Sunner Kolsch 500ml $4.98 Kolsch – a protected name and a brewing specialty of Cologne, Germany – combines warm, top fermentation (like ale) with cold conditioning, like lager. Sunner is an excellent example of the style – pale lemon coloured with a dense, persistent head and ultra-fresh dry palate, cut by fine, delicious bitter hops.
Wychwood Brewery Goliath 500ml $6.24 Goliath, a deep amber English ale, bills itself as the “the beer to slay a mighty thirst”. But if that’s the aim, shouldn’t it be called David? Whatever we call it, it’s simply delicious – a silk-smooth, mild beer, balancing fruitiness, toffee-like malt flavour and clean, dry, refreshing bitterness.
On Friday 9 March, the Rostrevor Hop Garden, Ovens Valley, provided fresh-picked hops to Ben Kraus at Bridge Road Brewers, Beechworth. Until the wee hours, Kraus, with visiting Danish brewer, Mikkel Bjergso, worked on their one-off Dark Harvest Ale, designed to showcase the hops.
Kraus says the collaborative brew will be “an imperial dark ale/porter brewed with freshly picked ‘wet’ hops, used in copious amounts, weighing in at around 7.5 per cent alcohol”.
Bjergso runs Mikkeller Brewery, globally famed, says Kraus, “for their unique take on established brewing styles”. Kraus calls Bjergso “a self-proclaimed gypsy brewer”, as he travels the world, making beer collaboratively with other brewers. He released 76 beers in 2010 alone.
Kraus intends to offer the beer on tap at his Beechworth brewery and distribute it to craft beer venues throughout Australia from early April.
Campbells Classic Muscat $44 500ml Rutherglen, Victoria Rutherglen’s unique, luscious muscats come in four categories – Rutherglen, Classic, Grand and Rare – each representing a step up in age, richness and complexity. Campbell’s basic version, luscious with raisened muscat grapes flavours, sells for less than $20. But it’s worth stepping up to “Classic”. It’s slightly darker in colour, slightly more olive green at the rim and notably more luscious. It also has the patina of age – a complex of aromas and flavours described by the Spanish as “rancio” – a sniff and a sip brings enlightenment
Grosset Gaia 2009 $57–62 Grosset Gaia Vineyard, Clare Valley, South Australia Gently, reminding us that nothing’s new, Jeffrey Grosset writes, “While there is an international ‘natural’ wine movement, many great winemakers who believe they are already making natural wine have chosen not to jump on the ‘natural’ bandwagon. For decades now, every Grosset wine has been made with such precision and attention to detail, that the need for fining has been avoided…in the absence of any chemical additives or finings, is it possible to refer to Grosset wines as anything but natural”. Grosset’s latest cabernet sauvignon-cabernet franc blend from his Gaia vineyard offers limpid, brilliant colour, pure varietal fragrance and flavour and a firm, fine tannic backbone.
Kangarilla Road Sangiovese 2010 $19–$22 McLaren Vale, South Australia Vintage 2010 got off to a hot start before heavy rain arrived in December. In many areas, parched vines slurped up the water, causing berries to swell, thus diluting the fruit flavours. The vintage produced good reds, but with fruit flavours falling into the background, the tannins tended to be accentuated. In Kangarilla Road, that means an even more tannic than usual sangiovese. But they’re earthy, savoury, mouth-drying tannins, and good company with char-grilled meats, white and red. The protein in the meat mollifies the tannins, emphasising the varietal sweet and sour ripe cherry flavour.
Deakin Estate Shiraz 2010 $7.59–$10 Murray Darling, Northwest Victoria Australia’s initial global success with wine rested on inexpensive, clean, bright, fresh, fruity, varietally labelled reds and whites. Shiraz led the red charge. To some extent we became typecast as makers of cheap wine, presenting problems for makers of premium products. But the great majority of the world’s wine drinkers favour cheaper wines, like this terrific Deakin Estate shiraz. It ticks all of the boxes above – but appears slightly more savoury, tannic and food friendly than the plumper, rounder wines of a decade ago.
