2010 Brown Brothers Crouchen Riesling

    

There are a number of white wines in Australia that are real crowd-pleasers and this unique blend of 67% Crouchen and 33% Riesling from Brown Brothers, is one of them. We all know that Riesling is one of the world's classic white grape varieties but I will concentrate upon the Crouchen component of this blend primarily as it falls under the mantle of rare grape varietal status.

Crouchen or Crouchen Blanc originated in the Pyrenees wine region of south-west France and by all accounts it appears that this obscure white grape variety has disappeared from production there although it does come up as a variety that can be used in the wines of Bearn. South Africa - where it is called Cape Riesling but is not related to the actual Riesling varietal -  and Australia are the only two countries in the world commercially producing the variety.

A fascinating story and identity crisis of sorts emerged in Australia that lasted more than a century before the Crouchen variety was identified in the mid-1970's. Prior to this revelation, the grape it appears arrived in the 1850's from South Africa as Riesling making its way to the Clare Valley. There, it became known as Clare Riesling. It also found its way to the Barossa Valley and Riverland regions where it was called Semillon, which Australians at the time believed to be the Riesling variety! Sanity or something like that prevailed, and the name Clare Riesling stuck around until the eventual identification. Given all these machinations, another intriguing tale narrates that James Busby introduced Sales Blanc or Sable Blanc in the 1830's, both synonyms for Crouchen and a variety used in the Vin de Sable wines of the Landes department in south-west France, adding more complexity to the early history of this rare grape. 

Crouchen is rarely made as a varietal wine possibly because of its neutral flavours yet it does do well in blends. This 2010 blend has a pale straw colour with a greenish tinge to it. Enticing aromas of ripe pear, honeydew melon and citrus are graceful on the nose. The lively palate is not sweet but packed with rich fruity and spicy flavours that are balanced by the Riesling's acidity leading to a crisp yet smooth and generous finish. I was surprised how much I enjoyed this wine, having preconceptions that it would be too sweet for my liking. There is residual sugar but it is well integrated. Serve chilled and drink while young with Asian spiced foods. Widely available from local watering holes to cruise ships on the high seas, believe it or not !        

Brown Brothers has a market stranglehold on the grape and has produced the Crouchen Riesling blend since the early1970's and a further two wines of late using the it in other blends: the Crouchen Sauvignon Blanc and the Crouchen Riesling Rose, where a small percentage of Cienna is used.  

Source: Retail Purchase. Alcohol: 10.0%. Closure: Screwcap. Rating: 89+ Points. 
Website: http://www.brownbrothers.com.au/

2009 Campbells Wines Trebbiano

I can't say if I've tried much varietal Trebbiano in the past. Those that were consumed usually came blended with Chardonnay or Colombard and in four litre cardboard handbags from some winery like Woop Woop Estate. The mere thought of these wines gives me a headache as if I'm suffering some kind of retrospective hangover. But I guess they had their import in the greater scheme of things as far as industry objectives and consumer demand were concerned at the time and possibly still do if you take a look into some retail outlets today. 

Trebbiano or 'White Hermitage' as it was known, has been in Australia since James Busby introduced it in the 1830's. Most plantings are found in New South Wales and South Australia with few these days offered as varietal wines. Campbells, one of Australia's first families of wine now 140 years young, grew the grape originally for sherry production at its Rutherglen Winery in north east Victoria. The slow decline in public consumption of fortified wines towards the latter half of the 1960's meant that in order to meet the increasing popularity of table wines, Campbells reinvented their two white varieties one of which was Trebbiano, into varietal wines. The multiple award winning Glenburn Trebbiano was their first release and a trail blazer for this varietal in Australia. 

Trebbiano is a variety indigenous throughout Italy enjoying the title as its most widely- planted white grape variety and is included in over 80 DOC's. The whites from the Orvieto region of Umbria are probably the most renown of Trebbiano-based blends using a local clone Procanico in the mix. A fun fact. The Trebbiano grape is also used in the production of balsamic vinegar. 
Furthermore, Trebbiano holds second position as most planted vine in the world in terms of acreage, behind the Spanish white grape Airen! The what? It appears however that in recent years the crown Airen wore as the world's most planted grape has slipped, that distinction now held by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Airen still holds the mantle as world's most widely-planted white grape variety.    
Under the name Ugni Blanc in France, the Trebbiano vine holds most widely-planted white grape status and appears to have had more success there than anywhere else. It grows extensively along the Provencal coast, the Gironde and Charente regions where it is mainly used as table wine. In the Cognac and Armagnac regions where it is known as St. Emilion, Trebbiano is used in providing wine for distilling into brandy.

