Last week Chris Coffman’s Eden Road Wines took over Doonkuna Estate, one of Canberra’s oldest vineyards. The purchase lands Eden Road plum in Murrumbateman’s reputation-making shiraz and riesling belt – giving the vineyard perhaps its best hope in nearly forty years. Doonkuna’s history of hope, death and almost making it, began in 1972 when Wing … Continue reading Canberra’s Eden Road buys Doonkuna Estate
Eden Road The Long Road Shiraz 2009 $21 Canberra and Hilltops districts, New South Wales There’s a distinct winemaking style at Eden Road under Nick Spencer. The intense, pure restrained wines tend towards austerity in youth – a character notable in the Canberra Riesling 2010, Tumbarumba Chardonnay 2008 and Canberra Shiraz 2009. But the underlying … Continue reading Wine review — Eden Road, Ross Hill, Cullens, Brancott Estate and Innocent Bystander
Brindabella Hills Canberra District Sauvignon Blanc 2010 $20 Sauvignon blanc is Australia’s most popular white wine style. But in Canberra’s vineyards, where riesling rules, it’s a niche variety, struggling for identity and seldom performing well at our local wine show. A consistent exception has been Roger and Faye Harris’s gentle, lovely version. Year after year … Continue reading Wine review — Brindabella Hills and Greywacke
Pedro ximenez probably isn’t on the radar of most wine drinkers. And where we see the name, it’s probably on the label of a dark, sweet, sherry. But it exists as a delicate, long-lived dry white wine as well. And there’s a dwindling but significant treasure trove of it at Campbells of Rutherglen. It seems … Continue reading Last fling for pedro ximenez — a curio worth tasting
Capital Wines Canberra District The Backbencher Merlot 2009 $25 The Senator Chardonnay 2009 $22 Capital wines is a partnership between the Moody and McEwin families with Mark Moody in the vineyard, Jennie Moody in the marketing department and Andrew McEwin in the winery. Both of these wines come from their Kyeema vineyard, Murrumbateman. The merlot, … Continue reading Wine review — Capital Wines, Z4 and Katnook Estate
Binbilla Hilltops Good Friday Shiraz 2009 $25 Binbilla is a tiny, hand-tended vineyard near Young, owned by Gerard and Bez Hines. Nick O’Leary makes the wine and describes the 2009 as a “leaner style” than the typical Hilltops shiraz. He picks the grapes comparatively early, “when the vines are healthy, before the leaves turn yellow” … Continue reading Wine review — Binbilla, Wignall and Bourke Street
Canberra and surrounding districts fared sensationally well in this year’s National Wine Show of Australia, judged between 15 and 18 November. By my count, local wines won 31 awards – one trophy, 13 gold medals, four silver medals and 13 bronze medals. The tally includes wines from most of the regions covered by the Canberra … Continue reading Canberra wines fare well at National Wine Show of Australia
Australia’s craft brewing industry owes much to the west. The comparatively large-scale success of Matilda Bay, and later Little Creatures, fanned widespread consumer interest in beers very different from mainstream styles. Matilda Bay’s Redback popularised the highly distinctive flavours of wheat beer to a lager-quaffing nation. And Little Creatures spread the gospel of highly aromatic, … Continue reading West inspires the rest
In 2009 Western Australia accounted for just eight per cent of Australia’s grapevine plantings and four per cent of our grape crush. But its wines, especially those from Margaret River, win a disproportionate share of accolades. In this year’s Langton’s Classification of Australian Wines, for example, Margaret River won three of the 17 spots in … Continue reading Mighty west punches above its weight
Shelmerdine Riesling 2010 $24 Heathcote, Victoria Really fine riesling is just that – delicate and finely textured with not a trace of hardness derived from skin contact. Shelmerdine is as finely textured as they come, thanks to hand harvesting and whole-bunch pressing. The gentle handling technique also allows the fruit flavour to flourish. In the … Continue reading Wine review — Shelmerdine, Chalmers, Cape Mentelle, Mitchell and Zonte’s Footstep