Rymill mc2 2010 $18–$20 Rymill Vineyard, Coonawarra, South Australia We’ve enjoyed a little rush of very good under-$20 Coonawarra reds, made for early drinking and each with its own style – the standouts to date being Majella The Musician and Wynns Green Label Cabernet Sauvignon. Rymill’s up there, too, with this solid but elegant blend of cabernets sauvignon and franc with merlot. Coonawarra’s unique, bright berry flavours lurk under the surface of a juicy yet firmly tannic red. It’s built for rare lamb. Made in Rymill’s showpiece winery by Sandrine Gimon.
Howard Park Porongurup Riesling 2011 $32–$35 Porongurup, Great Southern, Western Australia At a latitude between 34 and 35 south and with little elevation, Porongurup (near Albany, Western Australia) might appear too warm for riesling. But sitting on the coastal fringe, vines benefit from the cold ocean breezes pushing in against the hot breath of the continent. The dry, warm 2011 vintage (completely opposite to the east coast experience) produced a floral, rich riesling with intense lemon-like varietal flavour and bone-dry, refreshingly acidic finish. Winemaker Janice McDonald says it’s “the finest cut of free juice from two of the oldest vineyard plantings in the Porongurup sub-region”.
Tulloch Pokolbin Dry Red 2010 $22–$25 The label dates from1952 and the company goes back 1895. Its modern history includes sale of J.Y. Tulloch and Sons to Reed Consolidated Publishing in 1969, followed by 32 years in corporate hands before Jay Tulloch and business associates bought the farm back in 2001. Since then we’ve tasted nothing but impeccable regional wines, like this enduring specialty – a medium bodied, fragrant, silky smooth red with bright, ripe fruit and what can only be described as “Hunteriness”. It’s a beautiful wine, can be cellared successfully and never fails to impress – and surprise – lovers of cool climate shiraz. That’s the warm Hunter’s great paradox.
Best’s Great Western Bin O Shiraz 2010 $75 Whether you’re after an outstanding drink or want a special memento to enjoy years, even decades, down the track, Best’s Bin O’s worth looking it. Its pedigree stretches back more than 100 years, although the exact date of the original label isn’t known. Sourced from four low-yielding sections of the Thomson family’s vineyards – planted in the 19th and mid 20th centuries – Bin O presents a unique power and elegance. Despite the intense peppery, savoury varietal flavours, the wine’s silky, supple and a joy to drink now. But the harmonious layering of sweet fruit and fine tannin should see it flourish in the decades to come.
Jacob’s Creek Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 $13.30–$18 The Jacob’s Creek reserve range, once multi-regional blends, recently moved to single-region sourcing and labelling. Always outstanding at their price points, and always containing material from our better regions, their move to regional labelling gives better marketing support to the quality of the wine in the bottle. In this instance, for a modest price, we enjoy an outstanding expression of Coonawarra cabernet. It’s pure varietal in its berry, black olive and leaf aroma and flavour, its rich, firm palate and elegant structure. We enjoyed a few bottles of this around Christmas and noting it’s still around town, sometimes on special, give it strong endorsement.
Paul Lapsley, chief winemaker of Accolade Wines, owner of Hardy's
Eileen Hardy shiraz and Eileen Hardy chardonnay date from 1970 and 1986 respectively. The wines released under the labels since then mirror Australia’s winemaking history. And, like time capsules, each vintage reveals something of the winemaking and viticulture of its time. Collectively they carry a rich history.
Eileen Hardy Shiraz 1970 reflected the red wine boom of the time, the dominance of warm South Australian regions in this phenomenon and the unquestioned status of shiraz in McLaren Vale – home of the then family-owned Thomas Hardy and Sons. Eileen Hardy shiraz later wandered from its origins, parallel to similar moves across the industry, only to return to its McLaren Vale roots years later.
Sixteen years after the first Eileen shiraz, as white wine boomed, Eileen Hardy chardonnay arrived – based on grapes from Padthaway, South Australia. Over time grape sourcing followed quality southwards – settling principally in the Yarra Valley and Tasmania by the turn of the century.
During the journey, the style changed dramatically – from the big, fat, oaky, buttery style of the eighties (based on warm-climate fruit) to the more fine-boned, intense, Burgundy-like versions we enjoy today.
