“Wine, and especially additive-free red wine such as that produced at Manor Estate is good for your mind, and good for you,” he categorically states. “While it’s easy to recognise that excessive drinking is unhealthy, that’s not the way to enjoy wine. Good wine is for sipping, savouring, and relaxing. It’s not meant to be consumed in excess, and doing so would be something of a waste. If people are drinking wine to get drunk, they may as well opt for the cheap stuff.”

Lucid Thinking and Consolidation of Information Plus Stress Relief

Peter attributes some of the clearer thinking he enjoys along with his sundowner to simple relaxation. “It’s like a meditation,” he says. In his experience, stressful thought patterns seem to melt away. He stops “thinking in circles,” and answers to some of the issues that occupied his mind during the work day suddenly become apparent – without any real effort on his part.

There’s research to back these claims, and their conclusions aren’t new either. A 2013 study published by a University of Illinois psychology professor concluded that a little alcohol in the bloodstream seemed to help people to solve problems faster. Another study found that moderate drinking can inhibit taking new information on board, but that this also allows the brain a chance to process recently acquired information. A third study found that a glass of wine doesn’t just feel relaxing – it really does help one to let go of stress. 

Finally, a Yale neuroscientist found that just tasting wine in a way that engages all the senses helps to keep the brain sharp, even as we age. That would imply savouring an excellent wine. “Manor Estate wines are made for sensory pleasure,” says Peter. “There’s the rich colour of our reds, the delicious aromas emanating from the glass, and the taste experience that begins from the moment a sip of wine passes your lips and which continues to excite a pleasurable response from every taste bud all the way to the back of the mouth.”

All the scientific evidence agrees with Peter’s assertion that moderation is key. “You really can have too much of a good thing,” says Peter. Animal trials agree. While wine, especially red wine, can help to flush toxins from the brain, too much of it will be a blow to overall health.

Nice to Know, Better to Enjoy

“Don’t overthink this,” says Peter. “Unless you have a health condition that means you shouldn’t drink at all, just enjoy the pleasures of the vine. It’s nice to know that a glass or two might have benefits, but the take-home is that wine is a gift to mankind. It can be enjoyed in the knowledge that it has many benefits, and better cognitive performance could be one of them. First and foremost, it’s about pleasure, relaxation, and when you choose Manor Estate wines, it’s the enjoyment of a taste sensation that’s setting the world on fire.”

Manor estate offers wine events, a romantic wedding venue and luxury accommodation in McLaren Vale. For more information, or join their wine club, visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

Peter Cap on Ageing Wine at Home

“Many people think that ageing wine after buying it will improve it,” says Peter Cap, “but that’s based on the premise that wine will only improve with age. Most people will have seen the old movie storyline of a precious bottle of wine, maybe hundreds of years old, being opened, only for those who taste it to discover that it has turned to vinegar. While that’s an extreme example, understanding how the best wines are made, and why they are bottled and sold by a certain date will support the conclusion that it’s simply not worth trying to age wine at home.”

“At Manor Estate, we age our wine naturally. During that time, the vintner will test the wine at regular intervals to determine when it has reached its peak. When that day arrives, it’s time to bottle the wine and sell it. It’s possible to age a wine until its past its prime, and also possible to bottle it too young, when a few more weeks, months or even years of fermentation would have benefited it. It’s the winemaker’s task to use his or her skill and experience to choose the perfect timing.”

“As a result, a good wine is at its best when you buy it, and for some time following that provided it is in a sealed bottle – one of the reasons why porous corks are largely out of fashion these days and sealed, screw-cap closures are preferred.”

“Whatever the closure used, keeping a wine to age after it has reached its peak will generally not improve it. Even if the wine is young, emulating the conditions of a winery’s wine cellar would be expensive, and monitoring the wines inside the bottles is impossible. It’s better to buy a good wine, and drink it within 12 months than to try keeping it for years in the hope that it will improve. It probably won’t.”

Keeping Wine till One is Ready to Enjoy It

With the perfect temperature and humidity, exclusion of light, and elimination of vibration being among the prerequisites for a proper wine cellar, emulating its conditions would be difficult or costly for the average homeowner. At the same time, it’s nice having a selection of one’s favourite wines on hand so that the one deemed suitable for a specific occasion can be selected.

“Choose a cool place that is not exposed to direct sunlight. A cupboard is fine, but if you want to have your wine selection on display, keep it away from windows, harsh lighting, and any appliances that give off heat,” says Peter. 

“One of the advantages of screw-top wines is that the freshness is sealed in. When you open the bottle, the wine can be just as good as it was on the day that the vintner decided that the wine had reached perfection. You can also store the wine in an upright position which is a space-saver. Wines with corks, on the other hand, should be stored lying down, allowing the wine to keep the cork moistened. If corks dry out too much, they can crack, and the wine may become oxidised, or the cork snaps in half or crumbles during the opening process.”

Finally, Peter notes that additive-free wines are more delicate than those preserved with sulfites. “Unless they were made with great care and stored under controlled conditions, additive-free wines should be consumed relatively soon after their purchase,” advises Peter. “Three months would be a cautious guideline for wines such as this.”

Wine is an Investment in Enjoyment

“Wine is made to be enjoyed in the short term, not stored in the longer term,” Peter concludes. “The notion of storing wine for decades to boost its value still exists, but most vintners would agree that storing a bottled wine that long means it isn’t really for drinking. It may be of historical interest or have sentimental value, but opening it and tasting it will likely not be the pleasure most people seem to believe it will be. Invest in enjoyment. Buy wine with the intention of drinking it.”

