Big Easy Radio
'Pagans of the good times'
Winemaker Matt Head has worked in some of the most iconic wineries and wine regions in Australia and around the world for the past 20 years. The knowledge gained along this vinous odyssey has led Matt to McLaren Vale and the creation of something truly unique with Big Easy Radio.
Big Easy Radio is bravely Australian in its approach. The growing, making and blending of varieties that thrive in the hot dry Mediterranean climate of McLaren Vale and surrounding regions are central to the story. Varieties like Grenache, Touriga, Tempranillo, Malbec, Montepulciano, Sangiovese and Mataro as well as Fiano and Vermentino have all been used and blended to create some exciting wines that will complement the diverse modern Australian cuisine.
The word 'EASY' was pivotal in the Big Easy brand. Matt talks about the language of wine, of how it is intimidating for people within the industry let alone the customers we try to communicate with. So rather than follow the same old route to market of 'Euro-centric' packaging and traditional elitism marketing, Matt decided to create an approachable and familiar Australian lifestyle brand.
"Coastal living and our affinity with the beach is part of the Australian ethos and Big Easy Radio is a celebration of this iconic way of life", Matt explains.
The look and feel of the brand, the imagery, and bottle shape all conjure up the idea of being washed up on the beach – the message in a bottle..
The Big Easy winemaking philosophy is simple, 'quality in – quality out'. Good grapes make good wine, and that wine needs to be an expression of the place from where it was grown.
Big Easy Grapes are harvested by hand at optimal sugar to acid ratios to minimize the need for adjustments in the winery. The vineyards employ environmentally conscious farming practices with many of the blocks being biodynamic or organically managed.
The winemaking is done in small open top fermenters with gentle hand plunging at cool fermentation temperatures to preserve fruit integrity. The more structural red wines are aged in a mix of old and new 300 or 500 litre French oak casks for between 9 and 18 months depending on the desired wine style. The end result is a collection of exciting, modern, daring and totally relevant wines that will surprise and delight those who discover them.
2016 Big Easy Radio 'Free Love Rollin' On'
50% Fiano 50% Vermentino
Both parcels of fruit were harvested from a single vineyard in Langhorne Creek. The Vermentino was harvested at 11 beaume to maintain a crisp clean palate whilst the Fiano was picked at almost 13 beaume to add richness and weight to the blend.
After crushing and de-stemming the juice was cold settled for a day or two before being racked taking most of the solids into the ferment. Fermentation was started wild at a moderate 13 degrees, the resulting wine is textural and interesting and made to be enjoyed with food.
Bottled unfined but lightly filtered with small amounts of sulphur added.
2016 Big Easy Radio 'Perpetual Holidaze'
100% Grenache
Grapes were handpicked from an 85 year old, dry grown and biodynamically managed single vineyard near Seaview in McLaren Vale in March 2016.
Fruit was crushed and de-stemmed with 50% whole bunches added to open fermenter. Fermentation temperature was kept at a cool 23 degrees to maintain fruitfulness in the wine. The finished wine was stored in stainless steel tanks before being bottled in January 2017.
Bottled unfined but lightly filtered with small amounts of sulphur added.
2016 Big Easy Radio 'Forget Babylon'
Blend of Touriga 50% Malbec 50%
Grapes were sourced from 2 separate vineyards close to Lake Alexandrina on calcareous soils in Langhorne Creek.
Fruit was crushed and de-stemmed in a traditional manner and fermented in small batch open fermenters. Both parcels of resulting wine were matured in older French 500 litre puncheons for 9 months before being blended and bottled in March 2017.
Bottled unfined but lightly filtered with small amounts of sulphur added.
2016 Big Easy Radio 'Cosmic Antennae'
Blend of Tempranillo 80% Touriga 20%
Tempranillo was harvested in April 2016 and fermented in small batch open fermenters with minimal intervention. As with all Big Easy premium fruit parcels, it was fermented cool to preserve fruit flavours and aromas.
Both the Tempranillo and Touriga were matured in a combination of new and old French and American Hogs head barrels for 12 months prior to bottling.
Bottled unfined but lightly filtered with small amounts of sulphur added.
2016 Big Easy Radio 'Funtime Fountain'
Blend of Montepulciano 50% and Sangiovese 50%
Both parcels of fruit were sourced from the Seaview sub region of McLaren Vale. The Sangiovese is from a biodynamic vineyard and the Montepulciano an organic vineyard.
Small batch open fermenters were used with extended maceration on both parcels to draw out and soften the tannins. Both parcels were then matured in 500 litre French oak puncheons for 12 months prior to bottling in September 2017
Bottled unfined but lightly filtered with small amounts of sulphur added.
2016 Big Easy Radio 'Never Fail False Idols'
Blend of Shiraz 80% and 20% Mataro
Inspired by the wines of the Northern Rhone, this is a restrained and elegant version of McLaren Vale Shiraz that will need time in the cellar or decanting prior to consumption.
Shiraz from the Seaview vineyard and Mataro from Willunga were fermented separately and matured in a combination of new and old French hogsheads for 18 months prior to blending and bottling in September 2017.
Bottled unfined but lightly filtered with small amounts of sulphur added.