Mark's Blog

14 October 2006

Up A Gum Tree.

Whilst taking in a delivery the other day, I noticed that on the back of the truck was a pallet of wine destined for another local wine merchant. The palate contained a brand of wine that is distributed through Vinoceros wines called Up a Gum Tree. According to their web site it is a range of wines sourced from S.E. Australia that is bottled in the UK and has attractive packaging and is growing in popularity in the on and off trade sector.  As a big fan of Australian wine and as someone who is passionate about the regional differences to be found across the wine making regions of Australia, this disturbs me.

It annoys me that most of the UK’s first encounter with Australian wine is with this mass-produced fruit juice. This then manifests itself in the mind of the consumer into believing that all Australian wine tastes like this. It was therefore quite ironic, that on the same day I was hosting a workshop to show how the regional differences are to be found in Australia.

I started with 3 white wines. I wanted to show that Australia can produce crisp and aromatic wines as well as rich and fruity ones. The first was Grosset’s Polish Hill Riesling 2005. Situated in the Clare Valley in South Australia, Geoff Grosset is widely acknowledged to produce the finest Riesling in Australia. The Bouquet, even when still so young, exhibited petroleum notes and full-on Lime citrus fruit aromas. The palate was viscous and steely dry with intense lime and grapefruit flavours that sent the saliva glands into overdrive. The finish was persistent and very long. This was the one wine that really split the room; no middle ground was given between those who loved it and those who didn’t.

The next white was Ninth Island Sauvignon Blanc 2005. Tasmania is producing fantastic wine and its cool climate suits grape varieties such as Sauvignon, Riesling and Pinot Gris. Some exceptional Cabernets, Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays are now being produced as well. Ninth Island is the second label of Pipers Brook vineyards, which is probably the most well known of all of Tasmania’s producers. The wine exhibited classic Sauvignon Blanc aromas of Gooseberries withliberal amounts of asparagus and herbaceous notes. Crisp and light and on the palate with generous fruit and an elegant finish. This wine met with universal approval and with a price of £8.99 it competes well with Sauvignons from New Zealand.

The 3rd white was Omrah un-oaked Chardonnay from Mount Barker in Western Australia. Like the previous wine this is a second label. Omrah is produced by Plantagenet who are one of WA’s most respected vineyards. I had chosen this wine for the specific reason that it is un-oaked and hopefully it would demonstrate that with quality fruit you do not need to add anything else. The bouquet is an intense fruit cocktail of pine apple and peach and this continues on the palate. The wine is well-balanced with lots of up-front fruit. It is clean and fresh with a good length. The one slight grumble is that the 14% ABV is very noticeable and the wine would have been better received at, say 13%.

The selection of red wines was broken down in to two sections: Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. I wanted to show the part that regional differences plays in Australia’s two big red varieties.

The first of the reds was Off the leash Max, Shiraz-Viognier. The lane vineyards are situated are in the Adelaide Hills and are owned by the Edwards family. The Off the leash refers to the severing of ties with the Australian wine bohemouth BRL Hardy for whom they co-produced a range of wines called Starve Dog Lane. Max is a very vibrant style of Shiraz and the added dash of Viognier lifts the aromatics and lends some nice acidity to the wine. The wine is medium to full-bodied with lots of generous strawberry fruit flavours. The tannins are fine and work nicely to enhance the youthful vigour of this delicious wine.

The second red was Shelmerdine, Heathcote Shiraz. This wine really impressed me when I first came across it at the Australia Day tastings in London at the beginning of the year. Heathcote is rapidly gaining a reputation as one of Australia best fine wine regions. Situated about 2 hours north of Melbourne in Central Victoria, Heathcote’s average temperature is some 2-3 degrees cooler than that of its wine producing neighbours. This cooler climate lends itself to producing wines of a more subtle nature. The Shiraz has some real spice to it and has almost Rhone like blackberry fruit. The body has a firm yet appetising structure and would partner some Welsh lamb to perfection. The Heathcote Viognier is also a fantastic wine and I rate it as one of the best examples of this grape variety in the whole of Australia.

The third of the Shirazes came from the fantastic Two Hands stable. The Angel’s Share is part of their picture series and represents the McLaren Vale in South Australia. In my opinion, it is the McLaren Vale that creates Australia’s most elegant style of Shiraz. We tasted the new 2005 vintage, and even in this early stage of life it exhibited voluptuous, even if quite pronounced tannins. The bouquet was a heady mix of dark bramble fruit interspersed with aromatic cloves and dark chocolate. The palate delivered rich, full fruit and the chocolaty essence that the McLaren Vale is well known for. I really believe that the guys at Two Hands are producing some of the finest wines that Australia has to offer at this time.

The final Shiraz came from the world famous Barossa Valley. This part of South Australia is synonymous for its big, brooding red wines. The example I showed was from John Duval. If any one knows how to make better Shiraz than this man, then they are few and far between. John Duval was head wine maker at Penfolds for two decades and over saw the creation of 16 vintages of the iconic Grange. The 2004 Entity Shiraz lived up to all expectations. The bouquet was very complex with aromas of dark fruits and herbs, especially thyme and oregano. Menthol notes with spikes of Eucalyptus were joined with liquorice and sloes. The dense body filled the palate with rich fruit whilst the balanced tannins gave the wine great structure. The finish was incredibly long and satisfying and made sure that The Entity was the hit of the night. If this is the sign of things to come I would advise all wine enthusiasts to snap up the next vintages while you can, as this wine is sure to become as iconic as the fore-mentioned Grange.

The final 2 wines of the evening were both Cabernet Sauvignons. I had chosen 2 wines from the regions of Australia that I believe excel in this variety. The first wine was Rymill Cabernet Sauvignon from Coonawara. This region is famous for its red clay soils or Terra Rossa. The 2000 Cabernet from Rymill delivered everything that I hoped that it would. Leather and cigar boxes with sweet blackcurrant fruit filled the nostrils, while on the palate lots of deep, savoury berry fruit danced with the dry tannins. Text book Cabernet Sauvignon. Long maturation in French oak adds a touch of elegance to this powerful wine and gives it another layer of complexity.

The final wine came from Margaret River in Western Australia. The 2002 Suckfizzle Cabernet Sauvignon is the flagship wine of Stella Bella. A single vineyard wine whose gravely soils are gently fanned by cool Indian Ocean breezes. I think that all of wine maker Janice Macdonalds wines have a very feminine touch about them, and this was no different. When first nosing the wine, the senses are overwhelmed with sweet cassis notes and freshly squeezed blackcurrants. The deft use of oak and the superb quality of the fruit shine through when you taste it. The finish is luxurious and stays around for a long time. I have drunk this wine on many occasions and it never fails to impress me.

And finally, for those of you who are saddened by the lack of busking content in this blog, I have a little treat: whilst on the shop floor the other Sunday, the gentle peace of morning was shattered by the loud shouting of a few “Hey nonies” and “for sooths “. Yes the street had been over run by a troop of middle aged dancers in 16th century period costumes. Enjoy the pictures.

Cheers!