david ellis
WESTERN Australia's Capel Vale has been producing ripper Chardonnays from its Margaret River and Geographe vineyards for over 25 years, and since 1992 from the fertile, deep karri loams of its Pemberton Vineyard as well.
These latter are truly quite outstanding, with a creamy texture, softness and underlying acidity that's put them in the 'must buy' category with aficionados.
For Capel Vale CEO, Simon Pratten and consultant Winemaker, Larry Cherubino its been a natural progression, taken in response to consumer trends away from the fuller bodied, oak-dominated styles of Chardonnay of a quarter century ago, to the greater elegance of the best Chardonnays from makers in Old World countries.
Their Capel Vale Pemberton 2008 Chardonnay embodies all that they've sought, with lovely stone fruit characters and high levels of complexity, yet still retaining a lightness and delicacy.
At $23.95 you'll find it a great partner with crackly roast pork and apple sauce.
ONE FOR LUNCH: NEW ZEALAND's Cape Campbell Family Winegrowers say their 2008 Cape Campbell Pinot Noir ($24.95,) and Cable Station and Lobster Reef Pinot Noirs ($19.95 each,) are the 'greenest reds' in the world.
It's because Cape Campbell is one of six New Zealand wineries – and only a handful globally – to achieve carbon neutral certification under the country's carboNZero program, doing so through strict greenhouse gas emissions, and offsetting unavoidable emissions by way of verified wind farm carbon credits.
The Cape Campbell and Cable Station wines are full-on varietal flavoured wines of great intensity and showing typical Marlborough region characteristics, while the Lobster Reef is a lighter style with lingering flavours and nice balance; share any or all with a lamb roast and baked vegies.
(NEED A FOOD/DRINK IDEA? Check out http://www.vintnews.com )
PHOTO CAPTIONS:
[] ELEGANT dinner partner with crackly roast pork and apple sauce
[] GREENEST red in the world: a New Zealand Pinot Noir for the lamb roast
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