Skillogalee - 25 Years On

Owner Diana Palmer talks to Angela Mount

Diana Palmer, co-owner of boutique South Australian winery, Skillogalee, and wife of maverick Dave, was recently in Bath to visit the team and customers at Great Western Wine.  I caught up with her on her travels, and found out a little bit more about the winery and the wines.

The story is a textbook one – young English couple meet at Sterling University, fall in love, marry… and then create a legacy.  The Palmers have certainly had a nomadic lifestyle, living for 5 years in Canada, then 6 years in the challenging environment of Papua New Guinea, before settling on the north coast of Australia. It was here that their love affair with wine began. In 1989, they moved south and bought the Skillogalee estate, an 150 acre plot nestled on the steep hills of South Australia’s premium, cool climate, Clare Valley region. At the time, there were vineyards, a house and a small cellar door shop.

25 years on, Skillogalee now boasts a new winery, built in 2003, a restaurant ( theirs was the first winery with a restaurant in the Clare Valley), several self catering holiday cottages, and a stunning array of vineyards.

Diana Palmer conveys a real sense of passion for their wines, and for the changes that the couple have achieved. Now multi award-winning, Skillogalee is still very much a small, family boutique winery, producing only 14,000 cases per year, with a winemaker and maverick husband and owner Dave, overseeing every step of the process. ‘ we handpick everything’ she says, ‘not very easy given the hilliness of the vineyards! We don’t use pesticides, we recycle, we respect the nature around us. Every batch of wine is vinified separately, then aged, be it in tank or bottle, and only blended at the very end, when we have seen how the components have developed.’ They have  installed computerized basket presses , a modern version of a traditional vinification method to get the best extraction, colour and complexity from their reds.

The focus is on the grape varieties that were already planted, and for which Clare Valley is now justifiably famous – Riesling leads the field, and they also produce Gewurztraminer, Shiraz, Cabernets , and an unctuous Liqueur Muscat.

Skillogalee wines are lauded by the wine press and scoop up armfuls of awards in international wine competitions;  we tasted through the range together.

The classic Skillogalee Riesling 2012 ( £14.95 down to £13.16 throughout March) was on fine form,  wafting orange blossom and lime scents – intense, yet fresh, deeply aromatic, yet with a spiky-sharp acidity, it has a delightfully crisp style, and is a fantastic food wine.  My favourite was the Skillogalee Trevarick Riesling 2010 ( £22.44) – there are only 360 bottles of this outstanding wine in the Uk, one of the best Clare Valley Rieslings I’ve tasted. It’s delightful already, but still a relative baby, and its freshness, complexity, acidity and purity will carry it on for years. A stunningly glorious wine with textured passion fruit, fresh lime zest, and a compelling style.

Next up was Skillogalee Gewurztraminer 2012 ( £13.64 throughout March), a rich, exotic blend with candied peel, lychees and rose petals tumbling over each other on the nose, yet with a wonderfully fresh, lively, brisk citrus finish. A fabulous wine for Asian food.

One of Diana’s favourite wines is their Skillogalee Rose 2012 ( £12.95, down to £11.40). she describes it as “rose with attitude; we’re very proud of it because there was initial resistance to making a rose in this region’. It’s a bold, bright style of pink, both in colour and flavor, with a deep raspberry pink colour – not a rose for wimps. Made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grapes, it’s a punchy, full on wine, and definitely one for food – brimming with vibrant crunchy, cherry and berry fruits, it would be great with tuna, prawns and hot spicy Indian dishes.

Skillogalee Basket Pressed Shiraz 2009 ( £17.95, down to £15.80) is a dark, brooding, dense red, opulent in character, yet with a beautiful restraint – full of rich sweet blackberry and spice character, it has notes of coconut and eucalypt, and a lovely fresh acidity, which means it will go on and on for years quite happily. Put it in your cellar now.

Finally Skillogalee Basket Pressed The Cabernets 2009 ( £18.07 down to £16.68) – simply glorious; rich, intense, yet sublimely fresh, with masses of super-ripe blackcurrants, blackberries and mint in the mix, and an edge of mocha spice from a tiny bit of Malbec in the blend.  Gorgeous, savoury and structured.

Skillogalee, or ‘Skilli’ as they are affectionately known also produce a powerfully rich, sweet, unctuous, award-winning  muscat – well worth a try.  Celebrating 25 years of owning Skillogalee this year, Dave and Diana Palmer have built and established a true legacy in the Clare Valley – try them for yourselves, you won’t be disappointed.