whole bunch. Smooth, rounded and supple with nice texture and some broad, ripe cherry fruit. Lovely textured black cherry fruit here. Really distinctive. 93/100

Ochota Barrels Home Pinot Noir 2012 Adelaide Hills, Australia
From a tennis-court-sized vineyard, just 129 bottles made. Taras says this is all about family, simplicity and long lunches. Very pale red. Pure, elegant fresh red cherry nose with supple pepper and herb notes. So pure and elegant with fine cherry fruit. Expressive and beautiful. 94/100

Ochota Barrels The Fugazi Vineyard Grenache 2012 McLaren Vale, Australia
From the Blewitt Springs area, this vineyard was planted in 1947 and is unirrigated, producing tiny berries. 16% whole bunch. Sweet, fine, warm and expressive with slightly jammy cherry and raspberry fruit. Lovely finesse and texture here. Warm but fresh with some spice and pepper notes. So fine. 94/100

Ochota Barrels ‘186’ Grenache 2012 McLaren Vale, Australia
Freom the Fugazi vineyard, this spent 186 days in a barrique with the head off, just 99 bottles made. So pure, fine and expressive with ripe cherries. Elegant palate with sweet, supple cherry fruit and some fine-grained tannins. Amazing elegance here: ripe yet fine. 95/100

Ochota Barrels The Shellac Vineyard Syrah 2012 Barossa, Australia
From Marananga in the Barossa. Smooth, sweet, pure nose with lovely black fruits. Supple palate is elegant and fine with black cherries and plums. Lovely weight with some spice and a lovely texture. This is an incredibly beautiful, balanced wine. 96/100

UK agent: Indigo Wines

Ochota Barrels Remarkable wines from Taras Ochota in Australia's Adelaide Hills

Ochota Barrels
Remarkable wines from Taras Ochota in Australia's Adelaide Hills