Crushing Riesling at TB this morning

Pinot noir block for Switch

Vermentino Road Trippin'

Road trippin' with my two favourite allies, fully loaded we've got snacks and supplies - well not really but the Chili Peppers always find their way onto my mixed tape.

My latest expedition to the Riverland was in search for knowledge on Vermentino and the chance to line up several at once. The Yalumba Nursery Vermentino Walk was where it all happened.

In Australia Vermentino is a relatively new white variety, usually made in a crisp dry white style. Flavours of lemon and lime, pineapple, celery and granny smiths are evident.

This variety holds it's acid in hot climate's which means less additions in the winery and a nice acid base to carry the flavours. On the palate structure can vary from strong backbone acidity to broad gentler acidity usually with a slight grip and talc powder complexity.

A note on growing the variety. It tends to have a vigorous canopy and over-crop so both bunch and shoot thinning are critical to quality. Picking time can also be a bit hit and miss as bunch ripening is uneven.

The best Vermentino's of the day were Yalumba and Chalmers.

From grape to glass all we added was the bottle?

Preservative free, no artificial additives, organic and bio dynamic are a few of many terms thrown around the media and marketed relentlessly today.

Do consumers really care about where their food comes from and what goes into it? Maybe so, the organic industry is booming. Many wine producers are making the move over to organic production but the majority still seem to have their blinkers on, thinking this shift in consumer consciousness doesn't apply to their product.

Preservatives, in an organic wine that's outrageous! or so I've been told many times. Organic winemakers are permitted to add up to 125mg/L total Sulphur Dioxide to table wine which stops oxidation and spoilage microbes taking hold. In Australia, certified organic does not mean preservative free this is a common misconception.

As SO2 is a natural by product of fermentation all wines contain it at some point during production. Preservative free wines in Australia must not contain more than 10mg/L total SO2.

During red fermentation SO2 produced is bound by the skins and conveniently taken out with the marc at pressing. Preservative free whites don't have this luxury and are more prone to showing oxidation faults. So the risk during production increases, but where there's a will there's a way. It is possible to make preservative free whites without oxidation faults.

Setting the style - these wines are different in production and therefore different in style to conventionally produced wines. Striking a balance between risk minimisation and traditional wine making is the key to making a quality preservative free wine. For example, over filtration results in a stripped wine, under filtration results in wine spoilage.

Sure, I know it's a niche but it is growing fast. When lined up with conventional wines a preservative free wine looks quite different. So why do they sell? Is it all marketing hype or are people concerned about what goes into their food?

The Hunter becomes the hunted

The Small Winemakers Centre was our first stop in the search for a nice bottle of Hunter plonk. Joint cellar doors are invaluable when you're digging for a bit of gossip on who's the regions up and coming super stars. Our fist hint was the Barbera we tasted by David Hook. Off we went in search of his cellar door.

David Hook's wines are outstanding across the range, both red and white. His tasting list is not exhausting, which is refreshing for the Hunter and the cellar door staff know their stuff. It is a must taste on your next Hunter Valley trip.

The 07 Barbera is plump and juicy with plums, cherries and well integrated oak, there is plenty of soft tannin supported by well balanced acidity. The 08 Merlot is also worthy of a look. http://www.davidhookwines.com.au/

Wire walkers wearing killer stilettos

The variation in style is striking when you line up a group of pinots.
Many are packed with concentrated aromas of berry and spice leaping out of the glass, others are more refined in style with elegant flavours.

The quality of grapes used is paramount in the creation of flawless pinot, and the variety generally relies more on acid than tannin for structure.

The following details a few tricks of the trade used in the winery to bring out the best in pinot.

Production methods worth noting include fermentation on a portion of hard brown stems with the intention to improve tannin structure and add spicy aromas.

Cold soaking at low temperatures for several days before fermentation can assist with aroma extraction and fleshing out the palate to create a plump mouth-feel.

Finally, a third production technique called carbonic maceration involves placing whole grapes in a tank filled with carbon dioxide for a few days leading to a wine of increased softness.

The Wire Walker 2007 Pinot Noir – is an outstanding example, fruit driven with cherry on the nose complemented by hints of savoury bacon. The palate shows broad acid with a tight tannin grip, tidy finish and long legs that carried it everlastingly.

Curly Flat 2006 Pinot Noir - as wines go this one demands recognition. I was captivated by its balance and complex savoury characters of beetroot, pepper and dusty oak in seemingly perfect equilibrium with cherry and forest berries.

Don't forget to spend some time on it.

Spend some time on it - sometimes that's the only way to get your moneys worth. Wine shows are definitely a mixed bag, you never really know what your going to get.

In a nut shell. I will be going out to grab a bottle of 2009 Thistle Hill Riesling which won Best Wine of the show and Best White of the show at 56 points. You should be able to find this for under $20.

Max Allen and judging crew also think you should give Temple Bruer's 2007 Preservative Free Shiraz Malbec a go. This rock-star wine won Best Red Wine and Best Preservative Free Wine of the show at 55 points. Watch your back Thistle Hill.

When first made this wine was a fruit bomb, vibrant with blackberries and cherries, finishing with astringent gripy tannins. Being preservative free the safest place was in the bottle so that's where it went, quick smart . Two years later the nose has developed into warm plum, cherries and chocolate, the palate still shows intense fruit with all components well integrated - fruit, oak and tannins. The wine finishes with softness and lingers for about 35 seconds, that's going the distance in my book. Pick this up from the bottle shop or cellar door for around $20.

Great Shiraz Challenge 2009

An afternoon at The Great Shiraz Challenge left me with teeth resembling Tyler Durden's from Fight Club. I'm not saying it got violent, although I would probably start a bar fight over a couple of bottles, Clarendon Hills and Michael Hall Syrah especially.

300 plus Shiraz's to get through, you do what you can and give it a red hot go. There was plenty of massive Barossa reds on tasting, but my palate was venturing towards the more refined Shiraz's from the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale.

For around $30 Handorf Hill Winery and Paxton Jones Block Shiraz are worth a look.

Arete Shiraz demands a mention, meaning the aggregate of qualities as valor and virtue making good character - nice back story the shiraz was killer too. Watch out for this one.

From the Vale Nashwauk stood out, their first vintage was in 2006 the brand created by Kaesler there’s no doubt that theses guys know how to make Shiraz. Also from McLaren Vale check out Thorrpe Wines Shiraz, no hoity-toity tax on this one.

firstdropwines.com - if you only visit one website listed in this post go to first drop.
They make top class wine under a brand that oozes funk and passion. Do it your way Matt and John, love your work.