Winestate Magazine May June 2015

MAY/JUNE 2015 WINESTATE VOL 269 ISSUE 2 BEST OF THE WEST south africa SWEET WHITE & fortifieds adelaide hills central & WESTERN nsw north island, NZ print post approved 100003663 THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO WINE SINCE 1978 Over 10,000 tasted annually AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND WINE BUYING GUIDE 346TASTED New Best Value Buys! CULTURAL SHIFT India’s wine fascination May/June 2015 PLANE CHOICES Vol 269 Issue 2 What to drink at 12,000m $12.00 AUS (inc GST) NZ $13.00 SGD $17.95 US $17.99 GBP £10.95 EUR $9.95 China RMB100 HKD $120 CHF 15.00 plus Central & Western NSW • Sweet White & Fortified • Adelaide Hills • South Africa • North Island (Gisborne, Auckland & Northland) NZ







No.269 MAY/JUNE 2015Editor & 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] Designer Lisa McPike E-mail: [email protected] Manager Peter Jackson E-mail: [email protected] Coordinator Madeline Willoughby E-mail: [email protected] DAI RubiconWinestate Web Site E-mail: [email protected] New Zealand AdministrationKay Morganty Phone: (09) 479 1253 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 ZekulichQueensland Peter Scudamore-Smith MW, Andrew Corrigan MW, Lizzie LoelNew Zealand Michael Cooper, Jane Skilton MWNational Travel Winsor DobbinEurope André Pretorius, Giorgio Fragiacomo, Sally Easton MWASIA Denis GastinADVERTISING SALESAustralia & InternationalPeter Jackson, Winestate PublicationsPhone: (08) 8357 9277 E-mail: [email protected] O’Reilly, Public Relations - [email protected] South WalesPearman MediaPhone: (02) 9929 3966QueenslandJaye Bradley Phone: (07) 3391 6633 E-mail: [email protected] ZealandDebbie Bowman – McKay & BowmanPhone: +64 9 419 0561 Email: [email protected] & Eastern EuropeFabio Potestà - Mediapoint & Communications SrlPhone: +39 010 5704948 E-mail: [email protected] Nogier - Buenos Aires - FrancePhone: +33 4 8638 8019 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.buenos-aires.frDISTRIBUTORSAustraliaGordon and Gotch Australia P/LInternationalDAI 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 2015 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 assumes noresponsibility 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 2015feat u r es28 A TWIST OF FATE 40 A last-minute change of holiday destination almost 15 years ago has lead to a growing long distance love affair between a wealthy New York businessman and Western Australia’s Margaret River wine region, reports Mike Zekulich. John Harrison Streicker and his family first visited the region in 2001 and now preside over 200ha of vines and the prime Clairault winery.32 PLANE CHOICES r eg u la r s Three winemakers are behind Qantas’ 38 LOWE REACHING FOR NEW annual $15 million wine bill, writes HIGHS 10 Briefs Winsor Dobbin. The ‘flying kangaroo’, Life for New South Wales veteran the nation’s third-largest wine buyer, winemaker David Lowe is all about 18 Cooper’s Creed with Michael Cooper places much faith in what the three challenges, writes Winsor Dobbin. 20 European Report with Sally Easton select to grace the meal trays on From his family property near 22 Wine Tutor with Clive Hartley domestic and international flights. Mudgee, Lowe has established Each year the panel samples wines his vineyard as certified organic, 24 Wine Travel with Elisabeth King from more than150 Australian is embracing high-altitude grape 26 Wine History with Valmai Hankel wineries allowing Qantas customers growing and continues to experiment 44 Wine Words to consume 2.5 million bottles of wine. with the production of low-alcohol34 CULTURAL SHIFT wines. 46 Grapevine Despite a series of hurdles, which 40 FOCUS SHIFTS TO ‘WARMER’ 132 Subscription Form have traditionally hampered India STYLES 54 Wine Investment & Collecting embracing a wine culture, things New Zealand’s ‘big three’ - sauvignon 146 Aftertaste are beginning to change, writes blanc, riesling and pinot noir hardly Dan Traucki. A young, viable wine make a ripple in the upper North industry, a growing and more affluent Island, writes Michael Cooper in his middle class, and the emergence of profile of the 2000ha wine region. young women as a market force, is Instead, in the relative warmth in 124 New Releases driving the nation’s burgeoning taste this region of the North Island, most for wine. of the winegrowers are focusing on 137 Best Value Buys under $20 chardonnay, pinot gris, merlot andMAY/JUNE 2015 WINESTATE VOL 269 ISSUE 2 BEST OF THE WEST SOuTH aFrica SWEET WHiTE & FOrTiFiEdS adElaidE HillS cEnTral & WESTErn nSW nOrTH iSland, nZ print post approved 100003663 THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO WINE SINCE 1978 Over 10,000 tasted annually syrah. wine tastings AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND WINE BUYING GUIDE 62 Best of the West 82 Central & Western NSW 346TASTED 92 South Africa 100 Adelaide Hills New Best 106 Sweet Whites & Fortifieds Value Buys! 112 North Island, NZ 116 Michael Cooper’s Recent Releases CULTURAL Winestate Magazine SHIFT Issue Number 269 For a complete list of what we tasted for this May/June 2015 issue please refer to www.winestate.com.au India’s wine fascination Cover photograph Paul Grecaud May/June 2015 PLANE CHOICES Vol 269 Issue 2 What to drink at 12,000m $12.00 AUS (inc GST) NZ $13.00 SGD $17.95 US $17.99 GBP £10.95 EUR $9.95 China RMB100 HKD $120 CHF 15.00 plus Central & Western NSW • Sweet White & Fortified • Adelaide Hills • South Africa • North Island (Gisborne, Auckland & Northland) NZ269_CoverFRONT_215.5x297.indd 1 2/04/2015 5:12:18 PM





editorialT h i s i s o n e o f o u r b i g g e s t tasting issues, beginning withthe Best of the West overview from that vast state. There’s nothing missinghere, with crisp whites, especially riesling, from the deep south of Pembertonand Mt Barker, to the in-between region of Frankland River for mid-weight redsand whites, before we head to the coast for the famous region of MargaretRiver where chardonnay, cabernet, and more recently shiraz, come to the fore.We start to get warmer going north with Geographe and Perth Hills producingdelicious wines. Finally Swan Valley completes the picture where sweet whitesand fortifieds, along with great value wines are produced. What is surprisingto me is how the state has allowed the excellent lunch wines involving theubiquitous “classic” sauvignon blanc-based (along with semillon) SSBs andSBSs to lose market share due to a lack of marketing support. Once thesewere signature quaffers from the West. From the other side of the country let’s also consider our cool climate regionsof Adelaide Hills and Central & Western NSW (and Canberra District). First, Adelaide Hills has enjoyed its reputation of a classic “boutique” winemaking region which is not surprising given its hills and valleys limit broadacre farming. The benefit however is in its diversity, where one man’s slope isanother’s hill to climb.  Here we see some excellent sparkling wines, great chardonnays and vibrant shiraz and cabernetwines along with a handful of other varieties, including tempranillo, barbera, gruner veltliner and arneis. Pinot noir hadits merits but one would have expected a greater strike rate from this region. A mouthful of a region to explain, Central & Western NSW (and Canberra District) basically covers all of NSW, exceptthe warmer Hunter Valley and Northern regions, which are covered in another issue. It makes a bit more sense whenyou consider that the former regions are in the more cool climate range of the spectrum. This year we had a ripperof a judging, with the highest results we have seen for a long time. After a very consistent sparkling class we movedon to some excellent rieslings and then the semillons. It has to be said that dominated by one producer, CoolangattaEstate, these wines are world class, competing well with the best from the Hunter Valley. Snap them up before they aregone. After the difficult earlier years it is great to see a resurgence in quality from the 2014 and 2013 vintages in thesecool climate regions.  Across the board there are great results. What I am particularly pleased about is the attentionto tannins in the reds. The regions naturally produce high grape tannins so they don’t need additional strong new oaktannins and it is pleasing to see that winemakers are getting this. For our Kiwi friends, Winestate New Zealand Editor, Michael Cooper, and his team evaluated the wines from the NorthIsland. Here he explained that they saw “impressive syrahs, merlots and cabernet sauvignon based blends” from theNorth, with Gisborne producing “top examples of chardonnay - plus especially - pinot gris, arneis, albarino, verdelho,gewurztraminer and viognier”. And for something completely different, we conducted a regional (country) tasting of South African wines using thesame stringent three-peer winemaker judging panel conditions that make our tastings so tough. Here we saw someexcellent reds and whites, but the main point of difference was the extensive list of chenin blancs (remember the greatold Houghton white burgundies) and the new fashion pinotage (nothing like the old versions of the past). Interestingly,there is a similarity with the reds from Mudgee and Cowra where natural grape tannins are abundant and need to betreated with respect - and less new oak. Phew! And if that’s not enough, please check out our Sweet Whites and Fortifieds judging for some world-classexamples, plus lots more New Releases from around the country from both Michael Cooper (New Zealand) and ourAustralian judging panel Also this issue we have introduced two new design elements to make it easier to spot value wines throughout themagazine. First, you will notice a little price tag gif that alerts you to the best value wines under $20. Secondly, forwines featured in our best value buys section in the Wine & Spirit Insider, you will notice a corresponding red bestvalue medal that shows where the wine was originally tasted, further supporting these great value wines and hopefullymaking it easier for you to hunt down these bargains!Cheers!Peter SimicEditor/Publisher May/June 2015 W I N E S TAT E 9

briefsTASTE THE DIFFERENCE WINES IN THE WILDERNESSWant to know the difference between natural, organic and Visitors to Tasmania have a new opportunity to combine abiodynamic wines and to learn about the philosophies behind wilderness experience with fine food and wine. Pumphouse Point,all three? A new two-day tour devised by wine educator and a striking 18-room property in the dramatically beautiful and remotefreelance writer Daniel Honan focuses on organic, biodynamic Highlands, is a three-hour drive north-west of Hobart in the Cradleand natural wine producers in the Hunter Valley. Guests on The Mountain Lake St Clair National Park. It is a quirky retreat with aWine Idealist Tours learn first-hand the differences between the difference; a complete re-imagining of two brutalist 1940s buildingsthree winemaking styles, touring the vineyards with viticulturists, into a juxtaposition of the old and the new. The resort comprisestasting with winemakers and eating local organic produce along 12 rooms and two lounges located in an old hydro-electricthe way. The new tours take in the Hunter Valley’s best natural, pumphouse at the end of a 250m flume perched over Australia’sorganic and biodynamic producers, including Tamburlaine, deepest lake, and a smaller art deco-style shorehouse, with sixMacquariedale, Krinklewood and Harkham Wines. Honan has rooms and lounge/dining area, overlooking the water. Pumphousedesigned an itinerary that goes well beyond the standard bus Point maintains the old exteriors with completely re-built interiors.tour and taste; it’s a hands-on experience that includes overnight Each room has satellite TV, modern bathroom and its own tabletaccommodation at Harkham Windarra Lodge, all meals, including computer with information about the property’s history, local wildlife,lunch at Restaurant Eighty Eight at Peppers Convent and a walking tracks and available activities. Powered by the property’sspecial winegrowers dinner at Circa 1876. Both are cooked by free wi-fi, there also is VOIP access and music via Spotify. Diningexecutive chef George Francisco from ethically sourced and local options are, deliberately, limited to a table d’hote menu, with guestsorganic produce. A tour of the kitchen garden is also included. invited to imagine they are attending a chic dinner party. TheyThere are also gourmet picnics on the lawns at Krinklewood mingle in the lounge over complimentary drinks and appetisersand organic breakfasts provided by Organic Feast and Momo. before sitting at communal tables to sample dishes like lemon andThe dinner at Circa 1876 gives guests the chance to question thyme chicken on quinoa with fresh roasted vegetables, or honeysustainable winemakers on their philosophies one-on-one and orange-glazed ham with broccoli salad. There is a selectionwhile consuming the various wines featured, along with food. of very good - and reasonably priced - Tasmanian wines, beersDuring the two days guests get the chance to see grapes and ciders available: think Jansz, Apogee, Moores Hill, Kate Hill,fermenting, do barrel tastings and learn insider secrets, as Stefano Lubiana, Pipers Brook, Derwent Estate, Devil’s Corner,well as tasting grapes from the vine if the season is right and Cape Bernier, Abel’s Tempest and Bream Creek, along with Willielearning what cows and the moon have to do with fine wine. Smiths and Mohawk cider, James Boag and Iron House beers.Transport around the valley is provided by Hunter Valley Boutique Pumphouse Point is at 1 Lake St Clair Rd, Lake St Clair, Tasmania;Tours in comfortable vehicles. The Hunter Valley is Australia’s phone 0428 090 436. www.pumphousepoint.com.au. The 18 roomsoldest wine region. James Busby planted the first vines back in range in price from $240 to $480 a night, including bed, breakfast1824 - but innovation is alive and well. Honan is an unashamed and a range of outdoor activities.advocate for sustainable winemaking and his enthusiasm shinesthrough on his tours, which comprise either two-day, all-inclusivetours or a special one-day bespoke tour. The tours will runtwice seasonally, eight times a year, and prices start from $899all-inclusive. www.thewineidealist.com/home/tours/tours-book/10 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2015