While Australians embraced chardonnay en masse in the eighties, popular discovery of pinot noir remained decades away. But in recent times it’s become the fastest growing red variety (driven largely by New Zealand wines) – and even now that’s off a very small base.
Once a footnote in Australian red-wine sales figures, pinot accounted for six per cent by value of retail red wine sales in the year to September 2011, according to Nielsen data.
Vintage Cellars liquor executive, Grant Ramage, says the figures also reveal pinot as “the fastest growing of the major varieties” at 21 per cent for the year, compared to nine per cent for shiraz (which accounts for 26 per cent of red wine sales) and five per cent for cabernet sauvignon.
The figures also reveal that we pay more, on average, for pinot than for shiraz or red in general – $17.50 retail a bottle for pinot, $12.50 for shiraz and $8.49 for red wine overall.
Where interest in chardonnay grew on a wide popular front, driven by cheaper wines from high-yielding, warm-climate vineyards, pinot started at the top, made in tiny quantities by dedicated producers in cool regions.
Hardy’s move into serious pinot noir began with its acquisition of Yarra Burn winery and vineyards, in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, a couple of decades back.
Then in the nineties, the search for high quality pinot and chardonnay for sparkling wine led Hardys to Tasmania. But they quickly embraced table wine, too. By the turn of the century, grape sourcing for Eileen Hardy chardonnay had shifted mainly to Tasmania and the Yarra Valley.
From 2002 their Bay of Fires winery at Pipers River processed all of the company’s Tasmanian fruit – for both table and sparkling wines. By 2009, under Fran Austin, Bay of Fires Pinot Noir had emerged as one of the state’s finest.
By this time, Hardy’s also held two held two vintages of its new Eileen Hardy Pinot Noir in its cellars. They’ve since been released quietly into the market – wines of exceptional quality, yet little known outside the wine industry.
The first release, from the hot 2008 vintage, comes from two mature vineyards in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley and the Yarra Burn vineyard in the upper Yarra Valley. It’s a full-bodied pinot noir, reflecting the hot season.
The currently available 2009 vintage ($85 at cellar door), and the not-yet-released 2010, are both 100 per cent Tasmanian, says chief winemaker Paul Lapsley.
“But it’s not always a lay down misere for Tasmania”, he says. It can be a blend or a single vineyard”. He explains that in 2009 the blend appeared likely to included fruit from Yarra Burn. But February bushfires, and subsequent smoke taint ruled out this possibility.
Fortunately a single parcel for fruit from the Tollpuddle vineyard, in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley, rose to the occasion. Lapsley says they made the 2009 from a half-hectare section on the middle slopes of the 2.5-hectare vineyard. It’s a finer, more elegant style than the 2009, reflecting benign growing conditions.
The 2010 also appeared set to be a Tasmania-Yarra blend. But untimely heavy rain in the upper Yarra led to flavour dilution – ruling the fruit out of contention for the flagship blend.
In the end, says Lapsley, the wine includes material from on Coal River vineyard and Derwent Estate, at Granton, on the Derwent River.
Lapsley says the greatest sites in Tasmania at present tend to in the Coal River Valley and at Derwent Estate, but may expand to the East Coast as vineyards there mature as “the textural component is lacking at present.
There’ll be no 2011 Eileen Hardy Pinot Noir and the 2012 remains in the future – although Tasmania appears particularly attractive several weeks out from vintage, says Lapsley.
Looking further ahead Lapsley sees continuing “synergies between Tasmania and the upper Yarra. But we won’t stop looking in Mornington, Gippsland and Beechworth. If it fits the bill, we’ll use it”.
Schneider Weiss Mein Grunes 500ml $7.85 This is a strong (6.2 per cent alcohol), bottle-conditioned summer wheat beer from the Schneider brewery, Bavaria. The abundant head and intense, spicey-clovey aroma are classic wheat beer. Alcohol boosts the body and lends a gentle sweetness to the refreshingly tart palate with its appealing clove-like flavour.
Before heading off to Europe last year, Australian brewer Ben Kraus contacted Nogne Brewery, Norway, and organised a joint brewing session.
