Chateau Shanahan’s in the grip of a severe riesling addiction. Our pleasure comes reliably and economically. And it’s a direct result of Australia’s dramatic switch from cork to screwcap – precipitated in 1999 by a group of determined Clare Valley riesling makers. Thanks to winemaker Jeffrey Grosset and his Clare Valley mates we’re all enjoying … Continue reading A decade of screwcaps pays off for riesling drinkers
Florita, one of Australia’s distinguished riesling vineyards, carved its reputation in the 1960s and 1970s under winemaker John Vickery and the Leo Buring label. Today the Barry family owns the vineyard and offer, at last, a wine bearing the Florita name.
Lustau Manzanilla Papirusa Sherry 375ml $14.99 Manzanilla, the palest, most delicate of the flor fino sherry family, comes from the Spanish seaside town of Sanlucar de Barameda. The humid environment encourages an extra thickness in the film of yeast cells (flor) on the surface of the sherry maturing in barrels. While this layer contributes distinctive … Continue reading Wine review — Lustau, d’Arenberg & Richmond Grove
Holm Oak Vineyards Tasmania Riesling 2006 $20 Holm Oak is a seven-hectare vineyard at Rowella on the Tamar River, Northern Tasmania. Ian and Robyn Wilson own the vineyard but leased but lease it to their winemaker daughter, Rebecca and partner Stuart Catlin. They arrived in mid-2006 in time to launch this very fine aperitif-style riesling. … Continue reading Wine review — Holm Oak, Wyndham Estate & Coriole
As Christmas 2006 approaches Australia’s wine industry finds itself undergoing a major mood shift. Thanks to drought and savage spring frosts, the domestic wine lake that appeared to be permanent just a few months back seems to be evaporating. By conservative reckoning – assuming continued growth in domestic and export markets — grape supply will … Continue reading My best value wines of 2006
Rather than tut-tutting, Italian winemakers ought to applaud Guenther Aloys’ launch, in designer cans, of Rich Prosecco, a semi-sparkling wine from Italy’s Treviso Province. In a series of Paris Hilton hosted parties, starting in a Tyrolean ski resort last April before fanning out over Germany (and even to Munich’s beer-drenched Oktoberfest), the little gold tinny … Continue reading Paris Hilton, rich prosecco tinnes and gen Y
Ah, wine shows. They seem to be everywhere. Canberra alone has five that I know of: in chronological order, Winewise Small Vignerons Awards, Canberra Regional Wine Show, Murrumbateman Cool Climate Wine Show, the Hyatt International Riesling Challenge and the National Wine Show of Australia. Different people with different objectives operate them, but each one aspires … Continue reading International riesling challenge 2006 points to huge value for drinkers
Vinecrest Barossa Semillon 2006 $16 Vinecrest was one of three delicious gold medallists in a semillon class that I judged recently at the Barossa Regional Show. It passed the real-life, glass-or-two with food test at the awards presentation dinner a few days later, too. Proprietor Ian Mader tells me that it’s sourced from the central … Continue reading Wine review — Vinecrest, Meeting Place & Lark Hill
Grosset Watervale Riesling 2005 $33 & Polish Hill Riesling 2005 $39 Jeffrey Grosset’s Clare rieslings, from the subregions of Watervale and Polish Hill, rank consistently amongst the best of the style in Australia. The Watervale (for the first time in 2005 entirely from Grosset’s own vineyard) is almost unbelievably pure and delicate with a racy, … Continue reading Wine review — Grosset, Mount Majura & Leo Buring
After a hot, flavour-sapping 2004 vintage, the milder 2005 season seems to have produced rieslings of subtle perfume, delicious flavour and, in the better examples, the classic intensity and acid structure for long-term cellaring. As these flow into an increasingly competitive market over the next few months, it’ll pay to stock up – provided, of … Continue reading Aussie 2005 rieslings looking good