Winestate Magazine May June 2012

MAY/JUNE 2012 WINESTATE VOL 35 ISSUE 3 AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND WINE BUYING GUIDESWEET WHITE & FORTIFIEDS ADELAIDE HILLS CENTRAL & WESTERN NSW NELSON & WAIRARAPA, NZ ageing gracefully THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO STARTING A CELLAR - PART IIPRINT POST APPROVED PP565001/00129 WINTER Taste WARMERS of the Brews to enjoy by the fire Tropics New Releases WINE’S NEW FRONTIER 383 TASTED P I O N EpE RinI NoGt May/June 2012 BEST OF Vol 35 Issue 3 THE WEST $9.95 AUS (inc GST) NZ $10.95 SGD $14.95 464 tasted US $14.99 UKP/EUR 7.95 China RMB100 HKD $120 INR 1000 RUB 700 plusCentral & Western NSW • Adelaide Hills • Nelson & Wairarapa, NZ





For the love of wine… Terra Mia Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 $1999 McLaren Vale, SA Member price Awarded 4 ½ Stars by Winestate! $17.99IBnrininnneooedtlttwteeeotnrflpdoeewtealrsesynogths’dersstolteodmtpmninsgotaa,egrfcrwtkcowteihht-nitooen,eopebkcfm?eunetrAyolhelaiaewnrntrcidgvshud,euoamsopnploiebottksrirereo.,metAanTtaueisnhmrrcdeak?tpbeiWtooohtnsreui.tsnnnSae(dnottthSrflwaooeyd,rrhcweiiatte’itshhotyeyptnhliahwaselcaiivoenatepreidnpioolnaoynervtolesihenunraiesr.tnl)y, Winestate loved this wine, praising its “Very pleasant, ripe, berry jam aromas with slight mintiness adding complexity.” The judges found it “Soft in the mouth with good length of sweet, cassis fruit avours and lovely acid vibrancy.” Our Tasting Panel couldn’t agree more. Code 24421 14.0% alc/volIn essence, the answer is nsiomt ptloe:mwaek’reeainprtohist;bwusei’nreesisndfoerpethnedent;benet of our Members, and foremost, lovers of wine.and like you we are, rst $1999SDrDcooaceoiphuperxmuaareltvGrniarynmetatiinsrltiseibnsnyiaivmextnueaarobdn,nntyewcdoePtirhnhueahsbade’rrirenlauielsrhygtispoienotbtssnrdhotofyodmettrsrtiieiofbnlnynoeperccr-aetrsresnhettehtTdhiahopssseheaopyibennonbsusgWsuetssuliiysbiibnnxwtilnsdeegwidieolsdlpeswimiSnsracfeoieiraoicnneisdceeraeiesstaetahs..netlAoyafddaatsvgwsdboeotayearub–nslsrisuvoufteccotopkor-uef.rsontWrechdrmo-eeevpaumdirsrsroiktbottaeoyhnnttedco- Bird in Hand Pinot Rosé 2011WcTaWyysonopehedueaeuisrn’chvwcstigeaaarie–vlvnyspee,w,audesawitanxenunacvptdsorteredetlugryoh-deinowepeitpubnheialncdeetrnenoraoerilnwaelssveghtlehsalearewwtardiltoteeiinhnoacnteeectsuhisschorce,eifonSpMrsfouosrsoeurcmwtfsmiioeteoisattbuthyoreohrofrefewusfoxtaniwhuchvndeolraeiunsvAur6seeeirieu6rvirbstsieeeyetesasrel,earwaasotnolrmiiifoauneoAanennapldssunlje,ohsdpstrityhpaoaribrnesatecti.lgoiheyanofalot.nrd. Adelaide Hills, SA Member price Awarded 4 ½ Stars by Winestate! $17.99 A consistent favourite with Wine Society Members, Bird in Hand Pinot Rosé is bursting with strawberry and cherry avours on a crisp and lengthy palate. Equally at home on its own or with food, this is the perfect modern rosé. Code 25462 11.0% alc/vol Seville Estate Chardonnay 2009 $2699 Yarra Valley,VIC Awarded 4 ½ Stars by Winestate! Member price $24.99WWjigawusunsioeydtti.nhncfIfoeenuhadrstassueluuwltrepocseneihrt(gncythee.dlhaTxeeasbqhnsiLuesgitcitsinsspneoi;dratrtaoeemhyrmdeeeeusxatcpenaherm’aseorrspdLte,lhiusemticm)nhe,igteabreslsultdthtpthRoiaonareutgcclsrreeeeaxtlpsahsca,teaisletitsteRiteeooloxxenbuc-ckeeiritsnpeCMoftoiuhweorsamnnrt–adhbwloeewwirnnilsininenteattseloyseso. A classicYarraValley Chardonnay, made in a crisp, tight style with abundant citrus characters. Barrel fermented to build complexity while ensuring seamless integration of oak, this exceptional cool-climate wine is designed for aging over the short to medium term. Code 25836 13.0% alc/volOTowdsifawrWMsrhuhiaisiuwinoegretatcihhrsexhywneisneettTerftwecrleranvjoaaounSveeilprosndioneosnyatrogtg,ucgsideotfdirnolpsefhiysieueenautgt,orrensayhlreaurscPamvpmthwi?gereelraayhduu.FsniisnnoBsoseitietsartetnuxoreoistltnpMrttyprd,oehhotsalwhorweeteftsfeiaeeeetiltbbrlseornhnleuek,ervceoa’wnss.eealWoiuwotnhpndgfaoweypoa,Whlhfksiyrn.neswinswoAntoi.nenvWibigesmtneeet.eephmddcSii–dn,awaeoibtysanesx,oohosytemfiiuooayunotsetarorfa’gonflxkeTkliulaasmyeaerabrtcrtisseteenisaottaeti,iswlguonlntetitfnlhrgofgeaniantedttwjePooehudebrayofueddonlonoorwrgzametaudevetMthlnesilnodofeadroestti.nsfdemtrrETalo.vlilbhtmeu;eerwsryoseu’dr Holm Oak Pinot Noir 2010 $2899 Tasmania Member price James Halliday scored it 94 points.Winsor $26.99 Dobbin called it ‘an excellent young Pinot’.And our Tasting Panel just couldn’t stop raving about it. Rich, silky and exuding red berries and spices, this is Tasmanian Pinot Noir at its best. Code 25639 14.0% alc/volLic.No. LIQP770010086.The Wine Society supports the responsible service of alcohol. Liquor Act 2007 - It is against the law to sell or supply alcohol to, or to obtain alcohol on behalf of, a person under the age of 18 years. Freight charges apply.All wines offered are covered by The Wine Society’s Guarantee of Quality.We guarantee that if after tasting a bottle or two you are dissatised for any reason, we will collect the remainder of those wines and refund the original value of your wine purchase.

Our Tasting Panel May Favourites For a full selection of our wonderful wines from around Australia and beyond call 1300 723 727 or visit us at www.winesociety.com.au/winestateMystic Sounds Taylors Promised Land Kriter Blanc de BlancsSauvignon Blanc 2011Marlborough, NZ Shiraz 2010 Brut NV South Australia FranceWine Society Exclusive!Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Winner of three gold medals, Wine Society Exclusive! six silvers and a trophy for Exclusive to The Wine Society,has taken the world by stormand the ‘savalanche’ shows no the ‘Best Shiraz under $25’ and one of our bestselling at the 2011 Great Australian wines, this elegant Blanc design of letting up.Taste Mystic Shiraz Challenge.A lively Blancs is fresh and balancedSounds’ bold passionfruit andgreengage avours and it’s easy and well-balanced wine that with oral notes and a ne combines high quality with mousse. It is the perfectto see why it’s so popular.Andat this price we believe it’s the exceptional value,Taylors alternative to Champagne Promised Land Shiraz 2010 is – without the price tag. It’sbest value the complete clear why ourSavvy around. $1399 package. $1399 Members love $1499Code 25868 Code 25869 it so much. Member price Member price Code 16869 Member price13.0% alc/vol $11.99 13.5% alc/vol $11.99 $12.99 11.5% alc/volKettle Lane Riesling 2011 Fox by John Belsham The Naomi ShirazTasmania Pinot Gris 2011 Cabernet 2009Wine Society Exclusive! Marlborough, NZ Blackwood Valley,WAKettle Lane wines are madeespecially for The Wine Wine Society Exclusive! Blends of Shiraz and CabernetSociety to showcase the best A pioneer of modern are rare outside this country, Marlborough winemaking, and but Rosenthal shows howof Australasian wine throughthe perfect marriage of place a driving force in its success, lucky we are to have them. John Belsham has been making Rich and luscious, with boldand style.The 2009 Riesling wine in the region for 25 years. fruit and peppery spice, thiswas Winestate’s ‘Riesling of His dry, medium-bodied Pinot quintessentially Australian winethe Year 2010’. Our Tasting Gris is aromatic and full of is, outside Western Australia,Panel thinks this vintage is16even better. sweet spice and pear. Classic only available through The $ 99 17Marlborough. 24Wine Society.Code 25427 $ 99 $ 99 Code 24948 Code 2589512.5% alc/vol Member price 12.5% alc/vol Member price 14.0% alc/vol Member price $14.99 $15.99 $21.99Lindeman’s Limited Enrique Mendoza La Giesler Brut NVRelease Chardonnay 2011Robe, SA Tremenda Monastrell 2008 Epernay, France Alicante, Spain Wine Society Exclusive!Wine Society Exclusive! There are times when nothing With the Aussie dollar riding but Champagne will do andEach year, we scour the countryfor a wine deserving of the title high, there’s never been this is one of the best. Light a better time to explore‘Best in Society Summer White’. overseas wines and this and luscious with subtle fruit and a ne bead, Giesler BrutThis year’s winner was crafted Spanish gem is a case in point. NV is only available in Australiaespecially for us by Lindeman’s. Dried fruits, spice and leather from The Wine Society.At suchFinely structured and sittinglightly on the palate, it is a combine for a fabulous taste a bargain price for a luxury of the old world, and one thatwonderful example of modern seriously over-delivers against product, it will leave more than your palate24Australian $ 99 35its price point.$ 99 satised. $4399 Code 14425Chardonnay. Code 25846 Member priceCode 25965 Member price 14.5% alc/vol Member price 12.0% alc/vol $39.9912.5% alc/vol $22.99 $31.99Wine Society Members get preferential pricing on all Wine Society purchases, so why not join us? $50 buys you two shares and entitles you to lifetime membership (conditions apply).What’s more, when you buy a mixed case from this page you’ll save (on average) almost $30, so you’ll be more than halfway to getting your money back! Call 1300 723 727



NO.248 MAY/JUNE 2012Editor & Publisher Peter Simic E-mail: [email protected] Editor Lara Simic E-mail: [email protected] Editor Michael Cooper E-mail: [email protected] Michael BatesAdministration Vicki Bozsoki E-mail: [email protected] Director Renate Klockner E-mail: [email protected] Manager Peter Jackson E-mail: [email protected] Coordinator Stephen Dean E-mail: [email protected] DAI RubiconWinestate Web Site Justin Martin E-mail: [email protected] South Wales Winsor Dobbin, Elisabeth King, Clive HartleySouth Australia Skye Murtagh, Joy Walterfang, Valmai Hankel, Nigel HopkinsVictoria Jeni Port, Hilary McNevinWestern Australia Mike Zekulich, Rod ProperjohnQueensland Peter Scudamore-Smith MW, Andrew Corrigan MW, Lizzie LoelNew Zealand Michael Cooper, Jane Skilton MWNational Travel Winsor DobbinUSA Gerald D. BoydEUROPE André Pretorius, Giorgio Fragiacomo, Sally Easton MWASIA Denis GastonADVERTISING SALESAustralia, New Zealand & InternationalPeter Jackson, Winestate PublicationsPhone: (08) 8357 9277 E-mail: [email protected] O’Reilly, Public Relations - [email protected] Australia & VictoriaWinestate Magazine (08) 8357 9277E-mail: [email protected] South WalesAngelica Naranjo - Pearman MediaPhone: (02) 02 9929 3966 E-mail: [email protected] Bradley Phone: (07) 3391 6633 E-mail: [email protected] AustraliaKym Burke - O’Keeffe Media Services (08) 9381 7766WINESTATE New Zealand AdministrationKay Morganty Phone: (09) 479 1253 E-mail: [email protected] and Gotch Australia P/LNew ZealandIndependent Magazine DistributorsInternationalDAI RubiconHong Kong & ChinaEverwise Wine LimitedUKComagBRAZILWalker DistributionUSASource Interlink InternationalWINESTATE is published seven times a year by WINESTATE PUBLISHING PTY LTD,81 King William Road, Unley SA 5061.Copyright 2012 by WINESTATE PUBLISHING PTY LTD. This publication may not, in wholeor in part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronicmedium or machine-readable form without the express permission of the publisher.Every care is taken in compiling the contents of this publication, but the publisher assumesno responsibility for the effects arising therefrom.ABN 56 088 226 411Winestate Telephone (08) 8357 9277 Facsimile (08) 8357 9212E-mail [email protected] Web Site www.winestate.com.au

contentsMAY/JUNE 2012FEATURES R E G U L A R S28 Common themes among 12 Briefs divided neighbours 19 Cooper’s Creed with Michael Cooper New Zealand’s premier wine regions 20 European Report with Sally Easton of Nelson and Wairarapa, might be 22 Wine Tutor with Clive Hartley separated by the treacherous waters 24 Wine Travel with Elisabeth King of Cook Strait, but they have much in 26 Wine History with Valmai Hankel common, explains Michael Cooper. 49 Grapevine 54 Wine Words30 Winter warmers 34 57 How We Judge There’s a chill wind blowing outside, 58 What’s it Worth? but inside the Southwold and the 60 Wine Investment & Collecting Adnams brewery on England’s East 162 Aftertaste Anglian coast. There’s a warm glow, writes Andre Pretorius.34 Ageing gracefully 127 New Releases and Top 40 You don’t have to spend a small Best Buys under $20. fortune to set up a wine cellar, explains Joy Walterfang in the second part of her cellaring series. There are plenty of low-cost options to safely age fine wine.42 Taste of the tropicsThe heat and humidity of the tropics 42might scare off most in the wineindustry, but there is a growing bandof grape growers and wine makers mastering the art of producing quality W I N E TAST I N G S tropical wines, explains Denis Gastin. 70 Western Australia 92 Central & Western NSW46 Pioneering pinot A decade after an ambitiouspartnership was launched to develop 102 Adelaide Hillsthe 220ha Howard Park vineyard on 108 Sweet & Fortifiedsa rugged former sheep property in 116 Nelson & Wairarapa, NZrural WA, the results are in, writesMike Zekulich. 120 Michael Cooper’s Recent Releases 46 Winestate Magazine Issue Number 248 May/June 2012 Cover photograph © Wilm Ihlenfeld.