briefsPERMANENT LEADERSHIP ROLE LEGENDARY SKILLS Andreas Clark is the new full-time Rob Hirst, the chairman of wine distributors Fine Wine Partners, CEO of the Australian Grape and Wine has been named the 2015 New South Wales Legend of the Vine Authority (AGWA). Chairman Brian award winner by Wine Communicators of Australia (WCA). WCA Walsh announced Clark’s permanent chair Angus Barnes said the award was created to acknowledge promotion after he served as acting individuals who represented the Australian wine industry with CEO. “We’re pleased Andreas passion, drive and leadership, particularly in communication. has agreed to continue in this key Announcing the award, he said: “There are few in the wine leadership role,” Walsh said. “Andreas’ industry who don’t know Rob - for many years now he has been aprofessional background, deep knowledge and experience in the remarkable, tireless and genuine campaigner for Australian wineorganisation and the sector make him well qualified to lead AGWA at home and overseas, particularly during the past five years inand its activities. “Andreas has done an excellent job since the China. Rob’s understanding of, and contribution to, fine wine hascommencement of AGWA on July 1, 2014, ensuring seamless spanned several decades, representing many of the world’s trulydelivery of services to the sector, recruiting senior leaders in the great brands during his tenure at the helm of Tucker Seabrookmarket development team and driving current consultations for and continues today as chairman of Fine Wine Partners. He is athe 2015–2020 strategic plan. Andreas was selected following staunch believer in wine education and training, and his facilitationa comprehensive recruitment process and I congratulate him on of both the Court of Master Sommeliers since 2008 and thethis appointment.” Clark joined Wine Australia (one of AGWA’s Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) since 2009 has givenpredecessor bodies) in 2006 and has held a number of senior thousands of Australian professionals the opportunity to elevatemanagement positions. Prior to joining Wine Australia, he was a their qualifications in Australia, including two master sommeliersdiplomat with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and a working in our industry.” Hirst started in the liquor industry 30commercial lawyer. years ago. In 1985 he took over Tucker Seabrook, which became a national organisation specialising in premium wines, spirits, liqueurs and beers. Then in 2005, Tucker Seabrook merged with the Lion Nathan Wine Group to form Fine Wine Partners, where Hirst was appointed to his current position of chairman. As a 2015 NSW Legend of the Vine recipient, he joins Colin Campbell, Patrick Iland, David Lowe, Phil Laffer, James Halliday, Huon Hooke, Chris Anstee and Lyndey Milan.GOOD TIME CURE? ON THE MOVEIs there anything that can effectively cure or prevent a hangover? Leading McLaren Vale winery Wirra Wirra has announced theThe spiel for Australian-made HeadsUp is compelling: “Forget the appointment of former Tamar Ridge and Winemaking Tasmaniacoke and fries on the way home. Bypass the Berocca and the bacon winemaker Tom Ravech to its team, where he will work alongsideand eggs in the morning. Don’t even think about the Bloody Mary or chief winemaker Paul Smith. Ravech, who started his career athair of the dog. HeadsUp is a new Australian product scientifically Villa Maria in New Zealand, has over 15 years of experience andformulated to relieve the symptoms of hangover. Before you call once led operations at Tamar Ridge but has been lured to warmerBS on this one, give it a try. It’s a game changer! When your body climes. “All of my best experiences in the wine industry have beenbreaks down alcohol it produces toxins like acetaldehyde, which with wineries that have a certain internal quality about them - acan be blamed for hangover symptoms like headache, nausea stature, a good reputation and culture,” Ravech says. “For me, it’sand grogginess. Other ‘hangover products’ on the market mask all about the people.” Ravech, who grew up on the Morningtonthe symptoms of hangover, whereas HeadsUp helps the body Peninsula, says: “The exposure to wines from other regions andeliminate these hangover toxins.” The manufacturers of HeadsUp the variety of styles, plus the chance to see what my peers are upsay it is made from a special blend of plant extracts, vitamins and to makes it a rewarding and educational experience.minerals, and is best taken after drinking, before your head hitsthe pillow. A single pack is $9.95 with six packs for $49.75 or, for Just to see the attention to detail that Smithy and the teamthe inveterate party goer, 12 packs for $99.50. You’ll find details devote to site selection and the importance they place on growerat www.headsuprelief.com.au. relationships ticks all the boxes for me as a winemaker.” Ravech, a member of the Wine Tasmania technical committee, replaces Paul Carpenter, who has headed to Accolade’s Tintara winery after completing his second of two five-year stints at Wirra Wirra. Another winemaker on the move is former Jansz supremo Natalie Fryar, who will be making a sparkling wine for north-west Tasmanian-based Ghost Rock, as well as creating her own label. “My real passion is Tasmanian sparkling wine - this is not just the best region is Australia but one of the best in the world,” Fryar says. May/June 2015 W I N E S TAT E 11

briefsBACK ON THE ROAD CASK CELEBRATIONSThe Wine Peloton is a group of Australian winemakers who cycle This year marks the 50th birthdayprodigious distances to raise money for charity - and they are of an innovation that changed theheading for Tasmania. face of winemaking in Australia - the wine cask. Launched in 1965 The group, which recently successfully completed the 7 Peaks by Angoves, the cask meant we noAlpine Ascent Challenge and raised $40,000 for the Teen Rescue longer had to take corkscrews andFoundation, has announced a new event for 2015. Between glass bottles with us to the beach or on a picnic, and those whoNovember 22-28, the Wine Peloton will embark on a Tour of only wanted a glass a night were not left with half an oxidised bottleTasmania, including Hobart’s Mount Wellington and Cradle after a couple of days. Wynns, with the use of US technology, andMountain. Orlando, with its Coolabah range, advanced Tom Angove’s original idea, which was celebrated at an event in Sydney in February, and It will once again cycle in support of wine writer Tyson Stelzer’s Samuel Smith and Son have recently helped revitalise the marketTeen Rescue Foundation, which is dedicated to addressing the segment with its quality two-litre casks under the Winesmithsharmful use of alcohol among Australian teens through education brand. Now the multi-national Accolade group hopes to takeand intervention.“With an active and vocal anti-alcohol lobby the cask further into the realms of respectability with its newly-which does not discriminate in its opposition to different forms of launched 1.5 litre Magnum soft packs, higher-priced versions ofalcoholic beverages, the wine community needs to demonstrate bag in a box wines that it says are equal in quality to the samethat it is a responsible member of the broader community, is being brands in a bottle. The Magnum packs will sit alongside the sameactive in helping to prevent the unintended abuse of alcohol brand’s glass equivalent on retail shelves and fridges - a first forand contributing to practical solutions to alcohol abuse,” says the Australian market.peloton leader Drew Tuckwell, a winemaker at Printhie Wines inOrange, New South Wales. Grapegrowers, winemakers, regional Magnum general manager Scott Bell is confident the new formatassociations, retailers, distributors, marketers, industry suppliers, will resonate with Australian wine drinkers, building on consumerwine shows and all businesses involved in wine are invited to trends of convenience, flexibility and ease of use to build a bridgepledge support as a partner, with sponsorship levels ranging from between consumers who regularly consume wine but often just$250 to $5000. Contact Drew Tuckwell on 0421 757 747 or see want a single glass. “Our research shows there is enormous appealwww.winepeloton.com.au. in being able to enjoy the convenience of a single glass without feeling compelled to finish or waste the rest of the bottle,” he said. Magnum’s convenient packaging provides the solution for this situation, giving consumers the flexibility to pour one glass at a time knowing it will be fresh for the next pour.” Magnum is available nationally and across a range of brands, including Hardys, Houghton, South Island, Goundrey, Ta_Ku, Riddoch, Brookland Valley, Waipara Hills, Cat Amongst the Pigeons and Monkey Bay.SATHned Here is the question. iS THe Why does our vineyard regularly produce wines of greater finesse, elegance and balance?AnSWer We believe that the sand dunes we grow on, which were 10,000 years in evolving, are the most likely answer. They give us the viticultural influences of deep drainage, elevation and low levels of nutrients. From the 2012 vintage we made 132 cases of Sands of Time Shiraz. As the name suggests it is the best expression of what our dunes can do. To check out the influence of 10,000 years of sand send us an email and we will let you know where to find our nearest wine shop. [email protected] Wines made for eating12 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2015

briefsRUM TIMES TIME TO REFLECTThere is a growing appetite for quality This year marks the 20th birthday of wines being produced atrum in Australia, with more brands now Rusden in the Barossa Valley - and winemaker Christian Canutebeing imported. Among the latest arrivals has unveiled a new-look range. “I thought it was a fitting time tois Angostura No.1, which was named Rum stand back and take a long look at where we are now and whereof the Year for 2014 by the Rum Journal we’ve come from,” Canute said. “Time to take a deep breath andAwards (www.caribjournal.com). Distributed reflect on two decades of making wine and six generations ofby the island2island Beverage Company, grape growing in the Barossa.” The new-look wines feature labelsthe Trinidadian rum is described as “floral, designed by Canute’s wife Amy, a talented local artist.sweet, perfectly balanced with an exquisitefinish”. Angostura No.1 is the first rum in a HIGH COUNTRY ADVENTUREnew limited-edition premium range aged inspecial casks, aptly named, The Cask Collection. Food and wine lovers are invited to get up close and personal with North-East Victoria’s top producers, chefs, winemakers and craftTAKING ITALY TO THE WORLD brewers at High Country Harvest, which will run from May 15-24. Key events include bike and horseback rides between wineries, Farnese Vini is a young winery located bonfire feasts, and “autumn warmers” at cellar doors, cafes and in the beautiful Abruzzo region of Italy. wine bars across the region. These special autumn warmers are With the highest quality research and designed to punctuate your High Country Harvest adventure marketing strategies it has become a between events, with scores of snifters to choose from. Highlights leading exporting company in Southern include a quince and Castagna vermouth warmer (Thirteen Steps, Italy, with a production of nearly 13 million Bright), a warm-spiced Tolmie cider (Cafe Derailleur, Wangaratta), bottles. Managing director Valentino and citrus and spiced mulled wine (Cafe Fez, Myrtleford). High Sciotti was a guest of local importer Don Country Harvest venues include Beechworth, Benalla & Winton Totino (Festival City Food & Liquor) in Wetlands, Bright & Surrounds, Glenrowan, Mansfield, Milawa & the Adelaide earlier this year. An amazing King Valley, Rutherglen, Tallangatta/Lake Hume and Wangaratta. trade tasting wine dinner was held where www.highcountryharvest.com.au. Sciotti personally presented his wines and Adelaide restaurant and bar owners personally got to share his knowledge and passion about these fantastic wines. The success of Farnese isn’t just in numbers, Farnese has been recognised on both national and international levels. Named company of the year in the industry for three consecutive years, five times awarded as “wines of years” and over 30 international gold medals and trophies in recent years have enhanced the company’s profile. It has also putSouthern Italy in the limelight over Northern Tuscan favourites. Thecompany’s belief is simple and it attributes much of its successto following this mantra across all its brands: “to be successfulin the market it is important having wines of high quality with acompetitive price and with great packaging, but equally importantis having a company that is able to provide its customers with afast and efficient service”. The Farnese Group, with seven brands, is well known in the majorinternational markets and is a leader in Southern Italy, exporting to74 countries and continues to grow. Festival City Food & Liquor,with over 35 years’ experience as a leading independent supplierto the industry, is excited and continues to bring you the very bestof Farnese wines, including the highly acclaimed trophy winningand limited release for export, Due Lune wine. May/June 2015 W I N E S TAT E 13

briefs REMEMBERING A VETERAN Phillip John, a veteran of the Australian wine fraternity, passed away in February after a long illness. Born into a famous Barossa Valley cooperage family, he started his winemaking career with Seppelt straight out of school, and stayed with them until 1980 when he joined Lindeman’s. This role took him to Sydney where he oversaw winemaking in the Hunter Valley as well as their growing Sunraysia operations. John “fathered” one of Australia’s first successes in the US and UK, Lindeman’s Bin 65 Chardonnay. Lindeman’s was acquired by Southcorp in the late 1980s and John rose to chief white wine maker for the group. This included responsibility for Hungerford Hill, which came into the group in 1990. He quit Hungerford Hill in 2008 due to ill health, but remained a consultant until recently, visiting Tumbarumba and advising winemaker Adrian Lockhart on progress of the grape crop.MOVING INTO HOTELS Don’t miss outVeteran businessman Josef Chromy is something of a legend Hunter Valley Wine & Food Month is on the horizon and judgingin Tasmania, Chromy fled his Czech homeland in 1950 as a from previous years it pays to book in advance or risk missing outpenniless 20-year-old but became one of the most influential men on some of the highlights.in the Tasmanian wine industry. The migrant first made millionsthrough smallgoods and later started several of the state’s leading Talented young chef Troy Rhoades-Brown, of Muse and Musewineries, including Tamar Ridge and Josef Chromy Wines. He Kitchen, and rising winemaking superstar Gwyneth Olsen, of Briaris now also in the hotel business. Just a few kilometres from his Ridge, recently hosted a sneak peek at their collaboration for thespectacular cellar door facility and on-site restaurant at Relbia, month-long series of themed activities throughout June.just down the road from Launceston Airport, you’ll find the HotelCharles in Launceston, on the fringe of the CBD. With many of The menu featured dishes like sashimi with verjuice, pickledits rooms offering views of the Tamar River this is a reliably good ginger, dashi and whitebait, paired with two 2014 Briar Ridgeaddress that won’t break the bank. And it is the perfect gateway whites; the stunning Dairy Hill semillon and The Briar vineyardto the Tamar Valley and northern Tasmania. Part of a new complex blend. That was followed by pressed Berkshire pork neck andon the site of what was an old hospital; the building has an Art jamon with pickled mussels, black garlic, flowers, wild fennel andDeco exterior with modern, well-equipped rooms and apartments buttermilk, paired with a 2014 Briar Hill Chardonnay. Next cameat sensible prices. On-site facilities include a restaurant, guest Mandagery Creek venison with the 2013 HRB Shiraz Pinot Noir,lounge, function/conference room (for up to 100 delegates), private which shone with the dish, followed by pink Milly Hill lamb withdining room and boardroom - all with wi-fi/internet connections. The Briar Ridge 2013 Shiraz. The night ended with a remarkably - androoms are comfortable and the service extremely helpful. There very pretty - coconut dessert. The menu may be tweaked betweenis also free parking. now and then, but what is certain is that the Dine with the Dynamic Duo lunch will be held at Muse at Hungerford Hill with a four-course The on-site Restaurant Esca specialises in using local produce menu designed to match the Briar Ridge wines for an all-inclusivewhen possible - think dishes like charred venison with sweet price of $125 per person. If you miss out on this particular delight,potato, garlic and eggplant, or maybe Togarashi-spiced crispy skin the program offers several choices to warm away the winter bluessalmon with spanner crab, sweet corn and nishiki rice. Alternatively, and wine and dine with leading Hunter Valley winemakers andthe Charles St cafe strip with several dining options is just a chefs, take part in interactive classes to fine-tune your culinaryshort stroll away. Hotel Charles, 287 Charles St, Launceston. skills, or just curl up beside a fire with a glass of Hunter wine andwww.hotelcharles.com.au. a cheese plate. Each Friday at the Hunter Resort, for instance, a different Hunter winemaker will be on hand to host a four-course dinner limited to 20 guests. June 5: Andrew Margan, June 12: Lisa McGuigan, June 19: Andrew Thomas, June 26: Matt Polin. A full calendar of events is available online at www.winecountry.com.au.14 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2015