Despite the records and importance in various regions, Trebbiano cannot escape the fact that it produces varietal wines of bland uniformity, better known for high quantity yields rather than for quality vintages. In the glass the 2009 Campbells vintage is a clear mid-yellow in colour. Aromas of honey suckle and dried grass are quite restrained with the palate clean, zesty.and to a degree, mouth-puckering. A light-bodied white whose green peach, lime fruit and herbal nuances are overwhelmed by the tart acidity and alcohol. There's an unpleasant razor's edge feel through to the finish. It's a wine, not unlike Muscadet that screams out for fresh shell fish but without food, I unfortunately cannot call this more than a quaffer. 

Trebbiano's reputation precedes it and it is difficult to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Campbells Wines has probably made a wine as best as it could given the grape's blandness and for that it should be commended.

Source: Retail Purchase. Alcohol: 13%. Closure: Screwcap. Rating: 85 Points.  
Website: http://www.campbellswines.com.au/ 

2010 Brown Brothers Cienna

The second wine in this celebration of Australia Day is Cienna, a variety also bred by the boffins at the CSIRO Division of Horticultural Research at Merbein. Cienna was initially pollinated back in the early 1970's before being officially launched in 2000. 
Its name comes from a derivation of the Sienna colour and is the product of a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and the rare red Spanish grape Sumoll. This is also a unique New World grape variety that has been pioneered by Brown Brothers with Australian climatic conditions in mind.

The Sumoll grape is native to the Catalonia region of Spain and is a rustic variety known for its resistance to drought. However, its popularity has waned there in recent times owing to poor quality, low yield crops and changing denomination regulations. 
Sumoll's ability to thrive in some of Australia's hot, dry growing conditions was a major contributing factor in the development of the Cienna variety. 
And it hasn't just been one of the parents of the Cienna grape variety but also the other unique Australian grapes, Rubienne and Tyrian. It would appear that Spain's loss has become our gain !

Brown Brothers has championed Cienna for a decade and its position in their portfolio of chilled red wine styles is important in meeting consumer demand for these products.Indeed, in recent vintages it has been used as a blending partner in a Rose and in the Moscato.With its Rose wines, a Dolcetto & Syrah blend, a Moscato Rosa and the Tarrango, Cienna completes an impressive spectrum of light-bodied red wines from which to choose.

The 2010 vintage is stunning to the eye with its deep purple colour. Imagine cutting a beetroot in half after it has been cooked.

From the outset, Cienna needs to be slightly chilled to maximise enjoyment, particularly because of the frizzante component that offers a nice refreshing tingle to the palate. Delicious upfront flavours of sweet cherry, ripe blackberry and blueberry with that little hit of spice linger well after the bubbles disappear. 

A light bodied wine despite the fruit intensity with little if no tannin to speak of and an alcohol level not much more than a full strength beer. Nicely balanced, juicy, smooth and utterly refreshing, the Cienna can start a dinner, go the full distance with a wide array of cuisine types or even finish the evening as a palate cleanser. A hidden gem.   



Source: Retail Purchase. Alcohol: 6.5%. Closure: Screwcap. Rating: 90 Points.

Website: http://www.brownbrothers.com.au/

     

2008 Brown Brothers Tarrango

As we move closer to Australia Day, what better way to acknowledge our national day than to focus upon a couple of unique Australian grape varieties. 
The first is Tarrango, bred by the white coat brigade at Victoria's CSIRO Merbein laboratory in the mid-1960's, the grape named after the small town of Tarrango in north-west Victoria. 
A cross between the red Portuguese variety Touriga and that humble white all-rounder the Sultana grape, Perhaps Australia's answer to Beaujolais, it was designed specifically as a light, fruity red wine to be drunk in countries that experience hot summer months. 