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editorialIT CERTAINLY IS INTERESTING TIMESin the wine industry (again). While as a consumer you might be revelling in the low pricesfor wine that you are enjoying, there is a change in the air thatmay change the landscape in the next few years. This changeprobably won’t occur with price competition, which has nowbecome endemic with the major chains hooked on market sharebattles, but with that you will be able to buy! Wineries from the large to the small are hurting, withunsustainable low margins affecting their ability to survive. Wehave been told that up to a third of small wineries would sell ifthey could find a buyer. They get little-to-no margins from thesupermarkets and rely on cellar door and web sales to survive.Increasingly, (as we are finding with our own overseas exhibitionsventures) thoughts are turning to exports – particularly Asia.Coming out of nowhere, is the increasing interest in premium wine,particularly from China. They are discovering that, unlike cheapFrench wine, Australian wines have flavour. And with a risingmiddle class the Chinese are now willing to source, and pay for, quality wine. Be prepared to see some ofyour favourite wines disappear offshore in the next few years as distributors overseas offer higher marginsfor their products (and the interest in buying small wineries for lifestyle and immigration purposes mayincrease from a trickle to a flood). If you had a winery suffering tough times wouldn’t you take the money? Some wine might remain in Australia, but like crayfish, you will be paying a higher price for it. The big chains have already recognised this by bringing out their own ‘Buyer’s Own brands’ (Can’t waitfor a “Stone Creek Mountain Ridge Abbot’s Lane Limited Release Chairman’s Selection Hand CraftedWood Matured South East Australian 2012 Chardonnay”or the like.) with obscure ownership details onthe back labels. Their other strategy is to bring in cheap imports that can fill the shelves gaining a 60per cent margin instead of the 30 per cent they command from Australian producers. In this way theycan continue their mantra of being the cheapest in town. Of course, not all Australian wineries will look at the export option and they will rely on your support to keepgoing. You can do this by identifying the wines you enjoy and Google the wineries to find out where youcan source the wine. Winestate does not sell wine, nor does it get any sales commissions from advertiserswho appear in the magazine, but they are another good source of where you can buy wine other thanthrough the major chains. Maybe also consider buying a few bottles for now and a few for later. You might be paying a lot more infive years’ time!CheersPeter SimicEditor/PublisherPS. We were overwhelmed with the response from my previous editorial where I commented on the highscores that wines seem to be now getting from the critics “94 points is the new 90!” Obviously you havealso noticed this phenomenon where everyone now wins a prize. I was pleased and gratified when someof you said: “you are the only one we trust!”. Rest assured we will continue to judge wines critically. In thesame way that a one-star Michelin restaurant is highly regarded, a three-star Winestate rating is also agreat result and means we recommend the wine, not an easy feat.OOPS… In case you were wondering, the wonderful vintage report wrap-upfeatured in our Annual 2012 issue was co-written by Karyn Foster and Charles Gent.May/June 2012 W I N E S TAT E 11

briefsNAME CHANGE PLAYING THE SCALESFOLLOWING last year’s departure of winemaker Sam Plunkett andthe Plunkett family from the Strathbogie Ranges wine producer, PEMBERTON winemaker DiPlunkett Fowles, comes news of a change to the winery name. The Miller has introduced a rieslingwinery has now officially become Fowles Wine. The opportunity for scale indicating the level ofa name change will usually coincide with a major change in label dryness through to sweetnessand logo design, but not so with Fowles Wine. Wine drinkers will on the front label of her 2011note only the smallest of changes. “As a family we’re excited by Bellarmine riesling releases.the next phase and, in particular, continuing to take the best of The scale is becomingthe ‘Bogies’ to the world,” said director, Matt Fowles. Long time increasingly common onwinemaker Victor Nash steps into the chief winemaking shoes Australian wines, appearing predominantly on back labels, but upformerly filled by Sam Plunkett. until now, not the front. Miller decided to include the scale in a strategic position when she made three distinctly different rieslings from the 2011BIG BREAK vintage: a dry riesling, a half-dry riesling and a sweet “selection” riesling. The scale indicates dry through to sweet, from zero grams of residualCOBAW RIDGE, a small, family-owned Macedon Ranges sugar through to 100 grams, with a mark indicating where the wine sits.producer, has been accepted into the international biodynamicwinemaking group, Renaissance des Appellations. It’s a big PERSONALITY SHIFTbreak for the 5ha vineyard that has been moving from organic to abiodynamic winegrowing and winemaking regime in recent years. ST. LEONARDS, the quiet vinous one in the Brown family’sRenaissance des Appellations, with 177 winegrower members from north-east Victorian wine portfolio is breaking out. Not only have13 countries, travels the world conducting tastings and seminars the wines from the 152-year-old vineyard undergone a majorunder the Return To Terroir banner, spreading the message about personality shift with new labels promoting a more bucolic imagebiodynamics, a holistic way of farming that is tied to the seasons, than in the past, but the Browns are also releasing a range ofthe moon and planets. single vineyard wines. The new wines - chardonnay, semillon, cabernet franc, durif and a classic muscat - highlight St. Leonards’VINTAGE TEST long history of producing mainly table wines, including a range of whites in a predominantly red wine and fortified winegrowingTHE 2012 vintage looks to be a big one for the Cooper family, region. “The recently revamped labels identify the very essencewith son Joshua doing vintage in the Hunter Valley followed by of St. Leonards and reflect this very special place we grew up in,”Heathcote, Mornington Peninsula and then Macedon Ranges. says chief executive Eliza Brown. Soon, an interactive websiteIn August/September he’s off to Burgundy and Domaine de la with video tasting notes and an online store will also be launched.Vougeraie. Is this a world first?12 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2012

briefsHOLDING COURT AUSTRALIAN CELLAR DOORTHE Court of Master Sommeliers continues to gain ground in Australia YABBY Lake, one of the first Australian wineries to open a cellarwith 34 sommeliers awarded their certified sommelier ranking at this door outlet in China in 2008, has finally opened its own cellar door inyear’s Australian examinations. Another 60 sommeliers passed the Australia. Located in Tuerong, on the Mornington Peninsula, the Yabbyintroductory level. Top student and winner of the Petaluma Scholarship Lake cellar door offers the Yabby Lake single vineyard range as wellwas Richard Hargreave, of Sydney’s momofuku selobo restaurant, as wines under its second label, Red Claw, for tasting in a modern,who receives financial assistance to sit for the advanced level in airy, 40-seat cafe. Limited release, single block wines and museumthe UK or US. The Court of Master Sommeliers is a British-based wines are also available. Market Lane coffee, made from singleinternational education group aimed at improving standards of wine estates, completes the “small is beautiful” Yabby Lake philosophy.service in hotels and restaurants worldwide. The Court has beenvisiting Australia since 2008 and examined 652 sommeliers. Among FRENCH AFFAIRthe top 10 students this year were Gerald Ryan (The Royal Mail), CoryMorris (Grossi Florentino), Ben Howes (Arras), Jeremy Foot (Rockpool “THIS is the style of wine I personally want to do, not high inBar and Grill, Sydney) and Aaron Commins (Must Winebar). alcohol, with freshness and fruit,” says Alain Graillot of his first exploration into Australian winemaking. The well-known RhoneCHINA STORY Valley maker was in Australia in February for the release of two signature syrahs (that’s French for shiraz) from the HeathcoteA TOP selling Australian wine region, one of a growing number of French-Oz wine unions withguide has gone Chinese. The the grape. Codenamed The Graillot Project, the wines wereAustralian Wine Annual, written by sourced from a 10-year-old vineyard at Colbinabbin off soilsJeremy Oliver, has been translated rich in eroded limestone. After harvest the grapes were sent tointo Chinese. Oliver expects the winemaker Sandro Mosele, at Kooyong Estate, on the Morningtonannual, the first comprehensive Peninsula, followed by instructions from Alain Graillot. Tastingguide to Australian wine available sessions were held and voila, two new Aussie Graillots were born.in China, to introduce many Monsieur Graillot is well accustomed to making wine outside hismore drinkers in that country to home vineyard of Crozes-Hermitage. He also produces a SyrahAustralian wine. “Today, every from Morocco called Syrocco. The Australian project produceswinemaker in the world is visiting two contrasting styles of shiraz: the 2010 Graillot Australia syrahChina regularly,” he said in a recent interview that appeared in the ($50) is fine, lifted and intense, while the 2010 Graillot Projectnewspaper, China Daily. “Chinese people have a lot of opportunities Syrah Number Two ($30) shows more muscle, oak and generosity.to meet people making great wine with different philosophies and Both wines are produced in conjunction with Rob Walters,different techniques. There is a huge opportunity to learn. of Australian importers/distributors Bibendum Wine Co. May/June 2012 W I N E S TAT E 13

briefs TOP TASTINGS TRIO PROMOTE VERDELHO TASTINGS AT the Top at Cradle Mountain Lodge, Tasmania, is always one of the highlights of the food and wine year – with a THREE LEADING makers range of tastings and dinners featuring both winemakers and of verdelho have joined boutique food producers from across the state. This year’s event together to promote the will include an excursion and behind-the-scenes look at the grape variety as “the Barringwood Park vineyard. The dates for Tastings At The Top alternative variety we already this year are Saturday, June 23-Monday, June 25 with the pricing have”. Windowrie The starting from $1695 per person twin share. For details visit www. Mill, Tamburlaine Organic cradlemountainlodge.com.au/food-wine/tastings-at-the-top/. Wines and Bleasdale have combined to promote the virtues of a grape that was first grown in Australia back in the 1820s. The new push is aimed at highlighting more savoury styles of verdelho. “For the past 20 years, winemakers have offered verdelhos that are too sweet,” says winemaker Mark Davidson, from Tamburlaine in the Hunter Valley. “The wines that our group produces, unoaked and dry, rival the sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio styles that proliferate in the market these days.” Jason O’Dea, from Windowrie The Mill, believes familiarity has bred contempt for verdelho. “If it were a new variety in Australia it would be giving the likes of pinot gris and sauvignon blanc a run for their money,” he says. NEW H• OLLANDM P A N Y •14 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2012W CO

FAMILY AFFAIR briefsTHE OSBORN family is not inclined to do French champagne Mumm – was launched as part ofthings by halves. When their d’Arenberg the festivities. Thus far, the notoriously litigious Frenchwinery celebrated its 100th anniversary have held fire. What all the fun and games that surroundearlier this month, McLaren Vale was d’Arenberg sometimes obscures is the seriousness withabuzz. Big names from throughout the which both d’Arry and Chester Osborn have approachedwine world, including leading German both viticulture and winemaking. It was Chester’s teetotalerriesling producer Dr Ernie Loosen and great-grandfather, Joseph Rowe Osborn, who bought theNew York wine bar guru Paul Grieco, family’s first vineyard in McLaren Vale in 1912. He owned adescended on McLaren Vale to share a racehorse named Footbolt, after which the Footbolt Shiraz isdrink or two with family patriarch d’Arry named. His son Frank built a winery on the property in 1927Osborn, a veteran of 70 vintages, and his that is still used to this day. The winery name was changedwinemaker son Chester, immobilised by from Bundarra to d’Arenberg in 1958, the red stripe wasa torn Achilles tendon but as ebullient as introduced and the rest is history. Today, d’Arenberg has noever. The dynamic duo, one 84, the other fewer than 33 grape varieties in its vineyards, makes close to49, partied long and hard with a guest list 300,000 cases of wine a year and exports around the globe.that included about 250 international and The family’s history is told in a new book: The Story Behindlocal media, agents and winemakers one The Stripe, which looks at the 100-year history in depthnight and 280 grape growers the next. – but Chester Osborn says there is much more still to come.A new sparkling wine labelled DADD – “It’s important we keep the company going successfully sowhich looks uncannily like the famous that I can pass it on to my children,” he says. “I’m just the custodian at this time, preparing to pass it on.”wine-ark FOR COLLECTORS OF FINE WINE11 SITES NATIONALLY ○ CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE ○ BUY VINTAGE WINE www.wine-ark.com.au 1300 946 327 May/June 2012 W I N E S TAT E 15