Kraus airfreighted fresh Australian galaxy and stella hops to Nogne, and with brewer Kjetil Jikiun made 5,000 litres of India Saison. Nogne marketed the co-branded beer in Europe and shipped some in 500ml bottles to Australia.
Returning to Australia, Kraus made a batch to the same recipe at Bridge Road Brewers, Beechworth. So successful was it that he brewed a second batch and has a third in the making.
His Norwegian mate enjoyed similar same success, and is now into his seventh batch, says Kraus.
Kraus says Jikian’s visiting Melbourne for good beer week in May and will visit Beechworth to collaborate on another brew. Kraus also plans to work with a visiting Danish brewer.
Nogne and Bridge Road Brewery India Saison 330ml $5.50 Hops, hops, hops and more hops – glorious, fresh, pungent and resiny – drive this collaboration between Norway’s Nogne brewery and Bridge Road Brewers, Beechworth. They’re Australian galaxy and stella varieties, says brewer Ben Kraus. They dominate the aroma, push through the full, malty palate and linger, bitter and tart on the palate.
Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 $29.45–$35 Xanadu Vineyard, Boodjidup Valley, Margaret River, Western Australia The Lagan family planted Xanadu in 1977 and under Rathbone family ownership since 2005 makes beautiful cabernet sauvignons. Winemaker Glenn Goodall attributes the 2009’s near-perfect varietal flavour, ripe tannins and elegant structure to “amazing Indian summer conditions”. A blend of 88 per cent cabernet sauvignon, eight per cent petit verdot, two per cent each of merlot and cabernet franc ¬– the 2009 delivers pure varietal aromas (black olive and blackcurrant) subtle supported by cedary oak. The same flavours come through on a delicious, juicy fine-boned palate, meshed with fine, soft tannins.
Richmond Grove Riesling 2011 $18.05–$21 Watervale, Clare Valley, South Australia Richmond Grove is a descendent of the great Leo Buring rieslings of the 60s and 70s. In the early 90a, Orlando relocated the brand from the Hunter to Buring’s old Chateau Leonay winery in the Barossa Valley. Orlando’s recently-recruited Phil Laffer, a Lindemans-Buring veteran, engaged former Leo Buring riesling master, John Vickery. The collaboration produced Richmond Grove Watervale riesling, sourced for the first decade from the Barry family’s Florita vineyard, formerly owned by Leo Buring. The style is lime-like, dry and delicate, with a particularly fine acid backbone in the cool 2011 vintage. It has tremendous cellaring potential. Indeed we’re still savouring the 1998, 1999 and 2002 vintages at Chateau Shanahan.
d’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz 2008 $61.75–$68 McLaren Vale, South Australia No other beverage enjoys the mystique of wine – in this d’Arenberg red based on a disease – eutypa lata – that kills off one side, or arm, of a vine. Hence the name, dead arm. And as soon as we see, smell and drink Dead Arm, we love what winemaker Chester Osborne calls, “these truncated, gap-toothed old vines”, for the drinking satisfaction they deliver. The flavour intensity is truly remarkable. But it’s not overwhelming. It’s a sturdy, friendly bear hug of a shiraz, with a deep, tannic savoury undercurrent.
House of Arras Brut Elite Method Traditionelle NV $42.75–$48 Upper Derwent and Huon Valley, Tasmania Arras is part of Accolade Wines (formerly Constellation Wines Australia, and before that BRL Hardy). Hardy’s created the brand for the superb Tasmanian sparkling wines created by Ed Carr – bubblies that I rate, alongside those of fellow Tasmanian Stefano Lubiana, as Australia’s best. Brut Elite NV comes 98 per cent from the 2004 vintage – a blend of 58 per cent pinot noir and 42 per cent chardonnay, aged six years on yeast lees. A pale, golden colour it delivers the power and structure of pinot noir, the zest and buoyancy of chardonnay and the deep but subtle flavour and texture of prolonged ageing on lees – a remarkable, delicate, complex sparkler to savour.
