Garry's Marcona Almonds

A number of years ago, while travelling through Spain, I discovered Marcona almonds; a rather different and dare I say superior nut to the common or garden variety almond widely known in Australia. On my return I thought I might plant a few trees at the vineyard and made the rounds of local wholesale fruit tree nurseries in search of some. Unfortunately I was met with a blank stare, no one in Australia was familiar with the Marcona variety. Undaunted I began to phone around fruit tree grower associations and, lo and behold, eventually found a girl in the bud wood import section of the Department of Primary Industry in Adelaide who proudly announced they were about to release the first ever stocks of Marcona buds in Australia. “Great” I said, “I’ll take 50 buds please, for grafting myself”.  I was promptly told, however, that I wasn’t eligible as I wasn’t a registered fruit tree grower. Problem solved; I simply rang a colleague who was registered and asked him to graft the trees for me. I had 50 trees delivered in 15 cm pots a year later. I planted a dozen out on the property and sold or gave the rest to anyone who was interested. And in so doing I became the FIRST person ever to have this variety in Australia.

As the years have passed I’ve been increasingly frustrated at my inability to protect the small crops from the marauding cockatoos who absolutely obliterate the embryonic nuts long before they are anywhere ready for harvest. So as it turns out I’m most likely NOT the first person to harvest Marcona here, others who planted later may well have been more successful.

This year was different though, nothing was going to stop me and I spent a small fortune in protective measures. So here, finally, are my first crop of Marcona almonds. On the right (pictured below) we have the just harvested husks and on the left the shelled kernels.

I only wish I had enough to share with visitors to the Wine Centre….but maybe next year!

By Garry Crittenden

18/04/2017 at 12:05 PM Permalink

Back to the Future

As a boy growing up in Brisbane I didn’t know any family named Crittenden other than the one I belonged to, and it was made up entirely of my mother and father brother and sister. To this day I am unaware of any connected relations bearing my family name.

In the early 1960’s I moved to Melbourne (alone) and by the mid 60’s in my early 20’s had developed a modest interest in wine. One day I attended a wine tasting [yes, they had them back then] at, of all places, Burney Horticultural College.

Imagine my surprise when another of the attendees on introducing himself to ask a question said “I’m Doug Crittenden, wine-merchant”. To say I was gobsmacked would be an understatement. It was the first time I had encountered anyone claiming to share my name. Needless to say I soon introduced myself and so began my lifelong friendship with an icon of the retail wine business in Melbourne and for that matter the whole of Australia.

It’s a matter of record now that roughly 20 years after that chance encounter I planted five acres of grapes on the Mornington Peninsula and in so doing doubled the then total plantings; today there are in excess of 2500 acres under grape vines here. Needless to say I was then and still am constantly asked whether Doug was my father?, uncle?,  cousin?, you name it. People react with surprise when I say I’m no relation. And I’ll warrant that many of you reading this would have been familiar with and shopped at Doug’s store and most likely known the gregarious man himself. Doug died in late 2014 aged 91 and its estimated that upwards of 300 people attended his memorial service at St Johns in Toorak.

Over the years Doug, at his various shops but particularly at his Hawksburn store, became a firm supporter of our family wines. In 1999 he and his wife Judy faxed me a lovely letter congratulating me on the sale of our families one millionth bottle of wine. As a matter of interest I reproduce it here. Of course, I was a regular visitor to the Hawksburn store and soon became familiar with the adjoining, and equally as famous, Peter Bouchier’s butcher shop.

BACK TO THE FUTURE and the Crittenden name returns to Hawksburn Village, Peter Bouchier has just become a stockist of a range of our wines, AND what’s more, the original letter from Doug and Judy sits framed there and proudly on display in memory of times past.

Go in and take a look!

GARRY CRITTENDEN, DROMANA, APRIL 2017.

05/04/2017 at 11:41 AM Permalink

Wallara Charity Dinner

Wallara is an innovative, sector leading support service based in Melbourne’s south-east suburbs. Their official website is www.wallara.com.au. A dinner and Auction night on the 23rd of March is to raise funds to assist with this wonderful organisation's efforts to assist those in our community who have a disability "live the life they want to lead". We are proudly donating all wine for the evening. Tickets for the evening are $295 but have unfortunately sold out.

08/03/2017 at 1:13 PM Permalink

2015 The Zumma Pinot Noir wins gold

Measured against 34 premium Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noirs Crittenden Estate's 2015 The Zumma Pinot Noir was awarded gold at the Mornington Peninsula Vigneron's Association Wine Show Pinot Noir 2015 class and was the second highest scoring wine receiving 96 points out of a possible 100.

This wine is available to Wine Alliance members only prior to its official release. Click here if you are a member and wish to purhcase, then ensure you log in wtih your member username and password.

02/03/2017 at 11:54 AM Permalink

Wine Alliance Pre - Vintage BBQ

Hosted in the barrel hall of the winery this invitation is extended to Wine Alliance Members* and for $50pp* is fully inclusive of:

- Aussie-smoked, American-style BBQ prepared by Red Gum BBQ
- New release wines; Zumma Savagnin and the pinnacle of our range Cri de Coeur Pinot Noir
- A live demonstration of Verjus production (every member gets to take a bottle home with them)
- Special event pricing for all wines purchased to take home on the day (wines to accompany lunch are included in the $50)

*Please note this event is for Wine Alliance Members and their guests only. For more information on how to become a member please contact the Wine Centre on 03 5987 3800. 

18/02/2017 at 2:10 PM Permalink