Riesling

Riesling

  13:10    Stu.

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A road trip from Melbourne to the Barossa Valley in early 2009 introduced two grape varieties that had, until then, not been at the forefront of my mind: Grenache and Riesling.

My fondness for Grenache has already been documented in an earlier post in support of International Grenache Day. This is Riesling's turn in the spotlight.

Living in Queensland, there comes a certain point in the year where drinking a good red becomes rather unpalatable, and thoughts turn to a nice white or a good Rose. Increasingly for me, that means Riesling.

In the week just gone, there has been much love, debate and thought about Riesling on the social networking site Twitter. In my opinion it all started with a tweet from Mount barked, WA based Galafrey wines asking "where are all the Riesling fans out there?". And really from there it spiralled. Many of the twitterati became involved in the toing and froing - really highlighting the interactivity on twitter, especially its ability to transcend borders: state or national.

The upshot of all this is that it was proposed to have a Riesling tweetup, where folks get together - online - at a set date/ time and basically share a virtual drink, share their thoughts, views and notes on what they're drinking.

It's part fun, part profile raising, part driving sales. But the fundamental point - to me - is that it would be about the Riesling varietal.

Riesling in Australia

To take the story further, I stuck my oar into a Twitter debate about whether Riesling or Chardonnay was the 'better' variety. Such online luminaries as Brad and Danny from Wineweek, Ben Moroney, Monty James, Nigel Wadsworth, and Gourmet Traveller contributor Andrew Graham, were involved.

Out of this, the biggest thing I learned - or the biggest surprise to me - was that Riesling only accounted for approx 4.6% of white grape varieties in 2008 (Source: James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2010 Edition p48).

To me, for a grape with such a reputation, and a grape fairly well acknowledged as one of Australia's eminent varietals, this was quite surprising. As an aside, crush figures were dominated by Chardonnay, accounting for about 50% of white total. Now I may have somewhat naively seen the grape harvest, and consequently wine production, as something that goes into those lovely bottles we see lining the racks and shelves in our favourite merchants and retailers. I somewhat tend to forget bulk wines, casks etc as I don't really 'participate' in that end of the market. Still 4.6% of harvest tonnage did surprise.

Historical Figures

It wasn't always this way. In the 2010 Wine Companion, Halliday comments: "...going back a further 10 years to 1980, bottled wine sale of Riesling, exceeded those of all other white wines combined".

Whilst that figure reflects sales, logically the planting and crush figures would be similarly reflected. How things change.

And hopefully with the increased focus on the Riesling variety, it will have its day again.

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International Grenache Day - 24th September

International Grenache Day - 24th September

  14:43    Stu.

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It was a little like the girl at school you know of, but have never spoken to. Your paths have crossed on a few occasions, how could they not? But you’d never plucked up the courage to talk.  She wasn’t one of the girls in the “cool-kids” group, but is certainly attractive. Maybe, to you, she was a late bloomer.

Then, an introduction through some mutual friends leads to you hitting it off. It leaves you wondering why you had never been truly acquainted until now. You try and meet regularly, you develop a fondness.

I am talking about Grenache. The chance encounter I refer to was a road trip around some of Australia’s southern states, Melbourne to Adelaide with stays in McLaren Vale and the Barossa.  Yes, Grenache and I had met before. We had enjoyed the company of each other. Was I truly aware of her existence? Probably not. Shiraz would most likely find herself on the way home with me after a visit to the bottle shop.

And now Grenache is starting to get the attention it deserves – I’ll drop the feminine form for Grenache from here. International Grenache Day is to be held on the 24th September. A series of events will take place on this day – chosen to coincide with the first Grenache symposium. The tag line for the event is to “put Grenache in its rightful place on the wine map”. Some have criticised focussed on Grenache as a varietal – petulantly considering it “stupid”, nigh in the manner of a teen spurned by a peer. Each to their own.

Events can be formal, or otherwise. Grab some Grenache, some friends, have a “tweet-up” (remember to use the hash-tag #Grenache). But most of all, as wine is intended, enjoy.

I shall be participating, and at this early juncture have plans to grab something Aussie - ideally a Teusner to support their efforts at supporting this event, a Garnacha and a Grenache dominant Rhone blend; to represent Grenache in its many guises, outfits and representations.

