Best’s Great Western? A little birdie tweeted to me….

Almost two weeks ago I went down to the post office and picked up a parcel which contained a threesome of wines – Best’s Great Western’s latest offerings from the Great Western wine region in Victoria.  Best’s has decided to become one of the forerunners of the age of social media, by using Twitter and it’s little blue bird, to hold the what is now known as a “Tweet-Up” to promote the brand’s new releases.  For those unfamiliar with Twitter and tweeting, a Tweet-Up is where the community can get onto Twitter and, during a specified period of time, get involved with each other and talk about a particular topic, which of course, in this case, is tweeting about Best’s new releases from the Great Western range.  The threesome I had the great opportunity to taste, newly released today, were the 2010 Riesling, the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2009 Bin No 1 Shiraz.

Given my marketing background, and many years in the wine industry, I have, as of late last year, embraced social media.  Twitter has become a valuable tool for anyone promoting their brand, but also to engage in conversations directly with the key people behind the brand, and their consumers of the product.  With over 140 years of history in the Australian wine industry, it is great to see some of our earliest producers, such as the likes of Bests, embracing new technologies, and engaging directly with their consumers to share information and new products.

I urge you to get in on the action.  Not only will you discover what everyone else thinks about wine, but you will learn from others, share you own knowledge, and meet a lot of great people.  Not only is it great for social networking, but most producers will let you know about new releases, special offers, and events, often before other forms of media are aware of them.   For more information on the Best’s Great Western Tweet Up today, join in the conversation at www.twitter.com, and type in the hashtag #bestswines to see all the happenings from today’s event!

Here’s my thoughts on the new releases from Best’s Great Western range I tasted today.

Best’s Great Western 2010 Riesling

Colour: Pale Straw

Bouquet: A heavenly nose.  Lanolin, bath salts, a gorgeous lifted floral character, and citrus notes reminiscent of delicate tangerine/mandarin.

Palate: A supple, luscious mouth feel that carries through the delicacy of the mandarin/citrus, honeysuckle floral notes, and a hint of apricot, A sherbet-like tingle of fresh lime zest that lingers on the tip of your tongue at the finish, with subtle minerality that adds to the great texture of this wine.  Easy to enjoy this wine on its own, no real need for food here, and should be savoured for its captivating flavour and texture.

RRP $22.00

Best’s Great Western 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

Colour: Vibrant deep violet

Bouquet: Hints of dried bay leaf, delicate mocha and vanillan characters.  Red berries and freshly picked plums, with a hint of spice.

Palate: An elegant, medium bodied Cabernet, with a lovely balance between the berry and red fruits with the dried leafy and oak-derived vanillan/mocha characters.  Fine, emery tannins with some spice and an acid lift that brings all the flavour of the wine to the fore.  Lovely to drink now, or put it down for a few years and watch the complexity develop.

RRP: $25.00

Best’s Great Western 2009 Bin No 1 Shiraz

Colour: Rich ruby with a violet rim

Bouquet: White pepper spice, creamy vanillan (almost shortcake like) notes, ripe plum fruit.

Palate: Loads of white pepper and spice, and sweet, ripe plum and red fruit notes.  Hints of violet floral notes coming through, and given the wine’s youth, the tannins you would expect are present, but not so dominating as to detract from the flavour of the wine.  Enough acidity to ensure that this wine has plenty of life.   This wine can definitely use a bit of time to be enjoyed at its full potential, but I am enjoying the power and character that this wine is already displaying.

RRP: $25.00

Win 2 Tickets to the Perth Good Food and Wine Show 2010!

I am excited.  The Good Food and Wine Show for 2010 is on again in Perth.  Why am I excited, you ask?  The Show is on every year, and probably, along with every man and their dog, goes along every year, so what’s to get excited about?  For the first time in over five years, I get to go to the Good Food and Wine Show as a CONSUMER!  Every year previous to this one, I have worked at the show, behind a counter, serving wine to all you enthusiastic wine and food lovers.  I have never been able to escape from the confines of the stand and really have a good look around and explore all the fruits of so many Australian producers’ labour.  So that’s what I intend to do, and of course, will post my findings on the website soon after.