briefsNEW WINE CAMPAIGN TALENTED COUPLENEW SOUTH Wales winemakers have launched a campaign TWO OF Tasmania’s mosturging NSW consumers to demand local wines. Launched at talented winemakers areSydney Cellar Door in February, the “Ask For It” campaign aims now jointly in charge of theto encourage NSW residents to become as fiercely parochial Delamere Vineyards operationabout their state’s wine as the other wine-producing states. “If at Pipers Brook, with Franthey can’t see a NSW wine on a bottle shop shelf or on a wine Austin resigning after 10 yearslist then they should ask for it,” NSW Wines said. “This initiative with Bay of Fires to join herwill support the many small, family-owned vineyards who are husband, Shane Holloway,competing with large corporations from across the globe, and in at Delamere. The coupleturn offer consumers even more value and choice.” The Ask For purchased the DelamereIt initiative aims to build on the momentum that has been created vineyards and winery in 2007since 2008 when the NSW Wine Strategy was launched. – and Austin has decided not to return to Bay of Fires, nowNEW YARRA owned by Accolade Wines,ATTRACTION after taking maternity leave. “Shane has been single-handedly managing Delamere since we purchased the business andTHERE IS a new destination during the past few years he has poured his blood, sweat andfor wine lovers in the Yarra yes, sometimes even a few tears, into coaxing the remarkable oldValley with family-run winery pinot noir and chardonnay vines towards their true potential, andSoumah, in Gruyere, having transforming the class and quality of the Delamere wines,” Austinofficially opened its doors says. “With a further 4ha of pinot noir and chardonnay vines aboutto the public. Owner Brett to go in the ground to meet the growing demand for his wines,Butcher said the vineyard I figured Shane might appreciate a little help. Of course, the stepwas established in 1997 and from long-term employee to owner/winemaker is not a decision oneSoumah had been selling makes lightly.” Austin will be replaced full-time at Bay of Fires bygrapes to other wineries Peter Dredge, who has been in the position while she was on leave.before creating their ownprivate label and starting to HUNTERsell their wines in 2010. The ATTRACTIONnew cellar was unveiled on Australia Day. A large, old shed hasbeen converted into a cellar door, with a tasting room, light dining LINDEMAN’S HAS markedarea, veranda and balcony. “The balcony is a nice spot to sit the 100th birthday of itsand wile away a few hours, enjoy a cheese platter and soak up iconic Hunter Valley Benthe view,” Butcher said. Soumah’s cellar door is open Monday, Ean cellar door by openingTuesday and Friday from 11am-4pm and at weekends and on the 1843 Harvest Cafe. Thepublic holidays 10am-5pm, at 18 Hexham Rd, Gruyere. new cafe’s name honours the year Lindeman’s wasCHANGING TIMES established with the planting of Dr Lindeman’s first vineyardIT IS A sign of changing times in the wine industry when Jacob’s of riesling, verdelho and shiraz grapevines at Cawarra, in theCreek chief winemaker Bernard Hickin reveals he and his team have Hunter Valley. The rustic 1843 Harvest Cafe offers a relaxed diningstarted experimenting with a wide range of newer grape varieties experience with all produce sourced within 160km (100 miles).from warmer parts of Portugal, Italy and Spain. Hickin told a recent The menu features fresh gourmet wood-fired pizzas as well asMelbourne tasting (which happily coincided with Jacob’s Creek’s sweet treats such as avocado panna cotta with hibiscus flower andsponsorship of the Australian Open tennis) that his viticulturists seasonal fruit or churros with bitter caramel and vanilla sugar. Thehave planted Italian varietals montepulciano, negro amaro, fiano, wine list highlights an extensive list of Lindeman’s wines, including thesagrantino, aglianico, vermentino and nero d’Avola along with exclusive Lindeman’s Cellar Door Eliza’s Ten range. Chief winemakerSpanish varietal graciano and the Portuguese grape touriga Wayne Falkenberg said: “Last year we celebrated Dr Lindeman’snacional.“In recent years we’ve replanted some of our vineyards with 200th birthday and this year we are celebrating 100 years of oursome more experimental and emerging varietals and we are starting cellar door – the heart of Lindeman’s. This is a very exciting time forto see good fruit coming off these new plantings,” Hickin said. “This us and I’m honoured to be a part of it.” The Lindeman’s Ben Ean cellaris providing us with the opportunity to be more adventurous and door has also been refurbished and is open daily from 10am-5pm.eventually to expand the Jacob’s Creek portfolio with new offerings.” The cafe is open from 10am-4pm in McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin.16 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2012

briefsMARKETING MOVE KIWI STARSWINE PRODUCERS in AUSTRALIANS ARE beingLanghorne Creek have encouraged to book earlycombined to launch a new for the Josh Emett-Blairbranding initiative that Walter dinner at the Farmcelebrates the region as the at Cape Kidnappers onhome of the oldest officially Sunday, June 2. Feltonrecorded cabernet sauvignon Road winemaker Waltervines in the world. “Experience will again match his winesour past. Taste our future” is with dishes cooked by starthe slogan that highlight’s the New Zealand chef EmettSouth Australian region’s heritage while focusing on the passion after their debut together inof the local winemakers. The new branding message coincided 2010 was a sell-out. Tariff forwith the 50th anniversary of Langhorne Creek fruit being used to the weekend is $NZ800 perproduce the first winner of the Jimmy Watson Trophy: a 1961 Stonyfell person per night (double/Cabernet Shiraz blend. Wine producers, including Angas Plains, twin occupancy) and includes accommodation, breakfast,Bleasdale, Bremerton, Brothers in Arms, Cleggett, Gipsie Jack, pre-dinner drinks and canapes, chef’s dinner with matchedJohn’s Blend, Heartland, Killibinbin, Kimbolton, Lake Breeze, Ben wines, cooking class and choice of a 50-minute massage orPotts, Step Road and Zonte’s Footstep are all involved in the initiative, round of golf per person. See www.capekidnappers.com oraimed at lifting the profile of one of Australia’s largest premium red phone +64 6 875 1900.regions. “Langhorne Creek has an amazing past,” says LanghorneCreek Grape and Wine executive officer Lian Jaensch. “Our wine COOL TRIUMPHheritage dates back to the 1850s and we have families who havebeen making wine for five generations or more. “In the past 10 years, THE FEBRUARY International Cool-Climate Wine Symposium,locally branded wine producers have gone from four to 17 and the in Hobart, was hailed as a major success. “We could not beregion is one big family. For details see www.langhornewine.com.au. happier with the way the ICCS turned out,” Wine Tasmania chief executive Sheralee Davies said, pointing out the impactCHAMPAGNE of 330 delegates from 12 countries. “The feedback hasBUBBLES been overwhelmingly positive, in terms of the freshness of presentation/new research results, the overall social programTHE NEW release book Great, and opportunity to try Tasmanian wines and food. From aGrand & Famous Champagnes: Wine Tasmania perspective, I see the benefits across fourBehind the Bubbles won the key audiences: viticultural and winemaking colleagues in2011 Gourmand Wine Book terms of growing awareness and potentially encouragingAward for best Australian book investment; wine trade/buyers in terms of sales results;in the category of French Wine. media in terms of growing awareness, promoting Tasmania toThe 240-page hardback tome their broad audiences, and with our Tasmanian governmentexplores the history, culture and colleagues, cementing an already positive relationship andscience behind the creation of validating the government’s focus on a small but very highchampagne, as well as its exciting value and influential sector.” Davies said the event hadjourney from the noble tipple to “attracted some really influential international media, manythe everyday table. It features many facts and stories about great of whom had never been to Tasmania or hadn’t visited inchampenoise producers, including Moet & Chandon, Veuve Cliquot, 10-plus years”. While many of the sessions were technical inBollinger and Krug. It costs $71.99 from www.arbonpublishing.com. nature and of interest largely to viticulturists and oenologists, Ross Brown told delegates that he had great faith in theCHARDONNAY CELEBRATION future of cool-climate pinot noir. “In terms of trending fashions driven by technical changes and consumer tastes,THE SECOND Toolangi international benchmark chardonnay event, the grape variety ticks all the boxes,” he said. “Consumersto be called Toolangi 12, has been set down for Chateau Yering, in can come in at a level that gives them great value and athe Yarra Valley, on Saturday, June 16. The one-day festival of all great drink.” Brown noted that consumer tastes are changingthings chardonnay will include a masterclass ($230) featuring some to “lighter, lower alcohol and more savoury reds” into whichof the great wines of Burgundy, California and New Zealand and a pinot noir producers can tap. “Tasmanian pinot noir hasgala dinner ($200) with a range of Toolangi and international wines. every possibility to be regarded as the finest in the southernFor details see www.chardonnay12.com or phone (03) 9827 9977. hemisphere,” he said. May/June 2012 W I N E S TAT E 17

nzbriefsPERNOD RICARD TAKES co-founder, Bruce Clugston, was appointed president of FoleyHIT IN NEW ZEALAND Family Wines NZ, with global responsibility for all its brands. Wineinc also had a 5.1 per cent share in Foley’s New ZealandFRENCH LIQUOR giant Pernod Ricard suffered a $NZ99.1 million business. However, after “philosophical” differences, the twoloss on the sale of part of its New Zealand assets, according to parted company. Andrew Shackleton, a former managing directorthe New Zealand Herald. In 2010, Pernod Ricard sold several of Te Kairanga, has replaced Clugston as the head of Foley’svineyards, its Gisborne winery and numerous wine brands, New Zealand wine venture.notably Lindauer and Corbans, for $NZ88.3 million. In the yearto mid-2011, turnover fell to $NZ258.5 million, compared to DEATH OF HIGHFIELD CO-OWNER$NZ337.2 million in 2010, and gross profit dropped from $NZ92.1million to $NZ77.2 million. The paper also reported that a dispute TOM TENUWERA, co-owner of Marlborough’s Highfieldwith the Inland Revenue Department is sitting in Pernod Ricard’s Estate - notable for its multiple award-winning sauvignonaccounts “as a potential $NZ87.4 million future loss”. blanc, Elstree Cuvée Brut and dramatic, 14m-high observation tower – died suddenly in February. A Sri Lankan, Tenuwera,CRAGGY RANGE 67, spent most of his life in England and was formerly aAPPOINTS director of Radiodetection, a company making undergroundCHIEF WINEMAKER utility detection equipment. In 1991, after the founding Walsh family suffered financial problems, Tenuwera purchasedMATT STAFFORD, 31, Highfield with his Osaka-based friend, Shin Yokoi. “We boughthas been appointed chief Highfield sight unseen,” Tenuwera admitted. “It was a bit ofwinemaker at Hawke’s an indulgence really.” Alistair Soper, Highfield’s managingBay-based winery Craggy director, says Tenuwera “couldn’t go anywhere without a bottleRange, which also produces of sparkling in sight. He was the greatest host. We will continuewines from several regions pushing on with his vision”.to the south. SMALLER VINTAGE PREDICTED IN 2012 Stafford joined CraggyRange in 2006. Until recently THE HUGE New Zealand grape harvest of 2011 – 15 per centa specialist in the company’s above the previous record, set in 2008 and equalled in 2009 – isHawke’s Bay styles, and unlikely to be repeated this year. David Cox, European directorwinemaker for its Wild Rock of NZ Winegrowers, declared in late summer that a significant fallsubsidiary, in 2007 he won Air New Zealand’s Inspiring New in output was likely. “Marlborough and Nelson have experiencedZealanders wine scholarship, which provided extensive travel cool temperatures and heavy rains during flowering, and sothrough the great wine regions of France. One of his mentors, many growers are predicting this may result in a 20-25 per centMarlborough winemaker and judge John Belsham, says Stafford fall in tonnage,” he said. Stuart Smith, chair of NZ Winegrowers,believes “that vineyard site and soil are the most important factors viewed the likely drop as a blessing, “because of the not veryin creating quality wine, and aims for a product which captures in good summer we’re having in Marlborough. If we had a largethe bottle the essence of where it was created”. That makes sense crop on, we’d have difficulty ripening it.for the man now responsible for Craggy Range’s entire portfolioof single-vineyard wines. Rod Easthope, Stafford’s predecessor FIRST SOUTH ISLAND ALBARINOas chief winemaker, will stay on in a consultancy role, but willseparately produce an exclusive range of wines for UK online COOPER’S CREEK’S rare - 250 bottles - release, based onretailer Naked Wines, which has 100,000 Angel customers. 2011 Gisborne grapes, was the first true example of the fashionable albarino variety (known as albarino in Spain,AUSSIE EXITS NEW ZEALAND alvarinho in Portugal) from New Zealand or Australia. Now the first South Island version is on the market – Stanley EstatesCHANGE IS underway at Foley Family Wines NZ, owned by Marlborough Albarino 2011. Estate-grown in the Awatere ValleyAmerican billionaire Bill Foley. After snapping up the assets of by proprietors Steve Pellett and Bridget Ennals, who hand-the New Zealand Wine Fund in 2009 – the Vavasour winery, over harvested the grapes at 24.6 brix from two-year-old vines, it100ha of vineyards in Marlborough and several other brands, was fermented with indigenous yeasts in old oak barriques,notably Goldwater – in 2011 Foley purchased Te Kairanga, produced in a medium-dry style, and ensconced in 500mlthe largest winery in Martinborough. He also acquired a non- bottles. It sells for $NZ19.95.controlling interest in Wineinc, an Australian company whose18 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2012