briefstale of perseveranceGraeme Leith’s full life has covered so much more territory thanthe title of his memoir would at first appear to indicate: PassingClouds: A Winemaker’s Journey. It’s been an incredible ride fromelectrical contractor to winemaker, to poet, philosopher, actor and,of course, father of Ondine. Ondine, 20, is his daughter who never made it to 21, murdered byheroin addicts while on a road trip in 1984 from the Passing Cloudsvineyard near Bendigo to a beach spot on the northern NSW coast.Her story is a lynchpin in Leith’s book, one related in a pained butdetailed narrative, revealing his natural ability as a writer. Leith iswell known in the Victorian wine industry, an intuitive, passionatewinemaker of award-winning shiraz under Passing Clouds atKingower, and now pinot noir and chardonnay at Passing Cloudsat Musk in the Macedon Ranges. As an early victim of climatechange, he was forced to move not only his vineyard but changehis winemaking philosophy. It is an amazing tale of perseverance. Passing Clouds: A Winemaker’s Journey, by Grame Leith,published by Allen & Unwin.LOOKING GOOD GIFFORD STAYS ONIt’s always unwise to talk up a vintage before it has finished, but In January, industry rumours about the impending closurethe 2015 harvest was garnering mostly excellent reviews as we of Mornington Peninsula’s Darling Park winery were confirmed,went to press in early March. The only dark cloud was Cyclone leaving long-time winemaker and manager Judy Gifford on theMarcia, which drenched Queensland growers around Gladstone lookout for work in the lead up to vintage. The Red Hill-basedwith soaking rains in February. Hail and heavy rains also took a winery and cellar door had been sold to a local couple for theirtoll on the Granite Belt. However, the weather gods were kinder small wine label, but after consultation with the new owners, Msto most wine regions, with no extreme heat spikes or downpours Gifford decided to stay. She will now take over the Darling Parkat inconvenient times. In the Hilltops area of New South Wales, name and make wine in the original winery from fruit offered byMoppity Vineyard’s Jason Brown was reported feeling upbeat. Peninsula mates. “The support of friends and colleagues that“This year’s been pretty kind to growers, it’s nice for Mother Nature I’ve received over the last few months has been extraordinary,”to smile on us because every now and then she gives us a real says Ms Gifford. “I am so deeply grateful to be able to carry onbeating,” he said. Many winemakers recorded an early vintage, the work I have been doing the last nearly 10 years, and this timefor some it was the earliest ever. for my own Darling Park. So onwards and upwards.” Good news, indeed, for the maker of some excellent Peninsula chardonnays Jim Barry Wines in the Clare Valley recorded its earliest vintage and pinot noirs.on record. “Picking cabernet sauvignon in February was definitely afirst,” said managing director Peter Barry. In the Geographe region, RIESLING CELEBRATIONvintage started around seven to 10 days earlier than usual, withsome producers up to three weeks ahead of schedule. The early The inaugural Riesling Downunder celebrations have beenstart was due, in part, to light crops but what some producers labeled an outstanding success by organisers, who broughtlacked in quantity they gained in quality. Many reported grapes local and international riesling makers to Melbourne in Februarywith concentrated flavours as a result. for a series of tastings and master classes. Close to 2000 people attended the three-day event, which hosted producers from asJOINT VENTURE far afield as North America, Austria, Germany and New Zealand. Riesling sales in Australia have struggled in the last 10 yearsJacob’s Creek has attempted to reignite its troubled North and despite the near constant media talk of a riesling revival, theAmerican market with a joint winemaking venture between chief grape languishes behind the more popular sauvignon blanc andwinemaker Bernard Hickin and Californian “boutique” maker Ehren chardonnay. Organisers - Frankland Estate, Pikes, FraminghamJordan. The two makers have collaborated on Two Lands, a wine and Jim Barry Wines - believe their promotion might just give thebrand that brings Australian fruit and Californian winemaking grape the boost it needs. Time will tell. Riesling Downunder willtogether. Jordan, who makes wine in the Sonoma Valley under his return to Melbourne in 2018.Failla label, travelled to South Australia for the project. Four wines- cabernet sauvignon, syrah (shiraz), pinot grigio and chardonnaywill be available for sale exclusively in North America. The price ispegged at $US13.99 a bottle. Sales of Jacob’s Creek reportedlyfell by 6 per cent last year, with poor sales performances recordedin China, the UK and the US. May/June 2015 W I N E S TAT E 15



nzbriefsANOTHER BIG VINTAGE IN MARLBOROUGH? flights. It was also about quality”. At risk is the airline’s 28-year sponsorship of the competition organised by NZ Winegrowers,Marlborough’s 18,000ha of sauvignon blanc vines could yield the Air New Zealand Wine Awards. Nautilus Estate winemakera crop 40 per cent above the long-term average in 2015, according Clive Jones, chair of Wine Marlborough, reports, “there was quiteto the Marlborough Research Centre. Rob Agnew and Mike Trought a lot of loyalty to Air New Zealand. But now, if there is a cheaperreported that temperatures in the region were once again above airfare on another airline, we might just try to save costs, like Airaverage during flowering, creating the potential for a bumper New Zealand is”.crop. Agnew believes the 2015 harvest will still be smaller than theenormous 2014 vintage. “The lower temperature over flowering in GIESEN BUYS CLAYVIN VINEYARD2014 (compared to 2013) will mean poorer fruit set (fewer berriesper bunch) and consequently lower bunch weights at harvest Clayvin, one of Marlborough’s most famous vineyards, hasin 2015 compared to harvest 2014.” In February, after the driest been purchased by Giesen Wine Estate. Giesen signed a 10-yearJanuary for 43 years in the South Island, drought was declared in lease in 2013 on the close-planted, 13ha vineyard in the upperMarlborough, Canterbury, and Central and North Otago. Officials Brancott Valley, then owned by Georg Fromm and his UK-basedwere also keeping a close watch on the Wairarapa and southern partner Johnny Wheeler. When planted in 1991, Clayvin was theHawke’s Bay regions. Saint Clair vineyard manager Les Masters region’s first commercial hillside vineyard. Pinot noir, especially,reported from Marlborough that “chardonnay and pinot noir are and chardonnay are the key varieties, with small plantings of syrahstill carrying a really good crop, but the majority of the sauvignon and sauvignon blanc. Fromm Winery, which for many years hasblanc is down on last year”. produced a highly acclaimed Clayvin Chardonnay and Clayvin Pinot Noir, will have access to Clayvin grapes for at least anotherAIR NEW ZEALAND SWITCHES TO A SINGLE decade.WINE SUPPLIER CHARD FARM CELEBRATES 25 VINTAGESIf you fly Air New Zealand you’ll be accustomed to enjoyinga diverse array of the country’s wines. On the airline’s website, When Rob Hay and his brother Greg planted the first vines atpassengers in economy class have been promised “a great Chard Farm on a spectacular, north-facing ledge at the westernselection of New Zealand wines from the onboard cellar”. So entrance to the Kawarau Gorge in 1987, most of the talk was aboutwhen Air New Zealand announced recently that it had switched Central Otago being suited only to German varieties. Rob recalls:to a single wine supplier for the economy and premium economy “We took a punt on Burgundian varieties - and that punt has beenclasses, chosen by most of its customers, it stunned many successful.” The 2013 pinot noirs, now on the market, mark theobservers. Villa Maria, which also owns the Esk Valley, Vidal, 25th vintage at Chard Farm. Greg Hay withdrew in 1996 and isThornbury and Te Awa brands, will also be the sole supplier of now co-owner of Peregrine, but Chard Farm ranks among thewine to the airline’s Koru lounges. The supply of wines to business region’s largest producers,class has also changed. Submissions were previously open on marketing wine under thea six monthly basis to all producers, but last August Air New Chard Farm and lower-tierZealand announced it would choose its business class wines from Rabbit Ranch labels. Thosethose awarded gold or silver medals at the Air New Zealand Wine who leave two bottles ofAwards. This year, it expects to showcase wines from more than Rabbit Ranch Pinot Noirtwo-dozen producers. These moves are part of a general shakeup, alone in the dark report theydesigned to centralise suppliers and cut costs. The airline is also end up with a cellar full.reviewing its food supply contracts. In the past, about every sixmonths the airline invited all NZ wineries to submit samples andemployed consultants to taste about 800 wines annually. SteveGreen, the chair of NZ Winegrowers, believes its previous systemenabled Air New Zealand to serve “really interesting wines. Fromour membership’s point of view, we see (the supply change) ashardly constructive to helping the wine industry. It means that thevariety of wines being offered will be curtailed”. He also notes theobvious promotional benefit to producers of having their winespoured on the airline. “It’s not just a case of selling wine,” he said.Why did Villa Maria win the race to be the major wine supplier?New Zealand-owned, with a brilliant record of quality winemaking,it was the obvious choice. Company head Sir George Fistonichtold the Marlborough Express that Villa Maria was selected “on thebasis of ability to supply and service international and domestic May/June 2015 W I N E S TAT E 17

c o o p e r ’s c r e e d WORDS michael cooper IT’S ALL ABOUT THE Passion“Pinot noir is a wine we’re all passionate in New Zealand’s warm, northern regions Styring Vineyards, on YouTube, in whichabout,” enthuses Ben Glover, group testify. Even in cool-climate Marlborough, “one woman’s fantasy takes flight as shewinemaker for the large, Marlborough- many pinot noirs, when grown on fertile experiences a range of indulgences”. Abased producer, Mud House. “We live and soils on the floor of the Wairau Valley, naked model sips pinot noir while pouringbreathe pinot!” They are not alone. Dean fall well short of the quality that can be it over her body. Pinot Plus, an AucklandShaw, of the Central Otago Wine Company achieved on the clay slopes of the Southern restaurant, is currently offering winemaker(CowCo), has “an absolute passion for Valleys. tastings and dinners for “The Passionatepinot noir”. Punter”. Great pinot noir, reports Flowers Vineyard Winegrowers around the world are no and Winery, in California, requires the right But has “passion for pinot noir” become adoubt ardent about albarino, seduced by mix of “people, place and passion for cliche? Sam Neill (The Piano, Jurassic Park,sauvignon blanc or randy about riesling. pinot noir”. Americans have often dubbed The Tudors) is best known as an actor. HeNew Zealand, however, is overflowing pinot noir “the heartbreak grape”, says also owns Two Paddocks, a Central Otagowith those who are “passionate about John Saker, author of Pinot Noir: The New pinot noir producer - now with vineyardspinot noir”. Zealand Story. “It’s moody, temperamental, in Gibbston, Alexandra and Bannockburn unreliable.” - that released its first wines from the 1997 Maybe that shouldn’t be a surprise. More vintage.than 750 pinot noirs are on the market - Saker uses the term “unhinged devotion”about 25 per cent of all New Zealand wines. to characterise the producers of quality “When it comes to winemaking, aPinot noir is the main red-wine grape variety pinot noir. In New Zealand, winemakers word I deplore because of its overuse isin five of the country’s eight key regions, are “the pinot noir cult’s priests and ‘passion’,” Neill says. “As in ‘a passionincluding all those in the lower North Island priestesses, the official nurturers and for pinot’. In my view, passion is a termand the South Island. guardians of this gift of nature”. that should be reserved for the sort of heightened emotional state that can resultPassion is a term that should be reserved for the sort in the discarding of trousers. You may loseof heightened emotional state that can result in the your shirt producing pinot noir, but you arediscarding of trousers. unlikely to lose your trousers.” Americans also adore the great red-wine Fancy a wine with a label that conveys Neill does admit to a “long-standinggrape of Burgundy. Eric Asimov, in the just how passionate pinot noir producers and torrid affair” with pinot noir. “In 1979,New York Times, has called it a “Purple can be? Try Williamson Passion Pinot Noir, my friend and mentor James MasonPassion for Pinot Noir... Since the movie grown in the Russian River Valley. ordered a bottle of something incredibleSideways came out in 2004, America has at Charlie Chaplin’s favourite restaurantcarried on a passionate affair with pinot noir. How about a book? Passion for Pinot: near Lausanne. Up until then most wineRestaurants can’t keep it in stock, wineries A journey through America’s pinot noir I had drunk came from a cardboard boxcan’t make enough of it and consumers country, by Jordan Mackay, has a foreward sporting a rather handsome tap. But thisshow no sign of loosening their embrace by Asimov. “If any grape would be at home was something else altogether. ‘Burgundy,’of it”. in the pose of the femme fatale - smoke James said, ‘And don’t forget it.’ I never curling from its lips, long, irresistible legs have; I was hooked.” Many have argued that pinot noir requires crossed as another winemaker is sent topassion, if it is to be made well. It’s his doom - it would be pinot noir.” So what is so bad about frequent use ofdemanding of site, soil and climate, as the the word “passion”, in Neill’s view? “Whentypically mediocre pinot noirs produced If you’d rather watch a video, check out I return to my vineyards from abroad, Passion of Pinot – Jazz Track Version, from from some film set God knows where, I understand with utter clarity how wrong ‘passion’ is to describe how I feel. There is far too much contentment involved.”18 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2015



europeanreport WORDS sally easton MW edging closer to the brinkA changing climate is affecting us particularly high. Spain’s La Mancha has degree of warming. Indeed in 2014, theall, though humans probably have more only 300mm annual rainfall, a situation that UK basked in warmth, amid viticulturallyadaptability than plants. And grapevines has hitherto been managed by extremely welcome episodes of rain, and had a large,producing high quality fruit for wine are low planting densities and drought-resistant high quality crop. Such northerly latitudesespecially sensitive to climate change. grape varieties. are possible winners in the climate change lottery. It’s easy to forget that wine is an agricultural Last year was the hottest year on record.product. A vine’s growth and quality each The average annual temperature was 0.7C Other European “winners” of climateyear is subject to the climate in which it is above the average of the 20th century. That change could include other northerngrown and the weather patterns in each eats quite a long way into those narrow European countries such as Denmark,season. Vines are pretty specific as to preference bands for grape varieties. In Sweden, Belgium Netherlands, Poland,their preferred climate - they only grow in line with this, Europe experienced its hottest as well as the far north of France, andtemperate climates. Within the temperate year in 2014. It’s far from a one-off. The bits of the Pyrenees Mountains, betweenclimate, each vine variety has an even IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate France and Spain. In the same way thatnarrower range of preferred growing Change) reckons the average annual Australia increasingly looks to high altitudeconditions. According to Professor Greg temperature in the northern hemisphere in (Macedon Ranges/Orange) and highJones, a climate change specialist, average the 30-year period from 1983 to 2012 was latitude (Tasmania), so it may be necessarygrowing season temperature for grape the warmest 30-year period in 800 years. for Europe. There may even be opportunityvarieties ranges from about 13C, for the in the Baltic states of Lithuania and Latvia.likes of pinot gris/grigio and gewurztraminer Looking forward, depending on whichto around 20C for cultivars such as nebbioloand zinfandel. Each grape variety can The forecast temperature increase puts southerntolerate only a few degrees range of regions around the Mediterranean in jeopardy.average temperature, so 13-15C for pinotgris and 17-20C for nebbiolo. Outside the modelling scenario used, the IPCC Nascent wine production cultures haverange and the grape variety doesn’t ripen forecasts global temperatures are likely to already started in the Netherlands, Denmarkor over-ripens, and the best quality fruit rise by more than 1.5C, or more than 2C, and Sweden; a little, even, in Norway.may come from an even tighter temperature by the end of this century, compared to the The UK’s production is more advanced,range. situation in the second half of the 1800s. with the country having roughly the same According to another report these scenarios vineyard acreage as Tasmania. For the Temperature is arguably the most suggest viticultural land may decrease by UK, these 1800ha are the most that haveimportant key performance variable for 20 per cent to more than 70 per cent. That been planted.vines. As well as informing which variety would fundamentally change the wine worldgrows in which narrow location band, as we currently know it; whichever of the Novelty is often easier to introduce, butanytime it gets too hot, between 30C and IPCC’s scenarios unfolds, it looks set to be for the traditional, big-producing regions35C, enzymes stop working and the vine a dramatically life-changing scenario for of the far Mediterranean south of Europe,shuts down. European viticulture. adaptation to higher average temperatures may be more challenging. It is entirely Rain is another important one. Climate But it’s not all doom and gloom. Europe possible that swathes of vineyard area maychange appears to be bringing more might be very roughly the same size as be entirely lost.extreme weather events and anomalies, Australia, but it experiences a wide varietyamong them flood and drought. In Europe, of climates, from the sunny Mediterranean Possible losers under a changed climatemore widely legalising irrigation may help to the (hitherto) frozen Arctic Circle. include central and southern Spain,with drought issue, though the cost of including Ribera del Duero and Rioja,building infrastructure to supply irrigation The forecast temperature increase puts France’s Languedoc-Roussillon, Bordeaux,may outweigh the benefit, especially if southern regions around the Mediterranean and southern Rhone, as well as southernthere is a lack of rainfall at other times to fill in jeopardy, while the cool and cooler and central Italy, including Tuscany. Evenreservoirs for use during drought periods. climates of northern European regions may, Burgundy is unlikely to go unscathed.This is one of the dilemmas especially in fact, accept a positive outcome from afor warmer Mediterranean regions where What are the options in these locations?current annual rainfall levels are already not20 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2015