The Good Food and Wine Show in Perth is being held from Friday, the 2^nd of July until Sunday the 4^th of July, 2010 at the Perth Convention Centre.   Wander around the maze of stalls offering the finest wine and food produce from not only our good state of Western Australia, but from all over this wide brown land of ours.  Get up close and personal with those Celebrity Chefs that we know and love and learn some new recipes and cooking skills in the Celebrity Theatre, or even better still (and right up my alley), pop in to the Riedel Wine Theatre or book a seat in the Riedel Decanter Bar and be guided through different wine styles and regions by some well known winos.  Book in for the Cheesematter’s Masterclass and learn about different cheese styles and how to pair each one with the perfect wine.  With so many things to do, and so many different producers to see, it will be easy to spend an entire day ambling around the enormous halls of the Convention Centre.

For me, I am going to play it by ear.  With glass in hand, I will be found wandering and tasting wine from new producers, and of course the ones we know and love.  Although I am an Oenophile to the core, I can’t go past great food either.  It’s not every day we get to have a one-stop shop come to our doorstep, so make sure you get down to the show and support Aussie producers,  expand your palate and broaden your food and wine horizons.

So who wants to join me?  I have two free tickets to give away, which you can use on any one of the three days over which the show is held.  All you have to do is post a comment on this blog, telling me what you love about the Good Food and Wine Show in Perth, and what is the one experience at the Show that you will be seeking out over any other. How easy is that?  After you post your comment, go to the contact page and send me a quick message with your contact details, so that when I choose the winner, I can get in touch with you.

Good luck and I hope to see you there!

Youth or Maturity – What Tickles Your Fancy?

Decisions, decisions.  When it comes to selecting a wine, everybody has their likes and dislikes.  You might like only a particular variety, you might prefer a sweet wine over a dry wine, or you might just like white wine, and not red.  These are all important factors to consider when choosing the right wine for you, but there is also another factor.  Do you like them young, or do you prefer them to be a little more mature?

Choosing a wine is like choosing a partner.   Being a woman in her mid 30’s myself, it is always an arduous decision.  Hmmm… will I go for a young one that is fresh, fruity, exuberant and vibrant, and packs an exciting punch?  Or, could I be seduced by one with some maturity; with a little more age under the belt.  One that has some mystique, subtleness and an air of complexity about it, when each time you meet you never quite know what are going to get?

But you have to be careful here.  Not all wines (maybe like some people) get better with age.  Some are best consumed whilst in their youth, and some wines have a greater capability of ageing.  Red wines such as Pinot Noir and Sangiovese which have a low pH; and Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, which have higher levels of tannins and flavour compounds, are wines that respond beautifully to ageing, depending on the vintage, viticultural practices, winemaking style and storage.

For white wines, those with a higher amount of acidity, such as Semillon and Riesling, tend to have the longest aging potential.  Winemaking practices such as barrel fermentation and oak aging in wines such as Semillon and Chardonnay create wonderful complex characters in a wine that develop with age, and Riesling also is a wine that evolves wonderfully in the bottle as it matures.

The complexity that these aging wines can display can be magnificent, and can transport you to another dimension when you put your nose in the glass.  But then, so can the freshness and youthful exuberance of wines best drunk young, such as  Sauvignon Blanc, or Grenache, which both impart vibrant fruit characters each time you drink them.  The choice is completely up to you.  For me, it’s simple – I like to swing both ways.

Summer in the South West

As we all know, summer in Perth can at times be a little arduous. The daily grind of work, commuting, school, whatever it is that you do, is made even harder when our temperatures soar to the 40 degree mark. And when you are at work, sitting in the heat, it is an escape to think about getting away to somewhere as beautiful and peaceful as the South West of WA. This is exactly what I did.

Heading down to Dunsborough and Margaret River at any given opportunity is always a highlight for me. Having lived and worked there for several years, I always miss the beautiful beaches and the lush, green, tree-lined roads, surrounded by vineyards. You could be anywhere in the world, but it is hard to compare many destinations with such a mix of scenery. When I visit even now, I like to spend my time down in the Margaret River wine region exploring the little shops that line the streets of the towns, swimming in the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean, and lazing on the beach with a glass of wine.

And how can we forget wine? You can’t go to the Margaret River Region without exploring the multitudes of wineries and tasting the wines they have on offer. There are so many to choose from. From small, boutique wineries that just have a little cellar door, to wineries that have cafés and restaurants attached that serve beautiful food to pair with the wines they produce, to the bigger producers where you can try wines you have tried many times before, along with wines that they may only produce for Cellar Door visitors.