c o o p e r ’s c r e e d WORDS MICHAEL COOPER CHANGING FORTUNESIS THERE a gap in Australia for a winemaker My, how that opinion has changed. New “In what could become known as ‘theequivalent of Robbie Deans – the former Zealanders are now as proud of their wine year of the Kiwi’, not only did New Zealandcoach of the high-achieving Crusaders as they are of the All Blacks. win the Rugby World Cup, but has alsorugby team, who now steers the Wallabies? taken out the Winestate Wine of the Year,”Dr Richard Smart, one of Australia’s – and On the surface, Australia has major observed Winestate Editor/Publisher Peterthe world’s - best known viticulturists, has advantages over New Zealand, with a Simic in Winestate’s Wine of the Yearsuggested the possibility in a forthright longer-established industry, a greater Special Edition 2011. “What makes it arecent article: “Wine Battles between range of winegrowing climates and a ‘shock horror’ moment for Aussies is thatAustralia and New Zealand: How Goliath much bigger domestic market. But things the wine that won was a New Zealandshould learn from David.” are changing fast. Australia’s vineyard syrah (Le Sol 2009) from the Craggy Range area in 1981 was 24 times larger than Vineyard in Hawke’s Bay,” he said. Dr Smart has traced the changing New Zealand’s; now it is less than fivefortunes of the two countries’ wine times larger. Dr Smart believes that New Zealand isindustries over the 30-year period 1980- “whipping” Australia. That is an overstatement2010. Since 2007, he notes, New Zealand New Zealand’s wine exports achieve – after all, Australian wines scoopedhas sold more wine to Australia than an average price per litre that is more Winestate’s trophies for pinot gris/pinot grigio;Australia has to New Zealand. In 2010, than double Australia’s. In the UK – a riesling; semillon; chardonnay; cabernetNew Zealand’s exports across the Tasman key export market for both countries sauvignon; sweet white and fortified.generated $NZ327 million. “This trade – the price difference is four-fold. And New Zealand winemakers have shown But the New Zealand industry is better organized, Dr Smart argues, with oneThe latest problem for Australia’s winemakers is that body (New Zealand Winegrowers) for theNew Zealand’s elegant, floral and spicy syrahs, grown sector, compared to four in Australia. Newprincipally in Hawke’s Bay and on Waiheke Island, Zealand’s wine research program is morenow often triumph over bold, beefy, Barossa Valley focused on solving industry problems,and McLaren Vale shiraz in key blind tastings. and “New Zealand is also streets ahead in implementing a sustainability program”.is now over five-fold the value of that no mercy to Australia in their domesticexported from Australia to New Zealand,” market. Marlborough sauvignon blanc And “New Zealand wines are better.he said. Dr Smart is well known in New has recently been described as “like an This comment will cause chagrin to manyZealand after his long spell during the Exocet missile to the Australian white- Australians, but if we look at the facts1980s as national viticulture scientist, wine category”. Of the 10 biggest-selling of consumer acceptance and the pricebased at Ruakura, south of Auckland. white wines in Australia, eight are now consumers are prepared to pay in several Marlborough sauvignon blancs. markets, it seems irrefutable. The wines Australia’s oversight, Dr Smart argues, are better because the grapes are betterhas been its failure to plant extensive It’s easy to forget that only 10 years ago, because they are grown in cool climates.”vineyard areas in truly cool parts of the Australia dominated the New Zealandcountry. “In failing to do so, not only market for red wines, low-priced whites Australia’s early vineyards, says Dr Smart,is it losing export markets, but also a and cask wines. The latest problem were located in warm areas to serve asignificant part of its domestic market,” he for Australia’s winemakers is that New demand for fortified wines and modestsaid. When he arrived in New Zealand in Zealand’s elegant, floral and spicy table wines. Regions later planted for1982, as a world authority in vine-canopy syrahs, grown principally in Hawke’s Bay their supposedly “cool” climates such asmanagement, Dr Smart was told by a and on Waiheke Island, now often triumph Coonawarra, the Yarra Valley and Margaretneighbourhood retailer that: “New Zealand over bold, beefy, Barossa Valley and River, are “not really so cool after all”.wines were crap and the only decent McLaren Vale shiraz in key blind tastingswines to be found were from Australia”. staged in Australia. The answer for Australia’s winemakers, Dr Smart believes, is to plant extensive new vineyards in genuinely cool parts of Tasmania (where he lives), Victoria and New South Wales. Land with comparable temperatures to Marlborough can be bought for only $10,000 per hectare, “and is right now used for grazing sheep”. May/June 2012 W I N E S TAT E 19

europeanreport WORDS SALLY EASTON MWBEAUJOLAIS BACK FROM THE BRINKIN FRANCE’S Beaujolais region, it’s named appellations. All of them are sited REBALANCING THE EQUATIONnot just a trio of excellent vintages that on varying degrees and types of graniteis putting the region under the starry or schist. Running north-south, from just MOVING ON to wider European Unionspotlight. Producers say that the attention south of Macon to north of Lyon, they are: news, Rabobank, an international food andis also a result of a decade and more of Saint-Amour, Julienas, Chenas, Moulin a agribusiness financial services provider,investment, retrenchment and quality- Vent, Fleurie, Chirouble, Morgon, Regnie, reported that in the three years to 2011,searching that has allowed the region’s Brouilly and Cote de Brouilly. around 162,000ha of vines have beenwines to emerge once more to critical grubbed up from among the 27 EU memberacclaim. That investment has come from The region has huge reserves of old states. This is more than the entire vineyardtwo key directions. While a decade ago vines, up to almost incredulous densities area of Australia. This was all part of the EUwines languished unloved and unsold, - 13,000 vines and more per hectare. The wine sector reform started in 2008, whicha core of quality-minded producers had region might have become unfashionable, planned to uproot 5 per cent of the union’salready eschewed overproduction to but the vines continued in the ground all vineyard area, or 175,000ha. Unsurprisingly,restrict yields, focusing on their vineyard this time. Producers frequently cite vines the world’s top three producers, France, Italyhealth in order to produce wines of place over 50 years old, with figures up to 90 and Spain have accounted for around 90and wines of character. The likes of years old regularly cited for some patches per cent of the vineyard area grubbed up.Domaine Lapierre and Jean-Paul Thevenet of particularly venerated vineyard. Whenhad long worked to produce the best crops are held in check, as naturally Though it falls short of the target, on thiswines possible. occurs with vines this old, these vines parameter, it can be deemed to have been yield up succulent, densely juicy fruit in largely successful, though the overall picture Outsiders also saw the potential charming and velvety, enchanting wines. of rebalancing supply and demand in Europeof the region to produce serious but Another unique factor for Beaujolais is the is a trickier one to analyse. The report goescharming wines, far distant from the gamay grape. The region may lie in greater on to say that the removal of an approximateBeaujolais Nouveau style that had Burgundy, but that is the only similarity 10 million hectolitres worth of production,become something of a circus in some they share. There are a few producers that these hectares represent, is only justexport markets. Much of this investment of this grape scattered across Australia, about adequate to keep pace with declininghas been from neighbouring Burgundy and David Lloyd at Eldridge Estate in the consumption of EU wine across the EU.(into which region Beaujolais officially Mornington Peninsula, is a huge advocate. Added to which several EU countries areresides). A long line of negociants has But Beaujolais is the gamay’s spiritual fond of consuming wines from the new world.been snapping up estates in the crus of home. It’s a vigorous variety, and aged So supply and demand in the wine sectorBeaujolais: Maison Louis Jadot bought vines help to slow that vigour. It’s not don’t look like they have been equalised byChateau des Jacques 1996; Boisset blessed with huge tannins, and this is this huge political effort. Another part of thebought Chateau de Pierreux in Brouilly in one aspect that is now helping to bring reform is to abolish planting rights, where2007; Maison Louis Latour bought Henry the variety, and thus the region, back into anyone wanting to plant a vineyard must firstFessy, who have vineyards in nine of the fashion, after so long in the wilderness. obtain the right to do so, maybe by buying a10 crus, in 2008. Also in 2008, Joseph The variety gives juicy fruit flavours, often vineyard in a different area and transferringHenriot and family, owner of Bouchard red cherry, cranberry and red currant, the rights, or buying them from someonePere et Fils, another top-notch Beaune- and some hint of spiciness in a wine of else. These are due to be abolished at thebased negociant, purchased Fleurie’s invariably modest alcohol, another a la end of 2015, but there is growing resistanceChateau de Poncie. Henriot changed mode attribute. Charm, freshness and to the abolition. By the end of 2011, Greecethe name of this 120ha property to Villa silkiness of a light tannin touch are just had become the 13th member of the EU toPonciago to reflect its Roman history. some of the allures of Beaujolais. The officially register its protest at the liberalisation world is moving on from its generation of plantings, which means that countries So what is it about the Beaujolais of love for big, new-oak influenced, representing more than 95 per cent of thecrus that has made them so desirable? super-ripe, sometimes alcoholic wines. vineyard area are against liberalisation.Well, they provide some of the region’s Beaujolais is simply where it’s at for the Liberalisation would mean vineyards couldmost flavoursome and concentrated antithesis of this style. And being at the be planted anywhere in the EU and the fearwines - serious, supple, succulent and front of a new wave, much Beaujolais is is that it would lead to an industrialisationoccasionally sensuous “cru Beaujolais”, still good value. of production and create serious regionalthe pinnacle of production in 10 separately supply imbalances. The debate goes on.20 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2012



winetutor WORDS CLIVE HARTLEY REKINDLING A LOVE AFFAIRON A RECENT trip to Beechworth in wines may also disappear. Names in Rutherglen have led the charge inVictoria I fell in love with an old friend. I such as tawny can only be used with developing quality fortified wines forfound her tucked away, easily forgotten, a qualifier such as Australian in front a younger market with their recentlyin the corner of a dusty, dirt-floor cellar on it. So in an attempt to maintain use of launched “Seriously” range. Three winesa barmy, stormy, summers day. She was these terms, the Australian wine industry are currently on the market – Seriouslypale and delicate, and as I remembered developed a Fortified Wine Code of Pink, Seriously Fine and Seriouslyher from our previous encounters, cool Practice. Aperitif styles are called apera Nutty. Seriously Pink was created byand captivating. Her name is Constance. and can be labelled dry through to sweet Chris’s daughter, Jen. Her Seriously or cream, while the dessert fortified Pink is a blend of classic Portuguese You, too, can meet Constance by wine styles include: tawny, vintage, varieties, including: touriga nacional,visiting the Pennyweight winery, located ruby, muscat and topaque; which touriga franca, tinta roriz, tinta cão asjust on the outskirts of the beautiful was previously called tokay. Palomino well as a splash of traminer for floralcountry town. Constance is a lovely, grapes are used for dry apera styles like lift. The Pfeiffers recommend that it isdry, apera style fortified aperitif wine, a Constance. “We picked the palomino served chilled, mixed with tonic, soda ornew title for an old girl. Fortified wines from our Sun Low Kee Vineyard at cranberry juice. “Seriously is our way ofare a bit unfashionable and in Australia Rutherglen. This year’s fruit was excellent revitalising the fortified aperitif category,represent a measly 4 per cent of all wine coming in at 12 degrees baumé, which in summer we serve the Pink at cellarsales. It’s a totally undeserved record is perfect for flor growth,” explains door as a slushy. We are trying to befor the amount of time and effort put into winemaker Fred Morris. Chris Pfeiffer in bold but with a touch of conservatism,”them. Forget wine companies driven by Rutherglen makes his ‘Seriously Fine’ comments Chris. The Pfeiffer’s see aperabalance sheets, these wines are made apera from a 50/50 blend of palomino as a new style of aperitif wine and notwith a sense of idiosyncratic tradition; another name for sherry.Forget wine companies driven by balance sheets, these Stepping up in price and maturity is Serious Nutty, a medium apera style.wines are made with a sense of idiosyncratic tradition. It starts out as a flor apera but receives extended barrel ageing in a kind ofyou only need to look at the family behind and a rare French midi grape called solera system that has been goingPennyweight – part of the extended Morris monbadon. “Monbadon has a nice, for approximately 25 years. “Complexfamily - with a winemaking pedigree that useful, green tinge to it, which is greener and nutty with a wonderful ranciogoes back 150 years. than palomino,” comments Chris. With character” best describes this wine, both Constance and Seriously Fine according to Chris. Stephen and Elizabeth Morris the processes are quite similar. Afterestablished Pennyweight winery in 1982 fermentation the wine is fortified to 15 The Pfeiffers have plans to releaseafter moving from Rutherglen. Making per cent and is poured into old barrels a sweet apera at some stage. Sweetwines in Beechworth allows them to used for flor apera, replacing wines that aperas have a deep amber colour withfollow biodynamic viticulture and their have been drawn off to bottle or further a sweet, oaky and rancio bouquet. Onwinemaking is low intervention and mature. The process of drawing off is the palate the wines are incredibly rich,very traditional, hence the practically done twice a year. The average age a with nutty and savoury notes. Sweetenedoutdoor rustic setting of their winery; wine spends in flor barrels is three to before bottling,they are more suited tothey still use sherry barrels dating five years. Flor is a benevolent yeast after dinner drinking rather than as anfrom the 1930s to mature their fortified (Saccharomyces bayanus and others) aperitif. We’ve been using a forbiddenwines. The 2008 Australia – European with a waxy outer layer that allows them expression here. Rancio is deemedCommunity Agreement on Trade in Wine to float on the surface of the wine. This an exclusive term similar to tawny andprobably didn’t help fortified wine sales. layer of furry white mould floats on top not allowed to appear on AustralianThis agreement restricts Australia from of the three-quarter filled casks and wine labels. But unlike the fact you findusing terms such as sherry, port, fino, protects the wine from oxidation while tawny ports you don’t get labels statingamontillado and oloroso. In time such imparting nutty, salty and marzipan rancio sherry. That, in my book, is takingnames as ruby, tawny, vintage, cream, acetaldehyde characters. Pfeiffer wines traditional generic labelling protection acrusted/crusting and solera for fortified little too far.22 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2012