Manor estate offers wine events, a romantic wedding venue and luxury accommodation in McLaren Vale. For more information, or join their wine club, visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

Peter Cap, a McLaren Vale winemaker with a tendency to buck the system, weighs in on closures and concludes that although some traditional aspects of wine making are best done in the time-honoured way, substituting corks with caps is a real improvement. 

Why Australian Winemakers Rebelled Against the Cork

There are a lot of problems with corks – and they aren’t limited to the occasionally undignified and disappointing ritual of opening a wine. Most people will have experienced the sinking feeling one gets when a cork snaps in half or even crumbles. If one’s lucky, the bits don’t end up in the wine, but most people will recall situations in which they gave up the unequal struggle and simply pushed the stubborn thing into the bottle instead of pulling it out.

Screw caps are unquestionably convenient, but that’s not the reason why winemakers in Australia and New Zealand rebelled against the cork. “Corks are unpredictable,” says Peter, and how they affect wine is unpredictable too. “Cork taint is one of the nastiest problems that corks present. It’s a complex chemical interaction between the wine and the cork that ends up spoiling the wine with an unpleasant, musty flavour that has been equated with ‘wet dog,’ and other aromas you really don’t want in a wine.”

Of course, not all corks cause cork taint. Industry estimates hover at around 3 percent. But when someone has just prepared themselves to enjoy a favourite wine, knowing that there’s a three in one hundred chance that it’s going to smell and taste iffy isn’t appealing. “Cork taint was the main reason why Australian winemakers have overwhelmingly abandoned the cork,” says Peter. “You work hard to produce something that should be something akin to bottled heaven. You don’t want ‘wet dog’ ruining that for you.”

Other Issues with Corks

There are still folks who think that they can improve on the winemaker’s art. And Peter concedes that with very young wines, a little ageing can help. “In this instance, most people are looking at corks because they’re porous and admit oxygen. They’re hoping to smooth off the tannins and age the wine till it’s better than when it was bought. But here too, corks present problems.”

“The first, and most logical argument against trying to age wine at home is that you don’t know what’s going on inside the bottle. The only way to find out is to open a bottle and taste it. But, even supposing you’re ageing several bottles of exactly the same wine, each one may react differently owing to differences in the corks,” Peter explains.

“Although it’s understandable that some people see home ageing of wine as a hobby, they should also note that it’s possible to overage wines. It’s accepted knowledge that more wines are overaged than consumed too young. While five to ten percent of wines might improve if given another year, the rest won’t. Once we start ageing wine for five to ten years after bottling, only one percent of them are likely to improve. The rest change, but not for the better. So, choosing corked wines because corking allows you to age them isn’t a good argument. In most instances, it’s just a way to mess up perfectly good wine or make a bad wine even worse.”

Screw caps exclude oxygen, and that, Peter says, is a good thing. “If you chose a good wine, the sealed cap keeps the wine fresh and fruity – just as it was on the day the vintner decided that the wine had reached its peak.”

Screw Caps: Easy to Open Easy to Enjoy

In closing, Peter asserts that wine should be bought to be enjoyed, not bought to age. Enjoyment can mean that satisfying, ‘click’ as one easily break the seal on the cap, but the best part is certainly savouring your glass of ‘bottled heaven.’ 

Manor Estate wines are carefully aged under controlled conditions and the ideal time to bottle and serve is decided by Peter Cap, the winemaker. The cap (no relation to the man though it shares his name) keeps the wine poised at this level of perfection until its buyer is ready to break the seal and enjoy that perfect moment. “If you want good wine, buy good wine,” says Peter. “You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear and you can’t make good wine out of bad wine by letting it age under largely-uncontrolled conditions.”

Manor estate offers wine events, a romantic wedding venue and luxury accommodation in McLaren Vale. For more information, or join their wine club, visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

Putting the Bubbles in The Wine Versus Putting the Bubbles in the Bottle

Apart from the quality of the wine itself, what most people are looking for in champagne or sparkling wine is – you guessed it –  bubbles. It’s the sparkle that makes a celebration and the sensation of tiny bubbles bursting in the mouth that’s part of the tasting experience. 

There are two ways of achieving this. In wines made using the traditional champagne-making process, a secondary fermentation with added yeast puts bubble into the bottle. But Peter Cap feels that the more modern approach, that of using a carbonation process, produces a better result. 

“Putting the bubbles into the wine rather than putting them into the bottle means that the wine remains infused with bubbles down to the very last drop,” he explains. “Putting bubbles into the bottle using the Champagne-making method means that on opening, the bubbles rapidly rise to the top leaving the wine far less bubbly than it would have been had carbonation been used instead.”

Look for the Frothy Mousse

To demonstrate his point, Peter pours a glass of his own Manor Estate Sparkling Shiraz, a winning wine which was awarded an excellent rating during blind tasting by an internationally renowned panel of experts at Wine Enthusiast. 

He points to the froth of violet foam topping the wine. “That frothy mousse is one of the things we love most about our sparkling wine – but looking at the wine itself, you can see that there are still bubbles – lots of them. That’s what you get when you carbonate wine to produce a bubbly and it’s something that you won’t see in champagne which typically has fewer and smaller bubbles after being opened. By the time you reach the bottom of the bottle, there are hardly any bubbles to speak of.”