To be originally grown in that region of Victoria where summer temperatures can be brutally hot, Tarrango vines have high, late ripening yields, fresh acidity, soft grapey flavours and low tannins. Brown Brothers has been producing wines from this grape since 1980 and document the use in recent years of the carbonic maceration technique by which a certain amount of the fruit is allowed to ferment whole as it is done in Beaujolais, to add both complexity and flavour to the final product.

A light cherry red colour in the glass, similar to a cross between a Pinot Noir and a Rose. 
A dry and light-bodied wine that is characterised by lifted aromas of fresh red currants, raspberries, cherries with a nice spicy nuance on the palate. There is a lovely juiciness that abounds throughout with low tannins and acid balance that add to the mouthfeel. 
Tarrango needs to be served slightly chilled and enjoyed while young, not that this vintage sent me into retroperistalsis! The wine's versatility would match a wide variety of cuisines, even the heat of Indian curries shouldn't be an issue. 
Not an overly complex wine but refreshing and delicious to drink. Get on board if you haven't yet tried it. Keep one or two in the fridge over the warmer months.

Source: Retail Purchase. Alcohol: 13.0%. Closure: Screwcap. Rating: 89 Points. Website: http://www.brownbrothers.com.au/

2008 Quealy Senza None Tocai Friulano

If the European Union had acted with such determination to settle the current debt crisis as it did over a decade ago with Hungarian objections banning the use of the name Tocai on Italian wine labels, then Europe and the world could be in a far healthier economic position. Hungary started the imbroglio claiming that there was the danger of confusion with their trademark Tokaji or Tokay dessert wine. Maybe there was some unfinished business from the old Empire days that the Hungarians needed to right, who knows? The European Union's decision gave Hungary the right to the name Tokaji or Tocai or Tokay, the law being enacted since the 2007 vintage.

It wasn't just the good Friulano growing folk from Italy's north east who copped this ban, but also their Alsace winemaking comrades producing Tokay d'Alsace or Tokay Pinot Gris as it became, who faced the same restriction. And as if to underline that we live in a global economy, Australian producers also using the name Tokay for their fortified dessert wines, have had to think creatively about what to rename their luscious bounty. So, if you've never heard of theTopaque, this is its new metamorphosis. Since 2007, Australia agreed to cease using certain terms such as Tokay amongst others in line with trade regulations and settled on the synonym Topaque, supposedly derived from the precious gemstone Topaz.

That's enough of the political and commercial discourse for now, there is a grape to describe and a wine to review. Friulano is an important white grape variety indigenous to Italy's north-eastern region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia where it has grown extensively for many centuries. Also known as Sauvigon Vert or Sauvignonasse in neighbouring Slovenia, Friulano has been used in blendings to create the super-whites of that region in Italy. Confusion reigns supreme as to the origins and identity of the grape. Was it an Hungarian import or did it make the journey the other way from local origins? Just to muddy the waters even more, Friulano bears no connection with the French varieties Sauvignon Blanc or Savignin, as its other nomenclatures may allude to.

The nickname Senza Nome, meaning 'without name' or 'nameless' in Italian was given to this 2008 Friulano by its winemaker Kathleen Quealy and appears to be a sarcastic barb directed towards the implications of the aforementioned European decision. Quealy pioneered Pinot Gris to the Australian wine drinking public while she was at the helm of her T'Gallant Winery on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula and deservedly won acclaim for this feat. She hoped to create her own super-white version and was inspired by the grapes grown in the Friulian provinces moderated by the Adriatic Sea climate, which she considered similar to that on the Mornington Peninsula.

Quealy grows a few hectares of Friulano at her Balnarring Vineyard having originally sourced cuttings from a twenty year old vineyard block in Mildura. It is still a rare grape on the Australian scene and Quealy can rightly be referred to as the pioneer of this varietal too. In the glass theSenza Nome is pale yellow straw in colour. Reserved initially, the nose opens up to reveal captivating and fragrant aromas of wildflowers, pear and spicy green apple. Floral, without being overpowering. There wasn't much length to speak of but the texture and mouthfeel more than make up for this. That's the key. A dry, crunchy palate of fruits, herbs and nuts was well balanced, it's as though you are eating a salad of cucumber, dill, fennel and almonds sprinkled lightly with citric acid. Very European! Light to medium bodied, this is an easily enjoyable wine. With sushi, sashimi or indeed any other Japanese dish, Friulano is an ideal match. A great find. 