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winetravel WORDS ELISABETH KINGVINTAGE TRAILS A TEXAN TRIUMPHWHEN QANTAS launched its first direct allowed European vineyards to re-plant Becker, which are in full bloom in May andflights from Sydney and Brisbane to after the devastating phylloxera outbreak June. Maybe it was fuzzy memories of an oldDallas in May last year, no one could in the mid-19th century. John Ford western, but I couldn’t ignore thehave predicted the huge popularity of the lure of the Chisholm Trail Winery. Yep, youservice. One of the world’s longest, single Prohibition dealt a body blow to this can sit back in the corral and watch longhornflight legs at 17 hours or thereabouts, sitting promising start and it wasn’t until the 1970s cattle and quarter-horses roam nearby. Butstill for that length of time has done nothing that wineries such as Llano Estacado and there’s nothing homespun about the winesto dim the enthusiasm of Australians keen Fall Creek spring boarded the modern wine even though many have Old West monikersto visit Texas and enjoy better access to business. Boutique was the way to go and like Belle Starr, High Noon, The Outlawthe US east coast. In January, the national today Texas is one of the fastest-growing and Silver Spur. The wine that sells like hotcarrier upped the frequency of its Dallas/ wine tourism destinations in the US, pulling cakes, though, is Smart Ass Blush - a pinkFort Worth flights from four to six a week in close to five million visitors a year. wine that’s “recommended as a gift for yourand from July will operate a daily service. favourite smart ass”. There are nine official wine trails in Texas, There’s plenty to see, of course, in the but if you only have limited time, a meander Like our own popular wine regions, thelargest state on the American mainland, from of the Texas Hill Country is the number one Hill Country is packed with quaint butHouston, San Antonio and Dallas, three of choice. From Dallas it’s a 400km drive or a luxurious B&Bs such as The Place To Bethe top 10 most populous cities in the US. short plane hop to San Antonio, the closest B&B and The Back Forty of FredericksburgOne of the most memorable trips I have ever major city to this lushly beautiful region. B&B Ranch and Retreat with its own privateenjoyed in the Lone Star state was light years Nominated as one of National Geographic’s lake for fishing and canoeing. For a fullaway from the travel brochure and movie Ultimate Road Trips, a leisurely drive around rundown of wineries and accommodation incliches - a wine tour of Texas. It comes as a the region’s 30 wineries takes you through the region, go to www.texaswinetrail.com.shock to many visitors to discover that Texas some of the most breathtaking scenery in the southern US. Many tourists time their The Munson Trail lies north of Dallas and tapers off at Red River. One of the mainIf it wasn’t for the “Howdy, y’all” greetings, you could magnets of the drive, apart from payingbe forgiven for thinking that you were still in Australia. homage to Munson at the 13 wineries, is the experience of sipping wines in Paris.is the third largest wine-producing state in wine touring according to the seasons to The famous Paris, Texas, of course, whichthe US and the industry turns over $US1.7 enjoy the wildflowers of spring, when the lies on the eastern border of the Munsonbillion a year. And in typical Texan fashion landscape is awash with Indian paintbrush Trail. The oldest, continuously operatingthere’s no holding back when it comes to and bluebonnet blooms, or the flaming winery in the area is the Homestead Winerycatchy slogans for the state’s home-grown foliage of autumn, which gives New England at Denison and one of the highlights of atipples, either - Go Texan or Go Thirsty and a run for its money. While others choose visit is the Homestead Denison double goldToast A Rising Star. summer to incorporate swimming and water cream sherry. Although the two protagonists sports, and fishing in the clear-as rivers. in the movie Sideways would also have With a climate and terroir similar to appreciated the merlot. Another must ismany parts of Australia, the names of the If it wasn’t for the “Howdy, y’all” greetings, the Triple “R” Ranch, a small winery thatmost-planted Texan grapes sound very you could be forgiven for thinking that produces big reds in the centre of a gamefamiliar - cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, you were still in Australia. The same ranch stocked with over 200 deer. Visit www.chenin blanc, merlot, sauvignon blanc, plush, architect-designed stone and wood munsontrail.com. Adelaide has been makingriesling, sangiovese, shiraz and viognier. buildings you find in all upmarket New World much of its select band of wineries within theWinemaking commenced in the 1650s wine regions are very much in evidence city limits over the past few years and so haswhen Spanish monks planted vines for in Texas. Standout stops include Becker Dallas. For only $US45 you can join a six-sacramental wines. And in one of those Vineyards, which hosts regular wine dinners hour tour of the city’s quartet of downtowncrazy twists-of-fate, Thomas Volney in its Hill Top Restaurant. Another reason wineries - Calais Winery, FUQUA Winery,Munson, a Texas viticulturalist, saved to make a detour here are the adjoining Inwood Estates and Times Ten Cellars.the French wine industry by developing lavender fields, a by-product of a trip to Not for wine snobs but a lot of fun and thea locally-grown resistant rootstock, which Provence by owners Richard and Bunny wines are surprisingly good for the outlay. Go to www.dallaswinetrail.com.24 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2012



winehistory WORDS VALMAI HANKELANDRE L SIMON SAMPLES AUSTRALIA’S ‘BEST’ PART TWONOTED BON VIVEUR, wine connoisseur formal, educational affair, it was reported here”, a Yalumba tawny of undisclosedand gastronome Andre Simon did not visit on in the Australian press in tones of vintage, with “a most distinctive taste andAustralia and New Zealand until he was 86, some amazement. Dramatically, noted considerable alcoholic strength”. Unusuallybut he had certainly experienced Australian one paper: “Coughing in the London fog, for the time, so serious was the occasionwines on several occasions before then. 180 world wine connoisseurs stepped into that no one dared to light a cigarette. WithinStrangely, he recorded that he did not the Vintners’ Hall, down by the Thames, three hours the 180 connoisseurs had drunktaste a New Zealand wine until he was on to taste bottles of Australian sunshine”. It 330 bottles of Australian wine: judging bythe flight between Sydney and Auckland, continued: “They entered to the popping such prolific consumption they certainlyin February, 1964. A future column will look of corks, and then were waited upon by 14 enjoyed themselves.at his New Zealand wine travels. directors of Australian wine companies”, most of whom were from New South Wales. Rather patronisingly, Simon noted that: Some of the tastings of Australian wines “The carpeted Grand Hall, where once “I was very glad to see how much betterwhich Simon had attended were eagerly five Kings dined, was spread with suitable Australian wines are. I hope they will soonreported on in the Australian press. One of foods to go with Australian white table be available for all”. An Australian Winethese was held in Vintners’ Hall, London, wines, clarets, sherries, burgundies, and Board spokesman said that there was plentyin October, 1936. One paper, heading its tawny and ruby wines.” of Australian wine available, but there waspiece “Connoisseur’s tribute”, noted Simon’s little likelihood of a halt in steadily decliningwords of enthusiasm. He had been much Another source went into more detail. sales while the duty remained at the presentimpressed by the fact that so many wines Three long tables were set out. On each high level. “Australian producers were theof such great age had stood the test of were four different kinds of the finest second biggest exporters of wine to Britaintime so well. The sherry Simon considered Australian sherries, all made from pedro before the war, sending 3,500,000 gallonsto be particularly good. On the nose it ximenes, two of which were from Stonyfell, a year. Now they are trying to win back thatreminded him “much of true sherry, though in the Adelaide foothills, and Hardy’s place,” said the spokesman.He had been much impressed by the fact that so many wines of such greatage had stood the test of time so well.it did not so nearly approach real Spanish Tintara, from McLaren Vale. One imbiber Australian wines had also to contendwine on the palate”. “On the whole,” Simon recorded that: “Of the dry ones, I found with the problem of nomenclature, whichdeclared, “the lesson of the tasting was that the Stonyfell a wine closely following the Simon had raised at least 15 years earlier.Australian conditions are more suitable for Jerez tradition for delicacy and dryness. In a letter published in the Wine Tradethe production of dessert wines of the port The Tintara, a fino from McLaren Vale, was Review, Simon, referring to reports thattype than true beverage wines of the hock excellent for those favouring a not-too-dry the meeting of the international conventionor claret type.” He was to hold this view until sherry (sic)”. Unfortunately, we are not told was engineered by France to try to checkhe visited Australia 27 years later. anything about the white and red table the progress of Empire wines on the wines. At a buffet were cheeses and pates English market, said: “Nothing is further Vintners’ Hall was the location of another to “clear palates and assuage appetites”. from the truth. There is room in Englandmemorable tasting of Australian wines, After savouring these 12 wines the fortunate for all wines provided that they are soundin 1949. Members of the Wine and Food connoisseurs moved to another room where and honestly described. The only EmpireSociety, led by “the grey-haired courtly” “like storm-tossed mariners we reached wines sold largely in England are soldSimon, the president, attended a tasting our port”, four of them, in fact, and all under names which are not their own. If allarranged by the Australian Wine Board. “uncompromisingly tawny”, as one attendee Empire wines were sold under their ownIt was the first society occasion in 125 noted. “Great character was exhibited by names, their consumption would be evenmeetings at which Australian wines were one of the after-dinner wines unknown greater than it is today.”served exclusively. By all accounts a26 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2012

Ralph Fowler Wines is committed to producing limited Please feel free to contact Ralph Fowler winesquantities of hand crafted premium quality wines. via any of the following methods:The vineyard is planted with selected clones of Shiraz, Viognier Phone: +61 8 8768 5000and Merlot and the latest viticultural technologies have been Fax: +61 8 8768 5008incorporated into the vineyard plantings. Email: [email protected] Lyre trellis system will give fruit of the best possible quality www.ralphfowlerwines.com.auand allow the production of fruit driven wines with strong Location:varietal expression and superior mouthfeel. PRD irrigation 101 Limestone Coast Roadpractices ensures quality grapes are produced as well as taking a Mount Bensonmajor step toward environmentally sustainable agriculture. South Australia Postal Address: PO Box 423 Kingston SE South Australia 5275 AUSTRALIAwww.ralphfowlerwines.com.au

COMMON THEMES among divided neighbours DESPITE THEIR DIFFERENCES, THE SMALLNELSON AND WAIRARAPA WINE REGIONS SHARE A A SIMILAR OPTIMISM.MICHAEL COOPERNELSON AND WAIRARAPA, the near future of an industry that will by arrested and John Hart, a former coach of far eclipse any other that has hitherto been the All Blacks, praised the festival as “oneincluding its high profile district, prosecuted here. Despite early, small-scale of the best social events in New Zealand”.Martinborough, are divided by the successes near Masterton, nearly a centurytreacherous waters of Cook Strait, but the passed before Neil McCallum, of Dry River, Despite its location in the lower Northtwo wine regions have much in common. planted the first “commercial” vineyard in Island, Martinborough’s viticultural climateBoth are small, with about 3 per cent of New Martinborough in 1979, followed a year resembles Marlborough’s more closelyZealand’s total vineyard area, and both are later by Clive Paton of Ata Rangi, Stan than Hawke's Bay’s, with cool nightplanted principally in the same three grape Chifney and Martinborough Vineyard. temperatures preserving the grapes’varieties – sauvignon blanc (especially in acidity and fresh, vibrant, fruit characters.Nelson), pinot noir (to the fore in Wairarapa) In the late 1980s, Martinborough Further north, but closer to the rangesand chardonnay. emerged as a source of distinguished and at a higher altitude, the vineyards in pinot noir. Residents of the capital city, the Gladstone sub-region are fractionally Wairarapa, in the south-east corner of Wellington, flocked to the town, only an cooler and wetter. Pinot noir is Wairarapa’sthe North Island, boasts some of the most hour’s drive away, adopting it as their big success story, but its finest white winesprestigious names in New Zealand wine “home” wine region. – especially sauvignon blanc, riesling,– Ata Rangi, Dry River, Martinborough chardonnay, pinot gris and gewurztraminerVineyard and Palliser Estate – and has a Martinborough’s elite image was dented – are also full of personality.total of 62 wine producers. The big news slightly late last year, when Wellingtonin 2011 was the investment in the region of newspaper, the Dominion Post, describedAmerican billionaire Bill Foley, who snapped Toast Martinborough, the popular annualup medium-sized Te Kairanga winery wine festival, as a “boozy weekend event”.as a source of pinot noir to supplement Late in the day, well-fuelled patronshis sauvignon blanc-based Marlborough reportedly purchased bottles of “takeassets, including Vavasour and Goldwater. home” wines – in contravention of the Sale of Liquor Act, which makes it illegal to sell Wairarapa’s wine potential was recognised alcohol to anyone who is clearly under theearly. Viticultural expert Romeo Bragato, influence of alcohol – before draining themwho visited in 1895, praised Wairarapa in the town square and on buses. However,as “pre-eminently suited to the vine. I look only four out of the 10,000 revellers werehopefully forward to the development in28 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2012