Deciding Which is Better Depends on What Pleases a Person

Despite the world-class reputation of Manor Estate wines, Peter is no rigid wine-snob. “People can tell you what you ought to think, but what really matters is what you think. Some people may be up in arms when the opinion that a good Aussie sparkling wine is better than French champagne is shared. But that’s an opinion. Test it yourself. Make it a fair contest by choosing a really good Aussie sparkling wine like our Sparkling Shiraz or Sparkling Brut. Decide whether you agree. If you don’t, that’s fine too.”

Manor estate offers wine events, a romantic wedding venue and luxury accommodation in McLaren Vale. For more information, or join their wine club, visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

For Peter Cap of Manor Estate, a man whose love of wine and the McLaren Vale wine growing area led to the launch of his own wine brand, disruption of the status quo proved to be a recipe for success. It has taken his “newcomer” brand into the heart of New York’s smart society, and surprised wine industry insiders while winning the hearts of local consumers as an unexpected bonus. 

When it comes to using disruptive tactics, Manor Estate Wines offers a formidable example of how smart strategies that break the mould, coupled with products one can believe in, can lead to remarkable success. This article looks at Manor Estate’s unusual approach and how it led one boutique winery to international fame.

Where the Old Guard Misses the Mark

In established industries, a routine way of getting things done becomes the norm. Think of banks, their way of doing business, their image, and their marketing: it’s invariably a set recipe with occasional, rather painful attempts to win over up-and-coming youngsters. But at its heart, nothing is really new. Nothing is really different. It’s business as usual.

The wine industry suffers from similar image issues. There’s little risk-taking; a reliance on the same old motifs; a fear of moving outside the box because, after all, the box is part of the package. 

As relative newcomers to a wine industry in which established, mass-produced brands rule the roost, the Manor Estate found itself wondering how it could make itself noticed. It spotted the gap and proceeded to do just that.

Break Down Boundaries, Overcome Barriers

It seemed like a desperate strategy, but in truth, it was well-conceived and produced unbelievable results. Instead of following the traditional model in which brands first seek recognition at home before crossing the water to new territories, Manor Estate would skip step one, and proceed directly to step two. 

Export success would be a sufficient triumph in itself, and reasoned Peter and daughter Sharleen, “if you can succeed in New York, you can succeed anywhere.” And so it was that Sharleen would leave her country upbringing behind her, pulling out all the stops to turn an unknown brand into a famous one in one of the world’s most glittering capitals. 

But conventional tactics wouldn’t work. “Nobody in New York had heard of Manor Estate,” says Sharleen, “so there was no way that the brand would gain support using traditional channels. It had to be something different to the usual round of pamphlets, brochures, emails and phone calls.”

She developed a cheeky methodology that would leave industry insiders aghast and wondering why they hadn’t thought of it themselves.

Influencing Influencers: Up Close, Personal, and Impossible to Argue

Influencing the influencers meant getting to know them in person. But before Sharleen could do that, she needed in-person access. She took an unusual approach. “It started with talking to waiters,” she says. “From there, it became talking to managers. And the next step would be an introduction into the network of influencers that dictate culinary taste and style to Manhattan at large.”

Needless to say, she discovered that word-of-mouth marketing can be way more effective than any number of glitzy brochures and carefully-worded emails. “Manor Estate had a superior product. Looking for a niche that would allow it to be competitive, by-the-glass wines came under the spotlight. They weren’t very good. Manor Estate winery could offer top establishments something truly excellent instead. Now, it was a matter of making them realise it.”

Taste and Tell

Convinced that all it would take to win over New York’s most respected gourmet food restaurants and high-society wine bars would be one taste of a wine that would outstrip its competitors, Sharleen went to work. 

“It’s about making a personal connection and having something great to offer,” she says. “They could have tried humouring the person who was offering them a taste of an unknown wine. There could have been ‘don’t call, we’ll call you’ responses. But instead, Manor Estate Wines delivered on their promise. The response was overwhelmingly positive.”

With the heart of the United States’s most influential city won, momentum grew – and so did support from home, with Wine Australia recognising Manor Estates’ potential and choosing it as one of the lucky few to gain access to its network of contacts. “They were amazed at the US response to Manor Estate Wines,” says Sharleen, “but the groundwork was already in place, and the US market was eager to try the wines that had risen to fame in Manhattan.”

“Hometown Brand Makes Good” Story Piques the Interest of Australian Wine Connoisseurs

Now, the story goes full circle, returning to its home in McLaren Vale. “Nobody can fail to be impressed by a relatively new brand’s success in New York and the greater USA,” says Peter. “Disrupting the status quo in which big brands have all the loyalty and there’s a set formula for success proved to be a matter of conquering the world’s most influential city.” 

Over and above that, a documentary series filmed on location at Manor Estate drew attention to the brand’s true home. Suddenly, everyone wanted to know about Manor Estate Wines. Everyone wanted a taste of that success and the wine that has New York asking for more. In an industry in which old wineries ruled the roost, the newcomer had created a buzz that piqued the interest of both wine experts and ordinary people who love a local success story.

“It was disruptive,” says Peter. “People are still wondering how it was done. Then they taste the wine, and understand.”