Source: Winery Purchase. Alcohol: 11.3%. Closure: Screwcap. Rating: 92 Points.

Website: http://www.quealy.com.au/index.php

2010 Paul Conti Tuart Vineyards Chenin Blanc

It is said that confession is good for the soul, so it is time for me to fess up as it were. Chenin Blanc was my first adventure, perhaps even love, into the grape unknown! Apologies for that cliche but first impressions are always memorable and while the Chardonnay bandwagon was ploughing its way across our big brown land, the undervalued and underrated Chenin Blanc was punching above its weight, well at least for me. Those made by Brown Brothers, Coriole from McLaren Vale and Margaret River's Amberley Estate are three outstanding examples that spring easily to mind.

Part of the Paul Conti Premium Range of wines, the 2010 Tuart Vineyards Chenin Blanc is produced from fruit grown at Carabooda, north of Perth along what is known as the Swan Coastal Region. What characterises wines from this area of Western Australia are the mild maritime climate from the nearby Indian Ocean, the fertile sandy top soils that sit over limestone base soils and the Tuart tree, one of the rarest eucalypts remaining in the world. Paul Conti has produced this particular wine ftom grapes grown in Tuart soils, a direct result of this region's trees.

The Chenin Blanc grape is the mainstay of the Central Loire Valley in France and its best representations originate from the Vouvray, Savennieres, Anjou and Samur appellations. It is a grape whose wines range widely in style from the sparkling to the bone dry and off dry, from the medium sweet to the rich, concentrated botrytis examples. Some Australian winemakers even use barrel maturation to add complexity. All styles have the potential of age-worthiness, unusual for a white grape variety. Its versatility is such that the grape grows well in a variety of soil profiles and climates and appears to be resistant to many vineyard diseases.

In South Africa and in particular the Cape Coastal Region, Chenin Blanc is the most widely planted variety and known locally by the synonym Steen. It sounds more like the name of a beer than a wine but there are arguments that Steen is a true local variety, evolving over three hundred years of wine growing in that country, from the original imported Chenin Blanc grapes. How the grape arrived in Australia however, and particularly to its spiritual home in the west, is an interesting issue that can be answered partly by South Africa's proximity to Western Australia and by the importation of their vines to the west during the nineteenth century.

Pale yellow in colour with a slight green tinge in the glass. Off the bat there was a lingering cabbage stew stink on the nose that thankfully dissipated after some aeration. This wine then exhibited the trademark Chenin Blanc aromas of fresh red apples, citrus and pears. Crisp and soft, herbaceous fruit flavours ran the length of the palate to a long, refreshing finish.

I was blown away the first occasion I tasted this wine. The balance of fruit flavours, minerality and acid was spectacular. Perhaps it was the way it complemented the Thai food that accompanied it or the restaurant, I don't know. That profile was still there but I wasn't as impressed this time around. Second impressions can be different. Nevertheless, I will confess my affection for this grape remains!

Source: Retail Purchase. Rating: 88 Points. Website: http://www.paulcontiwines.com.au/

2007 Narkoojee Sparkling Cabernet Merlot

The Cuvee Robert Fordham is named as a tribute to the inaugural Chairman at Narkoojee Wines and is a sparkling blend comprising 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot.

The boutique Narkoojee Winery is situated at Glengary in the Western Gippsland sub-region of the larger Gippsland Wine Zone. Enormous geographically yet relatively small as a wine producing area, the Gippsland Zone defies any classification but its vastness does encapsulate three quite separate and distinct sub-regions in terms of terroir: east, south and west.

The climate in the Western sub-region is generally cool and dry influenced by the snowfields of the Great Diving Range to its north and west. Warmer autumns encourage longer ripening periods. The production of rich Chardonnays, softer and lighter Pinot Noirs, Cabernet Merlot blends and the emergence of sparkling wines are the hallmarks of this largest of the Gippsland wine sub-regions.