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Black Pearl Epicure: Exclusive Hand Picked Wines

Black Pearl Epicure: Exclusive Hand Picked Wines

  10:18    Stu.

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I was fortunate enough to be invited to a tasting of some exclusive French imports. The wines haven't been seen in Australia as yet and are being imported by the The One Hundred Wine label on behalf on well known Brisbane providores Black Pearl Epicure.

My first thought, maybe naively, when it comes to French wines is "expensive". Thus I was very impressed by the quality on offer at what I consider reasonable prices.

These are the stand out wines from the evening for me, for the full range, please refer to the link above behind the One Hundred Wine label - even better snaffle yourself a few of these gems!

NV Pierre Moncuit Delos Brut Grand Cru

This was the second Champagne tasted on the night - and yes this can genuinely be called that, hailing from what many consider the most prestigious village in Champagne: Mesnil-sur-Oger.

A non-vintage champagne, yet all the fruit hails from a single growing year, it has an incredible finish. The length is amazing, with a complexity that lingers long after the final drop glides the back of the throat. A bargain at $65.

2007 Domaine Grand Veneur Lirac

This was the fifth wine tasted on the night. It had been decanted for around an hour, allowing some of the fruit to shine through.

Pleasant savoury aromas on the nose, with spice on the palette. There's some length in the finish and moderate herbal tannins. Some may consider it a bruiser at 15% but it works, at $35 this is an impressive GSM (50/35/15% in that order).

2007 Domain Les Aphillanthes, 'Cuvee Des Galets' Cotes du Rhone

Another classic Rhone GSM (60/20/20%). The nose showed some savory characteristics, with a faint whiff of Anise. The palate showed typical fruit profile, with plenty of blackcurrant. The finish lingered and chewy, grippy tannins stayed in the mouth. This is a 10 year cellaring proposition and at $33, to me, is a bargain. I was fortunate enough to take the remnants of the bottle home to share with the wife the following day; it was even better then, the aromas had integrated further, showing balance and structure - giving hints of its cellaribility.

2008 Domaine Vincent Paris Saint Joseph

This was the star of the night. Despite being a Northern Rhone Shiraz, it was almost Burgundian in its aroma profile. In the mouth, gentle tannins were present, with a beautiful lingering finish.

Only 200 cases made, this another wine for the cellar. It can be consumed young, but is nigh on essential to decant to appreciate it. A snip at $40.

Summary

I consider myself very fortunate to have been invited to this event. The host was Richard Gardiner. Richard is a friend of the importers, but is also well known in Brisbane for running the blog Food Bling - a down to earth, unpretentious look at Brisbane growing food scene.

On the wines, again I was very impressed at the quality available at the price points. One of the other attendees, Lincoln Scott of grapescott, stated this was as they were coming direct, not via negociants. The wines are a very good introduction to France, either now, or even better as cellarworthy propositions.

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Samuel's Gorge Tasting

Samuel's Gorge Tasting

  11:37    Stu.

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To me Twitter has been a fantastic way of hooking into the Australian wine community, enabling me to connect with local scribes, wineries and distributors.

It was through said medium that I learn that renowned McLaren Vale producer Samuel's Gorge is coming to Brisbane on the 9th September to conduct a public tasting at the Grand Central Hotel on Ann Street - immediately in front of Central Station.

There appears to be little in the way of official information on either the winery or venue websites.

My sole introduction to Samuel's Gorge was at the BYO Favs and Pizza Dinner (see post of the same name). However, suffice to say my recollections of that wine are such that this tasting is a must-attend event for me.

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A Couple of Stickies

A Couple of Stickies

  14:38    Stu.

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My good wife sneakily arranged to take me to dinner recently, even going as far as to deceive me by arrange for some friends to look after our daughter.

I'm not complaining mind. The destination was a local restaurant where we have eaten on a few occasions previous: Two Small Rooms.

As ever, the food was sublime. Good quality fare, probably best placed in the 'bistro' category. Its name gives you an indication of its size - it is two small rooms: well staffed, a good seasonal menu with quality ingredients, a decent wine list featuring imports and Australian wines - plus you can BYO.

Our meal was wonderful, I'm not going to wax lyrical over it, it was an occasion shared with my wife.

What I do want to share is a couple of dessert wines that were available by the glass.