Manor estate offers wine events, a romantic wedding venue and luxury accommodation in McLaren Vale. For more information, or join their wine club, visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

Covid and Red Wine: The Claim 

Improved resistance to various health issues has long been attributed to red wine: “We already know that relaxing with a glass of red wine is believed to have numerous health benefits thanks to the powerful antioxidant polyphenols it contains. But tannins also have benefits, and they could be the key to keeping us healthy during the pandemic. That’s over and above the fact that many scientists believe that drinking a glass of red wine a day can improve heart health, reduce inflammation, and help people to live longer,” says Peter.

But that’s not where it ends. 

“It’s known that stress lowers resistance to illness,” Peter reminds. “Relaxing with someone you love and a bottle of fine wine isn’t just good for your mind: it’s good for your body because it reduces stress. But without getting too clinical, spoiling themselves with something they’ll genuinely enjoy is something people should do on a regular basis. It’s not only a happy thing to do, it’s also a healthy one. Manor Estate is part of that, and it’s something to be proud of.”

Covid: Why Researchers Aren’t Testing Wine’s Health Benefits

Peter points out that natural substances like wine are difficult for researchers to work with. “They need to point to a single ingredient and determine what that does. Organic substances contain many complex molecules that may interact with each other, and going through all those ingredients and determining how they work together would be the work of generations, not years.”

“On the other hand, there are scientists who believe that organic molecules can work in synergy, boosting one another’s effects. It would be wonderful to see more research on the health benefits of red wine, particularly with reference to SARS-related viruses. The researchers would certainly have no shortage of volunteers to act as research subjects!”

Tannins, Red Wine, and Covid

Backing up his opinion that red wine can help us to stay safe and healthy during the pandemic may seem like a tough call. But Peter, an organic chemist prior to finding his calling in the world of fine wines, is armed with evidence.

“During SARS, researchers in Taiwan began testing tannin to see whether it would inhibit the virus with very promising results. That research has been resumed owing to covid, and once again, the results are very promising. They’re looking at tannins as an ingredient that could be used to treat people who already have covid, and they’ve found that tannic acid does suppress the virus.”

“In treating covid, it would take a massive dose of red wine to actually get the same effect as the researchers got in the lab, but surely, even a healthy two glasses would have some effect in preventing covid or aiding people in recovery.”

“At the same time,” cautions Peter, “that’s just my opinion and there’s no conclusive proof to offer, but it is food for thought. Personally, I believe that tannins in red wine really can help us to stay healthy during the pandemic, and there are a number of additional reasons to believe it can heighten resistance, including the aspect of relaxing and de-stressing which any doctor will tell you heightens resistance to infection.”

As for the wine, it will always be Manor Estate wines for Peter: “The acronym is ME, and you and ME go well together,” says Peter. “The wine is naturally aged and lovingly nurtured to perfection, and that perfection is bottled in McLaren Vale before being enjoyed in Australia and the USA. If it’s good for your health, that’s a bonus. What matters most is that it’s a delight to the senses.”

Manor estate offers wine events, a romantic wedding venue and luxury accommodation in McLaren Vale. For more information, or join their wine club, visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

In the decades that followed, wineries across Australia produced massive amounts of the wine to keep up with Australian’s insatiable appetite for the iconic beverage. During the 1990s Australian Chardonnay gained notoriety with a global marketplace and the international accolades streamed to those vineyards who had tweaked the recipe just enough to make them standout. Unwooded varieties etched out a marketplace of their own, while the french oak wooded variety produced a deep yellow colour and delivered a buttery taste to the palate. 

Since then a plethora of blends and other varietals captured the taste of the marketplace and Australian wineries began to further diversify their product offerings with Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Semillon and Riesling. Yet the Chardonnay is still a go  to when paired with seafood across the sun burnt country which is Australia. Its not uncommon to find a bottle of Chardonnay paired with a bucket of prawns or seafood platter at any time of the year.

In late March 2009, a small boutique winery in Australia’s greatest wine producing region of McLaren Vale, South Australia gathered teams of experienced fruit picking backpackers at 4:00am, armed with baskets and secateurs they hand picked chardonnay grapes from aged vines the heritage of which originated with James Busby. Over four days the job was complete and the grapes began their transformation from fruit to wine under the careful palate of chemist and vintner Peter Cap, founder of Manor Estate Wines.

“If I’d known then what I know now I would change nothing with one exception; I would have planted more chardonnay years before,” Cap said. Who was to know that 12 years later Manor Estate’s 2009 Chardonnay Special Reserve would be recognised as one of the finest Chardonnay’s ever produced in the region.

Cap takes wine making seriously, “It’s been my passion for years,” he said, “each part of the process is a discipline in itself, right down to the time, temperature and method of hand cutting the fruit from the vines,” Cap continued.

The Manor Estate 2009 Chardonnay is something of a legend, “the universe was smiling on each element of the process at this time, everything went right and the result is in the tasting,” Cap says.

Acclaimed by wine connoisseurs near and far, Manor Estate’s 2009 Chardonnay Special Vintage is now in limited supply. “Now in its twelfth year, this wine just keeps getting better,” Cap says, “Everyone who tastes it is an instant fan, but now our buyers with a discerning palate are cellaring it for a special occasion,” Cap muses.

“The whole team at Manor Estate are elated with the success of the 2009 Chardonnay,'” Cap says, “2009 was a stand out year for us with two premium wines produced, Chardonnay and Merlot,” each now in extremely limited supply are reluctantly sold by the  charismatic wine maker for $249 per bottle, which is arguably on the cheap side.