Adaptive canopy management strategies, DOLCETTO SHIRAZfor example more shading, may help in theshort term. Irrigation may help the drier south Style to compliment your Creativityin the medium term. The wines versatility allows you to serve it with many foods Beyond that, once the existing strategies and settings.have run their course, given the vine’slocational sensitivities, one option is to It can be served chilled on a hot day with fish, meats or spicyplant different grape varieties in existing food or served at room temperature in cooler weather withappellations. This would overturn the very heavier slow cooked dishes. It makes a great aperitif.basis of the way we think about terroirand the exquisite matching of site with Dolcetto “little sweet one” is a dark skinned wine grape fromvariety. But it’s an option. Some grape the Monferrato hills of North Western Italyvarieties are more forgiving than others asto their growing locations. Chardonnay and Shiraz is well known for bold fruit characterised by plum,cabernet sauvignon are pretty gregarious blackcurrant and cherry tonesand adaptable. No wonder they are bothvery widely planted across the wine- Luxurious fruit flavours, semi sweet with soft effervescenceproducing world. But pinot noir, we know, is making it a brilliant partner with modern food styles. ALC 9.5%much more fickle and fastidious and quicklygets very grumpy when it is outside its rather nobleroadwines.com facebook.com/NobleRoadWinesgeographically restricted comfort zone. Sucha specificity of growing location for eachcultivar makes them particularly vulnerableto changes in climate. Should you expect your Bordeaux wineto be made from grenache, mourvedre(mataro) and carignan (mazuelo)? Burgundyfrom cabernet franc and merlot, perhaps? Itfeels at the moment a bit like it’s one step toofar for the brain to compute. It’s easier to compute the creation of thosenew viticultural regions nearer the Arctic.But even some newer regions may notbe as long lived as current wine growingregions have been. The UK’s sparkling wineindustry may be being built on the samegeology as that found in Champagne. Andthe Kimmeridgian soils of Chablis get theirname from a little place called Kimmeridgein Dorset, on the south coast of England. Theauspices may be initially good, but anotherclimate change report suggests thesesoutherly England locations may alreadybe so warm by 2080 that they’re growinggrapes for raisins. Bottom line: the perceived immutabilityof European wine regions is no longersomething we can take for granted.Generational adaptation may have tobecome the wine industry norm. May/June 2015 W I N E S TAT E 21

winetutor WORDS clive hartley CHANGING FORTUNESPort has suffered declining or static sales Wendy if she had seen an increase in plunged and foot trod multiple times daily tofor a long time, partially due to its higher younger wine drinkers interested in vintage maximise extraction before the fortification.alcohol levels, its sweetness and the image fortified? “Definitely, through the cellar door Sugar levels are monitored closely andthat portrays the drink as an old man’s I see a lot of interest in VP by the younger when close to the required level the musttipple and not popular with young people, generation,” she said. “It seems it’s more is pressed and fortified with the selectedespecially women. It’s a pretty ingrained sophisticated to drink VP rather than just spirit. We aim for a drier style wine, soattitude. As long back as 1776, English plain port.” fortification is done quite late, between 5-6author Samuel Johnson declared “Port is Be, aiming for an apparent Be of aroundfor men”. “Demand is steady. Once a consumer 2-2.5 degrees”. Spirit selection, sourced is educated about the greatness of this from Tarac in South Australia, is a critical In Australia we dropped the word “port” style of fortified, they generally become step and when Chris was alive he tried tomany years ago for our locally made loyal drinkers. We have a museum of VP source the finest spirit for his VP.fortified wines and adopted the terms vintages (most, but not all) that go back to“vintage fortified and tawny”. According to the early seventies.” A selection of these Stanton and Killeen follow much of thefigures supplied by the Australian Bureau older vintages is available through the same process as real port. This comesof Statistics, fortified wine sales fell by 6.5 cellar door and three times a year they do from the Douro Valley in Portugal and thereper cent in 2013 and account for a mere a vertical tasting of the vintage ports, so are many styles. Ruby is the cheapest and2.7 per cent of total Australian beveragesales. The market is in a poor state, but Through the cellar door I see a lot of interest in VPhas it bottomed out? While it still may be by the younger generation.seen languishing in the dusty corners ofcellar doors at wineries that try and cover it’s not surprising that the younger wine youngest port resembling a fruity fortifiedall bases, there are still a handful of serious drinkers are interested. Who wouldn’t be! red wine. Tawnys vary incredibly. There areproducers. Barossa Valley, Rutherglen and some cheap tawnys on the market that seeSwan Valley remain bastions of fortified Stanton and Killeen use four Portuguese minimal ageing, but the best are a blend ofwines. Historic Seppeltsfield in the Barossa varieties in their vintage fortified. Each different years matured in oak and bottledis probably the most famous and is one of variety makes its own contribution to at different ages. The age indicated on thethose “must visit” destinations. Here they the blend, as Wendy explains: “Touriga label, either 10, 20, 30 or 40 years is onlymake their iconic Para Tawny and is unique nacional and tinta roriz (tempranillo) add an approximation or average. The slowin offering a 100-year-old Liqueur Para at floral aromas and colour, with hints of spice process of oxidation and esterificationthe cellar door. coming from the latter. Tinto cao adds produces an orange/tawny colour and structure and acidity; while tinta barroca aromas and flavours of nuts, raisin fruits In Rutherglen, Stanton and Killeen adds floral notes and vibrancy.” and coffee, depending on the age. The 20specialise in vintage fortified. This was to 40-year-old blends are some of the finestdue to the work done by winemaker Chris Grapes are picked with slightly lower ports made and the price reflects that.Killeen, who sadly passed away in 2007. levels of baume, around 13 to 14 degrees.Killeen was a VP lover and it was his dream Andrew Drumm, winemaker at Stanton LBVs is a port from a single year kept into make the finest vintage port in Australia, and Killeen, explains the production oak for four to six years and then bottled.and I firmly believe he achieved his goal. process: “We use shallow open fermenters I’ve always known them as a poor man’sHe used traditional Portuguese varieties constructed specially by us for vintage vintage port, but they can be a nice way ofrather than shiraz and he made the style fortified production, being wide and shallow ending a meal. Crusted port is a rare breed.dryer than was the sweeter norm. This to increase skin contact. The ferments aretradition is now faithfully carried on throughthe enthusiastic CEO Wendy Killeen andher team at Stanton and Killeen. I asked22 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2015

Here two or three vintages are blended andmatured for a couple of years then bottled.Occasionally crusted port has the potentialof great bottle age and is a lot cheaper thanvintage port. They mature in bottle and willdevelop sediment or “throw a crust”, hencethe name. Another rare port is the colheitawhich is from one vintage but is aged fora minimum of seven years in barrel thenbottled - a sort of vintage tawny. That just leaves vintage port. Regarded asthe pinnacle of production, it is a collectorwine but only represents a mere 1 per centof production. Made from a blend of thefinest grapes sourced from the best sub-region (Cima Corgo) and only producedin a good vintage, a port house producessimply one vintage port for that year. Inother years the house may make a singlequinta vintage port which is released whenthey don’t “declare” a vintage; in otherwords when they decide not to make ahouse vintage port that year. Quinta is thePortuguese term for estate so these arefrom one vineyard and it would be sourcedfrom their best vineyards. There are some treasured traditions at thetable when it comes to port. Vintage port istraditionally passed to the left or clockwisearound a table. If someone fails to pass theport, you say: “Do you know the Bishop ofNorwich?” which is supposed to bring totheir attention that the port needs passing… it’s a long story. Ruby and filtered LBVs can keep foraround a week, while aged tawny can gofor a month. The older the vintage fortifiedwine the quicker it should be consumed.Port should be served in at least an ISOtasting glass and never in those archaicsmall fortified wine glasses that hold 60mlfilled to the brim. May/June 2015 W I N E S TAT E 23

winetravel WORDS ELISABETH KINGHOT SPOTS FOR A COOL BREAKThousands of new hotels have opened and many are available at the bar for a cool decadence favoured by Russian oligarchs.around the world during the last two years, refreshing brew followed by a fiery chaser. The 1947 Bar shelters a glass-enclosedso selecting the pick of such a big bunch wine cellar, packed with establishedis a Sisyphean task. But it is possible to Inexpensive flights have made Hawaii the chateaux vintages and tete de cuveeedit the choices down to a short list of hot new Bali. To get away from the madding champagnes. La Table de Partage is aproperties that are attracting major attention crowd, head to the Andaz Maui at Wailea. private dining room for those who don’t wantfor adventure, high design, ultimate luxury A real head-turner, star designer Rockwell to mix. For those who do there’s The Deelaniand re-tweaked heritage. Group has re-configured the former (seafood and Mediterranean fare) and The Renaissance hotel with an Ambrato stone Diptyque (Japanese and Asian menus). One of London’s newest five-star boltholes bridge entry, a wood-filled spa, an open-is in Holborn, not Mayfair. Used as a air lobby with a sand pit and three infinity Some neighbourhoods have been poisedbackdrop for the Val Kilmer version of The pools. Farm-to-table Hawaiian food is on the cusp of next-hot-thing for so longSaint and an episode of Dr Who, the neo- served family-style at Ka’ana Kitchen. A you could die waiting. But downtownclassical Rosewood London was built in very sophisticated family, though, which LA has finally made the grade, with the1914 and has listed status. The historic likes dishes such as abalone risotto, opening of the Ace Hotel Downtown in theinterior has been re-jigged by New York lobster ceviche and wagyu strip loin with Spanish Gothic 1920s-era United Artistsdesigner Tony Chi (Park Hyatt Moscow, persimmon. The Bumbye Beach Bar, Theater. The revamped performanceRitz-Carlton Singapore, etc) and antiques overlooking powdery Mokapu Beach, is space is as breathtaking as when silentfill the public spaces and 242 rooms and the spot to enjoy local Maui brews such as star Mary Pickford trod the boards. Think44 suites. Retro-vintage bartenders sporting Bikini Blonde and Big Swell, and evocativelySome neighbourhoods have been poised on the cusp of next-hot-thing for so longyou could die waiting.moustaches in Scarfes Bar add a pukka named cocktails like One More Sunset and Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia. Hipness beginsclubland feel, serving smart cocktails, fine Pimms Rangoon. with a record player in every room, vinylwines and craft beers. Another compelling records on the wall behind the check-inreason to prop up the bar is the collection Dutch design maestro Marcel Wanders and original artworks by Mike Mills in theof 200 single malts and one of the best considered every detail in the stunning Mira 183 high-ceilinged suites. Enjoy a craftcollections of sloe gins in London. The Moon hotel in Hong Kong’s Wanchai district. brew or cocktail such as Fairbanks FizzHolborn Dining Room lures city suits for Inspired by the Chinese Moon Festival or Handsome Devil in the rooftop bar withposh paddock-to-plate English-style grub fairytale, the backlit jade rabbits, crystal-cut views across the city. The L.A Chapterfollowing slow food guidelines. mirrors and staff dressed in hand-stitched restaurant serves American modern fare Chinoiserie costumes mix and match for from hangar steak to liquorish rubbed Icelandair and easyJet offer cheap airfares maximum eye appeal. The king rooms duck breast.to Reykjavik from several UK cities. A small have freestanding tubs with views of theprice to pay for spectacular natural scenery Hong Kong skyline and the mini bar is free. A steal by New York standards, Theand the chance to mingle with great-looking The Supergiant restaurant offers Chinese/ Marlton describes itself as a baby grandpeople named Thor and Sif. A magnet for Spanish fusion tapas and boasts “the most and fills the site of Marlton House whereoutdoors types, the ION Luxury Adventure valuable wine list in HK”. Translation: the Jack Kerouac once spent nights carousingHotel in Selfoss is a sleek modern base for cost of the wines is below Hong Kong’s in Greenwich Village. The retro romanceday trips to trout-filled rivers, hot springs, average market price for anyone looking remains with wood-panelled walls, roaringactive volcanic areas, riding trails and Lake to keep hotel bills in check. fires, cosy rooms and attentive service.Pingvallavatn - to dive the continental seam Owned By Sean MacPherson of BD Hotelswhere the tectonic plates of Eurasia and Fancy a spa located on its own island or (The Ludlow, The Jane, etc), the plushNorth America meet. a romantic dinner on a floating pontoon? Margaux restaurant lures non-guests with its Owned by LVMH, the Cheval Blanc spiffy Mediterranean menu, including rabbit Located specifically for viewing the Aurora Randheli in the Maldives is a sister property lasagna verde and rotisserie Amish chicken.Borealis from the Northern Lights bar and to the luxury goods group’s debut hotel The cocktail bar is open 7a.m to 2a.m, 365deck, the sleek Silfra restaurant specialises in Courchevel and both feature cigar days a year. A block’s walk from Washingtonin modern Nordic cuisine tracking the slow rooms. The 45 palatial villas (all with Square Park, it’s the whole SoHo box andfood movement. Iceland is full of micro- butlers), moonlight yoga classes and in- dice with today’s gentrified vibe.breweries and small batch spirit producers, villa spa treatments offer the sort of simple24 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2015



winehistory WORDS VALMAI HANKELAndrE Simon in the Barossa Valley (Part 2)Octogenarian Frenchman Andre and browsing through the collection of The following day, January 30, SimonSimon, on his first visit to Australia, arrived neatly stacked reds, with various Bin and Gibson were collected from Angastonin Adelaide on January 24, 1964, during numbers, made at Saltram winery by by “Mr Henschke” (Cyril) who drove hisone of the state’s infamous heat waves. the young and then little-known Peter guests to the family home and winery nearOver the next few days, apparently without Lehmann.) On his first night at the hotel Keyneton in the Eden Valley, some 15kmcomplaining, he was driven to some of Simon was the guest of the Barossa Valley away. Simon surely tasted some of thethe major wine-producing regions - the branch of the Bacchus Club. He recalled Henschke wines. If he did, he apparentlyAdelaide foothills, McLaren Vale and that “the fare was surprisingly good”, and made no comment on them.the Barossa Valley. There was no time to the “delightful dinner” included Australianvisit the Clare Valley, or Coonawarra, or touches such as scallops, Angaston beef, Cyril Henschke then drove them toanywhere else. It’s easy to imagine the and Myponga cheese. “The tempo of the Yalumba, just east of Angaston, where theyexcitement among local communities who meal was leisurely,” he noted. This was were welcomed by Helen and Wyndhamwere holding functions for their exalted because, not surprisingly, there were Hill Smith and, as Simon wrote, a numbervisitor. Mrs David Hardy, who had with many wines to be served, with winemakers of their nephews, nieces and cousins. Forher husband hosted a barbecue lunch for anxious for the great man to taste their once, Simon complained of the heat, whichSimon at McLaren Vale on the Australia Day wines and give his opinion. Every wine he said was “terrific outside”. Fortunately,holiday, spelt out an important requirement was served masked, a custom that always inside was “comfortably cool…with electricof which Simon would have approved when irritated Simon immensely. This dinner was fans, of course”. The food was appropriateshe said: “We’re going to treat M. Simon as no exception. It gave members, he later for such weather and Simon thoroughlya normal person”. He must have grown tired wrote sarcastically, “their apparently dearly enjoyed, with the Hill Smith family, a coldof being forever in the limelight. loved opportunity to stand up and tell the lunch of langouste, “yabees” (which had company what they think each wine might become a favourite of his), cold meats Last time we left Simon and his fellow be before the winemaster tells all what the and a choice of “excellent salads”. Hetravellers, Victor Gibson, Wine and Food wine actually is”. also enjoyed “a sequence of refreshingSociety of Australia president and hiswife, Madge Gibson, enjoying lunch with Simon’s memory of all the details was quite extraordinarythe Gramps at Orlando, at Rowland Flat, and reflects not only a great brain but the gratitude ofwhere the temperature was 42.7C in the a great humanist.shade. He was then driven through thedry yellow hills of the Barossa, with their Simon’s guide, Victor Gibson, later Yalumba white wines: Carte d’Or Riesling,relieving patches of bright green vines, recalled that Simon’s memory of all the 1961 Rhine Riesling, 1962 Golden Ridgeto the picturesque towns of Tanunda and details was “quite extraordinary and and a 1962 Spatlese with the salad of freshAngaston. They were to spend the next two reflects not only a great brain but the peaches”. Later that day they returned tonights at the Angaston Hotel, at that time gratitude of a great humanist”. the Angaston Hotel where Simon must haverun by the legendary Frank Nichols and been relieved to have only a “very light,his wife, Jane. The hotel was famous for One of Simon’s well known quotations cold meal” with Frank and Jane Nicholsthe quality of its meals and its selection of adorned the menu: “Wine is the suitably and their daughter. It was washed downlocal wines, and also for its huge mural of fermented juice of the grape. Wine is the with the ubiquitous Seppelt’s Great WesternBacchus, which you can still see in the bar living blood of the grape. Wine is the most Brut, which helped the visitors wait untiltoday. It was requested that Simon be given wholesome and beneficial beverage, one midnight “before facing the stuffiness of“the best available room”, and also that he that is beyond compare as regards the an overheated bedroom”.be provided with an electric fan - a reminder antiquity, the ubiquity and the catholicityto us today of how different conditions were of its appeal”.only 50 years ago. (I well remember in the early 1960s visitingthe Angaston Hotel on several occasions26 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2015