Stefano Lubiana Brut Reserve NV $34–$38 Lubiana Vineyard, Granton, Derwent Valley, Tasmania A few weeks I reviewed Steve Lubiana’s spectacular 2004 vintage. His non-vintage product – from the 2008 vintage, with small components of reserve wines, vintages 2003 to 2007 – shows similar delicate fruit flavours, but with less bottle-aged character. The 60:40 chardonnay-pinot noir blend shows a light and spritely acidic freshness on the palate, underpinned by superb, delicate fruit flavours – a product of the cool climate. But there’s structure and texture here, too, making it a better buy, I believe, than many real non-vintage Champagnes.
Heartland Wines Dolcetto Lagrein 2010 $19–$22 Langhorne Creek, South Australia Good fruit and very clever winemaking here from Ben Glaetzer, produces unique flavours and enjoyable drinking. It’s a blend of the northern Italian varieties dolcetto and lagrein – the former noted for its aromatics and brilliant colour, the latter for its sometimes-intimidating tannins. The blend is highly perfumed and mulberry-like on the nose with a peppery note; the vibrant fruit and pepperiness continue on the generous palate before the savoury, persistent tannins roll back in. Heartland is the creation of Ben Glaetzer, Grant Tilbrook, Scott Collet, Geoff Hardy, Vicki Arnold, Gino Melino and John Pargeter.
Stonier Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay 2010 $16.50–$25 Stonier chardonnay walks the tasty line between the fat chardonnays of old and the sometimes ultra-austere versions now in vogue in some quarters. It’s based on the outstanding fruit flavour produced the cool, maritime environment of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula – flanked on either side by Port Phillip and Westernport Bays, and Bass Straight to the south. It combines generosity of varietal flavour, vibrant fresh acidity and a smooth texture derived from partial barrel fermentation and maturation (and, judging by the flavour, a little malolactic fermentation – a secondary, acid-reducing process that inserts a subtle butterscotch note).
D’Arenberg McLaren Vale The Stick and Stones Tempranillo Shiraz Tinta Cao and Souzao 2008 $30 This is a triumph for the monumentally hot 2008 vintage. We might expect a port-like red, but instead winemaker Chester Osborne presents an impressively robust drop that slips down easily – and maintained our interest all the way to the bottom of the bottle. It’s deep and tannic and firm and savoury, chewy even, but the core of sweet, delicious fruit holds all that grunt comfortably. Tempranillo leads the blend and shiraz probably provides the fruit sweetness. God knows what the Portuguese tinta cao and souzo contribute. But they’re no strangers to hot weather and the combination works. It’s unique and satisfying.
De Bortoli Bella Riva King Valley Pinot Grigio Vermentino 2010 $15–$17I In the nineties vine planting took off in Victoria’s King Valley as the area’s Italian-descended families turned their backs on tobacco growing – changing vices, so to speak. And two Italian winemaking families from Griffith (neither associated with tobacco), New South Wales, joined the expansion – Miranda and De Bortoli. De Bortoli’s includes among its vines pinot grigio, a grey/white mutant of pinot noir, and the Italian white variety, vermentino. De Bortoli’s low alcohol (12.5 per cent) blend of the two provides richly textured, pleasantly tart, savoury drinking, very much in the Italian style.
How can a quirky beer like Hoppy Hefe come from the same brewery as the bland and boring James Squire 150 Lashes – the one thrilling and edgy; the other, well, it’s wet and alcoholic. But Maybe that’s just a mad brewer’s mood swing.
The latest offering from Mad Brewers – Malt Shovel’s Chuck Hahn, Tony Jones, Rob Freshwater and Dayton Coffey – puts a novel spin on bottle-conditioned wheat ale.
Wheat beers generally rely on high acidity, not hops, for their freshness and bite. But Hoppy Hefe takes several cues from the American Pale Ale style – full, malty body, high alcohol and really pungent, assertive hops, added late in the brewing process.
Brewer Tony Jones calls it a “mongrel of a wheat beer with no claim to nationality” – a fair description for a brew that occupies no known niche.
Malt Shovel Mad Brewers Hoppy Hefe Ale 640ml $9.99 The colour’s medium amber with a light yeast haze (hefe); the aroma combines ale fruitiness with rich, sweet maltiness, cut by fresh, citrus-like hops; and the opulent, malty, alcoholic palate benefits from fresh acid, courtesy of the wheat, and the challenging but delicious dollop of lingering, bitter hops.