So while I was in our lovely south-west, relaxing by the beach with family and friends, soaking up the sun and getting my annual dose of Vitamin D, I did consume some excellent wine produced by wineries that have been fixtures for quite some time in Margaret River. Check some of them out… you can almost taste the sunshine and the sea-breeze in every glass.

Deep Woods ‘Ivory’ Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2009

This wine is gloriously pungent the minute you pour it into the glass. You inhale the aromas of green peas, and lashings of tropical fruits. The palate presents hints of passionfruit and lychee, with that touch of green herbaceousness coming from the pea character seen on the nose of the wine. A whack of lemon and lime sherbet provides a persistent length of zesty acidity, which finishes this wine off nicely. A very crisp and refreshing wine for a hot summer’s day. And perfect with a big plate of the freshest catch, straight out of the Indian Ocean. $13.50 RRP

Amberley Estate ‘Chimney Brush’ Chenin Blanc

Tasting Amberley’s Chenin Blanc, the bouquet brings forth an abundance of fresh, ripe pineapple and red apples, with a hint of straw-like notes coming through. The ripeness of pineapple and apples follow through on the palate, with the addition of passionfruit and lychee, which brings about the lush fruit-sweetness that this wine has become known for. The wine has a slight acid lift on the finish, but you are left with the luscious tropical fruits that make this wine so approachable. $14.50 RRP

MadFish ‘Sideways’ Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2008

Aromas of ripe blackberry fruit and blackcurrants abound in this wine, with some herbaceous notes reminiscent of tomato leaf and a hint eucalyptus entice you to take a sip and discover what flavours await you. The palate, which at first had a hit of warmth from the alcohol (14.5%), which distracts you from the character of the wine, settled within half an hour or so. The wine opened up to show again the rich, black fruits and ripe plums, so consistent with its bouquet. The underlying characters of menthol and eucalyptus, along with some dusty tannins and an earthy quality adding complexity, make for an interesting, eminently drinkable wine. $20.00 RRP

Evans & Tate Margaret River Cabernet Merlot 2007

A lovely bouquet of ripe black cherries and black berry fruits, with hints of coffee and chocolate and subtle leafy characters. The palate is consistent with the aromatics, the same ripe, black fruits; chocolate and leafiness give the wine a fleshy mouthfeel with some fine, emery tannins. The dusty cedar notes show the complexity of French Oak treatment, but are well balanced with the ripe, rich fruit in the wine. A lot of flavour here, quite delicious. $20.00 RRP

Mantra Shiraz 2008

I have to say I was really impressed by this one.  My preference has leaned towards the offerings of Cabernet Sauvignon of late, but this Shiraz has so many aromas and flavours that I love in a wine; it is a hard one to go past for me. Sticking your nose into a glass of this wine exposes a captivating array of spices, such as white pepper, fennel and anise, integrated with ripe, black fruits and hints of vanillan oak. Not waiting any longer to take a big mouthful, the palate is just as I had hoped. Beautifully consistent with the bouquet, the rich, mouth-filling blackberry fruit comes together with the white pepper spice, vanillan, and fine, dusty tannins. Rich, silky, and an absolute pleasure to consume. $25.00 RRP.

Stella Bella Shiraz 2007

Stella Bella can do no wrong in my book at present. I recently tasted their entire range at a trade tasting, and was exceptionally impressed by the range. On opening their 2007 Shiraz again, this time intending to have more than just a little tasting glass serving, once again was not disappointed. The aroma of musty, forest floor was intense right off the bat, with stewed black plums and the sweetness of spice inviting me in. From the bouquet of the wine, you expect to taste a rich, fruit-filled wine with interesting complexity, and that is exactly what you get. A bevy of stewed, dark fruit intermingled with sweet spices, and cedar and vanilla notes. A well-integrated tannin structure gives this wine great balance, and leaves you thinking about the wine long after it has passed through your lips. Shiraz is definitely back on my agenda. $27.00 RRP

Le Tour De Clare

The Tour Down Under and Lance Armstrong. Actually, that should be the other way around. Lance Armstrong, then The Tour Down Under. In January this year, Adelaide and the nation were buzzing with Lance’s presence. Every TV news broadcast had images of Lance riding through regional South Australia as it was his comeback to cycling after 3 years of retirement since winning the Tour De France a mere seven times. All of Premier Mike Rann’s Christmases had come at once, with the amount of publicity and tourist dollars this event had brought to the state. I there was I, watching on the side of the road in the Barossa, cheering Lance on. If I had blinked, I would have missed him altogether.