“Peer pressure forced me to offer my remaining private stock to the marketplace,” Cap said, “but rest assured my private cellar will keep a few dozen of this exceptional rare wine for very special occasions,” Cap concluded.

Manor estate offers wine events, a romantic wedding venue and luxury accommodation in McLaren Vale. For more information, or join their wine club, visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

Read: McLaren Vale Winery Sparkling Shiraz Brut Wines Australian Wine Club Membership

Sparkling Shiraz with Spicy Pasta Provencal – or Dessert

There’s more to the range of foods that match Manor Estate’s famous Sparkling Shiraz – feel free to explore peppery, spicy dishes at will. However, this easy pasta recipe featuring cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, garlic, capers, Italian spices, red pepper and Parmesan cheese is a great way to get that VIP experience at home. Alternatively, it can be enjoyed with game and earthy flavours or it can be served up with a favourite dessert. Take time to admire the frothy mousse that the sparkling shiraz produces when poured – it’s Peter’s pride and joy!

Sparkling Brut with Grilled Fish Served with Green Olive Sauce and Pistachio

Most people will be aware that a sparkling brut can be enjoyed with any white meat or seafood. But special occasions call for special recipes. Serve grilled fish on a base of green olive sauce and top with coarsely chopped roast pistachios. It’s simple but undeniably a dish fit for a king. A little caviar on the side adds an ultra luxury touch and matches the crisp character of the sparkling brut. “Any salty delicacy is great with sparkling brut,” says Peter.

Shiraz with Red Meats and Veggies for Classic Enjoyment

Luxurious shiraz is a real all-rounder to go with red meats and veggies. Peter suggests making a red wine sauce – but not with his Manor Estate Shiraz. “Red wine reductions are fantastic, but you shouldn’t use your best wines for them. A regular bottle of plonk will do for cooking, but for serving, you should complement the meal with a naturally-aged, full-bodied, palate-pleasing shiraz. Theoretically, you could cook with it, of course, but it would be an awful waste.”

Cabernet Sauvignon with Red Meats or Portobello Mushrooms

Pairings for Cabernet Sauvignon are very similar to those that work with Shiraz, but Peter is eager to offer a vegetarian option. “With either Shiraz or CabSav, vegetarians will be looking for a meat substitute as a main dish, and portobello mushrooms fit the bill. Stuffed mushrooms are a fantastic alternative to meat when enjoying red wine with a meal. Spinach, tomato and white cheeses are great accompaniments to portobellos – or just grill and serve.

Read: McLaren Vale Winery Secrets Wine Club Wines Tasting Events Australian Winemakers

Chardonnay with Pasta or Seafood

The delicate nature of Chardonnay calls for equally delicate accompanying flavours. Seafood is sure to be a winner, but asparagus and pasta dishes with subtle flavours are equally successful pairings. For a real gourmet touch, try lobster thermidor, says Peter. It’s a great way of dressing seafood to impress, tastes amazing, and will pair beautifully with the wine.

“You don’t have to be rich and famous to enjoy fine food and wine,” says Peter. But once the flavours of paired foods and wines work their magic, you’ll certainly feel like an A-lister – even when it’s just a really special meal at home.” His top wine recommendations are an easy guess. He chooses Manor Estate Wines, the wines he nurtured to match or even beat some of the world’s finest.

Manor estate offers wine events, a romantic wedding venue and luxury accommodation in McLaren Vale. For more information, or to buy wine online, or join their wine club, visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

Peter’s winery, Manor Estate, produces the self-indulgent wines branded as “ME” wines, and his Shiraz is an international award winner. However, even wine fanciers who know they like a Shiraz may wonder just what earns this red wine its name. It all comes down to the grapes and where they’re grown says Peter.

Read: McLaren Vale Winery Secrets Wine Club Wines Tasting Events Australian Winemakers

A French Grape Variety Makes Itself at Home in Warmer Climes

Shiraz, explains Peter, comes from a historic French grape variety that’s known as Syrah in its birthplace. It grows well in warmer climates, expressing its flavour somewhat differently than it did back home in France. “Even in Australia, there are wines made from Syrah grapes that have the more acidic overtones and peppery aroma that the French versions do. The Yarra Valley wines are more like a Syrah than a warm-climate Shiraz. In McLaren Vale, the flavour is fruitier and if there is to be a distinction between Shiraz and Syrah wines, those would be the characteristics that differentiate them from each other.”

Shiraz: Among The Darkest of All Reds

The colour of Shiraz (or Syrah) wines is quite distinctive. Peter demonstrates the dark hue by holding a glass up to the light. The dark liquid is a deep red that’s almost black, and that’s in line, says Peter, with the berry flavours for which the wine is famed. He notes that Australians love their Shiraz wines and that Shiraz grapes are among the most widely grown in Australia. “Americans enjoy their Shiraz too,” he says, reflecting on the success Manor Estates achieved in the USA where it rapidly earned a reputation as a producer of exceptionally good wines suitable for serving to the “beautiful people” in Manhattan’s most luxurious venues.

Shiraz Flavour: Full-Bodied, Bold, and Dry

Red meats and red wine are a classic pairing, but Peter Cap says there’s more to Shiraz than just that. “Shiraz wines have a bold flavour, and they complement foods that have a bold flavour too. Aged cheese, for example, smoked meats, and the richness of duck are better when enjoyed with Shiraz wines, and the tannins help to cut through the fattiness of lamb. From the barbeque to the gourmet dinner, and from starters to desserts, there’s always room for a Shiraz in the wine selection.”

