The annals of time are filled with great collabs & partnerships. Laurel & Hardy. Cagney & Lacey. Fripp & Eno. Duos that just work. Duos that work in symbiosis with each other. Creative forces that are great in their own right, but that as a duo offer something different; something that allows another side of their personality to shine.
The remarkable & enduring friendship between Mosel superstar Ernst Loosen of Dr. Loosen fame and Clare Valley legends the Barry family goes back some 30 years now to 1995 and the London Wine Fair. 1995 was the peak era of Aussie wine taking the UK wine trade by storm. Big brands such as Lindeman’s, Wolf Blass and Penfolds were fresh(ish) on the scene and making waves in what was once the epicenter of the stuffy and long-established wine world.
The UK, and London in particular, has a long and fabled history with the wine trade where old traditional merchants and traders have been brokering deals and trading wine for centuries. Friendships have been brokered & broken over that time too, but the fresh-faced Aussies set about dismantling the established status quo with their new wave, forward-thinking modern approach and their outgoing personalities changing the face of the world of wine forever.
Whereas many of the original ‘brands’ that established Aussie wines as a main stay for the British palate have morphed into being the play toys of international conglomerates, Jim Barry Wines remains staunchly independent and family run. Jim Barry himself was the 1st qualified winemaker in the Clare Valley, graduating from Roseworthy Agricultural College in 1947 and 3rd Generation growers Sam and Tom Barry recently took over the reins of the family business from their father, Peter. Sam and Tom remain as committed to exploration today as the family have been for the 80 years that came before them. The Dr. Loosen Estate dates back well over 200 years but under the auspices of Ernst it has gone on to become a beacon of light for not only Riesling, but for discovery, pushing boundaries, challenging the status quo, and generally striving to make things better and more interesting for the wine lover whether they hail from Germany, Australia, the USA, Portugal or France – all countries where Erni has struck up relationships with like-minded growers and either has his own winery, or has a collab on the go!
Fast forward to today and sprouting from a mutual respect and deep admiration for the noble variety Riesling, Ernst and the Barry crew not only remain great friends, but they also have a now well-established collab coming out of the Clare Valley in the guise of their brilliant LoosenBarry project (see what they did there……) – a project representing German craftsmanship expressed through the lens of Australian terroir.
Fueled by passion, camaraderie, shared wisdom, and a collective love for Riesling, this project weaves together two strong family narratives, experiences, and the bonds of friendship and the project has steadily evolved as the inquisitive nature of Erni and the Barry boys continues to be fostered. Whilst the early releases saw a wine from the Clare and a wine from the Mosel telling the LoosenBarry tale, today we see the next stages of progress as the two wines from the LoosenBarry stable now hail exclusively from the Clare Valley. The 6th commercial release of the deep, cerebral & exhilarating Wolta Wolta Riesling – hailing from the 2022 harvest – has a new thirst-quenching bedfellow in the form of the inaugural release of Slate Hill Riesling, coming out of the 2023 growing season.
The Wines
2023 LoosenBarry ‘Slate Hill’ Riesling
A vibrant and expressive nose leads with white peach, guava, and lime curd, underpinned by green apple, kaffir lime, and a subtle flintiness. Hints of orange zest and almond meal add complexity, while delicate floral and herbal notes of pink lemonade, lemon verbena, and lemon thyme lift the aromatic profile. The palate opens with a generous wave of white peach and blood orange richness before being drawn taut by a fine line of grapefruit acidity and chalky texture. A savoury lick of green olive brine and wet chalk nuances contribute to the wine’s complexity, while the precision and balance create a teardrop-shaped flavour arc—generous on entry, narrowing to a long, focused finish. – Sam Barry, Tom Barry, Ernst Loosen
2022 LoosenBarry ‘Wolta Wolta’
The Dr Loosen and Jim Barry Wines collaboration continues with this release. So succulent and mouth-watering with distinct, waxy texture, lively tonic water and pink grapefruit zestiness, red apple, light gingery spice elements, lemon-honey tea notes, white balsamic lift and pleasing cashew and almond savouriness underlying. Whoa, there’s lots going on here, all harmonious, powerful and precise. What a wine! 96 Points. Mike Bennie, Wine Companion
Mineral aromas of Asian pears, peaches, white nectarines, sliced lemons and kaffir limes. The high-tension palate has racy acidity and an energetic mouthfeel with a lovely texture and reductive edge, showing slate, struck match, brine and white flowers as well as a slight phenolic grip. Excellent. Drink or hold. Screw cap. 96 points. Ryan Montgomery, JamesSuckling.com