Let's face it, sparkling reds have been a unique Australian style of wine for donkey's years, an important staple in our wining and dining lifestyle. Mainly produced in the past from the shiraz grape, there is nothing better to tingle the taste buds and enliven the senses than a chilled bottle! As an accompaniment to the Christmas turkey in our own unique weather at that festive time of year, it is an ideal choice.

Narkoojee, meaning "place of flowers" in the local indigenous Kurnai language has produced sparkling reds for a decade and according to winemaker Harry Friend, is dependent upon the varieties available at the time of vintage.

Fermented in the bottle according to the traditional Champagne method, this sparkling comes across deep purply red in colour. The bouquet has a lively freshness of lifted black fruits and hints of Christmas plum pudding that entice immediate consumption. On the palate lovely Merlot dark fruits once again predominate with that little bit of cinnamon spice to add interest, which is all held together within a balanced, zesty structure. Medium bodied compared to some other sparkling reds from warmer climates. A mouthfilling and refreshing finish to this elegant sparkling blend of mainstream grapes. 

Source: Winery Purchase. Rating: 90+ Points. Website: http://www.narkoojee.com/narkoojee/

2007 McPherson Basilisk Marsanne Viognier

The Basilisk label is the name McPherson Family Wines has given to their premium range produced from grapes grown at the company's Goulburn Valley vineyards in Central Victoria. The mythical basilisk creature with the crested head of a rooster and tail of a serpent has been used as an inspiration to the classical Rhone blend of Marsanne and Viognier by virtue of the thinking that two different components make a complete whole.

The elegant aromatics and mineral structure of the wine's eighty percent Marsanne is enhanced, maybe slightly overpowered by the twenty percent Viognier's fragrance and muskiness, but it's a moot point here. This wine has won a slew of awards at regional and 
capital city wine shows and it is easy to see why.

Bright yellow in the glass, marmalade and fresh blossom on the nose are intriguing and enticing. An attractive palate combines apricot, pear, green peach and hints of nut. The lively texture is underpinned by a lemon acidity that will help the wine develop interest with age. Good balance, length and alcohol level. No oak was used in the production of this wine! A classic cool climate wine that will suit a diversity of cuisine types.

Source: Retail Purchase. Rating: 89 Points. Website: http://www.mcphersonwines.com.au/

2010 Terra Felix La Vie En Rose

The Rose Revolution juggenaut rolls on with this predominantly mourvedre-based variety from the central Victorian Upper Goulburn Wine Region. Summer is a great time of year to imbibe in the diversity of roses available, seemingly produced now from every conceivable red grape variety and blends thereof. It is the perfect drink for Australia's outdoor lifestyle and warm climate.

I thought I'd focus on the 2010 La Vie En Rose because of its Mourvedre component, which makes up about two thirds of the wine with the remainder, Shiraz and Grenache. Our use of the varietal has been in the popular Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre (GSM) blends from the Barrosa Valley and McLaren Vale regions, so this rose is an interesting take on this blend. It is slightly more complex and vibrant in colour than its predecessor the 2009 vintage, made from one hundred percent Mourvedre grapes and one of only a few such expressions of Mourvedre rose in Australia at present.

Mourvedre is an ancient red grape variety that researchers believe was introduced to Catalonia in modern day Spain by Phoenician maritime traders around 500 BC. It later became known as Monastrell throughout Spain or Mataro after the city in the Catalan commune of Barcelona. Its migration to France during the 1500's took the variety to the Rhone Valley and Bandol on the Mediterranean coast in Provence where it found sanctuary during the late nineteenth century phylloxera epidemic. The Great French Wine Blight as it was known, devastated French as well as other European vineyards and drove Mourvedre almost to the point of extinction. It actually took until after World War II for sufficient vinestock to be developed and adapted to combat the parasitic louse. Mourvedre plays the primary component in the renown Bandol AOC roses and other red wines today.

Terra Felix sources its grapes from selected cool climate vineyards throughout the Central Victorian Region, an area that has granite and alluvial soils and continental climate similar to the Northern Rhone District. Their choice of grapes reflects an Australian take on the classic Northern Rhone varieties and is a homage of sorts to the terroir in this part of the Lucky Country.

