Freeman Corvina ‘Robusta’ Altura Vineyard 2015

Freeman Vineyards is a boutique family-owned winery in the Hilltops region of New South Wales, renowned for its Italian-inspired wines and pioneering spirit. Founded in 1999 by Dr. Brian Freeman, a former head of wine science at Charles Sturt University. Brian transitioned from academia to winemaking, bringing deep viticultural expertise to the Hilltops region. Situated in Prunevale, Hilltops, at 560 metres above sea level, the vineyard benefits from cool nights and sunny days during ripening, deep granite soils mixed with red silt, sand from central Australia and well-drained terrain, ideal for growing high-quality grapes.

Freeman Vineyards is Australia’s only producer of the northern Italian grape varieties Rondinella and Corvina, used in their flagship Secco. Other Italian varietals include Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Aleatico, Prosecco, Fiano, Pinot Grigio, and an obscure varietal for Australia, Furmint. Their priority is well crafted wines with a focus on textural complexity, balance, and food-friendliness.

Dr Brian Freeman spent much of his life in research and education, in the latter with a role as head of CSU’s viticulture and oenology campus. In ’04 he purchased the neighbouring 30yo Demondrille vineyard, renamed Altura vineyard. He has since acquired several other vineyards within a 10km radius, all adding to the original Hilltops estate. In all, he has 27 varieties that range from staples such as shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, semillon and riesling through to more exotic varieties such as furmint and Italian varieties prosecco, pinot grigio, sangiovese, nebbiolo, rondinella and corvina. -JAMES HALLIDAY

As distinct from Freeman ‘Secco’, Freeman Robusta is crafted entirely from corvina grapes, all of which are partially dried for 10 days in a neighbour’s prune dehydrator, prior to a prolonged two-month fermentation. Subsequent ageing in old oak barrels for two years allows the powerful tannins to integrate and enrich the palate. Not for the faint-hearted!

THE REAL REVIEW

Freeman Corvina ‘Robusta’ Altura Vineyard 2015 – 92 / 100 Points

Medium red colour with the faintest tint of purple. The bouquet has some foresty, sousbois notes as well as red berries, the palate fruity again and fresh; clean, bright and loaded with berry flavours. Lovely sweet raspberry and cherry, rather grenache-like flavours, backed by good tannins. Its massive alcohol strangely doesn’t scream out as unbalanced. Delicious wine..

– Huon Hooke

Winefront

Freeman Corvina ‘Robusta’ Altura Vineyard 2015 – 93 / 100 Points

Cracking wine from the good humans of the Freeman family, based in Hilltops, New South Wales. Made entirely from dried corvina grapes. Sweet cherry, sweet game meat scents, lavender, black pepper, cherry elixir, clove. Really pretty perfume, such a lovely way to start. Fresh yet fat fruited, crisp and washed over with amaro-like acidity, neat chewy/breathy finish and a web of feathery tannin throughout. Super stuff.”

– Mike Bennie

Winefront

Freeman Corvina ‘Robusta’ Altura Vineyard 2015 – 94 / 100 Points

“Brian Freeman planted his Hilltops vineyard 20 years ago now. This is made entirely from dried corvina grapes. Brian calls it “a feisty riff on Amarone”. It’s released seven years from harvest, four of those years spent in barrel. It’s a rich, sumptuous, nut-infused red wine. It’s full-on in a good way; it’s warm with alcohol but flavour, real flavour, and finely-threaded tannin outstays the heat, and by a margin. It presents an assortment of dark berries, leather, herb and nut flavours, and for all its drama it’s then cleaned by freshening acidity. It’s top notch. Watch the alcohol, when you’re drinking it. But, with that proviso, revel in its parade.

– Campbell Mattinson