Eden Road The Long Road Tumbarumba Pinot Noir 2013 $30 Like Clonakilla and Ravensworth, Murrumbateman’s Eden Road winery sources fruit from high, cool Tumbarumba. Pinot noir for The Long Road, says winemaker Nick Spencer, comes from the Courabyra and Maragle vineyards. Restaurant 86, Braddon, offers it by the glass, so we paired it happily with … Continue reading Wine review – Eden Road, d’Arenberg and Mr Mick
The maturity and breadth of our local wine industry shows in this selection of the top-10 whites and top-10 reds of 2014. The selection could easily have come from the Canberra district alone, so rich are the pickings from vineyards spread at altitudes varying from around 550-metres to 860-metres above sea level. However, our surrounding … Continue reading Canberra and surrounding districts – top 10 reds, top 10 whites of 2014
As the Australian wine industry moved into another round of takeovers and rationalisation in 2014, Canberra’s vignerons remained many, small and independent. They released probably more outstanding wines in the year than they ever had before, attracting a remarkable flow of wine show gongs. Treasury Wine Estates was the largest takeover target. After months of … Continue reading A year in Canberra wine, 2014
Gallagher Shiraz 2012 $30 Murrumbateman, Canberra District, NSW “After doing climatic data searches for about two years, looking for the best area to grow shiraz”, says Greg Gallagher, he and wife Libby Gallagher planted the variety at Murrumbateman in 1995. While neighbouring Clonakilla enjoyed success with shiraz from 1990, and shiraz-viognier from 1992, the variety … Continue reading Wine review – Gallagher, Sandalford, Printhie, Ten Minutes by Tractor and Nick O’Leary
Picking a top 10 reds and whites becomes increasingly difficult every year as Australia’s wines increase in quality and diversity. This year’s selection represent wines that appealed at first taste, then passed the bottle test – that is, they held our interest all the way through to the last drop They’re absolutely first-rate examples of … Continue reading Top 10 reds and whites of 2013
Shiraz and riesling once again seized the glory at this year’s Canberra and Region Wine Show, judged at the showground in late September. Judges tweeted and emailed as they worked, revealing the flavour of the event, if not specific details, days before show organisers unveiled the official results. The show – judged by Mike Bennie, … Continue reading Shiraz, riesling and Tumbarumba chardonnay excite at Canberra 2013 show
The Rhone Valley white variety, viognier, is and will remain a niche variety, representing around two per cent of total white plantings in Australia. Nevertheless, it remains an important variety, principally because of its close relationship to our national red hero, shiraz. The relationship is both genetic and vinous. In Wine Grapes (Penguin Group, 2012), … Continue reading Viognier — genetic and vinous buddy of shiraz
After the cool, wet, disease-ravaged 2011 and 2012 vintages, the drier, warmer 2013 season saw a return to generally healthy fruit and reasonable yields across the Canberra district. Quality appears to be very good for both reds and whites, with lovely, clean, disease-free fruit arriving at wineries. Hall vigneron, Allan Pankhurst, offers unconditional praise for … Continue reading Canberra vintage report 2013
Depending on how you view wine shows, Canberra region is either blessed or burdened with a disproportionate number of nationally significant events. These include the National Wine Show of Australia, Winewise Small Vignerons Awards, Winewise Championship, Canberra International Riesling Challenge and Canberra Regional Wine Show. The national show, billed as the grand final of Australia’s … Continue reading Winewise championship — Australia’s grand final wine show
On Valentine’s Day, Canberra vignerons took the district’s white darling, riesling, on a date. Not a romantic, love-you, can’t-get-enough-of-you fling, but a forensic examination, under the stark spotlights inside Mount Majura’s squeaky-clean cellar. Critics, show judges and increasing numbers of drinkers love our rieslings. But they’re enjoying mainly youthful, fresh, just-released wines, within months or … Continue reading Canberra riesling — lining up the veterans