A striking dark pink colour in the glass, the strawberry, cherry, rose petal and herbal aromatics give you the impression that a candied, fruity concoction lays in wait. Far from it. Dry, medium bodied and well balanced. Underlying Mourvedre savoury, earthy notes enhance the palate's crunchy red apple freshness and crisp acidity. A serious rose.

Relax and drink this rose chilled while listening to amongst other of her classics, the original La Vie En Rose sung by the La Petite Mome herself, Edith Piaf. Tawdry, newer versions such as Grace Jones' will never cut the mustard and will just have you reaching for the vodka bottle! 

Source: Retail Purchase. Rating: 88 Points. Website: http://www.terrafelix.com.au/

2010 Salena Estate Ink Series Bianco d'Alessano

There is always pleasure involved when you experience and enjoy something new for the first time. Without stating the bleeding obvious, I was thinking more along the lines of reading a book, hearing a piece of music, eating at a new restaurant or in particular drinking a bottle of wine!

It is all the more enjoyable when it happens to be a wine made from a rare grape variety that you have never heard of or experienced. With plantings at Loxton in South Australia's Riverland Region, Salena Estate is the only winery in Australia that produces wine from the Bianco d'Alessano variety. With a triple trophy haul at the recent Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show, they should justifiably be proud of their 2010 vintage. It is an absolutely delicious drop!

Puglia is the stiletto 'heel' of Italy's boot and the region where this white grape variety originates. Historically, grapes and especially white wines from Puglia have gone under the radar, used in blends, for bulk wines and to make vermouth. Consequently, they were not taken seriously. Heavy Pugliese reds like Primitivo and Negromaro have had the limelight. Yet almost twenty percent of Italy's wines come from this region in the south-east, vying with Sicily as Italy's top producer. It is now the turn of the whites to grab some headlines and what I'm predicting is that southern Italian white varietals will be the next big thing on the Australian wine landscape.

Winemakers are now growing emerging varieties such as Vermentino, Fiano, Greco di Tufo and Bianco d'Alessano in Australia's warmer wine growing regions as a response to changing global weather patterns and earlier picking times. Whereas some grapes do not tolerate heat well, the ability of these particular varieties is renown for retaining that all important natural acidity until harvest. As Bianco d'Alessano is a late ripening grape, holding that crucial acidity level augurs well for the quality of the wine.

As the accolades acknowledged, the Salena Estate Bianco d'Alessano is a quality wine. In the glass it is pale straw yellow in colour. On the nose lovely nectarine and peach aromatics pop out as though you are about to eat a fresh fruit salad. Some citrus, delicate florals and minerality. On the palate a smoky citrus acidity supports the stone fruits. A good weight overall to the wine that finishes crisp and clean. Perfect as an appetiser but would really go well with fish. Do yourself a favour and broaden your tasting experience. An exciting discovery for the summer. 

Source: Winery Sample. Rating: 91 Points. Website: http://www.salenaestate.com.au/

2008 The Ritual Western Australia Viognier

The Ritual is a partnership between two Western Australian wine entrepreneurs whose vineyards are located in the Peel Wine Region, south-east of Perth. The wines made under the Ritual label were intended for an export market.

Gradually gaining a foothold out west, Viognier has the mainstream varieties Chardonnay, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc to contend with in addition to varietals such as Chenin Blanc and Verdelho, which grow extensively in the soils and climate there to the point where Western Australia could reasonably be regarded as their spiritual home.

Having said that, Viognier has been a quiet achiever here but now appears to have become the trendiest of the Rhone Valley white wine trio as a stand alone, wanting a piece of the action as a reputable alternative variety. In recent years, small percentages of Viognier (usually around 5%) have been used to add fragrance and suppleness to the power of shiraz wines. Additionally, its use as a component in white wine blends, as a sparkling wine and as a late harvest variety highlights its versatility.

An ancient variety related to the Nebbiolo grape and possibly brought into France by the Romans, Viognier is the only grape permitted in the Northern Rhone appellations Condrieu and Chateau Grillet, two of France's smallest AOC's. Rescued from the brink of extinction in the late 1960's with the less than twenty hectares of vines planted in the world found in this region, it is documented that Eden Valley's Yalumba and its interest in the variety sparked its revival and the subsequent worldwide popularity. Yet despite its growth within France and the other major players California and Australia over the next four decades, it still remains a minor variety to this day.

