MAKER’S UNUSUAL WISH A FORLORN HOPE

Wc13May13

HISTORIC edge to a
truly excellent food wine.

David Ellis

HUNTER Valley maker Andrew Margan has an unusual wish for his 2011 White Label Barbera – "I hope no one likes it," he confides,  and then adds a little cheekily, "so I can drink it all myself."

Sadly for him, but happily for wine lovers, Andrew won't get his wish. We for one found it a wine to take to with gusto, and we're sure others will do the same once they've had a chance to taste it. For this is a wine that's nicely medium-bodied, has forward dark berries, spice and some earthiness on the palate, and with its natural high acidity and long tannins, is one that's a natural as a truly excellent food wine.

Andrew drew on fruit from the family's Ceres Hill Vineyard that's adjacent to their Broke winery, fruit whose vines in 1998 were the first Barbera planted in the Hunter, and which in turn had come from Italian stock planted on Mudgee's Montrose vineyard.

White Label wines are Margan Family Winegrowers' best-of-the-best, and this one well fits the role – at $40 enjoy with heartier beef dishes including, with cooler weather on the horizon, a good steak pie. You'll find its little wonder Andrew says he wishes he "could achieve exactly this every year" – and why his wish that no one will like it, so he can keep all his 2011 Barbera to himself, simply won't be fulfilled.

ONE for special occasions, or any
other occasions for that matter.

ONE TO TRY: RYMILL Coonawarra's Senior  Winemaker, Sandrine Gimon is another who has put the "favourite" moniker on one of their 2011 wines – in this case the Rymill Coonawarra Brut. "I have a soft spot for sparkling after my vintages in Champagne," says Sandrine, who can boast having studied in Reims and trained at Veuve Clicquot  Ponsardin – neither of them mean feats.

"As soon as I tasted the Coonawarra fruit on coming here, I knew that stunning sparkling wines could be created here too," she says. A blend of 82% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir and 8% Pinot Meunier, and made in the traditional method, this is one that's all about flavour and characteristics that shine – and at just $25 great buying for celebratory occasions… or for that matter, any time bubbly thoughts come to mind.

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Wine Showdown at Peppers Salt Resort & Spa, Kingscliff

Peppers Salt Resort & Spa in the picturesque seaside village of Kingscliff in Northern New South Wales is spicing up their next series of Peppers Gourmet Food Trail events with a showdown between 'rival' winemakers at their inaugural 'Wine Wars' event at Season restaurant on Friday 7 June.

Ensuring an entertaining evening of light-hearted rivalry, the event will see two South Australian wine greats - Petaluma from the Adelaide Hills and St Hallet from the Barossa Valley - bring the vineyards to the coast.

Guests will savour two masked wines per course and palates will be put to the test with guests asked to vote on their favourite. At the end of the evening, the winning 'Wine Wars' winemaker will be revealed.

Accompanying the wines, guests will enjoy a degustation dinner hosted by celebrated wine critic Nick Stock and designed by Peppers Salt Resort & Spa's newly appointed Executive Chef Martin Glutz and Chef de Cuisine Daniel Watt - the resort's new dynamic duo of creative cuisine.

Swiss-born Martin Glutz has over 15 years experience cooking in some of the world's finest restaurants including Vanitas Restaurant at Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast, La Fontaine Restaurant at Hayman Island, and Tony Bilson's former Ampersand Restaurant in Sydney - bringing a world of flavour to each and every dish he serves.

New Chef de Cuisine Daniel Watt will oversee the day-to-day culinary operations of the resort's acclaimed Season restaurant.

Peppers Salt Resort & Spa General Manager Scott Lynch said Martin and Daniel will work together to create a whole new culinary experience at Season.

"Both chefs are renowned for beautifully crafted and technically brilliant cuisine and have a passion for cooking with seasonal and local ingredients.

