david ellis
A GREAT wine to serve chilled straight off the ice during this extraordinary summer that's sent much of Australia into meltdown, is Pinot Grigio – after all it had its origins in the heat of Mediterranean Northern Italy, where it's an entertainer's favourite on stinker days.
And one of the greats of Australian Pinot Grigio comes from Griffith in the NSW Riverina under the Richland label, whose winemaker Bill Calabria should know what he's doing: his Italian parents who encouraged him onto the road to winemaking stardom, were amongst the area's pioneer makers – and not averse to planting "foreign" grape varieties from their homeland.
As well, not only is this a great drop on a hot day – or any other time for that matter – but Bill's priced it at just $11.99, making it probably the best-value Pinot Grigio on the market.
And what he's created is one of those wonderfully "zingy" Pinot Grigios that's beautifully refreshing with pear and apple fruit flavours, a touch of perfume, and a gorgeously soft yet richly textured finish.
At the price you can afford to invite some mates around to share a few bottles with salmon steaks on the BBQ, an Italian salad and garlic bread. Oh, yeah.
ONE FOR LUNCH: IT'S over 140 years since Thomas Hardy first created a dual region wine from fruit from the Adelaide Plains and Southern Districts.
Today, Hardys HRB (Heritage Reserve Bin) wines represent the epitomy of it's winemaker's blending skills, with a just-released HRB/D636 Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 derived from fruit from premium Coonawarra and Margaret River vineyards – a blend Hardys believes is an Australian first.
Rich with intense fruit flavours and fine tannins, at $40 this is an ideal red for a special occasion slap-up with lamb shanks and baby potatoes.
(NEED A FOOD/DRINK MATCH? Check out http://www.vintnews.com )
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PHOTO CAPTIONS:
[] OUR best-value Pinot Grigio?
[] HRB blends share a rich heritage
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