SOUTH AUSTRALIA THE WINE STATEOPEN THE DOOR TOPREMIUM WINE

AtwistOF FATE\" Some people take alifetime to get to Paradise;I do it in 30 hours\".

WHAT MIKE ZEKULICH He purchased Cape Clairault in 1999STARTED before selling out to the Streickers.AS A LAST- Just before the 2001 terrorist attacks onMINUTE the World Trade Centre Towers, the New On his first visit to Margaret River, Streicker,HOLIDAY York Streicker family had been planning a native New Yorker, was instantly attractedDESTINATION its annual vacation to Syria and Lebanon. to the way of life and immediately beganCHANGE planning to return before he had even left!HAS TURNED But as the burning, smoking buildings In 2002 he acquired the Yallingup ProteaINTO A collapsed, the travel plans went with them. Farm (never having heard the wordsMARGARET So where to instead? Yallingup or protea six months earlier) andRIVER LOVE that began his increasing attachment.AFFAIR. One of the Streicker (pronounced Striker) Now 13 years and more than 30 trips sons working in London was urged by some later, his commitment to top quality grape of his mates to try a surfing trip to Margaret production and fine wines continues to River in WA. expand, with two marketing labels, one under Clairault and one under Streicker, the Today, this accidental link to the prime exclusive single vineyard boutique brand Australian winemaking region has seen the featuring the owners. Streicker family become one of the biggest winegrape growers in the region with Now when he goes to some of New York’s 200ha of vines and owner of the respected finest restaurants like 21 Club where his Clairault winery and property. wines can be found, he is treated like family. When asked by US friends how he can Much of the fruit produced is sold to other tolerate such long trips to get to Margaret winemakers, with the balance used for its River he has replied: “Some people take impressive Clairault and single vineyard a lifetime to get to Paradise; I do it in 30 boutique Streicker labels. hours.” So when John Harrison Streicker sits in his In an exclusive interview with Winestate 36th-floor office on New York’s 6th Avenue from his New York headquarters, the office tower, with some of the city’s greatest 72-year-old businessman/investor and landmarks like St Patrick’s Cathedral and grandfather said he was born and raised the Rockefeller centre before him among in New York City and educated at a the towers of concrete and steel, he knows Quaker high school, followed by Princeton it will not be that long before he is back University and then Yale Law School. His in Margaret River surrounded by vines grandfather was a lawyer and father a and enjoying every aspect of the region’s doctor, but although he went to law school magnificent natural features. he only practiced for a few years before going into the property business. Originally the tucked away picturesque 125ha property was called Cape Clairault Growing up, he said, his family did with vines first planted in 1976 by geologist drink wine, although “it was at a most Ian Lewis and his wife Ani. Lewis had been unsophisticated level”. sitting under a tree in the rugged red dirt of the WA outback when he decided he The initial Margaret River purchase by wanted to look at green not red, and be the father of four was the Yallingup Protea home with his wife and family. Farm, which not only had flowers but also grew grapes under contract. Next came Irish immigrant Bill Martin, who had built businesses in Australia and the US on pre-packaged garlic and specialty breads for supermarket shelves.Opposite page: Clairault Streicker owner John Streicker. Above left to right: Clairault Property and Clairault founders Ian and Ani Lewis with new owner John Streicker. May/June 2015 W I N E S TAT E 29

“At that point you would have had to consider my involvement closer to a hobby than a business,” Streicker said. “That changed as the years passed. As I made friends and became increasingly attracted to the region, I acquired another vineyard on Caves Road - a major district thoroughfare - and then another south of Margaret River that had formerly been owned by Evans and Tate. We were still just growing grapes (and flowers), but the wineries buying our fruit started receiving accolades. So we then decided to hold back some of our best grapes to produce a small quantity of our own wine. In 2006, with the help of winemaker Bruce Dukes, we made our first wine under the Streicker label. By then, the enterprise could no longer be considered a hobby. “My visits to Margaret River increased to three a year and I began getting involved in some charitable and civic activities.” Plans for Clairault/Streicker Wines include the step by step integrated progress of the domestic and export markets, which already include active Clairault sales in Dubai, Singapore, Korea, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia and China. A feature of the Clairault property is that it has three creeks and a permanent forest soak used extensively in the 19th century by weary horsemen and those on foot on the journey from Bunbury to Augusta. Other natural advantages include its elevation - 120m above sea level, higher than most in the state. The winery’s progress makes it a far cry from the stumbling early pioneering days for the Lewis family when $200 was all they had left after selling their Perth suburban home to pay for the property and a tractor, with their first wines made in the milking shed of the former dairy farm. Given the quality of his latest Margaret River investment, Streicker has every reason to be confident. Even so, he would be wise to remember former owner Bill Martin’s reference. When asked about the view that it is easier to make a small fortune in the wine industry by starting with a big one, Martin said he was frequently reminded of the advice Barone de Rothschild gave: “Winemaking is quite a simple business. Only the first 200 years are difficult.”Clairault Winery



PLANE CHOICESQantas places great trust in a three-member panel to select the right wines for its in-flight service. WINSOR DOBBIN from more than 150 different producers, showcasing the diversity of the Australian They meet three or four times a year - Tom industry and possibly helping to make the Carson, Vanya Cullen and Stephen Pannell. reputation of a small winery that gets a first Award-winning winemakers all, blessed or business class listing. with immense knowledge and extremely Qantas has shone at the “Cellars in the Sky” sharp palates. awards over the past four years, winning Their job - to decide what wines we will be awards including best overall wine cellar drinking when we fly with Qantas, whether and best-presented first class wine list. we are lucky enough to be flying first class, All wines served on Qantas are Australian, business class or in the cheap seats at with the exception of some New Zealand the back. wines on trans-Tasman flights and champagne at the sharp end; and Pannell\"We are looking for wines to be enjoyed is keen for Australian sparkling wines tonow, not cellared for a decade or more\". be served in the future. “I’d like to highlight the best sparkling wines from Australia, but At a cruising altitude of 12,000m the air volumes available and cost can be issues is dry and this means taste buds are less for the airline,” he says. sensitive and the sense of smell is slightly So what exactly are our trio, Carson diminished. from Yabby Lake and Heathcote Estate The panel has been together for almost in Victoria, Cullen from Cullen Wines in a decade and know exactly what to look Margaret River and Pannell from SC Pannell for. Theirs is a serious task, with Qantas Wines in McLaren Vale, looking for when investing over $15 million in wine each year. they test the many contenders? The airline is the third-biggest wine buyer in Winestate caught up with the trio at St the country behind Woolworths and Coles, Hallett winery in the Barossa Valley - big and its customers drink 2.5 million bottles red country - where they were tackling of wine per year. around 1100 contenders, all tasted blind, Carson, Cullen and Pannell have to select over three days. more than 250 different wines each year “The wines we choose have to show quality, balance and elegance, even at a young age,” says Carson, who is also chief judge at the Royal Melbourne Wine Show. “That’s32 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2015

different to a wine show where judges MAKING THE FLIGHTmay be looking for wines that will age fora decade or more. We are not looking Not all airlines go the same way about choosing their wines. Emirates,at the price of the wines; that doesn’t with 82 flights a week out of Australia, has a global list as it flies to overcome into consideration for this panel. 80 countries.The quality and drinkability of the wine Emirates’ senior vice-president of aircraft catering, Robin Padgett, says ais paramount. If it is a good wine then it panel of experts, including airline staff, decide which wines make the grade.goes on the list, whether that means first “Our policy is to select the best wines available to suit the cabin and routeclass, business or economy. Immediate requirement,” Padgett says. “The team that select wines, which includesaccessibility is one of the keys. We are our president Tim Clark, have great skill at choosing wines that will work atlooking for wines to be enjoyed now, not altitude, and also complement Emirates’ in-flight menus.cellared for a decade or more.” “All the team fly often and are able to compare how the wines develop inPannell says balance is key to choosing the air. Again, our experience of reviewing wines on the ground and in thethe right wines. “If something is out of air tells us that if it’s a brilliant wine on terra firma, it will still be a brilliantbalance, oak, acid or tannins, then that wine at altitude.will be accentuated when that wine is “Our wines are chosen by fine wine specialists. A pre-selection is madeconsumed in the air.” and presented to a panel, which includes Emirates’ senior management“Wines that are fresh and fruity tend to before a final selection is made.”taste better in the air than wines that are, Padgett says guidelines include looking for wines with good acidity assay, big and oaky,” Cullen believes. acidity tends to flatten at altitude, and the airline likes to have wines withAnd even small producers get the chance strong characteristics as they often show better.to shine. “There might only be a few cases “The key to Emirates’ wine offering is to ensure that there is a good mix,of some wines available, or there might which is attractive to varied palates, as well as offering wines from world-be thousands,” says Cullen. “They are all class producers who are recognised globally for their quality,” Padgett says.judged on their merit.” “Our policy is to serve wines when ready to drink, even with wines likePannell, who was a childhood friend of Bordeaux, which require a lot of ageing before reaching maturity. WeCullen - both their families were pioneers purchase a lot of our wine very early and it is then aged in France untilin Margaret River - says the panel has ready to be poured on board. Currently Emirates has enough Bordeaux“disagreements” all the time. “But in the wine to last until 2016. This is a massive investment not taken by many ofend you have to think about which wine our competitors.”will be best for the customer, whether Padgett says that while France plays a key role on all lists (and there isthat is a chardonnay or a new variety always a Bordeaux on board), “we love wine from all over the world. Welike a fiano.” are great fans of Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Argentina, Spain, the USA, South Africa… In fact anywhere that makes great wine”. Emirates is the world’s largest buyer of Dom Perignon Champagne, which is served in first class and Padgett says: “We are really lucky in having a strategy on wine that isn’t encumbered by the normal rules an airline would put on wine. Emirates has invested significant funds into a forward thinking, wine-buying strategy to ensure that we can always offer our passengers the best quality, choice and exclusive wines on board.” Left to right: Judges Tom Carson, Vanya Cullen and Stephen Pannell. 33 May/June 2015 W I N E S TAT E

CULTURAL Dan Traucki SHIFT Australia and India have a lot in common A GROWING AND MORE AFFLUENT MIDDLE CLASS IS starting with a British colonial history, the DRIVING INDIA’S FASCINATION WITH WINE. English language, love of cricket, through to sharing January 26 as their national day - Australia Day and India’s Republic Day. One massive variance in the respective cultures is their drinking habits. Australia has a proud history of wine drinking, whereas India is a whisky drinking nation, in fact India drinks more whisky each year than Scotland produces. India, the second most populous nation on earth consumes a mere 0.012 litres of wine per person - roughly six tablespoonfuls - per annum. Even the new comer to wine drinking, China, is nudging the 1 litre per person mark, while Australians consume around about 30 litres per person, according to the ABS.34 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2015

