That is the primary installment of my chronicles of the 13-day Aussie Tour 2023 of the Verenigde Vinologen Nederland (Dutch affiliation of wine connoisseurs), with Grasp of Wine Cees van Casteren as our information. We began with an outline tasting organized by Wine Australia referred to as “Far From Unusual Tasting”. It options 28 wines from all 6 wine rising states of Australia (i.e. all states besides Northern Territory), 15 of the 65 geographic wine areas, and 19 grape varities. Kati Vainionpää was our host and began with a short presentation of Australian wine historical past. This began with the primary vines planted in Sydney in 1788, however was boosted when James Busby imported cuttings from Europe in 1832. A few of these are nonetheless alive because the oldest surviving vines on the earth.
- Sidewood ‘Almost Bare Glowing’ Sauvignon Blanc NV (Adelaide Hills, Sauvignon Blanc, glowing with lower than .5% alcohol, very dry)
- Unruly Wine Co. ‘Pet Nat’ South Australia 2022 (Adelaide Hills, Pinot Grigio, glowing pétillant naturelle, clean with strawberry jam aroma)
- Keith Tulloch Area of Mars Block 3B Semillon 2017 (Hunter Valley, Semillon, mineral, saline)
- Brokenwood ‘ILR Reserve’ Hunter Valley Semillon 2014 (Hunter Valley, Semillon, full-bodied mineral, aged superbly, advanced, balanced)
- Small Surprise Tasmania Riesling 2022 (Tasmania, Riesling, creamy, saline)
- Bay of Fires Riesling Tasmania 2021 (Tasmania, Riesling, sulfur, mineral, petrol, creamy, balanced)
- Moorilla Fabric Label fiftieth Anniversary Riesling 2012 (Tastmania, Riesling, golden hue, petrol, creamy, bitter end)
- MMAD Winery McLaren Vale Chenin Blanc 2021 (McLaren Vale, Chenin Blanc)
- Misplaced farm Tasmania Chardonnay 2021 (Tasmania, Chardonnay, mineral, sulfur, very saline, balanced texture)
- Zilzie ‘Platinum Version’ Riverland Arinto 2022 (Riverland, Arinto, saline, not fruity like many Portuguese Arintos)
- Yelland & Papps Single Winery Barossa Roussanne 2022 (Barossa Valley, Roussane, creamy, balanced, bitter end)
- Robert Oatley ‘Finisterre’ Margaret River Chardonnay 2022 (Margaret River, Chardonnay, mineral, oak, citrus, buttery)
- Moorooduc Pinot Gris on Skins 2022 (Mornington, Pinot Gris, fruity type orange wine, balanced, advanced)
- Sidewood ‘Almost Bare’ Rosé NV (Adelaide Hills, Shiraz, glowing lower than .5% alcohol, excessive acidity)
- Ashton Hills Piccadilly Pinot Noir 2022 (Piccadilly Valley, Pinot Noir)
- Stargazer Tasmania Pinot Noir 2022 (Tasmania, Pinot Noir, tabacco, ripe fruit)
- Anvers Adelaide Hills Gamay 2022 (Adelaide Hills, Gamay, espresso, ripe tannins)
- Sons of Eden East of Eden Grenache 2022 (Barossa Valley, Grenache, advanced, pink fruit, jammy type)
- Yangarra Ovitelli McLaren Vale Grenache 2019 (McLaren Vale, Grenache, balanced, matured, ripe tannins)
- Hidden Creek Granite Belt Shiraz Nouveau 2021 (Granite Belt, Shiraz)
- Sappling Yard Canberra Shiraz Viognier 2021 (Canberra, Shiraz/Viognier, aroma of eucalyptus)
- Mr Riggs ‘The Chap’ McLaren Vale Coonawarra 2017 (McLaren Worth / Coonawarra, Shiraz / Cabernet, the one non-sparkling wine within the line up with a cork quite than a screw cap, jammy, berries, daring, ripe tannins)
- Fox Creek ‘Previous Vine’ McLaren Vale Shiraz 2020 (McLaren Vale, Shiraz, mineral, sulfur, balanced, mature)
- Howard Park ‘Abercrombie’ Margaret River Mount Barker 2018 (Mount Barker, Cabernet Sauvignon, inexperienced bell pepper aroma)
- Mitolo Cinquecento McLaren Vale Sangiovese 2019 (McLaren Vale, Sangiovese, not like Italian Sangiovese)
- Gapsted Wines Ballerina Cover Alpine Valleys Seperavi 2021 (Alpine Valleys, Saperavi)
- Campbell’s Rutherglen Topaque (Rutherglen, Muscadelle, candy, excessive alcohol)
- Campbell’s Rutherglen Muscat (Rutherglen, Muscat à petit grains, candy, excessive alcohol)
This lineup clearly demonstrates that there’s extra to Australian wine than large, daring, and fruity. Even the McLaren Vale/Coonawarra Shiraz/Cabernet is properly balanced (albeit additionally large, daring, and fruity). Lots of the wines stand out for his or her minerality, stability, and class. There have been some uncommon (for Australia) grape varieties as properly, like Arinto (Portugal), Sangiovese (Italy), Roussanne (Rhone, France), and Saperavi (Georgia — the nation, not the US state).
My private favorites had been the Robert Oatley ‘Finisterre’ Margaret River Chardonnay 2022, the Bay of Fires Riesling Tasmania 2021, and the Brokenwood ‘ILR Reserve’ Hunter Valley Semillon 2014. I preferred the Chardonnay as a result of it jogged my memory of a Puligny-Montrachet or Meursault. The Riesling was not like German Riesling, much less acidic and with a distinct (sulfur-like) minerality, though it additionally had some petrol. Hunter Valley Semillon is a singular Australian type with low alcohol (11.7%) that reveals its class when correctly aged like this one (2014). It was additionally noteworthy that solely one of many nonetheless wines had a cork (the Shiraz/Cabernet); all of the others screw cap.
We ended the day with a cruise within the Sydney Harbour with a view of the Opera Home aboard the Coral Trekker, adopted by watching the fireworks in Darling Harbour. The meals was nothing to jot down dwelling about and featured properly executed chilly ribeye steaks, barramundi fish, shrimp, and oysters. After all we additionally loved some extra Australian wines.