Read: Sparkling Brut Wines McLaren Vale Winery Accommodation Functions Weddings Events

More Than Just the Grapes

At Manor Estate, Peter insists on ageing wines according to time-honoured traditions. “Good quality Shiraz starts with selecting the best wine grapes, but it doesn’t end there,” he explains. “There’s no substitute for the flavour of a wine aged in oak barrels and given time to develop its flavours naturally. It’s possible to fast-track wine production, but the difference lies in the taste.”

Another component of a great Shiraz is often overlooked. Yeast is used in the fermentation of wine, but there are many variants, and according to Peter Cap, the original French strain of yeast produces superior results.

From the consumer’s perspective, the temperature of the wine will also affect the way its taste is experienced. Peter recommends refrigerating Shiraz for 15 minutes before serving. “Most people serve it too warm,” he warns, “and that means they aren’t getting the most out of their Shiraz.”

“It begins with Shiraz grapes,” says Peter, “but that’s just the start. From how the wine is made to details like the choice of glassware, the temperature it is served at, and the foods with which it is paired, a little understanding of the art of making and enjoying wine will enhance your choices and maximise your enjoyment of Shiraz wines.”

Manor estate offers wine events, a romantic wedding venue and luxury accommodation in McLaren Vale. For more information, or to buy wine online, or join their wine club, visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

Published by Austrade Exports and Imports Awards

Manor Estate Wines, from South Australia’s McLaren Vale wine region, is a great example of what can happen when business owners step out of their comfort zone to tackle a problem.

This family-run, boutique winery focuses largely on exports, primarily to the US. Founder Peter Cap and his daughter Sharleen spent a lot of time in the US marketing their brand. But with success almost within reach, the pandemic struck.

Without personal follow-up, they risked seeing all their hard work undone. So, to keep the brand front-of-mind among clients and consumers, Peter and his younger daughter Chantelle created a documentary series, Wine Secrets. This was shown on free-to-air TV in Australia and achieved worldwide recognition. The series captures Peter’s charisma — a key part of their in-person campaign.

“Thanks in part to the documentary series, we are maintaining our momentum in marketing to overseas markets,” says Peter. “We are also experiencing an uptick in local sales.”

Threats become opportunities

In mid-2020, Sharleen returned to New York to continue the family’s export journey. Thanks to their hard work and creative thinking, Manor Estate Wines is now servicing more than 120 high-end restaurants and clubs in New York City. It has also progressed from selling products by the case to entire containers.

Manor Estate has also caught the eye of some online influencers, potentially putting them in front of millions of prospective customers.

“Never give up,” says Peter. “You may have to change your plans, but if you’re ready to think outside the box and take action, threats can become opportunities, and potential failures can become unqualified successes.”

The US marketing drive, headed by Peter and daughter Sharleen was already well underway when Manor Estate applied for assistance through Wine Australia’s US Market Entry program. It’s not every winery that makes it through the selection process. Only a handful wins the organisation’s support. After all, Wine Australia promises its US contacts access to some of Australia’s most exciting brands, and it’s an accolade that isn’t easily earned.

Only 15 wineries are selected for the program, and apart from offering a superior product, the program’s beneficiaries must show a well-developed strategy that demonstrates readiness to invest in US market entry. With generations-old wineries competing for the benefits Wine Australia’s support offers to the select few, Manor Estate was a new kid on the block and, to many, it was a surprise choice in the final selection of program beneficiaries.

Read: McLaren Vale Winery Secrets Wine Club Wines Tasting Events Australian Winemakers

More than Just a Name: Manor Estate Produces Great Wine

Although the Manor Estate name may not be widely known, Peter and his family always believed that the wine itself would do the talking. “That’s fine when you’re talking to New York’s gourmets. They taste it, they like it, and that’s all it takes to secure a deal,” says Peter. However, Manor Estate was less sure about Wine Australia selection. The competition was stiff and included more established wineries – and in many instances, the wines they produce were already known to Peter and his family.

“As a wine-lover, you can’t help but be aware that you’re up against some of the wine producers you’ve admired in the past,” says Peter. “It was uncertain whether Manor Estate would be just another face in the crowd despite its export readiness and the quality of its wines.”

Wine Australia, on the other hand, was duly impressed. The organisation’s listing of Manor Estate observes that the winery has “Some of the best wines the McLaren Vale region has to offer,” and highlights the glowing reviews that Manor Estate Wines Brut achieved in ratings by the internationally respected Wine Enthusiast magazine.

Ready, Willing, and Already Making Progress

Exporting wine to the USA isn’t just a matter of packing an order and getting it shipped. It’s a complex market with regulatory requirements differing from state to state. But Manor Estate was not only geared up and ready to go, it had already begun making inroads into the US market. With a little help from Wine Australia’s mentors and network of contacts, it could and would do so much more.

“It was hard work just getting people to taste Manor Estate wines at first,” says daughter Sharleen, now living and working in the US at the helm of Manor Estate’s US operations. “But being selected by Wine Australia gave us the credibility to be more than just another face in the crowd. There is no doubt whatsoever that winning Wine Australia’s support fast-tracked Manor Estate’s progress in breaking into US markets as a producer of premium wines.”