Yes, I was there to see Lance’s monumental return to cycling, but I had an ulterior motive to being in South Australia. The timing was perfect. So much going on, the city of Adelaide awash with excitement, and attending the Legends Dinner at the Adelaide Convention Centre, kindly hosted by Jacob’s Creek, where I enjoyed perhaps too many of Jacob’s Creek Reserve wines. But I wanted to get out into the countryside, and I knew exactly where I was headed. The Clare Valley.

Why the Clare Valley specifically, I hear you ask? I have a passion for Riesling, and the Clare Valley has a reputation for producing the best of the best of Australian Riesling. The majority of wine producers in the Clare Valley are small and boutique, but between them they are receiving trophies, medals and rave reviews galore for the outstanding wines they produce, Riesling in particular. It may sound like I have a bias for Riesling. I have a passion for all wine varieties, as they all have something special and unique to offer, but Riesling has some of the most intense and amazing aromatics, and, with age can display beautiful complexity, not seen in most white varieties.

So to Clare I went, a drive that takes a little less than two hours from Adelaide, heading North. The Clare Valley is very rural Australia… think of Australian Bush, intertwined with rows and rows of vines. Being that Jesuit Priests planted the first vines in 1851 in this region (and are still there today), think of stone cottages, little cafe’s and antique shops. But the best thing I found about the Clare Valley, and what most people find (apart from the amazing wine) is that the locals are so friendly, willing to have a chat, and if you want to know more about wine, they will happily sit there and talk to you about it. So if you are looking for somewhere beautiful, interesting, with friendly locals and great wines and produce for a day trip or a holiday, I would head to Clare.

So I end up here, sitting at my table with seven Clare Valley Rieslings in front of me, almost 10 months later. I want to have another look at the Rieslings coming out of this region, and compare them next to each other, to see their similarities, or indeed their differences. One thing I will say is that in my years working in the wine industry, Riesling can be a variety that scares consumers. A lot of consumers consider Riesling to be a sweet variety, as it can be, and they are are used to it being sweet, and like it that way. Some people only drink dry white wine, and do not want to taste Riesling because they THINK it is sweet. It will take some education and recommendations from wine stores and cellar doors to convert these people to the kind of Riesling that the Clare Valley produces. I think of all the millions of people who love Sauvignon Blanc at the moment, and think of how easily they could be converted to Riesling, as Sauvignon Blanc can display the citrus and tropical fruit characters that you can find in Riesling. Given the education and opportunity to taste, I can’t see how they could look back!

Here are the Clare Valley Rieslings I tasted in this session. Some of the wineries in the tasting are based in the Clare Valley, and you can visit them there; other wineries are based in another region, but have sourced their fruit for the wine from the Clare Valley. I hope this will inspire you to go out and pick up a bottle or two (or seven), and give Riesling a red hot go. You will be supporting some of the nicest people in the business.

Petaluma ‘Hanlin Hill’ Clare Valley Riesling 2008

RRP $34.99

Petaluma have owned the Hanlin Hill vineyard in the Clare Valley since 1979 and the vineyard was planted in 1968. Petaluma’s cellar door is in the Adelaide Hills, if you are thinking of visiting!

This wine has a beautiful, perfumed nose. Hints of rose petals and blossoms were wafting out of the glass, and some delicate citrus notes coming up behind the floral aromas. On the palate, the floral characters followed through, with lemon and lime zesty acidity giving the wine freshness and length. Petaluma never disappoints, and certainly did not on this occasion.

Pikes Clare Valley Traditionale Riesling 2009

RRP $24.99

Pikes have a long family history in South Australia, beginning in 1878. The Clare Valley winery was established in 1984.

This wine really impressed me. Beautiful initial floral aromatics on the nose of musk and lavender, with luscious tropical fruits coming through. The palate is consistent with the bouquet, with lashings of ripe pineapple and passionfruit, and a luscious, supple mouthfeel . The wine finishes off with a crisp lime zestiness that stays with you. A beautiful wine that has a bit of everything.

