Beringer Blass has put an end to the speculation with the news that it has bought small Mornington Peninsula winemaker T’Gallant for an undisclosed sum. A release from Beringer Blass cites the fact that the key attractions were pinot gris, the Mornington Peninsula and T’Gallant’s presence on restaurant lists. While the company makes the point that T’Gallant is the ‘highest profile pinot gris producer in Australia’, I’m still not really sure if this is an argument in favour or against the purchase. Described by Beringer Blass as a ‘deep golden coloured white wine’, which suggests perhaps they should have opened another (or perhaps younger) bottle, Australian pinot gris is a significant under-achiever that has never really lived up to the hype it began to generate over a decade ago. That said, the 2002 T’Gallant Tribute is actually the best I have tasted from this maker. While it does display the hotness and traminer-like oiliness typical of this label, there’s some attractive viognier-like spiciness about its musky expression of peach blossom and pear flavours. Beringer Blass will retain the husband and wife partnership of Kathleen Quealy and Kevin McCarthy who established the brand, and suggest they will continue to run T’Gallant ‘as an independent, boutique operation’. The deal includes the 8 ha vineyard, the 700 tonne winery (which will undoubtedly receive a significant facelift if it is indeed to be used by Beringer Blass), the ‘La Baracca’ restaurant and the outdoor pizzeria. T’Gallant’s sales in 2002 were ‘approximately’ 15,000 cases against the 50,000 cases reported in some segments of the media. For what it’s worth, my view is that T’Gallant makes a good acquisition, but only for the right price. It really is just a brand name, but a good one that is not necessarily tied to any particular region. I expect Beringer Blass to develop it into a Victoria-wide brand, since I doubt there is sufficient pinot gris on the Mornington Peninsula at the right price if it really kicks in. It could do well as a generic label for pinot gris, unwooded chardonnay and lightly oaked pinot noir priced around Yarra Ridge levels. Given this potential and the limited ability of the Peninsula to meet the needs of large wineries, I think the company would be ill advised to substantially increase the capacity of the winery, especially since its Yarra Ridge and St Huberts facilities are not that far away. I expect the company to upgrade the restaurants and cellar door, and to keep them as the spiritual home of the brand, even if its fruit is perhaps in future principally sourced from elsewhere.