A VERSATILE REGION, NELSON SUCCEEDS WITHSEVERAL GRAPE VARIETIES AND IS CURRENTLYPROMOTING THE QUALITY OF ITS AROMATIC WHITESFROM RIESLING, GEWURZTRAMINER AND PINOT GRIS. At the top of the South Island, north-west of Nelson has a calmer, more temperate regions, Nelson’s winegrowers are workingMarlborough, Nelson has only 39 producers, climate than most parts of the South Island, their way through oversupply issues. Realcompared to 62 in Wairarapa, but in 2011 with long, sunshine hours. However, the estate agent Michael Mokhtar, who alsomore than twice as much wine flowed from rainfall during the growing season is much owns a vineyard, told the Nelson Mail in midNelson. Bragato, who visited in 1895, had higher than in Marlborough. According 2011 that “a lot of vineyards are being pulled“no hesitation in advising the residents to to Fruitfed Supplies: “Nelson is among up or sold. There’s no money in it, and manyplant vines on a large scale for winemaking New Zealand’s most botrytis-susceptible wineries don’t need contract growers anypurposes”. But he later changed his mind, viticultural areas, due to its relatively high more”. Anna Seifried, marketing managertelling the New Zealand Herald in 1904 that rainfall and warm climate”. for the family-owned company, is confident“little land was suitable for the outside growing that Nelson can trade on its “boutique”of grapes”. The Nelson wine scene was long The majority of Nelson’s vineyards are image as a region to secure good pricesdominated by the pioneering, middle-sized on the flat, silty, Waimea Plains, but there for its wines in such promising markets asSeifried Estate, established in 1973, and the are also extensive plantings in the Upper the US and China.small but brilliant Neudorf Vineyards. Since Moutere hills. A versatile region, Nelsonthe mid 1990s, many other boutique wineries succeeds with several grape varieties and is Above: Brightwater Vineyards, on the Waimea Plainshave emerged and another high-achieving, currently promoting the quality of its aromatic in Nelson.medium-sized producer – Waimea Estates. whites from riesling, gewurztraminer and pinot gris. Like their colleagues in other NELSON & WAIRARAPA TASTING STARTS PAGE 116. May/June 2012 W I N E S TAT E 29

WINTERWARMERSEven though there’s a chill wind blowing outside, there’s a warm glow inside the Southwold and the Adnams brewery on England’s East Anglian coast. ANDRE PRETORIUSA CHILL WIND BEATS ME does its bit in the battle against the weather. brewery was bought by Ernest and George A door opens on to a slightly unkempt cellar Adnams (George left shortly thereafter toto the door of the Lord Nelson to escape scene of pipes and kegs, warning \"staff only\", seek his fortune in South Africa, but foundthe spitting rain. At the water's edge, the lest the curious punter should wish to visit the it a less tranquil place than Southwold andsingle file of Southwold's famous beach source of the goodness in his glass. Mine has met a sticky demise at the business end ofhuts - so colourfully picturesque in summer run empty and back at the bar proceedings a crocodile on the Zambezi River). But it is- huddle forlornly against the onslaught have become a little more animated. This not to any of the Adnams establishmentsof another February, their colour leeched time I order a pint of the Old Ale, a darker that I head for lunch. Sutherland House isinto a battleship-grey melange of sea and beer with hints of ruby and amber around the a 15th century edifice on the High Streetsky. Inside the pub - one of the 10 best in edges. It measures up to its reputation as a with illustrious antecedents. In the secondEngland, boasts a sign at the door - an winter warmer, brewed only from November half of the 17th century, after the restorationeccentric coterie of locals are also finding to January, and to my mind there settles of the British monarchy in 1660, Britanniarespite from the elements. The atmosphere over the Lord Nelson that contentment that fought sporadic wars against the otheris subdued, almost as if they can't shake generally attends the second pint on an naval power of the age, the Netherlands,the cold North Sea wind from their bones. English winter's day. to rule the waves. In one of those forgottenAt the bar a gentleman on the far side of naval engagements, the Battle of Sole Bay,his three-score-and-ten years has come out The nautical theme of the beers and the more than 50,000 men and 150 vesselsin his Sunday best - tie and all - for a pint atmosphere of the English coast in winter did fierce battle just off Southwold in May,and, possibly, some lunch. is echoed in the maritime paraphernalia 1672. The British forces were commanded around me - as befits a pub that has been by the Duke of York, later King James II, A couple of men quietly ponder which pint celebrating England's greatest naval hero and the Duke set up his command post atto go for. \"I'm not a real lover of Broadside,\" since shortly after his demise in triumph at Sutherland House.one remarks, and they both settle for the Bitter. Trafalgar: framed knots, portraits of Nelson,I, too, mull the choice of beer. The Spindrift, a cartoons of Nelson (in one he leaves the These days Sutherland House serves alager-like beer, is on tap, but the others need house to the protestations of his much slightly less bellicose function. It houses atheir old-fashioned hand pumps to be pulled traduced mistress, Lady Emma Hamilton, restaurant that claims to be Southwold'sto conjure the liquid from the cellar. Their that instead of his eye patch, he is wearing “only” seafood specialist (which mustnames are as nautical as the setting - Bitter, her thong). The Lord Nelson is one of five mean they do not count that excellentBroadside, Explorer, Old Ale, Oyster Stout. Adnams hostelries in town - they also run fish and chips for which people wereAll display the triangular logo, fashioned the Sole Bay Inn, King's Head, Swan Hotel queuing at the Lord Nelson the followingafter a billowing sail, that marks Southwold and the Crown Inn. There are records of day as “seafood”). Definitional quibblesas Adnams territory. I try a sip of the Oyster, brewing in Southwold as far back as 1345 aside, their fish - bouillabaisse andbut find it too dark and heavy for a Saturday when 17 “ale wives” led by one Johanna de grilled plaice for me - turns out to bemorning and opt for the lighter Explorer Corby were charged with illegal brewing. excellent, as does the bottle of St. Peter'sinstead. I savour its hoppy flavours, with hints Best Bitter, a fruity beer with hints ofof citrus and floral notes on the nose, over the The brew house at the Swan later became caramel, from a Suffolk microbrewery.Saturday papers in front of the gas fire that the Sole Bay Brewery and in 1872 the30 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2012



So I am three pints to the good shortlyafter lunch on a Saturday when I headfor a side entrance to the AdnamsBrewery on Church St. In the early 20thcentury the Loftus family bought intothe enterprise alongside the Adnamsbrothers. The brewery became a publiccompany in time, but it retains those familyconnections: in addition to a host of SouthAfrican shareholders acquired before thecrocodile saw to George, the scions of theAdnams and Loftus families have chairedthe company ever since - and still do. Yet the family enterprise has becomea major operation and we were escortedto a new state-of-the-art brewing facilityon the old site - where the Sole BayBrewery has stood since 1660 - adjacentto East Green and in the shadow (not thatanything casts a shadow on a murky daylike this) of the lighthouse on which thelocal gulls were conducting a noisomeconvocation. East Green, like the othergreens of Southwold, was created as afirebreak at the town's rebuilding after thefire of 1659. In the entrance hall of the brewhouse, a smattering of artefacts allude tothe long history of Adnams and brewing inSouthwold. Inside the mighty leather coversof the Malt Book details of the malting andbrewing over decades have been recordedon the lined pages in the meticulous handof many generations, next to the SugarBook, a tome, Beverage Manufacture (Non-Alcoholic) seems curiously out of place. In one corner there are a collection ofunusual bottles brewed here over theages. One faded label proclaims WeddingAle above pictures of Prince Andrewand Sarah, Duchess of York. The beer,I surmise, may have endured longer thanthat particular matrimonial union. “Perhapswe will brew another wedding ale thisyear,” jests our guide. While perusingthe excise record books - importantdocuments in the life of a brewery - ourguide has us smell their different typesof raw hops in pint glasses. Each glass32 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2012

is distinctly different, which should not bitter. The Old Ale is as good and malty the sun would have set if there had beenhave been a surprise as they come from as I recall it from the morning and I imbibe one today - we venture out into the drizzlethe four winds - from around the corner in rather more of it than is advisable. Even the in search of the warm embrace of a fineEast Anglia, from a little further afield in Oyster Stout - a true winter beer brewed inn. We choose safety over adventure andKent and then from the far-flung corners of only from January to March - holds greater head to the Lord Nelson, lured back byWashington State and New Zealand. The appeal now that evening beckons. The only the reputation of its beer-battered fish andAnglian hops are used in what is marketed Adnams beers brewed all year round, are chips. The place is crowded with patrons,as England's first carbon-neutral beer the flagship Bitter (3.7 per cent) and the but we find a little table and order that dishand cleverly sold as East Green - a beer stronger Broadside (4.7 per cent alcohol, of fine repute. It lives up to its billing - thefrom the east with green credentials and commemorating the Battle of Sole Bay and smell of chips and vinegar, the tenderestbrewed next to East Green. delivering what it says on the keg), which white fish of these seas encrusted in that ale has a hint of caramel added to ensure batter, the bitter, malty taste of the Old Ale. Like all good ales, our guide expounds, their colour. But in the end, no ale worth I wonder to myself, whatever possessedtheir beers contain only four ingredients the name can be properly enjoyed in such George Adnams to forsake this place for- malted barley, hops, water and yeast. sterility. So, in the early evening - long after the perils of crocodile-infested rivers?She outlines a process that sounds likeart, as much as science: of barley beingsteeped and warmed over and over tobreak down the cell walls by germinating,of the half-germinated seeds being driedin the kiln with the length of “kilning”determining the darkness of the beer, of asweet, unfermented “beer” forming in themash conversion vessel, of the “kettle” inwhich the beer is gently boiled, of the hopsbeing pumped through the nascent beerfirst for bitterness then for aroma, of the“green beer” of day one being transformedinto ale by seven days in the fermentationroom, of how 3.1 pints of water becomeone pint of beer and how they produce89,000 pints per brew. Then we are escorted across East Greento a bleak 1960s edifice housing the tastingroom. The expanding Adnams businessnow includes a wine merchant and thereare sample bottles dotted around the room.But we are here for the ale, which our guidecollects in a glass jar from the kegs behinda glass wall. She sniffs them before pouring- real ale, like wine, is a living, breathingthing and if you are irresponsible enoughnot to drink it within three days of tappingthe keg, it is likely to have gone past its best.I pass on the Spindrift - lager has never heldmuch appeal - and for the Regatta I needto take the guide's word - it is a light beerbrewed only in the summer months. I sip ahalf-pint of the Lighthouse, but find it quite May/June 2012 W I N E S TAT E 33

ageing gracefully JOY WALTERFANG THE OPTIONS FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO AGE THEIR WINES ARE ALMOSTA R E C E N T S U RV E Y showed ENDLESS. IN THE SECOND to huge fluctuations in temperature, being infiltrated by UV light and shaken around bythere is a high level of marital bliss among PART OF OUR CELLARING the vibrations of daily living, which doesn'tthose couples with good wine cellars! make for happy little chappies.Makes sense. And it doesn’t have to be an SERIES, WE EXPLORE THEunderground cavern filled with thousands Do a quick reconnoiter around your home,of cobweb-draped liquid dinosaurs to MORE AFFORDABLE END there are bound to be a few nooks andbe classified a cellar. A couple of dozen crannies suitable to stack a few bottles.bottles of last year’s vintage secreted away OF THE RANGE. Take the linen cupboard, for instance, or anin the linen cupboard constitutes one, too. unused fireplace, a wardrobe, a cupboard Start with this simple calculation - multiply under the stairs, a broom cupboard, chest According to the Shorter Oxford the number of bottles you drink, on average, of drawers or even a linen chest. Pick a coolDictionary , “cellar” meant “a case; in a week, by the number of weeks in the place that is in the centre of your home, awayespecially of bottles” - back in 1667! Let’s year and then multiply that by how long from exterior walls, particularly west facingface it, a wine cellar is an investment in you plan to keep your wines. Then double ones. Once you have claimed your spacepleasure, but regardless of whether you it! Anything from two to five years seems to you will need to insulate your wines from theplan to keep your wines for 10 days, 10 be the average ageing life of the majority of effects of heat and light. Polystyrene foam ismonths or 10 years your “living” treasures wines available in bottle shops. If you are a cheap, lightweight and effective insulationneed to be stored correctly in order to only interested in storing a carton or two of material; at 12cm thickness it is equivalentavoid the pain of pouring a $50 bottle of wine for short periods to avoid a rushed trip to a 2m thick brick wall or a 4m reinforcedyour favourite wine down the plughole. to the bottle shop when you feel like a shot concrete wall. Which makes those mouldedThe first consideration is to determine of red, there are several simple options. polystyrene wine packs, used for shipping,how big a wine cellar you want, or need. Keeping your wines in a fancy wine rack in good short-term storage options. TheyAnd be warned, once you have decided the lounge or dining room isn’t one of them. come in single, two and three bottle packs,on a storage solution, guaranteed it won’t They may create a lovely ambiance but those and you can also get ones that hold 12be big enough; the majority of people bottles are more than likely being subjected bottles for around $22. Wines can also beembarking on their maiden voyage into stored in large Styrofoam boxes used bycellaring usually underestimate just how vegetable growers to ship their produce.quickly their hobby will grow.34 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2012



DON’T FORGET TO KEEP A NOTE OF WHATBOTTLES ARE STACKED WHERE OR YOU COULDSPEND THE WHOLE OF YOUR NEXT DINNERPARTY PLAYING UNWRAP-THE-PARCEL.