It’s clear that Wine Australia is as happy with its choice of the Manor Estate brand as the estate’s owners are with being chosen to benefit from the boost into the US market that Wine Australia offers. The organisation notes that although Manor Estate is “first generation,” it is already “forging a path to become a multi-generational icon.”

Read: Sparkling Brut Wines McLaren Vale Winery Accommodation Functions Weddings Events

Quality, Determination, Plus Business Acumen a Winning Combination

Peter concedes that the quality of his estate’s wines alone was not sufficient to earn recognition from Wine Australia as an “exciting new brand” for the organisation to promote in the US. “There is no doubt that quality played a key role,” he says, “but Wine Australia saw that Manor Estate was already making an independent effort to break into the US market, and it noticed that we were already achieving much despite having to go it alone at the outset. From packaging to logistics, Manor Estate had everything it needed to succeed and with Wine Australia to back it up, that success would be assured.”

Manor estate offers wine events and luxury accommodation in McLaren Vale. For more information, or to buy wine online, or join their wine club, visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

“People are genuinely interested in the technical aspects of the world of wine,” says Peter. “They want to know what goes into a good vintage and they want to understand the art of being a wine connoisseur. As a result, Manor Estate chose to offer some of this information free of charge to anyone who cares to be in the know.”

Read: Sparkling Brut Wines McLaren Vale Winery Accommodation Functions Weddings Events

2020’s Challenges Part of the Initiative

Before 2020’s challenges hit, Peter and daughter Sharleen had been far too busy to think of anything beyond their drive to capture the US wine-fanciers market for Manor Estate. “It was a family effort to build a reputation for Manor Estate in the US starting with Manhattan’s smartest venues,” Peter explains. “There was phenomenal progress, especially after the wines gained recognition from Wine Australia as a promising export for the US market. It was incredibly frustrating having to scale back on operations after such a promising start.”

Staying in touch with US clients and capturing the Australian audience that had not previously formed part of their strategic drive became “Plan B” for the family, and now another daughter of the family, Chantelle, would take the driver’s seat. As a media expert, she directed her energy into the production of the Wine Secrets TV series. “It was a way to stay in touch with clients around the world as well as gaining media exposure at home in Australia,” says Peter. “The winery had a fan base at home, but with so much competition from bigger wine producers, it had seemed a difficult market for expansion.”

The series comprises of bite-sized chunks of information that are easy to digest and remember. “Viewers don’t want to be overloaded with information, some of which is useful and actionable, and some of which is not,” says Peter, “so the series keeps each episode short and to-the-point. Apart from bringing Manor Estate public attention, it also provided viewers with information they wanted. It’s the kind of knowledge that Manor Estate shares during its Secret Wine Garden and Cellar Door wine-tasting events – just with a bigger audience.”

Vaynerchuk Inspiration

Manor Estates admits to following inspiration from one of its fans – wine and internet entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk. The international celebrity started his career with the family wine shop, and had begun promoting its products with YouTube videos featuring wine tasting and wine talk. It was the start of an inspiring career. After impressing Vaynerchuk with the quality of its wines in the USA, Manor Estate decided to follow suit, but this time, the production would be from the winemaker’s, rather than the wine shop’s, perspective.

“Manor Estate is promoted in the series, but the information shared is applicable to wines across the board,” explains Peter. “In making the series, the information targeted knowledge and advice that’s applicable to the enjoyment of wine from any estate in the world. People are thirsty for knowledge to enhance their experience of the world of wine. They would like to know how to judge and describe a wine, how to serve it, what foods to pair with it, and of course, they want to know about what goes into making great wine.”

Read: Wine Club Membership Quality Wines McLaren Vale Boutique Winery and Distributor

Dual-Purpose, Single Solution

Introducing its wines to the broader Australian public and maintaining contact with clients and wine-fanciers half a world away may seem like two separate goals for Manor Estate to work towards, but the Wine Secrets documentary series has contributed in both areas. `It’s a simple yet elegant solution that has helped Manor Estate to gain new supporters and simultaneously keep a form of contact with existing ones despite lockdowns, travel bans and all the inconveniences of 2020. Meanwhile, the public has access to information and a simple way to demystify the complex-seeming “insider” information” that lies behind the wines they already enjoy.

For more information visit the Manor Estate Wines McLaren Vale website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

“These aren’t hard drinkers. They’re ordinary people who feel the need to create opportunities for celebration and a little self-indulgence,” he says. “Nothing says ‘celebration’ better than a good bubbly.”

Read: Sparkling Brut Wines McLaren Vale Winery Accommodation Functions Weddings Events

Proactive Approach Helps ME to More Than its Share of Rising Sales

Peter Cap notes that overall, his winery is seeing greater growth in sparkling wine sales than that reported by various beverage industry associations. The figures vary depending on the part of the world under consideration and the source reporting, but all agree that there’s a rise of anything from 4 to 11 percent in sparkling wine consumption.

Manor Estate is outperforming that, and Peter attributes this to several reasons, including a bit of luck. “Manor Estate was pushing for its share in the US market for boutique wines, and its representatives were celebrating US success just as the lockdowns started,” he says. “It came at a time when the brand was getting a lot of attention from foodies and wine celebrities. Having progressed to that degree, it was difficult to maintain the previous momentum under lockdown, but Manor Estate was no longer the unknown new kid on the block and the demand was there.”