India’s a very challenging country for wine So in this surreal landscape how does to thrive in. Starting with its import duty of imported wine perform? Exact figures are 148 per cent – one of the highest import a bit hard to come by due to the five-star duty rates in the world. Each individual hotels being able to ship their own wine in. state then adds its own tax to the already However, a good indicator of the market is very expensive wine. Some states ban the that in 2013-2014 the top 10 wine importers sale of alcohol and most of those which shipped in just under 280,000 cases of do allow it place a hefty “registration” fee wine, with Pernod Ricard (mainly Jacobs on it, whereby the producer has to register Creek) being second with 50,000 cases. each individual label for a fee of around This drive by Pernod Ricard has recently $130 per annum and if there are any seen Australia leapfrog past France into changes on the label such as vintage, it the leading imported wine country position.A sure sign of must be re-registered. So by the time that However, over the last decade, despiteimproving quality a bottle of commercial quality wine has the country’s draconian liquor tax regimeis the fact that last reached a retail store, it costs more than and regulation, wine has been growingyear, for the first a bottle of premium wine would in most steadily in popularity. This is in part duetime, Indian wines other countries. to the growth of middle-class incomeswon medals at an and the aspirational lifestyle of manyinternational wine The next challenge for wine is the logistics. younger Indians, especially in the majorshow. In a country where it is always hot, there is cities. In a country where many people very little temperature controlled transport have traditionally frowned on alcoholAbove: Grover-Zampa wine-range. or storage available. While it is increasing consumption, thousands of people a yearOpposite: Grover-Zampa vineyard in Nashik. in availability, it is still substantially lacking. are acquiring a taste for wine. This trend is being particularly pushed by young women A further complication is a loophole in the who prefer to see their men drinking wine import duty law. For more than a decade (or beer) rather than the traditional whisky, the five-star hotels in India have been able which is so much higher in alcohol. In this to import duty free alcohol directly from way their partners are less likely to get overseas to a value equivalent to the foreign intoxicated than they are on whisky. exchange earned from their guests. So when you check out of an Indian five-star In this millennium young women have hotel you’ll be asked if you will be paying been entering the workforce in India in Aussie dollars, US dollars or just about like never before and their independent any other currency other than Indian rupee. income and increased status has slowly been lifting the taboo on women buying a One would think that these five-star hotels drink in public - at least in the major cities. would have become an oasis for wine It is estimated that less than 5 per cent of drinking, with affordably priced imported women in India currently consume more wines being offered. But alas, in my than one drink a year. experience most of these establishments charge prices almost as high as in retail, Subhash Aurora, founder of the very with the hotel pocketing the “super successful Delhi Wine Club and the Indian profit” generated by this bizarre piece of Wine Academy (some 14 years ago), legislation. May/June 2015 W I N E S TAT E 35

said that around 40 per cent of the club’s the largest wine producer in India, went into in India has the courage and foresight tomembers are women. Aurora said: “It is receivership in 2010 and out of business. plant some of these varieties that thrive inbasically a lifestyle drink anyway. So when warmer climates.ladies go out to outings and parties, before The tropical climate in most of India is notthey would not imbibe, now they say ‘OK, conducive to growing grapes, however, A sure sign of improving quality is the facta glass of wine is fine’.” in the higher altitudes up to 1000m when that last year, for the first time, Indian wines planted with the right aspect so as to won medals at an international wine show India has its own viable wine industry, avoid the hotter winds, vines do thrive and when the Grover Zampa Art Collectionwhich isn’t helped much by the various produce quality grapes. Sauvignon Blanc 2014 won the Sauvignonlevels of its own government. By far the Blanc International Trophy at the Decanterlargest wine company in India is Sula, The main varieties grown, like so many Asia Wine Awards, while other Indian wineswhich sells around 600,000 cases of wine other countries, are the classical European from Grover Zampa, Myra, Krsma and Foura year and has over 200,000 visitors to its varieties such as sauvignon blanc, chenin Season’s collected four silver medals andcellar door each year. Launched in 2000, blanc, viognier, chardonnay, cabernet five bronze medals between them in theSula has risen from first-year sales of 500 sauvignon and shiraz. In addition there competition.cases to surpass its longer established are some lesser-known varieties suchrivals. To complement its own wines, Sula as Isabella (called Bangalore blue) and While the Indian wine industry wrestlesalso imports around 15,000 cases of black muscat, both of which can be table with cultural and government issues, it doeswine. In second place is Grover Zampa, grapes as well as wine grapes. There are export some wine, mainly to the UK. In 2013which produces around 110,000 cases a also a few native Indian varieties which I this amounted to around 150,000 cases,year. There are about 90 smaller wineries, haven’t tried such as arkavati, arkashyam or roughly 10 per cent of the country’smainly in the states of Maharashtra which and anabeshahi. production. In 2011 Waitrose became thecontributes around 75 per cent of wine first British supermarket to stock Indianproduction and Karnataka (25 per cent), Given the warm to very hot growing wine when it listed Zampa Syrah and Rituwhich produce the balance of the estimated conditions in India, I think it would be very Viognier.1.4 million cases of Indian wine made interesting to see how some of the Iberian,each year. Greek or southern Italian native varieties I can remember the days when Australia would thrive and perform there, especially only exported 5-10 per cent of its wine Along the way Chateau Indage, which the whites. I could imagine one day drinking production, whereas today the figure iswas probably best known outside India for a very enjoyable Indian assyrtiko, athiri, around 65-70 per cent. So who knows, oneits sparkling Champagne Indage and was pecorino, verdejo, or verdelho and in the day we should be able to enjoy a quality reds lagrein, montepulciano, granacha Indian wine with our curry in an Indian or monastrell. Let’s hope that somebody restaurant nearby. Below: Inside the Alpine Winery.36 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2015

Where heritage meets contemporary chic.Grande Provence Estate offers a unique experience, from award-winning wines, complemented by stunning cuisine, to superb accommodation.Showcasing some of the finest South African contemporary art and boutiqueconference facilities. The Estate is proud to offer guests memorable experiencesat The Restaurant – The Tasting Room – The Jonkershuis – The Gallery –The Sculpture Garden – The Shop – The Owner’s Cottage – and La Provençale. Main Road Franschhoek PO Box 102 Franschhoek 7690 Western Cape South Africa T +27 (0)21 876 8600 F +27 (0)21 876 8601 E [email protected] www.grandeprovence.co.za@Grande_Provence Grande_Provence Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate

hrfLoeoigarwhcnhseeinwgA pioneering ‘flying’ winemakerwith a penchant for Bordeaux,Lowe is also a wine consultant andan accredited wine show judge.

Winsor Dobbin Variety is the spice of life for veteran illustrate the tour via a map available at He eventually became chief winemakerwinemaker David Lowe of Lowe Wines at cellar door. Accompanying this are stories and group vineyard manager. He alsoMudgee. explaining the history, geography and undertook vineyard risk management environment that make up this organic research that led to his identification of Lowe, who once worked his magic at vineyard, farm and winery. Highlights Orange as an alternative cool-climateRothbury Estate in the Hunter before include the biodynamic compost hill, grape growing region and today theheading to the Central West of New South rescue donkeys, a wooded picnic area, Orange region supplies grapes for severalWales, processes fruit across the regional access to Federation Hill with 360-degree wines in the Lowe and Tinja portfolios.spectrum. views of Mudgee and the chook palace - a fun example of waste through to art. A pioneering “flying” winemaker with a From his own property, which is certified penchant for Bordeaux, Lowe is also aorganic, come wines that reflect a warmer The property, settled by the Lowe family wine consultant and an accredited wineclimate, like shiraz and his flagship as a grazing property in 1829, is a labour show judge. He is also a prominent industryzinfandel. of love for Lowe and his partner Kim advocate and during his career has held Currie, a well-known foodie who oversees several key positions, including vice The Lowe family’s Tinja property has been an extensive cottage garden alive with president of the Winemakers’ Federationin the family for five generations and is the native plants, seasonal vegetables and of Australia, member of the strategichome of the vineyard, farm and winery. herbs. Currie, a former NSW Woman of the NSW Ministers’ Wine Advisory Council, Year, last year opened The Zin House - a vice president of the NSW Wine Industry And then there are wines from the high- communal, country-dining experience - on Association and president of the Mudgeealtitude Louee vineyards at Rylstone and the property. Wine Grape Growers Association.Nullo Mountain, acquired in 2010 andboth inside the Mudgee GI but with grapes With sweeping views across the farmland Sustainability and innovation are twogrowing at up to 1180m above sea level. and vines, the restaurant features largely of Lowe’s watchwords. “We specialise in homegrown produce. “This week’s menu small-batch wine-making using innovative That means there are always a wide reflects what grows, the time of year and techniques,” he says. “Our Mudgeevariety of styles on offer at cellar door, where we live,” says Currie. “It’s just real vineyards are untrellised, unirrigated andwhere Lowe boasts there, “is always a food cooked simply to be enjoyed with certified organic.winemaker on hand to illustrate the regional wine and friends.”similarities of our Nullo Mountain vineyard “They produce lower yields of distinctivelywith those in Germany and the links The restaurant, with dishes matched to individual grapes; one of four flagshipbetween the great vineyards of Spain and Lowe wines, is open for lunch Saturday, varieties being relatively unfashionablethat of Mudgee”. Sunday and public holidays. Private event zinfandel.” bookings at other times are welcome. And Lowe is happy to continue The formidable range also includesexperimenting, especially with his “Low Lowe’s passion for agriculture and wine lower-alcohol wines as well as the LoweAlcohol Project” - a research program in was nurtured during his school years Preservative Free and Organic Merlot.conjunction with Italian winemaker and and holidays on the family farm where heCharles Sturt PhD student, Rocco Longo. subsequently established an 8ha vineyard The Lowe cellar door and winery is in 1973. It has operated organically located a short drive from the Mudgee CBD “The trick is, of course, to maximise the since 2003. His first job was as assistant along Tinja Lane. It is open seven days aflavour while keeping the percentage of winemaker at Rothbury Estate where he week from 10am until 5pm for tastings ofalcohol relatively low,” Lowe says. He says worked for two giants of the industry - Len Lowe, Tinja and Louee wines.the percentage of alcohol in wines has Evans and Murray Tyrrell.gradually been increasing in recent years. Above: David Lowe educating visitors at the cellar door. Opposite page: David Lowe. “You would say that it could vary anywherebetween 11 and 14 per cent. More recentlyit has tended to be closer to 14 than 11.” Forthe 2015 vintage the project will be lookingat verdelho and petit verdot grapes. There is always something happening atTinja no matter the time of year, whether it beseasonal rustic vineyard lunches, vintageparties, tapas at dusk in summer or thechance to explore the recently introducedwalking and cycling track on the property.The trail highlights over 20 points of interestacross the Tinja property and local artistRachael Flynn was commissioned to May/June 2015 W I N E S TAT E 39

FOCUS SHIFTS TO 'warmer' STYLES Michael CooperNo single grape The wine regions of the upper North Island Samuel Marsden planted the firstvariety or style have just over 2000ha of plantings in 2015 - grapevines in New Zealand at Kerikeri indefines the less than 6 per cent of the national vineyard 1819 and James Busby made the first winedistrict, but that area. But from the east coast region of at Waitangi in 1840, but last year less thancan add to its Gisborne - the country’s largest until the 0.1 per cent of the country’s wine floweddiversity and mid-late 1980s - to Auckland, including its from Northland. The good news is that theinterest. key sub-regions of Waiheke Island, Kumeu/ region’s output is expanding and the latest Huapai and Matakana - and Northland, chardonnays and syrahs are well worth40 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2015 wine lovers can enjoy a stimulating line-up, discovering. including an intriguing new wave made from traditional Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and The major established winery is Marsden Austrian grape varieties. Estate, acclaimed for its powerful Black Rocks Chardonnay, mostly consumed in If you set out on the northern wine trail, its popular vineyard restaurant at Kerikeri. don’t expect to find many bottlings of three Marsden Estate recently celebrated its 20th of New Zealand’s most widely planted vintage, and also makes wine for several varieties - sauvignon blanc, riesling and other growers in the north. pinot noir. In the relative warmth of the north, most of the winegrowers are focusing on Classy wines have also started to flow chardonnay, pinot gris, merlot and syrah. from The Landing vineyard, on the Purerua Peninsula, in the northern Bay of Islands.

Peter Cooper, born in Kaitaia, has an In favourably dry seasons, the wines wet 2011 and 2012 growing seasons.investment firm with interests that include shine, with the whites offering strong, ripe, Indevin, which produces wine for Lionthe Britomart development in downtown stone-fruit flavours and moderate acidity,Auckland. On his coastal Northland and the reds reflecting the area’s warmth - owner of Lindauer, Corbans, Mortonproperty, which also boasts private in their substantial body and rich, spicy, Estate and other brands - has embarkedbeaches and luxury accommodation, earthy flavours. No single grape variety or on a major replanting program, Revive.Cooper has planted 10ha of vines, mostly style defines the district, but that can add Up to 50ha per year of mature vines withchardonnay, syrah and pinot gris, which to its diversity and interest. declining yields are being uprooted andwill establish The Landing as Northland’s replanted with chardonnay (60 per cent)largest wine producer. Visitors to Matakana are most likely to and pinot gris (40 per cent). encounter white wines made from pinot The lovely, hilly Matakana sub-region, gris or chardonnay, and reds based on Gisborne for many years promotednorth of Auckland city, was pioneered in merlot, cabernet franc or syrah. However, itself as the “chardonnay capital of Newthe late 1970s by The Antipodean, followed rarities such as roussanne, albarino, flora Zealand”, but the region is now keen toa decade later by Heron’s Flight and (a crossing of semillon and gewurztraminer, stress the diversity of its wines. At last year’sProvidence. Momentum gathered in the first planted at Matakana as pinot gris, but Gisborne Regional Wine Awards, five whiteearly to mid-1990s when Ransom, Brick later discovered to be flora), sangiovese, wines vied for the overall top prize - anBay, Ascension, Hyperion, Mahurangi dolcetto, petit verdot and carmenere can albarino, arneis, chardonnay, chenin blancEstate and Matakana Estate arrived on also be found. and gewurztraminer.the scene. The majority of the wineriesand vineyards are in fact in the Mahurangi The recent arrival of several young, The region’s winegrowers are developingdistrict, slightly south of Matakana, but professional winemakers in the district is a new promotional strategy. One of theirthe winegrowers have combined for also contributing to a new era of Matakana opening moves is a new brand statement:promotional purposes under the banner of wines. The whites are more aromatic and “Gisborne wines - surprise yourself”.Matakana Winegrowers. vibrantly fruity; the reds fresher and more lively. Opposite top right: Villa Maria’s Katoa Vineyard is a Although warm, Matakana is also often key source of fruit for its much-acclaimed Reserveovercast, wet and humid. In the district’s Optimism is also in the air in Gisborne, Barrique Fermented Gisborne Chardonnay.heavy clay soils, the winegrowers look which has 80 per cent of the vines inseriously at what they grow, and how they the upper North Island. Two favourable Above top right: In rolling hill country at Matakana,manage their vines. The best wines flow vintages in a row - 2013 and 2014 - have north of Auckland, Mahurangi River Estate producesfrom north-facing slopes. boosted confidence, especially after the a notably weighty, concentrated and complex Field of Grace Reserve Chardonnay. May/June 2015 W I N E S TAT E 41





winewordsS A R A H BO Y C E and S T E F A N O R A D I C IC L O V E LY E S TAT E - C H I E F W I N E M A K E R / W I N E M A K E RSKYE MURTAGHMixing personal with the professional winemaker I worked with in both France and new blends and some new styles, withmight not be every couple’s cup of tea, Mexico. He taught me to have great respect techniques adopted from other countries/but the blend is working out well for for the wine at every step of the production. regions, may be on the cards soon.Sarah Boyce and Stefano Radici who Stefano: I hope I can make some amazingcomprise the winemaking team at Clovely Are there any tips to having a harmonious wines from the Italian varieties that we growEstate in Queensland’s burgeoning South working relationship with your partner? because I know them very well and I’d likeBurnett wine region. The pair joined the Sarah: We both have our own roles. Stefano to use traditional methods with these toClovely clan in 2013 and for Sarah - runs the cellar, I take care of the lab and make their natural flavour shine.who was born in Wollongong but grew the paperwork, and we come together toup on the nearby Sunshine Coast - it discuss blends, styles, harvest times etc. Share with us your top reasons whywas a bit of a homecoming after many Plus we do our best to keep work at work. consumers globally should experienceyears travelling the world refining her Stefano: I think respect is always important wines produced in the South Burnettwinemaking craft. It was during those and a good sense of humour is a key wine region.travels she met Italian born Stefano to overcome the difficult moments (like Sarah: Varieties such as saperavi,while they were both working a vintage vintage). Also we try not to talk about work petit verdot, semillon and verdehlo doin New Zealand’s Marlborough region in when at home - to have a break from it. particularly well in this region. We stack up2009. Far from being love at first sight against anywhere with these wines and inacross a fruit-laden vine, it was, as Sarah What are some of the challenges of terms of value, prices are still much betterputs it “more like across the leesy floor working in what’s still a relatively new than in some more well-known regions.of a dirty tank”! Both have degrees in wine region? Stefano: We grow unusual varietiesviticulture and oenology, with Sarah’s Sarah: We’re still discovering what varieties (verdelho, barbera, alicante), we havestudy undertaken at Melbourne’s La work best up here and also what techniques very competitive prices and this is a veryTrobe University after she’d completed are best employed: how long to age etc. pretty region - just a short drive to Rainbowher first two vintages at Delatite Winery It’s still a question of experimenting, which Beach and Noosa.in Mansfield and Cakebread Cellar in has its positives and negatives.the Napa Valley. Stefano attended the Stefano: We’re still trying to understand What are some of the exciting thingsUniversity of Milan after spending time in which varieties work better. The marketing coming up at Clovely Estate?a viticultural nursery and carrying out a is also difficult because to build a good Sarah: We’re very pleased to say ourvintage in Tuscany. With a growing family image you need consistency through many barbera will be back after 2015. After a fireof their own, the pair plan to keep the vintages and in Queensland we are just wiped out the majority of the block in 2012,suitcases in the cupboard for now while now understanding how to do this with it has slowly been retrained and finally itthey make their mark at Clovely Estate. our climate. has produced enough to put out a single varietal. It’s a long way off release at theYour winemaking journeys have seen How are you both hoping to make your moment, but it’s already looking fantasticyou both travel extensively. Where’s the mark on the Clovely Estate wines of the and we’re very excited about it.most interesting place you’ve worked? future? Stefano: In June we’ll have one of ourSarah: Definitely Mexico - another Sarah: We both have a lot of experience “Winemaker Dinners” at the cellar door inupcoming region with very back to basic in different areas around the world and Red Hill. Here the guests will have a chancetechniques, but very innovative ideas. some new ideas we’d like to try out. Some to taste some of the finest foods of the SouthSome amazing wines are coming from lots Burnett matched with our wines.and lots of hard work.Stefano: Mexico. They produce some greatwines. The people are lovely and veryhumble. It was interesting to work with manysmall batches of different wine.Who’s taught you the most about wineand winemaking so far?Sarah: My first ever vintage under RosieRitchie was such an eye opener and sucha steep learning curve, but she offeredfantastic guidance and it was a vintage Iwill never forget.Stefano: Hugo da Costa, the Mexican44 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2015

