Damien Tscharke established the Tscharke brand in 2004. A sixth generation viticulturist, he grew up in the Barossa Valley among the vineyards in Seppeltsfield and Marananga. The family’s first winemaker, his father and grandfather grew grapes as part of a mixed farming enterprise, selling their grapes to local winemakers. Damien believes the terroir of Barossa Valley offers the ideal location for new varieties to be introduced. Following extensive research Tempranillo, Graciano, Montepulciano, Zinfandel and Savagnin were planted between 1999 and 2002. His winemaking methods are traditional, with minimal handling, open-top fermentation, basket pressing, and aging in French oak with no fining or filtration. The Marananga vineyards are planted on gentle slopes of gravelly sand over red brown soil, the Seppeltsfield vineyards to red brown soil. The philosophy behind the Tscharke range is to produce wines which are stylistically distinctive, offering ripe but balanced fruit with excellent varietal definition.

Wine maker notes

This was a cool and moderate vintage, and as such the Girl Talk is a true reflection of site and vintage conditions. The wine dispays wet pebble and young pear and granny smith apple fruit notes with an underlying cinomin spice. The wine has terrific structure simmilar to riesling, a leaner more elegant style than the 2010. A vintage that will reward cellaring.

Technical notes

Alcohol 12.7%