If there was one part of the Australian wine world that I would choose to make wine, it is Margaret River. I mean, sure, it is a very isolated region that is famously expensive to buy into, however the quality of the wines and the stunning local beaches make everything worthwhile.
This November marks a great excuse to visit the region with the Margaret River Gourmet Escape taking place between November 22 and 24, offering a weekend-long showcase of the world’s great chefs, including Heston Blumenthal, Rick Stein, Alex Atala and Sat Bains and, of course, fine Margaret River wines. For more information, check out gourmetescape.com.au.
If such an outing sounds a little too pretentious (and expensive), then I recommend a visit to Orange instead. Located three-and-a-half hours outside of Sydney, this region’s reputation continues to grow in leaps and bounds, with a recent visit confirming the high altitude and volcanic soils are producing seriously good wines from a whole fruit salad of varieties.
With Orange now having a decent brewery (Badlands) and numerous quality restaurants such as Racines or Lolli Redini to match the ever-improving wines, the time is ripe (pardon the pun) for a visit.
Enjoy these offering over spring.
 About The ReviewerAndrew Graham 2009/10 WCA Wine Journalism ‘Young Gun; Wine Judge; Gourmet Traveller WINE and Breathe Hunter Valley magazine contributor; LattéLife columnist; National Liquor News Tasting panellist and Chablis lover who fell into the liquor industry chiefly to buy cheap beer. Over a decade later and I’m still here, now studying towards a Masters of Wine Technology and Viticulture, and still spending all my money on beer and wine.For more reviews visit my site the Australian Wine Review at www.ozwinereview.com.au which is dedicated to talking about my obsession – everything vinous… Follow Andrew on social media |
Brilliant Hunter Valley White
Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon 2005
(Hunter Valley, NSW)
11.2%, Screwcap, $45
Source: Cellar
www.tyrrells.com.au
I’m glad to have a few more of these ‘05 Vat 1 Semillons in the cellar – it’s about as good as Hunter Valley Semillon gets. The 2005 Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon is a blend of the Short Flat vineyard (planted in 1927 and located across the road from the Tyrrell’s winery) and the Johhno’s vineyard (planted circa 1908). As is the norm for Vat 1, the fruit was handpicked, crushed and then fermented cool, spending a short time on gross lees before racking to tank for five months before bottling.
It’s an unquestionably ripe Vat 1 too, from a warm year known more for powerful reds than classic Semillon. Yet that season ultimately just translates into a more powerful Semillon – and a satisfying one at that. I had it next to a 2008 Billaud-Simon Montee de Tonnerre 1er Cru Chablis and it blew the Chablis out of the water in structure, drinkability and pure exuberance. The Vat 1 is only two thirds of the Chablis price to boot. The wine still looks backwards for that matter, the colour a greenish straw with just a tinge of yellow. There is ferocity of green apple in amongst the lemongrass and snippets of toast on the nose that marks this as a superstar. The real magic happens, however, on the very long palate, which fleshes out through the middle with pine lime flavours, more toast and seriously chalky, citrusy acidity.
Rich bottle development, sour acid and no shortage of concentration – it’s a wonderful combo really, the clean, sublime and lengthy finish the very icing on the cake.
Truly great.
Great Australian Red
Torzi Matthews
1903 Old Vines Grenache Mataro of Domenico
Martino 2012 (Barossa Valley, SA)
14.2%, Screwcap, $35
Source: Sample
www.torzimatthews.com.au
A mouthful of a name but I think you get the drift … This red blend comes from the irrepressible Dom Torzi, utilising fruit from the low yielding old Moppa Hill vineyard of Domenico Martino in the Barossa Valley. Its specifically a blend of 50% Grenache 50% Mataro, the fruit handpicked with both varieties fermented together (30% whole bunch) using natural vineyard yeasts in open top milk vats. Oh, and once fermentation had finished, this was then basket pressed to three to four-year-old old oak where it then spends 14 months before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. I like that handling: modern handling, but with a gentle touch. I like these words on the back label too: “An ancient single vineyard planted in 1903, it lays upon hard melding shales of ironstone, quartz and white sands. Naturally dry grown with an easterly aspect, among the fruit orchards and wheat fields. A wine of purity, freshness and harmony.”
There is so very much I like much about this wine really. High-five to Dom Torzi (again). I had ‘purity’ written down before even sighting the back label; the wine showcasing the mid-weight, bright and fruity Grenache grapiness apparent from the outset. There’s a hint of carbonic tutti-frutti, and a veneer of vanilla bean oak, but otherwise it’s just lovely bright fruit, layers of flavour and fine tannins. It’s perhaps a little simple, a little warm but that wonderful pure red fruit is intoxicating (in more ways than one).
Delicious. I went back for more.
Super Kiwi Pinot Noir
Fromm La Strada Pinot Noir 2010
(Marlborough, NZ)
14%, Screwcap, $34
Source: Tasting
www.frommwinery.co.nz
What a satisfying, utterly ‘smashable’ Pinot Noir this Fromm Pinot is. I tasted it in a large line-up of more renowned (read – more expensive) goodies at a trade tasting and it’s perfection of upfront Pinot drinking made it hard not to love.
There is certain warmth to the style here, reflecting a site that is technically better suited to Syrah than Pinot Noir (according to advice that the Fromm team received a few years back). Yet, that ripeness, generosity and low acidity just makes this more attractive, the wine full of classic Marlborough red fruit openness, but never feeling heavy or alcoholic, save for a slight confected fruit edge. Ultimately, the combination of ripeness and delicacy is to be celebrated, for it makes for a lovely, proudly-not-Burgundy Pinot of serious attraction, built for drinking over the next three to five years. Delicious wine. Representative of its region, too. Highly recommended.
Now, for Something a Little Sweeter
De Bortoli Bella Riva Moscato Del Ré 2012
(King Valley, Vic)
5.5%, Screwcap, $18
Source: Sample
www.debortoli.com.au
‘Fresh, racy, tingly, über’ – so says the back label on this Moscato. Nice words. True words.
It’s a surprisingly serious (or at least as serious as a simple Moscato can be) wine, drawn from proper Moscato Giallo and made without cynicis – important distinction in the Moscato world.
Correctly fresh and grapey, this is bright and aromatic with the orange juice, grapefruit and currant of Muscat grapes. Super fresh, but not overly sweet, perfectly even, and really quite long.
I can’t really justify higher points but, gee, I like this. Best Moscato I’ve had in ages.
Had any good vino lately? Tell us your favourite drop
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