"They're a perfect fit for Peppers and our commitment to showcasing regional food and wine, from the paddock to the plate, with gourmet dining experiences," said Scott.

Tickets to the Wine Wars event are $135 per person and include a pre-dinner drink and canapés, a stunning three-course dinner matched with wines selected from both wineries, a decadent dessert and coffee and petit fours to complete the evening.

For guests wanting to linger longer, overnight accommodation starts from $178* per night in a Resort Room including breakfast for two at Season, unlimited new release movies and Wi-Fi internet access.

For bookings call  02 6674 7777  or email salt@peppers.com.au.

When guests aren't savouring fine food and wine, they can step out into nature and enjoy a network of beachside walking and bicycle tracks, the resort's large sandy beach lagoon pool, unspoilt surf beaches, or head to The Golden Door Spa for a menu of soul soothing spa treatments.

Peppers Salt Resort & Spa's Wine Wars event is just one of many Wine Wars events taking place at Peppers properties in foodie locales such as the Hunter Valley wine country in NSW, the picturesque Southern Highlands of NSW and Palm Cove in Tropical North Queensland. For more information visit http://www.peppers.com.au/food/wine-wars-showdown-battle-stations

YELLOWGLEN RE-ENGAGES ITS HERITAGE

Wc06May13

GREAT sparkling that ignites
a fascinating past.

David Ellis

IT'S not often a wine company will 'fess up that they've let their eye off the ball, but Yellowglen has done just that – and is doing something very positive about it.

"While our commercial tiers have been responsible for the incredible growth of Yellowglen over the past decade," says Managing Director, Michelle Terry, "there is one element of our story that has been overlooked in recent years: that is our place as Australia's premier house of sparkling.

"So over the past year we've reviewed every element of Yellowglen. We've re-engaged with founder Ian Home to uncover the depth and heritage of the brand, we've reviewed our branding and packaging, and we have introduced new wines… including the recent release of the Exceptional Vintage XV wines one of our greatest achievements to date."

There's a 2002, a 2004 and a 2012 in this new range, the 2002 a drop that shows the extraordinary quality Australia can achieve with our sparklings – as Michelle Terry says "this is the ultimate showcase of Yellowglen's hallmark refined and delicate characters, enriched with layered complexity."

EXCELLENT choice with crumbed veal
cutlets and a seasonal garden salad.

Made with fruit from the Adelaide Hills' Piccadilly Valley, it was given nine years on yeast lees in bottle in the company's cold cellars; you'll find it intense yet elegant, with floral notes leading to a rich and complex palate, and with a delicate bead and fresh, lingering finish. Pay $49.99 for that next very special celebration.

ONE TO NOTE: ALTHOUGH it was taken over by Ferngrove Wines in 2008, Margaret River maker Killerby has continued to concentrate on "small winery" techniques and philosophies that it's gained an enviable reputation for since its founding in 1973.

And that reputation flows through with the release of their Killerby 2010 Premium Series Chardonnay, a rewarding drop with limey citrus, stonefruit, ginger and zesty lemon flavours, and a long and pleasant finish. A nice drop at $30 to enjoy with crumbed veal cutlets and a seasonal garden salad.

NEED A FOOD/DRINK IDEA? Check out  http://www.vintnews.com )

                                                    

NEIL’S WINE MADE WITH THE GIRLS IN MIND

MADE for the girls – if they can
keep the blokes away from it.

Wc29Apr13

David Ellis

THE Hunter Valley's McGuigan Wines has released an interesting Shiraz that's actually made from fruit from South Australia's Langhorne Creek – and which has a touch of Viognier in it to give a softer mouth-feel than a straight full-bodied Shiraz.

The French have been blending Shiraz and Viognier for yonks, and there are plenty of other Australian makers have done the same thing to soften their fuller-bodied Shiraz. But what McGuigan's Chief Winemaker, Neil McGuigan did with their 2012 Expressions Shiraz was to give his winemaking team a free rein to create a wine that particularly appealed to younger, female consumers.