How would you describe your personal spoke English. Once he heard I was about What’s your favourite wine accessory?wine collection? to start in France as an assistant winemaker Sarah: I have a simple ISO glass fromSarah: Since I’ve travelled so much with no he was keen to show off everything and Delatite, from my first ever vintage. It’s notfixed address over the last 10-12 years it’s explained he’d just had some rich clients worth anything but it’s a memory of wherequite minimal, although I have a beautiful in tasting his best wines and offered to let I started out and a reminder of how far I’vebottle of 2003 Barale F. LLI Castellero me taste through them since they were all come and how much I’ve learnt. It takesBarolo that’s probably due to be opened open. It was amazing! Some truly beautiful pride of place in my glass cabinet!and may be a good one for our July wines. He directed me in particular to a Stefano: It’s a cork screw from V. Sattui - thecelebration when (the next) bub is born. bottle of 2003 Chateau Guadet Saint-Julien first winery I worked for overseas. It’s inStefano: My wine collection is divided Grand Cru. That was gorgeous and at 30 Napa Valley and it was my first time outsidebetween my family house in Italy, Sarah’s Euros wasn’t too far out of my price range. of Italy - a great experience.house in Noosa and up here in our house in So I enjoyed a glass and bought a bottle,Goomeri, so it’s a bit messy. The best bottle and it, too, really needed to be opened How have your wine tastes changed overhas to be 2002 Refosco “Dorigo”. and enjoyed! the years? Stefano: It’s a sauvignon blanc from Miani in Sarah: The more I learn about winemaking,Name the most memorable bottle of wine the north east of Italy. I went and visited this the more I learn to appreciate the differenceyou’ve ever consumed. little winery with a couple of friends. It was between truly handcrafted wine that showsSarah: I was in St Emilion in France sunset and the house/winery was on top of the true passion and personality of thewandering around alone, not really sure a beautiful hill. He showed us around and winemaker and large-scale commercialhow to go about visiting the wineries (my then invited us to try some wine. He was so products. The complexity, flair and integrityFrench is terrible!) and I stumbled into a charming, humble and full of knowledge - I in a bottle of handcrafted wine is hard tolittle bottle shop just to have a look and was very impressed. beat.started chatting to the owner, who luckily Stefano: Not much really, I’ve always liked elegance and balance in a wine. May/June 2015 W I N E S TAT E 45

melbournegrapevineHILARY McNEVINTHE suburbs are getting more interesting Elsternwick; phone (03) 9532 7765. to the pizza ovens in Ovest - there wasn’tin terms of food and drink offerings as the After two and a half years of refining the much else in the huge space at the time -Melburnian’s desire for good coffee and and see how it cooked. They wanted crisp,great food in a smart environment reaches design and concept, the blueprint for the robust dough for the core of Ovest’s menu,well beyond the boundary of the inner-city revamp of Carlton’s King & Godfree has which features margherita and napoletanaand its immediate suburbs. been finalised. pizzas alongside discs topped with prawn, zucchini, mint and ricotta or sardine and In early March, Glover’s Station opened The Italian deli and food retail store, smoky scarmorza cheese. Sisley, whoin the south-east suburb of Elsternwick. A established in 1884 on the corner of was head chef at St Kilda pizzeria Mr Wolfsimple drive past the old Tudor building was Lygon and Faraday streets, was bought before spending the past two years as aall it took to grab the attention of business by the late Carlo Valmorbida in 1955 and food stylist, is heading up the kitchen andpartners and couple, Jim Maranis and is still owned by the Valmorbida family. Of Rogers will keep running his bakery butMary Jane Daffy, who were looking for a the new development, Carlo’s grandson offer support. The menu also includes barnew site after Maranis sold his Bentleigh Jamie Valmorbida says: “what we’re snacks such as salumi plates and buffalocafe, Little Tommy Tucker. creating is a retail and dining precinct, a mozzarella with bresaola so “people can collection of smaller independent brands just stop by for a drink and a snack if they Maranis and Daffy initially walked in to all complementary to one another, centred wish”, says Sisley, as well as enjoy largerfind broken concrete and dirt on the floor of around Italian provenance, food and wine”. dishes  such as chicken schnitzel withthe building that had been vacant for three Jamie’s sister, Lisa, opened gelateria coleslaw, nicoise salad and pork and vealyears. They have significantly rebuilt and Pidapipo at 299 Lygon St late last year. lasagne. The site was a former bank, thendesigned the venue with Richmond-based The second stage to open will be a a card-playing club. It has reemergedstudio, Larritt-Evans, using the concrete neighbouring wine bar and store at 297 with bar seating for up to 20 at the front,emblem that sits in the wall of the front Lygon - formerly a fashion boutique - that including outside tables and seating for 50courtyard as the core of the design. It’s a will have an underground cellar where in the dining room. The space, designed byclassic and timeless design starting with “high-end wines will be the focus,” says Fitzroy studio Mcleod Design, is filled withthe front courtyard where wooden bench Valmorbida, the ground level will be more natural light and finished with parquetryseating and established jacaranda trees casual with wines on tap, by-the-glass, flooring and pale Thonet timber chairs.have been installed. The dining room is half-carafe and carafe. The wine shop The wine list, by Trembath and Taylor, hasfinished with tartan banquettes, bluestone and its cellar, which is yet to be named, an Italian focus punctuated with interestingmetallic pavers in herringbone across the will have seating for up to 60, including Australian drops and the restaurant’sfloor and tables made by Collingwood- outside dining. branding has been sharpened by Ortolanbased craftsman Earl Pinto. studio in Carlton North. It will be open What is currently King & Godfree at Tuesday to Sunday from 4pm with a view to The menu by chef and third business 293 Lygon will close in October to be introducing weekend lunches by the end ofpartner Brett Hobbs, who was formerly redesigned. There will be an espresso bar July. 572 Barkly St, West Footscray; phonewith Maranis at Little Tommy Tucker and at at the front with panini and casual meals (03) 9687 7766.Maze Bar & Grill before that, is reminiscent such as meatballs and lasagne, and theof the food he grew up with in his hometown deli and retail outlet will be behind it. To Above & below: Renovations begin at King & Godfree,of Echuca. add to the precinct, the vacant space Lygon Street. on Faraday St where the first Pidapipo Hobbs says they’ll take on classic pop-up appeared in late 2013 with be ansandwiches like corned brisket rolls Italian restaurant. Valmorbida says they areor ox tongue sandwiches, but with a currently “in negotiations” will some chefscontemporary edge such as the braised ox but who will take it on is yet to be decided.tongue on toast with onion puree, mustard The wine bar and store is due to open mid-butter and pickles, and old-school desserts 2015 and the espresso bar and deli will belike lemon posset with coconut sponge operating by Christmas.and his nan’s butter crumble. Hobbs saysthat the menu will be tied into the heritage 293 Lygon St, Carlton; phone (03) 9349of the building and be seasonal, which is 2217.evident in the braised lamb shoulder withcauliflower and barley salad or the tomato Getting the dough just right was the firstsalad with smoked curd, basil and quinoa. priority for chefs Ben Sisley and AlexCoffee is by Duke’s and there’s an espresso Rogers, whose pizzeria, Ovest, openedand pour-over available. Glover’s Station earlier this year in Footscray West. Theis open daily from 7am to 5pm and there new business partners, and old friends,are plans to open Thursday to Saturday started trialing the pizza dough recipenights by the end of July. 258 Glen Eira, at Rogers’ Seddon bakery, Sourdough Kitchen. They would then drive the dough46 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2015

brisbanegrapevine LIZZIE LOELPADDINGTON in Brisbane’s inner west Paddington hills make this an easy-going dressing, barramundi is pan searedhas a charming, village-like atmosphere, venue for a casual meal. American-style and added to a clam and sea vegetablewith lovely old shop fronts boasting great cheeseburger with yellow mustard, pickles, cazuela, and goat barbecoa and greenshopping, rolling verdant hills and lots and onion and fries makes the list, as does mole is a cracker of a dish for groupslots of cafes. southern fried buttermilk chicken with to share as is 12-hour beef cheeks with crushed pesto potato salad and slaw, and Mexican rice and Pedro’s grandmother’s And while the main street, Given Tce, is slow roasted pork belly with more slaw, pork ribs with jalapeno sauce, pickled chilliburgeoning with both newly minted and this one scented with ginger and orange. and lashings of fresh coriander. 6/61 Petrieold favourites, neighbouring Rosalie, also Things veer off the southern path though Tce, Brisbane; phone (07) 3368 2666.quite the culinary hub, has a new player. and head into Asia, Mexico, Spain andThe Bounty opened before Christmas Europe. Chilli con piggy nachos and chilli Across town there’s some serious pizzaand is the second venue for Cameron con piggy quesadilla with Monterey Jack going down at two new hotspots run byMurchison, who previously co-owned the cheese is a delicious way to fly the Tex-Mex a couple of veteran Italian restaurateurs.much-lauded Esquire on the river in the flag, spaghetti pomodoro with prawns, basil Gianni Greghini opened his eponymouslyCBD. Unlike his previous multi-awarded and goat’s cheese, and croquetas with named Gianni in the CBD about a decadeendeavour, The Bounty is pared back bravas sauce puts Southern Europe on ago in partnership with chef Javier Codinaand very casual, designed for locals and the map, and Thai corn fritters and crispy and they went on to open Gianni Eventsfamilies to use on a regular basis. It’s skin barramundi with coconut quinoa and at Portside Wharf in the north of the cityopen all day and weekend breakfasts red curry sauce take us on a Thai stopover. and Gusto di Gianni, a 200+ seat bistroare proving extremely popular, especially 261 Given Tce, Paddington; phone (07) overlooking the river. Gianni’s Kitchen isdishes like coddled eggs with smoked 3368 3193. his latest baby, this one a very colourful,trout and asparagus, chorizo hash with casual spot, with a giant mosaic-linedfried eggs and summer fruits with organic Take a trip up past the famous Suncorp pizza oven that pumps out perfect crusts,yoghurt and gingerbread. Dinner has the Stadium, the Caxton Hotel, which literally charry bases and deliciously traditionaloption of simple, tasty bar food - think heaves on game nights to The Barracks topping like margherita, classic calzoneschicken wings with potato gravy, salumi of Complex, home to various restaurants, and Gianni’s personal favourite, mozzarella,the day, burrata, heirloom tomatoes and including The Chelsea, Libertine and Parma ham, rocket and grana padano.anchovy grissini - or you can sit on comfy Peasant. There’s a full menu, which can be enjoyedbanquettes in the dining room and tuck into in the leafy courtyard out the front or youthe likes of seared scallops with pork belly Cabiria, owned by Jamie Webb, who also can hunker down in the adjacent deli for aand squid ink, eggplant and goat’s cheese owns Peasant and various other venues sandwich or a serious board of antipasto.pie and roasted duck in red curry. Groups around town, has recently morphed into 5 Kyabra St, Newstead; phone (07) 3056go for larger offerings of pot-roasted lamb Los Villanos, a colourful little spot with 1766.shoulder with red pepper crust or a grilled great food and a party-like ambience.OP rib with bearnaise and garlic potatoes. Snacks, tacos, tostadas and quesadillas Across the river in Southbank there’s a6/165 Baroona Rd, Rosalie; phone (07) sound pretty basic but they’re anything new development opposite GoMA and3368 1201. but. Pulled pork is deliciously indulgent the Queensland Art Gallery. On the corner especially topped with grated cheese, but of Fish Lane and Grey St, and in a lovely Jumping on the current “southern fried a charred pineapple salsa cuts through the old brick building, Julius Pizzeria haseverything” craze is Cayenne Kitchen on richness with finesse and a spiky finish. risen. Again we have a marvellous woodGiven Terrace in the heart of Paddington. fired oven taking centre stage in the openVivid red walls and striking views of the Kingfish ceviche has a tangy verde kitchen. Large brick arches separate the dining space from the well-stocked bar, the menu is traditional and not unlike its sister restaurant, the Newstead institution Beccofino, owned by partners Paulo Biscaro and Cordell Khoury. There’s a range of typical pasta dishes like pappardelle with duck and tomato ragu, orecchiette with broccoli, anchovies and toasted breadcrumbs and that classic linguine ai gamberi, cherry tomatoes, king prawns, garlic and chilli. 77 Grey St, South Brisbane; phone (07) 3844 2655. Top: The Bounty interior. May/June 2015 W I N E S TAT E 47

