New Norcia: Nectar Of The Gods

Australian Wine Selector - Budburst 2004

If it wasn’t for the distinctly Australian bush setting, you could be forgiven for thinking you were in Spain when visiting New Norcia, 132 km north of Perth. This unique little town, founded by Benedictine monks in 1846, is lined with olive trees and the architecture has a strong Spanish flavour. Traditional crafts of olive oil, bread and wine making have been revived and are helping to put the town on the map. The whole town is registered on the National Estate, with 27 buildings classified by the National Trust. The town is still owned by the Catholic Church, despite the number of monks dwindling from 80 in the early years to just eleven today.

New and revived enterprises provide work for a small army of lay workers. While the monks lead a traditional life of prayer and reflection, they enjoy overseeing the enterprises that are helping to keep their community alive. Procurator Dom Christopher Power, who joined the monastery 23 years ago, says he and his fellow monks think the Abbey wine label, introduced in 2000, is wonderful. “It’s the revival of a traditional business, it makes people’s experience of visiting New Norcia so much richer, and it complements the other things like the olive oil and bread,” he said.

Wine is a traditional part of monastic life and grapes were planted at New Norcia soon after its founder, Dom Rosendo Salvado, arrived from Spain in 1846 to establish an Aboriginal mission. It became one of Australia’s most progressive and successful missions. The vines planted behind the monastery still exist today, but now produce only table grapes. Until the 1970s, the monastery made wine with grapes from its farm at nearby Wyening, where the conditions were found to be more suitable.

The farm was sold to the Young family who now produce a range of products under the Wyening Mission Farm label. Their marinated olives are sold at the New Norcia Museum gift shop, along with Abbey wine, products from the New Norcia bakery, locally made preserves and honey. The apiary where the honey is extracted - a striking hexagonal building built in 1918 – can be seen on the signposted River Walk trail. When dwindling enrolments forced the closure of the town’s two colleges more than a decade ago, the monastery sought new ventures.

The Benedictines have always had a tradition of hospitality, so the colleges were turned over to school camps, retreats and conferences. Daily guided tours of the town were introduced and a guest house was added to the monastery for visitors seeking “quiet and refreshment”. Dom Chris, who originally hails from Melbourne, says the guest house also allows the monks “to have family come and stay, which is nice given that we are so isolated”.

In May 1993, the monastery fired up its 100-year-old oven and once again began making bread as it had done for many years. The New Norcia Bakery products became so popular that the business was in danger of overshadowing the monastery’s other work, so in an arrangement that suits both parties, it was leased to a private company which responded to consumer demand by installing a second wood-fired oven in Perth. The company’s famous nut cake, made in the traditional Sienna style, and its almond biscotti are sold Australia-wide. These are made in the monastery bakehouse, along with 10 different breads sold locally.

The Perth bakery produces 20 different breads and other products for the Perth market. For 50 years, New Norcia’s baker and miller was Dom Paulino Gutierrez, who arrived from Spain in 1928. Now 94, he makes the monastery’s olive oil using mats in the traditional European method. In 2000, the monks decided it was time to once again become involved in wine production. They drew on the services of Nick Humphry, who has 20 acres under vine at nearby Bindoon. The region is quite hot and Humphry says the vineyard is “at about the northern limit that grapes can grow”, which is why they are focusing on Shiraz and Chenin Blanc.

The grapes are processed at Alkoomi Wines, which makes 200 to 300 cases of each for the monastery and takes the remaining fruit itself. The wine is matured in the monastery cellars. Humphry began with his own label in 1996 but dropped it when he became involved with the New Norcia project. “It’s a pleasure to succeed by focusing locally and I think it’s a lot of fun to be associated with the monks and the New Norcia mission and the whole thing they’re about,” he said. The monastery has introduced an Abbey Muscat which goes beautifully with the nut cake.

The warm climate allows Humphry to achieve the “super ripe” fruit that is needed for Muscat, and Dom Chris says there is always great excitement when it is bottled on picnic day, held annually in September for the Friends of New Norcia. The Friends hold another popular event, Taste of Spain, each year in May, when guests enjoy a sit-down lunch in the monastery grounds. Visitors to New Norcia can sample the Abbey wines at the New Norcia Hotel, a grand building which can accommodate visitors.

The only other option for visitors is the monastery guest house which has eight twin-share rooms with ensuites. The rooms are furnished simply but are comfortable with a pleasant outlook. The meals are home-style and very tasty. Both men and women can dine in the guest house, but only men can dine with the monks where, lucky them, they also get to sample the Abbey wines. The guest house serves cask wine. The tariff is by donation, with a suggested amount of $50 per person per night including all meals. It’s an interesting and peaceful experience and highly recommended. Phone (08) 9654 8056.

© Christine Salins

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