"We were thinking of those 25 to 44 of age who don't profess to be connoisseurs, but feel wine enjoyment is a part of enhancing their lifestyle, and who are not afraid to try things new," said Neil. "We've actually taken the concept to a number of varietals under the Expressions label, including Moscato, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio."

PROUD to be a goose: great drop to
enjoy with salads and white meat dishes.

But it's the Shiraz with that touch of Viognier that we found particularly enjoyable, and which we're sure will appeal as much to plenty of males as it will to Neil's female target audience. This one has nice juicy berry flavours with suggestions of vanilla in the background, the Viognier adding a floral dimension and a silky soft finish.

Pay an easy $16.99 and enjoy with roast duck and plum sauce.

ONE TO NOTE: A Goose Island label 2012 Sauvignon Blanc from South Australia's Serafino Wines highlights the wonderful fruit to be had from the small Mt Benson area about 15km north of Robe on the Limestone Coast – a region that enjoys an excellent Mediterranean-like climate, with this wine full of tropical fruit, fresh lemongrass and zesty citrus flavours and suggestions of gooseberry and fresh-cut grass on the palate.

Winemaker Charles Wish used fruit picked in the cool of night to create this wine that's well-priced at $15, and is a nicely refreshing drop to enjoy on its own, or to match-up well-chilled with salads and white meat dishes.

(NEED A FOOD/DRINK IDEA? Check out  http://www.vintnews.com )

                                        

GREAT VINTAGE ’TWEEN DROUGHT AND DELUGE

Wc22Apr13

BIG steak off the barbecue
written all over this Shiraz…

David Ellis

HOPEFULS who flocked to Central Victoria's Bendigo with the 1850s gold rush brought with them not just a hunger for gold, but for the good life they hoped it would bring – and within five years of their arriving, others drawn by reports of the area's wonderful agricultural lands were equally rushing in to plant wine grapes to ultimately slake the thirsts of the newly-rich.

Today the rolling hills of the Bendigo region continue to produce exceptional wines, amongst them BlackJack Vineyards whose Chortles Edge label walks off the shelves as a wine that truly over-delivers at its price point.

Their just-released 2010 Chortles Edge Shiraz is a great drop, made from a vintage that was quite remarkable: 2008 and 2009 had both been bleak drought years, while 2011 and 2012 were years of torrential deluges. "You could almost say 2010 was an idyllic vintage squeezed-in between those other years," says Ian McKenzie, who shares ownership and winemaking duties at BlackJack with Ken Pollack.

                                                                                                                       

"The rain we got in 2010 came just at the right time, falling mostly at night to refresh the vines and slow ripening a bit, giving us perfectly-conditioned fruit," Ian says. And the resultant wine shows it with lots of juicy shiraz fruit flavours and nice tannins to finish – making an enjoyable drop to enjoy now or to develop further over three or four years.

SEAFOOD, or cold roast chicken and
salad, will go ideally with this one.

Excellent value at $18, this one has "big steak off the barbecue" written all over it.

ONE TO NOTE: FIFTH Leg's 2012 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc made from fruit from across West Australia's various growing regions is a wine filled with varietal zesty and vivacious fruit flavours, and highlighted with tropical notes of lychee and passionfruit.

So-named after the fossilised remains of a Tasmanian tiger with a bizarrely fifth leg were found near parent company, Devil's Lair Winery in Margaret River, this is a label to keep an eye on for good value, fresh and easy drinking wines. Pay $17.99 for the 2012 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc and enjoy with seafood, or cold roast chicken and salad.

(NEED A FOOD/DRINK IDEA? Check out  http://www.vintnews.com )

                                                 

HUNTER VALLEY’S COOL NEW NEXT GENERATION

Wc15Apr13

                                   

David Ellis

HUNTER Valley's Next Generation winemakers ham it up: (l to r)
David Hook, Andrew Thomas, Rhys Eather, Nick Paterson, Mike De Iuliis, Andrew Margan.

