LOGAN STITCHES UP SIGNATURE LABELS

Wc19May08

YOUR WEEKLY WINE COLUMN for week beginning May 19 2008

david ellis

LOGAN Wines in NSW's Orange region has always been somewhat imaginative when it comes to label design, and its latest effort is not only a quite exceptional one, it also invites consumers to its new range of very exceptional signature-series cold-climate wines.

Each label depicts a hand-crafted embroidery design representing the fruits, berries, leaves and flowers characteristic of each of the new wines: a 2007 Chardonnay, 2007 Pinot Noir, 2006 Shiraz and 2006 Cabernet Merlot.

And according to winemaker Peter Logan, they don't just represent a pretty package, they bring with them wines particularly true to their region – especially, he says, the '07 Chardonnay that's refined, food friendly, and typical of cold-climate Chardonnays that develop gracefully into some of the world's finest aged wine styles.

Whilst not disagreeing, we were more blown away with the '06 Shiraz that's very much Rhone-like in spiciness and structure, rather than typically Aussie-big on fruit, and is more refined with soft mid-palate fruit. A seductive $25 beauty to enjoy with a winter's home-made chunky steak pie and garlic mash.

ONE FOR LUNCH: West Australian makers have really popularised  Cabernet-Merlot blends, and the Frankland River's Ferngrove has a just-out 2007 whose nicely sweet core of blackberry and fleshy fruits on the front and mid-palate help balance some of the firmer Cabernet tannins.

Those blackberry and mulberry fruit flavours make it ideal to enjoy with pork fillet and herb-enhanced sweet potato mash; nicely priced too at $15.99.

BUY OF THE WEEK: Chapel Hill Winery has added some Adelaide Hills fruit to its latest Unwooded Chardonnay, and is changing some of its vineyard and winery practices to enhance its competitiveness with bourgeoning Sauvignon Blancs. The 2007 comprises 46% McLaren Vale fruit, and 27% each Adelaide Hills and Coonawarra; at just $14 a great buy to serve with whitebait fritters.

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photo captions:

SEDUCTIVE cold-climate Shiraz to cuddle up to over a chunky pie and mash.

SWEET to the core and ideal with pork fillet and sweet potato mash.