2003 Grande Maison Cuvee du Chateau Monbazillac

A delightful honeyed, candied fruit sweetie with a pale golden colour; the familiar unctuous presence in the glass. Paired wonderfully with a Bitter Chocolate Tart, Yogurt Gelato and Pistachio Nuts.

2006 Passito di Pantelleria Pellegrino Sicily

Made by the Pellegrino of San Pellegrino fancy water fame, and made from (IIRC) drying out and then vinifying Sicilian Zibibbo Muscat grapes. A delightful pale colour, none of the overt sweetness of Moscato that I have tasted previously, orange blossom and apricot present on the palette.

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Wine and Friends

Wine and Friends

  13:02    Stu.

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There is something rather warming in being able to share a bottle of something with friends. It doesn't necessarily have to be something special; some cheap sparkles to celebrate a birthday, a chilled Rose at a BBQ, a bottle of that great Shiraz from your holiday to the Hunter - each has a place, a moment and an opportunity to introduce friends to a part of you.

So it was that I invited some friends over on Saturday night to partake in the consumption of a few choice drops. Dinner was included too and a starter of some chilli and garlic olives, mettwurst, a ovely fresh ciabatta placed in the centre of the table and offered with some prosciutto, fresh buffalo mozzarella and pesto was a great way to kick start appetites and introduce the first wine.

Australia's Gift to the World of Wine?
Sparkling red wine, to me, is something uniquely Australian. It was first introduced to me in the UK and quickly became a staple at Christmas with roast Turkey. There is something so wrong, et also so right with it. Served in a champagne flute, the mousse is there, yet it has a ribena like hue to it, a deep garnet colour. The wine in question a Majella Sparkling Shiraz disgorged in 2005.

Many bag the sparkling red, some even finding it a little cringeworthy. Not here. It often has a place in my glass/ fridge/ cellar. This particular example in question had the right colour attributes for me, the flavour profile was balanced too - a little sweetness to get the evening underway. It did not last long and was soon followed by a Meadowbank Henry James Pinot Noir from Tasmania's Coal River. Excellent fine tannins, delicate fruit profile without the 'elevated' profile of some Pinot Noir. An excellent follow on from the sparkles!

Main Course
Two delightful individuals of the Brisbane food and wine scene, Ryn and Cordie, who I have had the privilege of sharing a glass or three with (see BYO Favs & Pizza), have self-published a book that demystifies the pairing of food and wine. Not just a 'dry' volume on the subject, it is also a beautifully presented cookbook. From it, I opted to prepare the slow cooked Moroccan beef checks.

My own version wasn't entirely faithful to the recipe. For no reason other than I failed to read the recipe beforehand and realise that it recommended cooking for eight hours in a slow cooking. I had neither eight hours or a slow cooker, so a four hour hob braise it was. I managed to quell the minor panic at around the 2.5 hour mark when the cheeks were not that soft, a small temperature adjustment, and an hour and a half later they were falling apart. The other adjustment made was to serve the beef cheeks with Quinoa rather than the recommended Cous Cous - an adjustment necessary due to one of the guest's being wheat intolerant.

The cheeks just melted, the presence of the orange zest was a pleasant addition - giving the savoury flavours and juice a welcome sweet boost.

The beef cheeks were paired with initially with a Hunter Valley Ivanhoe Parker Reg 2007 Shiraz. Now, if memory serves me correctly, 2007 was not a stellar vintage for Hunter reds. That said, this particular wine did nothing to offend. it didn't stand out either. Subdued is probably my best descriptor. No bad thing, it didn't have the sweetness the beef cheeks possibly called for, but there was a pleasant fruit profile and a pleasant balance.

The Ivanhoe, however, was slightly overshadowed by what followed: Cirillo 2007 1850 Grenache. This one is made from the oldest Grenache vines currently in production. There are apparently some older vines in Spain but I believe they are not in a good state. A colleague of mine is in a great position as an online stockist of the Cirillo portfolio. A relationship I one day hope to exploit, either with a future visit to the Barossa or some other point in the future.

Having tasted a previous vintage, my main memory of this wine was a real 'earthiness'. It was this that I was expecting again, however it wasn't present. There were some fine tannins present and a pleasant lingering finish. But none of that earthiness. I'll have to revisit this and pay more attention (this evening was about friends and the sharing of wine, not necessarily for over analysis).