They come in many sizes, the best beingthe “broccoli” box about 540x245x260mmand it comes with a fitted lid. Accordingto my calculations it should hold about18 bottles. Styrofoam iceboxes are evenlarger. Google it – there are plenty of websites selling these products or you might belucky to get one for nothing from your localgreen grocer or supermarket. For extra insulation you could also wrapindividual bottles in wads of newspaperand, for good measure, stick someinsulation material to the inside of thearea you are using for storage - andBob’s your uncle - you have a “cellarette”(my word). Don’t forget to keep a noteof what bottles are stacked where oryou could spend the whole of your nextdinner party playing unwrap-the-parcel.And besides, you will be disturbing yourwines unnecessarily if you have to keeppicking them up to find the one you want. If you are prepared to do a bit of fiddlingthen an old, second-hand fridge can beconverted, quite successfully, into a short-term storage wine cabinet. There are afew changes you will have to make, likemodifying the thermostat so it will maintainan even 15C temperature (higher than afridge normally operates at), some sort ofdamping to reduce the vibrations from thefridge’s compressor and, if it has plasticshelving, you might need to replace it withsomething stronger to accommodate theweight of the bottles. One 750ml Bordeaux-style bottle of wine weighs about 1.3-1.5kg,depending on the thickness of glass used. If you are looking at longer term cellaringoptions, plan on putting away severalcases of wine and are a bit of a DIY-person, there are some inexpensive waysof going about it. May/June 2012 W I N E S TAT E 37

It is reasonably easy to convert an unused soft lighting, some wine racks and you’re for you – not good for the wines. Anotherspace in your home into a walk-in cellar. Do in business. There is another option – buy consideration when looking at racks; willyou have a second toilet/washroom that’s a secondhand cool room, add some wine you be collecting sparkling wines or largehardly ever used? Wouldn’t the space be racks and you have the perfect cellar. Cool bottles such as magnums? Well they won’tbetter utilised storing your Grange! What rooms come in all shapes, sizes and prices. fit into a standard wine rack that is usuallyabout the guest bedroom? Forget the There are always plenty for sale on eBay. designed for those 750ml Bordeaux types.guests. Grab the room. Is there space in Look for over-sized racks made specificallythe shed or garage to build a small, self- Talking of wine racks, there must be to hold bigger bottles. Or use bins to storecontained room? hundreds of different types on the market, the odd bods in your collection. As a rough ideally use single-depth racks in your cellar. guide, one Bordeaux-style bottle will take A simple timber framework clad with one of If you stack your bottles two or more deep up 10x10cms, or one square metre ofthe many insulating materials available, a well you will be constantly moving them around racking will carry 100 bottles.sealed access door, small air conditioner, to get at the ones you want – not good38 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2012

There is a good book by Tyson Stelzer, A wine cabinet is a climate-controlled wine difference between a wine cabinet andtitled Cellaring wine: do-it-yourself cellar designed to imitate the same sort a wine fridge? A well-made wine cabinetsolutions. It was published in 2002 by of conditions you might find in a natural, will have a humidity-management system,Wine Press and contains everything you underground cellar by controlling humidity, dark interiors, soft LED lights, UV protectingneed to know about building your own, temperature, UV light, vibrations and tinted glass and probably wooden shelvesinexpensive cellar. Now for the rest of ventilation, allowing your wines to mature to absorb any vibrations. Apparentlyus who don't do DIY and, quite frankly, under perfect conditions. Be careful when wine storage cabinets in kitchen areascan’t be bothered, not even assembling buying a wine cabinet - it is not the same are becoming one of the fastest growingan Ikea shoe rack, there are some great as a wine fridge or wine cooler, they are trends in the world of wine. These extremelywine cabinets available, ranging in size designed only to cool your wines; ideal elegant, streamlined cabinets can eitherfrom ones with just 18 bottle capacity to for chilling rieslings on hot days but not be built into under-worktop benches orhuge, walk-in units that store 990 bottles. for cellaring them. How do you tell the come as stand-alone, full height units. May/June 2012 W I N E S TAT E 39

The large range of wine cabinets currently Then, at the end of the two years, he paid keeping. There are many ways to organiseon the market is guaranteed to cater up his account took out his bottle and left. your wines - by variety, label, year or date ofto every wine aficionado’s whim. As Probably the biggest villain in preventing optimum maturity - but you do need to keepmentioned earlier, cabinets range from the premium wines from maturing to their full track of them or a prize possession couldvery small to the absolutely huge. Some potential is drinking them. If you store get overlooked in a dark corner and benames to look for are Vintec, Transtherm, your wine in a self-storage wine cellar discovered when it’s way past its use-by date.Kitchener and Liebherr. you remove that temptation! There are many good home cellaring Side-tracking for a moment - I have just The core of good cellaring, whichever software programs on the market to helpbeen reading about an interesting new option you decide on, is good record you manage your collection such asproduct designed for the ultimate in short-term storage - we are talking here abouttwo opened bottles of wine being stored inperfect conditions for up to six days. Themanufacturer claims SoWine is ideal forsingle people or couples who enjoy just oneglass of wine with their meal but think it awaste to open a whole bottle. It keeps wineat the perfect temperature for serving - youcould have a riesling in one compartmentchilling nicely and a shiraz in the otherwaiting to be drunk at a perfect 18C. But I digress. Although wine cabinetsare climate controlled, most of them aredesigned to operate within a temperatureand humidity range, so to avoid overloadingthem don’t install them in places likely toexperience extremes of temperatures –such as un-insulated garages and sheds.They will operate far more efficiently in anair-conditioned area of your home. One other thing to be aware of whenlooking at cabinets is their suggestedstorage capacity, in most cases this isbased on the 750ml Bordeaux-style ofbottle. So if you have any other shapes orlarger sizes in your collection you mightnot have as much space as you thought.There’s one more cellaring scenario,particularly for those who really don'thave 1cm of spare space but want awine collection; it’s professional, off-sitecellaring facilities and it isn't as expensiveas you might think. Every capital cityand several major country centres havethem. You can store, in absolutely perfectconditions, as few as six cases of winefor around $40 a month and have accessto them 24/7. Kennards and Wine Arkare two names that come to mind. A fewyears ago the manager of Kennards WineStorage in Adelaide told me they had aclient who rented one of their six-casecellars to store one bottle of Grange.Staff reported that for two years this manwould visit his bottle on a regular basis.40 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2012

Photo courtesy of Trends.the HomeWinemaster. But if computers cellar is being able to take advantage of IN THE NEXT ISSUE:are not your thing an exercise book will bottle shop specials and bin end sales. The third-part of our cellaringserve the purpose well. You could draw And remember - variety is the key to a series will explore the exquisitea diagram of your cellar with descriptions good cellar – cellar as many different and the exotic.of each wine and the rack on which it is wines as possible so you can expandstored. It's useful to note when you bought your knowledge and your palate. Keepingthe wines, how much you paid for them a narrow range of varieties and vintagesand how certain ones are ageing. One of in your cellar is number five in the seventhe many plusses of having your own wine deadly sins of cellaring! May/June 2012 W I N E S TAT E 41

Tasteof theTropicsTHE TROPICS IS THENEW FRONTIER INWORLD WINE MAKING

Over the past two decades such enormous progress has been made in establishing and refining tropical viticulture.DENIS GASTINTHE IDEA OF TROPICAL WINE helps to achieve some day/night temperature variation at the critical ripening points. Carefulis so far from the consciousness of the management of air flow in vineyards andestablished wine industry, that very ensuring adequate sunlight exposure forfew in the industry would concede that bunches through canopy management andsuccessfully growing grapes and making other techniques have also helped resistwine in tropical climates is even a possibility disease and allow successful ripening.– and especially not for wines of the qualityand style that is expected in the established An even more formidable challenge inwine world. Tropical fruit wine? Yes, may be, tropical viticulture, though, has been tothey might say, but tropical grape wine? No! achieve a period of vine dormancy (no growth) which is considered essential when However, over the past two decades such growing grapes for winemaking - becauseenormous progress has been made in dormancy allows vines to rest and build upestablishing and refining tropical viticulture that energy for a concentrated growing period.it is not at all uncommon now for tropical wines In the established wine world, dormancy isto be winning medals in long established, caused by the winter: vines shed all theirworld wine competitions, including in the leaves as temperatures fall and do not growheadquarters of Old World wine. At the foliage again until the weather warms up.annual Syrah du Monde (Shiraz of the World) There is no such thing as a winter in tropicalcompetition, in France, for example, Thailand's environments and, if left to nature, vine growthGranMonte winery has won silver medals for is continuous – making two or even threeits syrahs in 2008, 2010 and 2011. So what vintages a year possible, but producingis so different about tropical viticulture that grapes lacking in essential fruit characteristicsit should seem improbable to conventional and flavour expression. Experimentation bywine thinkers? The main thing is the climate. determined viticulturalists in the tropics inGrapes, more so than most other fruits, are the past decade or so has established thatvery sensitive to moisture while on the vine, desired outcome can be achieved throughespecially when they are ripening – because an enforced dormancy, by cutting shootsmoisture encourages vine pests and diseases and leaves from the vines to avoid fruit set for(especially fungus and mould). So the the equivalent of a winter period. It has theexcessive rainfall during tropical monsoons is additional benefit of allowing them to time thea severe problem, especially in the ripening vintage for the tropical dry season, and thusseason. Ideally, too, grapes need a significant lowering the risk of vine diseases caused byday/night temperature variation to ripen excessive moisture during the ripening period.effectively, as well as a cold (winter) and warm(summer) season: and neither is commonly A measure of the success and growingavailable in tropical locations. But there are popularity of tropical viticulture andnow people in the tropics who are determined winemaking is that there is now anto produce quality wines, despite the climatic international industry forum which bringsand seasonal challenges, and they have been the tropical pioneers together to share theirtackling the nature issues in very creative experiences and encourages interest andways. Locating vineyards at higher altitudes inputs from the established wine world.Above: Khao Yai National Park. © tourism authority of Thailand. Centre & below: PB Valley Khao Yai Winery. Courtesy of tourismthailand.org May/June 2012 W I N E S TAT E 43

Above left & below: Photos from Grover Vineyards, workers harvesting and vineyards. Right: South African wine.The First International Symposium on tropical viticulture challenges were being the challenges are different in differentTropical Wines was held in Brazil in 2008. addressed in the Thai environment. In locations within the tropics. In Brazil, forBrazil also hosted the second symposium, total, 43 technical papers were presented example, tropical viticulture is happeningin May, 2010. The third symposium was at the symposium, mostly on issues predominantly in the Vale do Saoheld in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in November, specifically related to tropical viticulture Francisco, which is between 8˚ and 9˚last year. The Thai event was attended and winemaking, but including more south of the Equator and well inland fromby delegates from 15 countries. It began general wine and viticulture topics to the coast. The region has a consistentwith a three-day program of lectures and broaden the depth of scientific, technical warm climate throughout the year, thoughworkshops in Chiang Mai, followed by and practical knowledge in this new frontier it is semi-arid and, therefore, free of manya field trip to vineyards and wineries in of global wine. of the problems created by monsoonsthe Khao Yai region, Thailand's largest and excessive moisture elsewhere in thewine producing region, adjacent to the Given the vast geographic domain that tropics. In fact, viticulture is dependentmountainous Khao Yai National Park, represents the Tropics of Cancer (in the on irrigation with water drawn from the Rionorth-east of Bangkok. The field trip was northern hemisphere) and Capricorn du Sao Francisco (Sao Francisco River).to demonstrate to delegates how the (in the southern hemisphere) there is a But, because there is no winter, there is wide variety of producing conditions. So44 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2012

no natural dormancy. For table grapes this for the local industry to follow and ensuring Above: Vale do Sao Francisco vineyards in Brazil.is not such a problem and growers have compliance through constant auditing oftwo vintages each year; but wine grape members. This is regarded as the model for tropical viticulture and winemaking. It is nowgrowers achieve a dormancy period by other emerging tropical wine countries. of sufficient status to attract participation byheavy pruning to produce one vintage leading figures in the global industry. At thea year. Good results are being achieved India, however, is by far the largest third symposium, two of the world's leadinghere with red varieties such as syrah, producer of tropical wine in the world. It viticultural scientists, Dr Richard Smart andtempranillo and, surprisingly, cabernet now has just over 70 wineries, following Professor Alain Carbonneau, attended andsauvignon. The white varieties include 15 years of rapid growth encouraged by presented technical papers, and sharedchenin blanc, muscat and lesser amounts concessional taxation regulations and their knowledge and experience practicallyof malvasia bianca and chardonnay. This government support. The industry is with other industry delegates while visitingis the new frontier for wine production in concentrated principally in the state of local vineyards. So where will the fourthBrazil and, while growing significantly, Maharashtra, inland from Mumbai. However, symposium on tropical wines be held? Indiait still represents a small proportion of the south-western state of Karnataka now would be the logical choice, with two, well-Brazil's total wine production, which is has six wineries, including one of India's top established tropical wine regions, strongconcentrated in four regions below the three wine producers, Grover Vineyards, institutional support and an active andTropic of Capricorn, in south-eastern and there is an emerging new frontier in growing tropical wine industry.Brazil. Elsewhere in South America, the northern state of Himachal Pradeshtropical viticulture and winemaking is (outside the tropical zone). Elsewhere inhappening predominantly in Venezuela, Asia there is significant viticulture andColombia and Peru. Intriguingly, there wine production in Vietnam and Indonesiais one vineyard and winery in Ecuador, (Bali), and there are isolated pockets inlocated precisely on the Equator, at 0˚! In Myanmar and Cambodia. Interestingly,tropical Africa, Zimbabwe is the largest however, parts of the two largest wineproducer of grapes for winemaking, producing countries in Asia, China andthough there are also isolated wineries Japan, experience monsoonal influencesin Tanzania, Mozambique, Namibia and similar to tropical zones and would benefitMadagascar. Aggregate production is from a deeper appreciation of the technicalvery small, however. and practical experimentation in viticulture in the tropical zone. Thankfully, the practice Therefore, it is Asia where tropical viticulture of sharing information and experienceis most extensively carried out – and growing among tropical wine producers is now well-rapidly. Thailand has nine tropical wineries established. The initial work was done bycovering about 162ha. While relatively small the Brazilian National Centre of Researchby global standards, the industry in Thailand of Grape and Wine (EMBRAPA) and otherhas attracted a lot of international attention – industry organisations. Their initiative hasbecause of the quality of the wines produced now been given a new dimension throughby local wineries. Chenin blanc is the white the efforts of the Thai Wine Association,grape variety that is most common and along with Rajamangala University ofsyrah the most common red grape variety. Technology Lanna (RMUTL) and MongkutBut interesting results have been achieved University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT),more recently with varieties such as viognier, which co-sponsored the symposium.cabernet sauvignon and tempranillo. TheThai Wine Association has led the tropical There are many stakeholders in the winewine world in adopting global standards industry who see this symposium as a vital tool to underpin the future development of May/June 2012 W I N E S TAT E 45