sydneygrapevineELISABETH KINGWHAT’S a good plan after being named studded with spanner crab, soy and broad spiced pork slider with Creole mayobest cafe for food in The Sydney Morning beans, and shiitake mushrooms. The slow- or Lyonnaise sausage rolls with rumHerald Good Cafe Guide 2014? Keep the cooked whole neck of lamb with Sichuan and pineapple relish. Desserts changeoriginal premises and open a second, pepper sauce was fork-soft and needed frequently and the wine list rests its cred onmuch larger venue proved a smart strategy only boiled rice as a foil. The sweets alone superior French and Australian wines. Thefor Derek and Noni Puah and Zacharay are worth struggling to find a parking Butler, 123, William St, Potts Point; phoneTan. By day, Devon on Danks keeps locals spot near this popular restaurant hub. (02) 8354 0742.and brunch fans happy with doughnuts, For cool refreshment, look no further thancronuts and signature breakfasts such as S.E.A vacherin - kalamanis curd, pandan Pyrmont is jam-packed with some ofDr Seuss’s Green Egg and Ham. By night, bavarois and granita, loquat sorbet and the most expensive apartments withinan Asian-inspired menu reflects the rich meringue. But for those who appreciate walking distance of the CBD. The highculinary heritage of Penang - the home an unerring blend of intricate textures and real estate prices are generated bytown of the Puahs and Tan. Filling the flavours, the tofu fa, gula melaka and ginger spectacular water views. A cash-in-handWaterloo site formerly occupied by two of ice cream balances opposing components guarantee that also works strongly forthe area’s iconic eateries - Danks Street so precisely they meld into a uniformed LuMi Bar & Dining, where the floor-to-Diner and Danks Street Depot - the night whole that pops in the mouth. A curated ceiling windows frame Pyrmont Bay. Awas hot and humid when we walked into collection of beers and a wide-ranging wine collaboration between cutting-edge chef,the 90-cover corner space. There’s a sleek list offers something for every taste from Federico Zanellato, and the Drakopoulosbar, huge blackboard menu and separate Rheingau rieslings to organic sav blancs dynasty of Sydney Restaurant group, LuMiarea for serious fans of Tan’s risk-taking from across the Tasman. Devon By Night, is a must-visit if you want to impress newculinary approach that rarely misses the Devon on Danks, Wednesday to Saturday, 2 or longstanding romantic partners or wowmark. Tan honed his love of French cuisine Danks St, Waterloo; phone (02) 9698 7795. important visitors to Sydney. Zanellatoat Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney, after deciding cut his teeth at Copenhagen’s Noma,he didn’t want to be a pharmacist. Over The Butler is also ensconced in a which has regained its top ranking on Santhe next few years he worked in a string landmark restaurant site, once filled Pellegrino’s World's 50 Best Restaurantsof high profile restaurants - Jimmy Liks, by such iconic eateries as Butler’s and list, Attica in Melbourne and Ormeggio atPier, Guillaume at Benelong and Bistro Mezzaluna. But the draw card that has The Spit, one of Sydney’s leading ItalianGuillaume in Melbourne. Teaming with kept the premises such a favourite for restaurants. At LuMi, diners can watch thethe Puahs in 2013, the trio opened the several generations of Sydney diners - a staff plate up if they can drag their eyesDevon Cafe - named after its location in knockout view of the city skyline - remains away from the view. The chefs bring theDevonshire St, Surry Hills, not the tasteless as compelling as ever. Owners Harris dishes to the sleek, Danish-inspired tablessausage meat. Tan’s Lobster Roll has a cult Watts and Ben Carroll of the Applejack on earthenware, not standard issue whitefollowing and also made the move to Danks Hospitality Group (Bondi Hardware, SoCal) dinnerware. One of the most original dishesSt. It didn't really fit in with the other Asian are behind the French colonial refit - is Evergreen - a herbalist’s delight of sorrel,dishes we ordered but we just had to have leather banquettes, wicker cane chairs lemon basil, shiso and parsley used toit - a light brioche roll filled with fresh-as and plenty of plants. Many people drop flavour a refreshing assortment of granita,shellfish, radish and tatsoi. The rest of the by for the expertly made cocktails - sorbet and jelly. Menu degustations are theafter-dark menu is tightly edited, flowing Dynamite Sour, Cognaquiri and La Mule. thing but you can order a la carte if you arethrough eight headings from snacks to Under the exhortations - Mangez Bien, in the mood for battered zucchini flowerslarger and solo eats. Share plates are a Riez Souvent and Aimez Beaucoup (Eat with Italian nuoc cham or lamb cutletsdefault position even for two from piquant Well, Laugh Often and Love A Lot), the Milanese style and cocktail sauce. The veryopeners such as live pippies in Mamak Menu Alimentaire begins with Seafare, comprehensive wine list has a strong Italianstyle dry curry and charred jumbo quail, including roast snapper fillet, heritage bent but winds through Europe from Austriagreen salad of cucumber, green tomatoes carrots, dukkah and eel butter to Tabasco to France, with a smattering of Australianand pickled chilli. Solo eats that skewer prawns, mango salsa and coconut quinoa. bottlings for local effect. That over-usedyour attention range from honeycomb beef The Field Folly section appeals to heartier adjective “stunning” is fully merited fortripe with sweet soy glaze to sate bibi - appetites from duck sausage, confit leg, both the venue and the food. LuMi Bar &Penang Hainanese-style pork sate with pickled beetroot and celery to slow-roasted Dining, 56 Piramimma Rd, Pyrmont; phonesweet potato sauce. But be warned. When saltbush lamb shoulder, sage, gribiche. (02) 9571 1999.the menu says larger dishes are on the For anyone simply feeling peckish, there’sway, it means it. Our servers, a slick young some inspired snacks such as beef and Above Left: Food platter at Devon Cafe.American of Asian heritage, and Penang-born Jackie, made sure we were steeredin the right direction with their informativeand attentive service. Out came cooked-to-quivering-perfection Chinese egg custard48 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2015

hong konggrapevineivy ngHONG KONG may be better known for piped churros, with salted caramel and harbour. Spoon by Alain Ducasse at thethe buzzing cosmopolitan life, but our coconut ice cream! The wine list features Intercontinental Hotel is the perfect spot,beaches are well worth a trek if you can an extensive range of wines by the glass, with impeccable service and meticulouslysqueeze in the time. The latest venture carafe or bottle, even a 2006 Hill of Grace executed creations of the finest Asianof the Maximal Concepts Group is a ($12,600/$A2000). Phone +852 2866 8668. ingredients in the French tradition. Themust-visit - beachfront casual chic dining. Experience Menu ($1588/$A263) offersThe decor and furnishings are the clever Downtown, The Continental, overseen a journey of innovative and flamboyantreproduction of a retro beach-shack, with by chef Rowley Leigh, is the new darling gastronomy (with two wine pairing options:light bulbs fitted to beach showerheads, of Pacific Place, offering both indoor and Authentic at $1288/$A214, and $888/retro-style leather armchairs and simple outdoor options. For jetsetters familiar with $A147, for Mediterranean). The menu is awhite partitions. The dining area and the bar The Wolesley in London, the interior design haven for vegetarians, including vegetable,open out to the beach. On a warm, balmy of The Continental might resonate a note of fruit and mushroom salad ($320/$A53),evening, it is worth arriving earlier to enjoy familiarity - both works of the same designer. oven-baked organic egg, with girolles,the last specks of twilight over an exotic Nestled in a conservatory-like space, cep, citrus and salicornia ($310/$A51) andcocktail (check out the burnt calamansi surrounded by glass walls, the crystal Ducasse’s signature cookpot of seasonaland salted plum margarita!). The cuisine ball lighting exudes warmth and sparkle. vegetable and fruit ($300/$A50), perfectlymixes Caribbean, Thai and Vietnamese Ambiance is lively, without being intrusive, textured and packed with intensely truffledconcepts, with a focus on fresh ingredients echoed by the choice of forest green colour jus. For more substantial flair, try theand dishes for sharing. Top for sharing for the upholstery, against the brass and steamed duck foie from Les Landes, apple-are pork skin chicharron guacamole, with beech wood furnishing. The designer grapes ($420/$A66), sealed cocotte ofavocado, sea urchin, ikura and tortilla chips was perhaps a little ambitious with the lumaconi-lobster-truffle ($790/$A131), line-($120/$A19), scallop and banana tartare, seating capacity, making the banquettes caught seabass with cep, onion, pork bellywith Jalapeno vinaigrette and sesame a little challenging in accessing. Where ($750/$A124), suckling pig, forestiere-styleseeds ($125/ $A21), jerked coconut corn, weather and time permits, the outdoor garnish ($660/$A109) and beef tournedos,with Sriracho mayo and toasted coconut tables offer an oasis among the hustle foie-gras black truffle tortellini ($790/($75/$A12) and Vietnamese fish taco, with and bustle of Pacific Place. Star starters $A131). If you don’t have room for the Babaavocado, lime and Asian slew ($135/$A22). include griddled scallops with chestnut with Armagnac of your choice, or the saltedFish-lovers would like the deep-fried Thai- puree, shiso and lemon ($175/$A29) and butter caramel souffle ($160/$A27 each),style whole snapper ($295/$A49) - filleted raw tuna with ginger dressing ($145/$A24). don’t turn down the divine petits fours andfish deep-fried, flavoured with lemongrass, Vegetarians will love the roast tomatoes, homemade marshmallow pieces! Wines bykaffir lime, scallion and green peppercorn beetroot, puy lentils and pickled garlic the glass are pricey but well designed toand plated in the shape of a snapper. Be ($155/$A26). The Josper grill produces pair with the menu. Phone +852 2313 2256.sure to order the Hawaiian roasted baby some delicious offerings: Dingley Dell porkpig leg in advance as portions are limited. chop, with polenta, Swiss chard and sage For light bites and an alternative skylineThis comes with ginger, orange marmalade butter ($255/$A42) and the tender and juicy view over a few drinks, try the terrace ofand pineapple glaze ($395/$A66). To reach L’Imperial pigeon with pea puree, pancetta On Dining Kitchen and Lounge. Thecarnivore heaven, share the succulent and and croutons au jus ($365/$A61). Open view from the top floor of 18 On Lan St,perfectly executed BBQ Australian Wagyu for breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner, The Central, is of the Central and Western1kg prime rib, with green chili chimichurri Continental belongs to the Swire Group districts – is the ideal place to watch theand roasted garlic, with two or three people restaurants, with the wine list designed sunset with one of Giancarlo Mancino’s($1280/$A212), and order the sweet potato by Yvonne Cheung, one of HK’s top-rated famous cocktails. This latest venture is ashoestring fries, spicy aioli and chili lime sommeliers/beverage directors, known for partnership of four talents, chef Philippesalt. Leave room for the decadent hand- her passion to put lesser-known gems on Orrico (Upper Modern Bistro), Nicolas the wine list! Reasonably priced by-the- Deneux (sommelier, formerly Grand Hyatt), glass selection, from $70/$A12, per glass Jeremy Evrard (formerly Four Seasons) for a Melon de Bourgogne (white) and $75/ and mixologist extraordinaire Giancarlo $A13, for Valpolicella (red) served from Mancino (formerly Otto e Mezzo). The magnum. Phone +852 2704 5211. extensive beverage list is printed on the back of an old gramophone jacket. Most views are best from a height, but The restaurant downstairs delivers the how about this breathtaking view of multi- signature dishes of Orrico and Evrard’s coloured brilliance of the neon-lit Central cheese selection cannot be missed. Phone Business District reflected in Victoria +852 2174 8100. Harbour waters, from the ground floor in Tsimshatsui, Kowloon? Arguably, the Above Left: The Continental. better view between the two sides of the

adelaidegrapevineNIGEL HOPKINSFOR many customers 2KW Bar and harissa with coriander and finger lime, local a bargain at $27 with the option of tacklingRestaurant will be all about location, tommy ruffs with almond cream and a salad the two dessert trolleys for an extra $9 -despite convoluted access via two lifts, of steamed beetroot and citrus segments, anyone for choux pastry swans filled withwith panoramic rooftop views over northern and richly-flavoured slow-cooked octopus chantilly cream?Adelaide. The first entertainment venue in with kipfler potatoes, chorizo sausage andAdelaide to sit atop a state heritage listed romesco sauce. For more casual dining The surroundings are still rather designerbuilding - the former Bank of New South there’s a bar menu in the rooftop garden hotel style and have yet to develop the rightWales building at 2 King William St, in with pizzas and toasties - and that stunning clubby ambiance, but these are early days.Adelaide’s CBD -  it breaks new ground, view of the city - on the terrace. There’s an A feature of the hotel is its rooftop terrace,or should that be reaches new heights extensive wine list but the bargain buys are unfortunately with restricted access foreight floors above the new Jamie’s Italian. the house wines straight from the barrel, guests only at this stage, but it makes aWith panoramic views through high glass made specifically for 2KW. Lunch and great venue for a pre-dinner drink.screens to all of northern Adelaide, even dinner daily. 2 King William St, Adelaide;into the backyard of Government House phone (08) 8212 5511. Lunch Monday-Friday, dinner daily. 45across the road, it’s certainly a spectacular King William St, Adelaide; phone (08)site. It was also very expensive to create, Adelaide’s newest hotel restaurant, the 8210 8899.costing a reputed $4.5 million. As co- Mayflower, has a determined back toowner Martin Palmer says: “Many things the future feel about it, at least on its menu. Another opening and another starwill set 2KW apart, not least of which Located in the basement of the recently international chef at the Adelaide Casino,are the stunning 180 degree-plus views to opened Mayfair Hotel, the recycled 1930s which is clearly making a huge andthe north - from the hills to the coast - and former Colonial Mutual Life building in the expensive effort to create a new image asalso south back down King William St, heart of the city, it’s a trip back to Adelaide’s an upmarket food hub. Madame Hanoiwhich offers a view of nearly every iconic posh culinary past. Bar & Bistro follows hot on the heels ofbuilding in Adelaide.” But 2KW also Sean’s Kitchen, Sean Connelly’s latestprovides a flexible range of intimate dining Perhaps inspired by her acquisition of venture, which opened in the former Northspaces, from communal table to window several vintage food trolleys cast off by restaurant after a multi-million dollar refitseats and cabanas, along with an attractive another hotel, all now perfectly restored, late last year.menu of small and medium-sized dishes executive chef Bethany Finn is providing adesigned to share. While many restaurants touch of old Adelaide with classic hotel fare Now just around the corner - and, liketalk about shared dishes, not all of them given the same sort of recycled treatment Sean’s Kitchen, opening directly on to themake it an attractive option as dishes get as the building itself. street so customers don’t have to enterhacked into and thoroughly messed up. the casino - we have Madame Hanoi, aExecutive chef Nick Finn is a rising star Typical dishes include a puff pastry French-Vietnamese bar and restaurantwhose dishes are genuinely designed to topped lobster bisque en croute with opened by award winning chef Nic Watt.make sharing an attractive option - even brandy butter, snails bourguignonne, Like Connolly, Watt also has a restaurantthe steaks are pre-sliced to make sharing whole King George whiting with lemon at Auckland’s Skycity - Masu by Niceasy, something you might expect at their butter caper sauce – even a classic prawn Watt, which he opened after an extensiverelatively high price. Among the many cocktail, politely served on a white paper period working in top-level restaurantsvery good dishes standouts include the doily, something that she never believed in London. A  passionate lover of  Asianpink snapper sashimi on a pungent green she’d ever do. cuisine, and with a particular affinity for Japanese cuisine, Watt was instantly drawn But the highlight is the lunchtime carvery to Vietnamese food while visiting Vietnam. trolley, ranging from leg of lamb on Monday At  Madame Hanoi, his desire to  feature to beef rib on Friday with all the trimmings, dishes that are both uniquely Vietnamese and unmistakably French sit alongside dishes that harmoniously blend the two. The breakfast menu is predominantly French, with a selection of pastries, fruit compotes, and toasted ham and cheese sandwiches, while the all-day menu is designed for sharing with a selection of small plates. Lunch and dinner daily. North Tce, Adelaide; phone (08) 8218 4166. No bookings except for larger groups. Above: 2KW Bar and Restaurant kitchen and exterior.50 W I N E S TAT E May/June 2015