Cheese
The meal, but not the evening, was finished with a selection of cheeses from the Rosalie Deli. I tried to balance the selection: a French Brie, Maleny Camembert, English Stilton and a young Victorian Chevre.

The presence of the cheese at the table causes me some trouble. I had taken the time to decant a Castagna Genesis 2005 Syrah and wanted my guests to experience this wonderful wine. I was scared that the cheese - in particular the Stilton - would kill the experience of the Genesis. Alas it was a battle I lost, the guests tucking in to the cheese with abandon.

I managed to refrain from doing so until I had a good pour of the Castagna. A beautiful crafted wine: incredible structure, length, a delicacy and my over-riding memory of the wine is delicate violets. I particularly wanted to share this wine as it one that has really turned my head in the Australian wine stakes. I happily hold my hand up and say that my origins in wine consumption are in the sunshine in a bottle club and that sweet, oaked profile is one I still enjoy. The Castagna to me is the total opposite of that and it has really opened my mind to what else is out there. I digress.

To Close
There was still some life left in the crowd. A bottle of Peter Lehmann The King Port was retrieved. The cork was the first challenge, crumbling, disintegrating and some of it appearing in the bottle. We overcame this, and the sediment through the use of a fine mesh tea strainer and pouring funnel. Possibly not the best approach, but let's just say it was pragmatic and delivered a fine structured port that closed the evening off perfectly.

I love evenings like this and am fortunate to be able to share them with friends. The only downside is the fuzzy head the next morning, the eager 7 month old daughter, but even then her infectious smile can see me through.

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BYO Favs & Pizza

BYO Favs & Pizza

  13:28    Stu.

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Excuses out of the way first: I'd originally intended to use this site as a means of documenting and sharing what I was drinking. I failed. The posts may be more sporadic than originally intended, but I am hopeful that an experience had on Friday 13th August may well contribute to the ongoing presence of this site.

The background: a dinner held in Brisbane by Stewart Noble of WineWithoutBS forged some initial relationships with some keen foodies and winos in the Brisbane area. Stew then held a Winter Reds dinner in South Australia at which some of the Brisbane attendees also attended (the author was not one of them).

Stay with me here....I feel context is very important.....One of the attendees at the SA dinner was David Bowley, winemaker at Vinteloper Wines (you can see David's lofty presence in the photo on the WineWithoutBS page) and David's wines were also tasted at the dinner, making quite an impression. Suffice to say, the Brisbane attendees at the SA dinner purchased some of the Winteloper wines and were kind enough to offer to share them with a group of avid consumers.....

The BYO Favs & Pizza Dinner

The BYO Favs & Pizza Dinner was held at Vespa Pizza in Merthyr Road, New Farm on August 13th. The attendees were all known in some way to each other, but mainly these were relationships forged through a shared love of the good drop and food, and underpinned by a fairly active presence on the social networking site Twitter.

The Dinner was a fairly simple concept, each attendee was to bring a bottle of a favourite wine, around the $25-30 mark. The wine was to be presented anonymously - covered in a brown paper bag - introduced by the individual who had brought it along and then enjoyed. There was no scoring, there was a little discussion, but the prime goal was to share and enjoy.

The Wines

There were eight attendees in total, meaning eight wines. Some initial discussion took place beforehand in order to place the eight wines into a logical drinking order that would hopefully assist in the appreciation of the wines.

Wine 1: Grosset Springvale Watervale Riesling 2009

Wine 2: Vinteloper Watervale Riesling 2010

Wine 3: Stella Bella Sangiovese Cabernet 2007

Wine 4: Rockford Moppa Springs GSM 2002

Wine 5: Yalumba Cigar Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Wine 6: Teusner The Independent Shiraz Mataro 2008

Wine 7: Tahbilk Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Wine 8: Vinteloper Shiraz 2008

Bonus Wine courtesy of one attendee with the foresight to bring an extra bottle - props to that man - you know who you are: Samuel's Gorge McLaren Vale Grenache 2006

There are no tasting notes. This evening was about sharing good wine with some new friends; whilst the relationships may have been formed through 21st Century means like twitter, there was something very old fashioned in the sharing of the food and wine around a table that reinforces such friendships.

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