This Mother’s Day we’re highlighting some wonderful mother/daughter duo’s leading wine labels and for those who want something a little stronger, you’ll love the mother-daughter-daughter artisan gin we’ve found. Not partaking in wine or spirits? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered too. Finally, if you really want to treat Mum this year, we have just the gift box to make her smile.
Wines
1. Elena Walch Pinot Bianco 2022
Elena Walch is considered a pioneer in Alto Adige, Italy. In 1985 she married into the winemaking Walch family - one of the oldest and most significant wine families of the region. Originally an architect by trade, she improved production from soil to bottle, modernising the eco-friendly cellaring of their wines and promoted sustainable agriculture, limiting chemical spraying and encouraging shared crop farming.
Eight years ago, matriarch Elena passed the wine estate onto her daughters, Julia and Karoline. Julia studied wine growing in France, and Karoline in Australia. Today the sisters manage the winery's operations and oversee the production in full, ensuring their mother's namesake is honoured and occasionally leaning on her for words of wisdom.
Alto Adige is the northernmost winegrowing region in Italy, bordering Austria and Switzerland at the footfall of the Dolomite Mountains. The unique spot of Alps and the Mediterranean, result in cooler weather to the region but the mountains protect the vineyards from the bad weather.
This Pinot Bianco is handpicked from different steep sites ranging from 250-900 m above sea level in Alto Adige. The mountain air brings a freshness to the wine. Presenting bright straw yellow, with high acidity and mineral depth, this is the ideal wine to begin a meal, or pair with risotto, fish or chicken. Enjoy complex flavours of apple, peach, apricot and pear plus a touch of herbs in the bouquet.
thestandardwineco.com/ RRP: $45
2. Ortus NV Chardonnay Pinot Noir (Sparkling)
Ortus winery in McLaren Vale, South Australia is run by mother and daughter Julie and Paige Cooper. The duo had no idea that wine making was part of their family history. The family name Bittner (meaning barrel maker) lost in marriage and their start in the wine industry succumbing to drought in 1918. 76 years later, the Cooper women acquire 26 acres and Ortus (Latin for “re-birth” or “new beginning”) is born, giving new life to their wine ancestry.
The Pinot Noir grapes are taken from Willunga and the Chardonnay from Adelaide Hills. This sparkling has a creamy mouth feel, the texture and complexity coming from time on lees. Tasting of refreshing crisp apple, grapefruit, pear and strawberry. It would pair well with a smoked salmon entree.
ortuswines.com.au/ RRP: $38
3. Stanton & Killeen, Terra Mae 2022
Terra Mae means “Motherland” in Portuguese and very much tells the Stanton & Killeen story. The Rutherglen vineyard has been running for almost 150 years, with seven generations of winemakers. Today, the business is owned and managed by mother-daughter team Wendy and Natasha Killeen. The focus is alternative Portuguese varieties, flavoursome Rutherglen red wine, and continuing labels long tradition of award-winning muscats topaques, tawnys and vintage fortifieds.
Made up of a collection of Portuguese varietals: 48% Tinta Roriz, 31% Tinto Cão,and 21% Tinta Barroca. The grapes were picked, fermented and aged separately before being blended. The wine was then aged in older, large format French oak barrels for 12 months. This is a fresh and lively blend meant to be enjoyed young (up to 5 years).
Dark red in colour, it tastes of black cherry, plum and chocolate. Dominated by black and red berries, the fruit driven wine has fine, lingering tannins.
This is a food friendly style well matched to grilled and roast meats. Try it with some good quality pork sausages.
stantonandkilleen.com.au/ RRP: $32
4. Million Wines South Australia, The Masterpiece Shiraz
For those who want to give Mum something a little extra, artisan producers Millon Wines have created a special gift box wine experience.
The award-winning, family-owned wine producers are located in the renowned wine regions of Barossa Valley, Eden Valley and Clare Valley. Each vineyard delivers distinctive wines with complex flavour profiles in small batches, a minimalistic approach that allows the fruit to speak for itself.
The Masterpiece Shiraz includes only the best parcels of fruit, handpicked from the Eden Valley estate. The meticulous winemaking process, included hand plunging during fermentation and aging in a rare, ultra-fine limited edition French oak barrel for 18 months.
With deep ruby hues, the wine has pronounced aromas of red cherry, plums and white pepper spice. The palate is layered with black fruits and spice.
The "Masterpiece" is a limited release, only available as part of a premium gift box. The pack features a pair of stemless wine glasses and a wooden corkscrew. Tasting notes are found in a little wax sealed envelope, offering insights into the rich character of the wine.
millonwines.com.au/products/the-masterpiece-gift-box/ RRP: $220
Spirit
5. Mrs. Baker’s Still House, The "Sensual & Intellectual" Dry Gin
A close-knit mother-daughter-daughter team leads Mrs Baker's Still House: Elizabeth the distiller, Jane the botanist, and Georgette the designer.
The Baker family moved from inner-city Melbourne over 20 years ago to establish a vineyard in the Pyrenees wine region. After a number of successful vintages, the Baker's turned their hand to distilling, launching Mrs Baker's Still House in 2016.
Today, many of the gin botanicals are grown on the farm. The team are passionate about harnessing flavours from their home and commitment to sustainable, low-impact production methods.
Sensual & Intellectual is the first gin that was made at Mrs. Baker's Still House. It reflects distilling: a combination of beautiful art and technical chemistry. Featuring home grown bay leaf, thyme and rosemary. This gin is herbaceous and citrusy, with a delightful mix of juniper, citrus, bay, rosemary and thyme alongside orris root and angelica. The award-winning dry gin won a gold medal in 2023 Melbourne International Spirits Competition and a bronze in the 2021 Australian Gin Awards.
mrsbakers.com.au/ RRP: $70
And our alcoholic-free option...
Pyewackets Traditional, Shrub
Pyewackets Traditional make plant-based drinks, tonics and tinctures. Healthy beverages full of flavour and good for your gut. Made by naturopath, herbalist and nutritionist Genna, she uses a method that goes all the way back to the Middle Ages.
We love their Shrubs. Made by hand, in small batches, Shrubs are a mix of fresh seasonal fruit and herbs that are preserved by fermentation in vinegar. They are made the same way they would have been 500 years ago, by cold pressing and juicing whole produce and using homegrown and foraged herbs, without using heat to pasteurise or preserve.
Used as medicinal tonics in early apothecaries, Shrubs are 100% alcohol free, naturally low in sugar, andan excellent source of vitamins, probiotics, and support digestive health.
There’s lots of flavours to choose from Blood Orange Turmeric to Pineapple Mint, depending what fruit is in season. Just add a little Shrub to sparkling water and you have a delicious botanical soda. Or if you want to turn your cordial up a notch, as they did in Colonial America days, you can make a shrub cocktail.
Our pick is the fruity herbaceous Watermelon Basil.
pyewacketstraditional.com/ RRP: $16 for 200 ml (1 bottle makes 6 drinks)