Skillogalee Clare Valley Riesling 2009

RRP $22.99

Skillogalee was established in 1970 with the first wines released in 1976. The Cellar Door and restaurant (which serves magnificent food in a beautiful setting) is operated out of an old stone cottage built in 1851.

A bouquet of subtle floral aromas, with prominent peach and pear characters present and limey/citrus notes that invite you to put the wine glass to your lips and taste. The palate is what you had hoped it would be; the delicate peach characters that you came across on the nose of this wine is ever present, displaying crisp lime zest characters, and a minerality that persists to the finish. I loved the fact that even minutes after swallowing my last mouthful, I still had fresh lime juice lingering on my tongue. Many years of great drinking left in this wine.

Jim Barry ‘The Lodge Hill’ Dry Riesling 2008

RRP $23.99

Jim Barry was the first qualified winemaker to work in the Clare Valley. Jim and his wife Nancy purchased their first Clare property and vineyards in 1959. Jim’s son Peter Barry is now Managing Director. A true family business

This wine really opened up after about 20 minutes in the glass. With some subtle floral notes coming through, it was mainly the slate-like minerality and pungent citrus aromas of lime and grapefruit that jumped out of the glass. Upon tasting the wine, I copped a vibrant punch of sharp acidity at the fore, with the consistency of grapefruit, crunchy green apple and subtle tropical fruit characters coming through on the finish. Fantastic acid structure and juiciness to this wine, which keeps you coming back for more.

Sevenhill Clare Valley ‘Inigo’ Riesling 2008

RRP $19.99

As I mentioned earlier, Jesuit Priests planted the first vines in the Clare Valley in 1851. Today, Sevenhill Cellars was established by the Society of Jesuits in 1851 to produce sacramental wine, and are still making great wine today.

As soon as your nose enters the glass, you are overcome with the perfume of honeysuckle and an inviting muskiness. The palate certainly has the presence of the floral characters present on the nose, with a lemon-peel acid kick at the finish, which lasts and lasts. I detected a hint of candied lemon-peel confection here; it is a gorgeous wine… mouthwatering!

Atlas Wines Watervale Riesling 2009

RRP $25.00

Atlas Wines is a boutique wine producer, creating wines from two sites in the Clare Valley and the Barossa Valley. Adam Barton is the creator and winemaker of Atlas Wines. One to watch.

The bouquet of this wine is reminiscent of lemon blossoms; definitive floral characters on the nose, backed up by fresh lemons. On the palate, a burst of lemon sherbert and a steely minerality which is beautifully crisp and fresh. The acid in this wine was well balanced with the fruit, and definitely gave the wine a juiciness that made it incredibly easy to drink. A lovely wine, and makes me want to cook some roast pork belly, as this wine would be a perfect match for it!

Angove Family Winemakers ‘Vineyard Select’ Clare Valley Riesling 2007

RRP $17.99

This winemaking family have quite the winemaking history. Starting in the early 1900’s in viticulture, winemaking and distilling, they are still going strong five generations later. Based in the Riverland, the fruit from this wine is sourced from the Clare Valley, and produced under the watchful eye of the winemaker.

This wine is from the 2007 vintage, which gives it one or two years of bottle age over the other wines noted here. A touch of kerosene can be detected on the nose; a complexity derived from bottle age, and a common character in ageing Riesling; complimenting the wine and the geranium and lavender floral notes coming through beautifully. On the palate, fresh crisp pear characters come to the fore, and the wine has very persistent limey acidity and a flint-like minerality which persist to a lingering finish. The elements of crunchy, fresh pears are still present minutes after the wine has gone. This wine can be put away for several years yet, and still be stunning and vibrant. The lesson here is to keep an eye out for some older Rieslings and give them a go!

The Search for True Love…

Friday the 25th of September, 2009. A glorious sunny day in metropolitan Perth for a wedding. And what better location for a wedding than one amongst the vineyards of the Swan Valley, at a winery that is renowned for the spectacular events and functions they hold, along with the steadfast wine brand that they have in their possession? I am talking about Sandalford Wines.

An Intro to the Oenophile!

Hi to all my kindred spirits out there who have as much of a passion for wine as I do, or maybe you are just developing an interest, or wanting to develop a greater interest in wine to “keep up with the Joneses” and make the trip to the other side (we have all been there!).