Nigel Gallop’s quiet demeanour and sense of humour should not obscure his fierce intelligence. He openly admits there were early diversions as a junior Coca Cola yo-yo champion, a year at university studying architecture ‘and failing spectacularly’ (his words) and working as a welder’s labourer at one of Australia’s most remote mine sites ‘the hardest job I ever had.’
Next thing he moves to Sydney and a job with IBM in the early days of computer programming followed by six years with the TAB where he designed and implemented the world’s first mark-sense betting system that continues to be used world-wide. Then the urge to control his own destiny saw him join two friends working on a formica table above a deli in East Perth designing computer software for credit unions in Australia and the United States.
That business was sold, and Gallop moved to San Francisco to set up an allied business. Nine years later, it was listed on Nasdaq, employing 400 people with systems installed in 400 credit unions in 43 states of the US. He continues to have business interests outside wine, but in 1999 he made a final move to Wilyabrup in Margaret River where he established Fraser Gallop Estate.
It’s clear that part of the inspiration comes from notable wineries in the Napa Valley. The large house overlooks undulating acres of manicured lawns and no less neat vineyards, attention to detail on a scale seldom encountered. The first commercial vintage (of cabernet sauvignon) from the close-spaced vines came in 2003, chardonnay following in ’04. They remain the cornerstones of a three tier system: Estate, Parterre and Palladian, the prices of each of tier $35, $60 and $140. Estate and Parterre Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, in the two lower tiers follow the same pattern. It’s a disciplined and logical system, as befits Nigel.
Wanting more? There are various vintages of Parterre Cabernet Sauvignon available in magnum, Jeroboam and Imperial.
2021 Fraser Gallop Estate Palladian Wilyabrup Margaret River Chardonnay
The complexity of the blossom and white flowers of the bouquet is a confident start. Whole bunch-pressed into 100% new Burgundian special toast puncheons with no settling and matured for nine months. It is hyper-refined, but more accessible than Parterre.
96 points, drink to 2041, 12.5% alc, Screwcap, $140
2019 Fraser Gallop Estate Palladian Wilyabrup Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
Specially designed puncheons allows fermentation to take place in the barrel, the fruit loaded whole and plunged and pumped over at will. After 40 days the contents are tipped into a basket press, spending 19 months in new French puncheons. It’s beautifully textured and structured.
96 points, drink to 2045, 14% alc, Screwcap, $140
2019 Fraser Gallop Estate Parterre Wilyabrup Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
Destemmed into closed top fermenters, and it’s split into three. One batch is pressed off skins early to complete fermentation in oak, another pressed off just after fermentation, the third left on skins for 40 days post ferment. The bouquet is perfumed/scented with red flowers and cassis, the finish long and elegant.
96 points, drink to 2039, 14% alc, Screwcap, $60