A HALF-DOZEN Hunter Valley winemakers who dub themselves the Next Generation are going on the road in May to promote their wines at a series of Pop Up Bar public tastings in Eastern Australia.

David Hook, Andrew Thomas, Rhys Eather, Nick Paterson, Mike De Iuliis and Andrew Margan say they're out to put the "cool new wine styles of the Hunter Valley on the map – and have a lot of fun doing it."

They'll be in Brisbane on May 3, Newcastle May 4, Sydney May 10, Canberra May 16 and Melbourne May 17. Entry and wine tastings cost $35pp at each event, and you'll also be able to taste and purchase a range of Hunter Valley cheeses to match the wines on tasting.

As well there'll be the opportunity to win a $1000 prize that includes return flights for two to Melbourne, twin-share overnight accommodation there, and VIP tickets to the Melbourne finale Pop Up Wine Bar on May 17. For venue details and purchase of tickets got to www.nextgenerationhuntervalley.com.au

PROSECCO Italian/Australian blend a
light, refreshing and more-ish bubbly.

ONE TO NOTE:  YELLOWGLEN has claimed an Aussie first with a sparkling wine that's a blend of 86% imported Italian Prosecco and 14% Australian-grown Prosecco.

The Italian component was made in the major Prosecco growing region of Veneto in the country's north-east, and shipped here in refrigerated containers for blending with Yellowglen's Prosecco grown on its Victorian and South Australian vineyards (Italy, incidentally, now exports some 200-million bottles of Prosecco a year.)

This new Yellowglen blend, which it claims is an Australian first, has suggestions of lemonade about it from its wonderful spritzy citrus characters, and is light, refreshing and very more-ish. Well worth the $19.99 for something that's different and rewarding at that next party – or as we did, to be enjoyed with a prawn pasta.

(NEED A FOOD/DRINK IDEA? Check out  http://www.vintnews.com )

                                                   

BILL’S RICHLAND BRINGS RICH REWARDS

COUPLE this one with rosemary scented
lamb or Italian penne arrabiata.    

Wc08Apr13

David Ellis

BILL Calabria and his team at Westend Wines in the NSW Riverina have created a ripper Shiraz in their 2010 Richland label – a wine with forward ripe berry-fruit flavours, smoky oak and nicely recognisable varietal spicy black pepper.

Westend's premium commercial label, Richland is dedicated to Bill's parent's, Italian migrants Francesco and Elizabeth who founded Calabria Wines in 1927; Bill changed the name in 1974 as the company expanded and diversified its range.

This is a Shiraz to enjoy now with rosemary scented lamb and balsamic vinegar, or in deference to Bill's Italian heritage, with penne arrabiata.

NICE choice with
chicken and salad.

Or at just $12.99 a bottle, to put a case in the cellar for a few years to develop added complexity.

TWO TO NOTE: WEST Australian Ferngrove's Leaping Lizard range includes a nice 2012 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc crafted from fruit from a number of vineyards across the State's growing regions, and is good value at $16.99.

Chief Winemaker, Kim Horton has created a delightfully light-bodied wine in this one, with zesty kiwi fruit, passionfruit, lime and tropical fruit flavours balanced by a zippy acidity.

Enjoy it with chicken and salad or a seafood platter.

VICTORIA'S Stanton & Killeen have released a 2009 Rutherglen Durif that shows why this region is gaining such respect for the variety: at $35 this one's luscious and juicy with ripe fruit flavours that immediately fill the mouth, structured tannins, and a finish of chocolaty cherry ripe flavours.

SHOWING why Rutherglen's developing
such a reputation for Durif.

Durif was first planted in Rutherglen in 1908 but it's only in the last decade that so many lovers of this variety have come to appreciate just how good the local drop is.

(NEED A FOOD/DRINK IDEA? Check out  http://www.vintnews.com )