P I O N E E R I N G pinotMIKE ZEKULICH AN OLD SHEEP PROPERTY challenges to establish 70ha of young vines (25ha to go) on its steep slopes impactedHOWARD PARK’S farmed for more than 80 years is the site of upon by strong winds and low water supplies.AMBITIOUS one of WA’s most ambitious, biggest and As well, close planting means higher costsCOLLABORATION elevated vineyard projects. Representing with so much of the work having to be doneTO RIVAL FRENCH a $7 million investment, the 220ha Howard manually. “The rocky top soil is very thin withBURGUNDY Park development includes a 50-50 pinot not much of it and a lot of rock requiring rock noir partnership with French Burgundy crushers for posts and planting,” Burch said. winemaker Pascal Marchand, 44. These began in 2007 and included riesling, Now 10 years into the making and with early chardonnay and sauvignon blanc as well as wines already showing significant support for the pinot. Burch believes a key factor in the the bold move, Howard Park principal Jeff vineyard’s favour – especially for pinot – will Burch believes the pinot noir will, stylistically, prove to be the location’s cool temperatures. be as good as any produced in Tasmania or “I believe it is the coldest vineyard site in WA,” the Yarra Valley, but different from extracted he said. “It is also one of low vigour, hence New Zealand wines. “Pascal believes in low yields, which you need for concentrated infusion rather than extraction,” he said. flavours.” The pinot joint venture will be Located 8km east of Mt Barker on rugged, marketed as Marchand Burch with the hilly country 300-550m high, its stunning balance of the wine sold under Mt Barrow. views are tempered by enormous viticultural46 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2012

Left: Howard Park Winery, Margaret River. Centre: Marchand & Burch Mount Barrow Pinot Noir 2008. Right: Pascal Marchand and Jeff Burch. On a visit to Burgundy in 1990, Burch struck the joint venturers believe it will age well. rows like curtains. Locals thought, what theup a friendship with Close des Epeneaux The Mt Barrow vineyard will also provide hell is going on here, gesting that the sun’swinemaker Marchand and the two became for Howard Park sparkling wine, a vintage impact is from overhead.neighbours in the small village of Monthelie. made up of chardonnay and pinot noir –Visits to WA followed by the Frenchman, who under the name Grand Jeté – a ballet term “We politely pointed out that it was forkeenly embraced the joint pinot suggestion. meaning great leap to be released in 2015, the wind, not the sun,” Burch said. TheAs well in WA, Marchand has been able to and a non vintage, labelled Jeté released project also includes a desalinisation plantindulge in a private passion, the making of a in October, 2011. A Jeté rose made totally to boost fresh water, pumped 9km along atop shiraz. “In Burgundy, pinot does not have of pinot was released at the same time. firebreak pipeline (paid for by Burch withto be extracted and super dark in colour the approval of nine property owners) fromto have the structure and ageing ability,” At the start, local vignerons watched the State Government’s Bolganup dam inBurch said. “You do not need dark colour progress with great amusement with the Porongurup National Park.to have pinot longevity. Some of the longest measures taken to overcome the site’saged burgundies – of 30 and 40 years – are challenges. Time however saw them “This is a long-term project but that isquite light in colour.” become more respectful. To stop precious the wine industry,” Burch said. “Times water draining quickly away, dripper feeds were better when we started but we are With Marchand making the WA pinot, were installed below ground rather than encouraged from a quality viewpoint onit is not surprising that the wines are of above “to water the roots and not the wines so far. Pascal says it is a project oura lighter colour. As well, the bouquet is weeds”. For the wind, panels of green children will enjoy.”distinct. With the structure and length, shade cloth were hung along the sides of BEST OF THE WEST TASTING STARTS PAGE 70. May/June 2012 W I N E S TAT E 47

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adelaidegrapevine NIGEL HOPKINSLate autumn, the year’s vintage complete Wines whose cellar door has so far offered who late last year took over the landmarkand in the barrique, is a great time to start little more than cheese platters, specialty Chateau Barossa, bolted it on to the existingrevisiting the wine regions closest to Adelaide wine-infused chocolates and wine-infused Lyndoch Hill facility and renamed it Barossain search of great food, with a number of cellar sausages on the barbie. Proprietor Rowland Chateau, which also doubles as the cellardoor newcomers each year adding to what’s Short has now gone all culinary retro and re- door for Creed Wines. The restaurant, whichalready a long list of places that provide more introduced the fondue – cheese fondue with services guests staying in Barossa Chateau’sthan the ubiquitous cheese plates and platters vegetable and bread for dipping, chocolate 34 rooms, is more formal and somewhatof local produce. Each year brings new cellar with fresh fruits for dipping. Lunch only, at removed from the casual ways of many cellardoor restaurants such as Nigel Rich’s The weekends. Lot 16, Foggo Rd, McLaren Vale; door restaurants, while the menu focusesElbow Room at The Producers of McLaren phone (08) 8323 8777. on regional produce such as Waechter’sVale. Previously at d’Arry’s Verandah where duck and pistachio terrine with a shirazhe starred with co-head chef Peter Reschke McLaren Vale also has a number of ever viognier jelly or ragout of Kapunda goat withfor seven years, Rich explains that the idea reliable, long-established cellar door eateries, pappardelle. Dinner seven days. Corner ofbehind the informal dining room is all about including d’Arry’s Verandah at d’Arenberg, Barossa Valley Way and Hermann Thummspace. “You look out on a great space, have The Kitchen Door at Penny’s Hill, the Coterie Drive, Lyndoch; phone (08) 8524 4268.space to dine and then it’s elbows on the table at Woodstock Wines and Coriole for weekendwith space to relax,” he says. Look for dishes courtyard lunches. The Barossa has seen While not a cellar door at all – althoughlike cold smoked venison with burnt onion some interesting changes, too, with Bibu inevitably something of a shopfront foraioli and braised mushrooms, or rabbit and Barossa opening in the heart of Tanunda in Rockford Wines, fermentAsian in Tanundapigeon pie with house-made relish, pickled what was the old Tanunda library. Though also deserves a mention. Located in acarrot and cornichon salad. Open Friday- not strictly a cellar door, it is a shopfront for handsome Tanunda bluestone villa the style,Saturday, 68 Branson Rd, McLaren Vale; 10 small-scale Barossa producers who lack like the food, is elegant and unpretentious.phone (08) 8323 0060. their own cellar doors and, in the words of Co-owner and self-taught chef Tuoi Do draws proprietor Kate Milroy, is “about all things on organic, locally grown produce – much of While many cellar door restaurants are Barossa” – food, wine and music. Barossa it, especially the herbs, from her home kitchenopen only at weekends and usually only for born and raised, Kate describes Bibu’s food garden. Look for dishes such as Barossalunch, Maxwell Wines keeps going until as “localitarian”, another way of describing Berkshire pork belly with ginger and orange “locavore” with a policy of sourcing all food sauce or Penang peanut curry of BarossaMonday with an a la carte menu from chefs ingredients within a 100km radius, and often Black Angus beef ribs, which explain whyHayley Mass and Ben Doublet plus the very much closer to home. Chef Victoria Tuoi’s cooking is drawing regular customersQuartet mini-degustation menu. Although Rezonja changes her menu daily according from Adelaide. Her complex flavours andinfluenced by a recent visit to France, their to what’s available locally, each day offering aromas are well matched by one of Southdishes cover a wide culinary range from one vegetarian dish – perhaps butternut, Australia’s better wine lists assembled byJamaican jerked chicken breast to a paella capsicum, feta and cavolo nero pizza, and Tuoi’s husband and co-owner Grant Dickson,with local mussels, prawns and pork strips, or one meat dish – it could be beef shortribs a manager at Rockford winery – whichmushroom and duck terrine with fig vincotto with potato and black olive terrine and shiraz accounts for the fine backlist of Rockfordand truffled almonds. The Quartet is a four- reduction. Dinner Thursday-Saturday, 79-81 vintages. Lunch Thursday-Sunday, dinnercourse tasting menu chosen from the a la Murray St, Tanunda; phone (08) 8563 0524. Wednesday-Saturday, 90 Murray St, Tanunda;carte menu. Corner of Olivers and Chalk Hill phone (08) 8563 0765.rds, McLaren Vale; phone (08) 8323 8200. Although not a new establishment, Lyndoch Hill Restaurant is part of a growing empire Left: Bibu Barossa chef Victoria Rezonja. Meanwhile keep an eye on Maximus controlled by Mark and Mandy Creed Right: The Elbow Room at The Producers. May/June 2012 W I N E S TAT E 49

melbournegrapevineHILARY McNEVINIn a dining market that is considered by some a rich array of Argentinian wines and beers,to be saturated, new restaurants keep opening there’s a few Australian beers there, too, andin Melbourne. Some are taking on new trends, a lush list of cocktails. Here’s a new place towhere were we before Mexican and South enjoy a steak and a glass of (Argentinian) redAmerican food took hold? Others are sticking in Melbourne. 14 Meyers Place, Melbourne;to what they know the Melbourne crowd loves, phone (03) 9650 5525.all with great success. Named after one of theoldest and more creative areas of Buenos Citing where “old school meets modernAires in Argentina, San Telmo in Melbourne funk” George Calombaris has openedopened late 2011 at the top-end of the CBD in another restaurant with his group, Madea laneway between Little Collins and Bourke Establishment (previously known as Thestreets. On entering the restaurant you are Press Club Group). The well-known TV chefmet by a striking parrilla (pronounced par- has taken his Greek and Italian heritagesee-sha), a char-grill that is the epicentre of the and created a modern dining space calledmenu and the ethos of the place. Argentiniancooking is about meat and lots of it, and the approachable Italian menu. Focusing on thefire and smoke created by the parilla are vital whole country rather than one or two particularto the final product on the plate. San Telmo is regions, Logue keeps things simple withabout tradition and authenticity but is a very braised rabbit, an ever-changing carpaccio,modern statement and is also very Melbourne. often beef, sometimes venison or fish andDishes such as empanadas filled with beef, hand-made pastas. The room, designed bycurrant and almonds, ceviche of prawns with the pair, was formerly a low-key cafe and whileoctopus and the humitas - fried corn and Pinotta is low-key in its own way, it is a stylishpolenta with chipotle mayonnaise are sound testament to good quality and a respect forstarters that lead into a broad selection of good Italian food. The small room seats aboutsteaks - there’s hanger steak or flank - as well 45 customers and is dressed in dark woods, lots of fresh flowers and simple, understatedas beef short ribs and a magnificent 1kg rib Mama Baba in the thick of a new precinct artwork. Modra, a former graphic designer,eye (perfect for sharing). The restaurant’s four that’s opened in Daly St, South Yarra. The runs front-of-house and is in charge of theowners, siblings Michael and Dave Parker precinct also includes Outpost Cafe and wine list. Expect a smart selection of about 40and husband-and-wife Jason and Renee MoPho noodle bar among others. It sees drops that constantly evolve and each wineMcConnell, appointed chef Michael Patrick a menu that includes Kritharaki (braised is available by the glass. Pinotta’s popularityto run the kitchen and he has embraced his chicken meatballs) and Agnolotti as well as is proving that booking is a necessity. Thebrief with gusto. The owners have put a lot simple fish and meat of the day dishes. Small good Italian local will never go out of style andof thought (and money) behind the decor of snacks such as panino with chicken, jamon Pinotta proves this. 32 Best St, Fitzroy North;the room. Classic black and white tiles and and tomato ketchup and croquettes filled with phone (03) 9481 3393.lots of dark wood set the background for anchovy and broccoli cream reiterate the verysplashes of intense colour and quirky pieces relaxed, casual vibe of the place. There is a Above: Pinotta interior.from their trips to Argentina. The wine list is slick modernity to Mama Baba in its decor; Below (left to right): Prosciutto, fresh figs and fior di latte, exposed brick walls, lots of glass, a striking Spinach and ricotta agnolotti, sage butter and reggiano marble bar and lots of comfy seating has seen and Osso buco, gnocchi alla romana. Calombaris’s next venture settle well into South Yarra after opening in January. 21 Daly St, South Yarra; phone (03) 9207 7421. Andy Logue is a chef well-known in Melbourne’s restaurant circles. Formerly head chef at CBD restaurant The Italian for six years, Logue has opened a small Italian restaurant in North Fitzroy in Melbourne’s inner-north. Called Pinotta, Logue and his business partner, Heidi Modra, have seen a gap in the market of the family-oriented suburb and kept things simple with a very broad and50 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2012