Back home in Australia, locals were enthralled by the Manor Estate success story, further increasing the brand’s sparkling wine sales. “The Australian market wasn’t a priority for ME Wines at the time,” says Peter, “but people wanted to taste the Australian wine that was being served in top New York establishments like the Carnegie Club. The estate’s Wine Club saw rising membership along with increased sales while market awareness was also boosted by a made-for-TV wine documentary filmed on location at the estate.”

Read: Wine Club Membership Quality Wines McLaren Vale Boutique Winery and Distributor

Quality is Key

Skill also had its role to play in Manor Estate’s rising sales curve. Peter says that tastebuds were doing the talking here: “There are a lot of cheap, mass-produced sparkling wines, but Manor Estate stands out from the crowd because its sparkling wines are produced using properly aged wine – the difference this makes lies in the taste.”

For an unbiased confirmation of Peter’s opinion, the world-renowned Wine Enthusiast panel is the first port of call. In blind tasting, Manor Estate’s Sparkling Shiraz and Brut achieved very high ratings. “Producing quality over quantity, will always reap rewards,” says Peter. “ME wines aren’t the cheapest, but though they are exclusive boutique wines, they are affordable and they taste better. You don’t have to be an expert to tell the difference.”

Asked if Manor Estate expects the rising sales trend to continue, Peter doesn’t hesitate: “The worldwide romance with bubbly isn’t going to slow down, and consumers are becoming more informed in their choices, so Manor Estate is well-positioned to continue winning hearts and minds both at home and abroad.”

For more information visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

Gendered perceptions often lead to assumptions that ultimately affect consumer preferences, but men are bucking the system, says Peter Cap, director and wine-maker at Manor Estate in Australia’s famed McLaren Vale wine-producing district. As a man with scientific leanings, Peter enjoys following the results of various studies dealing with his favourite topic: wine. Balancing the results of these studies with his own winemaking and marketing experience results in some interesting conclusions, specifically that while sparkling wine is often perceived as feminine, men may be the real enthusiasts.

Read: Wine Club Membership Quality Wines McLaren Vale Boutique Winery and Distributor

The Perception: Bubbly is Feminine

For those who have never really thought about it, it may come as a surprise that the majority of US consumers tend to consider the drink we traditionally enjoy when celebrating special occasions as being “feminine.”

Peter Cap became aware of this perception thanks to his interest in popularising Manor Estate Wines in the USA. A Sparkling Brut and a Sparkling Shiraz, both award-winners, are among the Estate’s flagship products. During his research into the US market, he discovered a research paper on consumer perceptions based on a survey of random US wine-drinkers. Its conclusion was that the majority of consumers perceive bubbly as being “feminine.”

“There are probably plenty of good reasons for this,” says Peter. “Sparkling wine has romantic connotations, and there’s an element of glamour that could be seen as feminine. However, the truth is that men enjoy their sparkling wine as much or more than women do.”

Men and Women Appreciate Sparkling Wine in Different Ways

Referring to another study, this time conducted in Australia, Peter discusses the differences – and similarities – in the way men and women enjoy their sparkling wine. “According to a study published in the journal Beverages, men tend to be more interested in the technical aspects of wine making and wine tasting than women are,” says Peter.

“In Manor Estate’s experience, this seems to be true. While both men and women enjoy the sparkling wines produced here, the men are more likely to want ‘reasons’ why they should enjoy the wine, while the ladies are more inclined to just enjoy the sparkling wine experience without feeling a need for extra input to motivate why they like it.”

Read: Australian Boutique Winery Quality Wine Maker Producer Distributor Manhattan USA

The Secrets Behind Good Sparkling Wine

Fortunately, Peter Cap is more than happy to share the information that people seeking a deeper understanding of his wines are looking for. There are several “secrets” behind a really good bubbly, and according to Peter, it all begins with the choice of high-quality wine grapes. “Manor Estate doesn’t limit itself to grapes grown on any single estate. Instead, we select the best fruit available in the region. Good beginnings make for a great end-product.”

Next, comes the time-honoured natural fermentation process. “Many of the cheaper, mass-produced wines are rushed through fermentation in a matter of months with the help of additives,” says Peter. “Manor Estate does things the old-fashioned way, fermenting the wine in oak barrels for years. Throughout this time, we carefully monitor several factors and adjust the environment accordingly. For example, fermentation temperature is a very important factor.”

Once the wine is ready for bottling, it’s time to add the bubbles. “Natural yeast added to the bottle to produce bubbles is an interesting concept, but carbonation results in a bubblier wine that consumers actually prefer. The bubbles last longer, and boost enjoyment of the wine down to the very last drop.”

Sparkling Wine is a “People” Drink

While the discussion on the gender-identity of wine is interesting to Peter, he asserts that men may like bubbly more than the “feminine” perception of the celebratory drink seems to indicate. “When people celebrate, they celebrate together with loved ones. The right wine adds sparkle to the occasion. It’s a people drink. It may be perceived in terms that would traditionally have feminine associations, for example: beautiful, elegant, delicate, or refined – but it’s enjoyed by men as much as it’s enjoyed by women,” he concludes.

“Of course, in marketing, the findings on wine and gender perceptions become more useful although probably rather obvious. If Manor Estate made beer, its advertising would be likely to feature men hanging out in bars or in rugged outdoor settings. For sparkling wine, imagery would be more likely to include romantic settings and, of course, attractive ladies. That doesn’t mean that sparkling wine is girly – though it is certainly beautiful.”

For more information visit the Manor Estate Wines website or call their team of experts on (08) 8383 7300.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.