There is a real mystique that accompanies this wine grape. The name may put people off, they'd rather stick to what they know. It's not only the facts that it was rescued from virtual oblivion, that Viognier has an unpredictable nature in the vineyard but also has unreliable yields that force winemakers to walk vinification tightropes to get the right balance between acid, sugar and alcohol levels. Adding to this headache is the fact that Viognier vines need a decade or two in order to develop and produce good wines. But when they do, the results are what Viognier is renown for: its stunning aromatics of fresh flowers, apricot and peach and the rich texture and tangy viscous palate that has been described as sensual.

The Ritual has restrained aromas of apricots and peaches with hints of honey and spice. In keeping with the age of the vines, it didn't have the palate richness but brought together a nice balance of citrus, stone fruit, pear and honey characteristics that lingered on the finish. The heat of the 15% alcohol content was disconcerting however.

With the ageing of the vines, it will be intriguing to follow up on future vintages. This was an inexpensive wine, good for its price that may get people interested in this variety as an alternative to the usual white wine suspects at the same price point. Viognier's aromatics and freshness are a great counterbalance to a diverse range of spicy as well as non-spicy foods. 

Source: Retail Purchase. Rating: 86 Points.

2008 Vinden Estate Alicante Bouschet

When you think about the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, wine may come up as a topic of conversation. When you talk about wine, Semillon, Shiraz, Chardonnay and perhaps Verdelho if you're in the know, may be the topics. Alicante Bouschet would not be on the radar.

Vinden Estate, a family-owned boutique winery in the Hunter Valley, has one of the limited plantings in Australia of this rare red fleshed grape variety. Irrespective of a grape's skin colour, the vast majority have clear juice and rely on skin contact and maceration to extract colour to therefore make into a rose. Few have dark flesh and juice like the Alicante Bouschet. The French call these types 'teinturier' a term meaning to dye or to stain.

Made into a rose, the Vinden Estate expression is vibrant bright pink in colour from its freely run pulp juice. Raspberry and strawberry aromatics predominate with hints of spice. On the palate dry, spicy fruit flavours and a nice acid tannin balance make this a lovely, soft, refreshing wine to drink chilled during the warmer months.

The Alicante Bouschet grape has a fascinating history. A French hybrid grape developed in 1865 by Henri Bouschet who was carrying on his father's work, it is the cross between the Petit Bouschet grape - the hybrid his father Louis had originally developed in 1824 - and Grenache. In effect, it was a double hybrid which winemakers planted widely throughout France - mainly in the south-west provinces - which they later used as a blending partner where colour and tannin was needed for lighter coloured wines.

Grown extensively throughout California too, its popularity - or perhaps notoriety - came during the American Prohibition era where its thick, tough skins resisted rot on the long cross country train journeys from their vineyards to east coast cities. Home winemakers and bootleggers it appears had field days obtaining two or three vintages from the thick skins and intensively coloured juice. Fruit growers transformed their orchards to take advantage of this high yielding grape and the lucre it generated. Once Prohibition was repealed, the grape was used for blending purposes, eventually falling in acreage and popularity. However, it still remains the most widely planted of France's teinturier grape varieties in France itself with plantings in other countries such as Spain, Portugal, Corsica, South Africa and Australia. Smaller areas now remain in California in comparison to its heyday during the Prohibition era.

Despite negativity about its overall character, its decline from favour in many wine growing areas and consumer demand for quality wines, the Alicante Bouschet grape appears to have experienced a raw deal throughout its existence, always the bridesmaid and never the bride, which is a pity. If the Vinden Estate is any example, I liked this rose very much and would not hesitate recommending it to people who wish to experience something different than what is on offer in the rose market today. 

Source: Winery Purchase. Rating: 88 Points. Website: http://www.vindenestate.com.au/

2009 Firebox Ridge Vineyard Selection Tempranillo

Made by the Australian winemaking and export company Winetrust Estates under its Firebox Ridge label, the 2009 Tempranillo is the first commercial release from its Swan Hill vineyards in northern Victoria and a winner of a number of awards at the 2010 Inland Winemakers Exhibition.

A long ripening season together with minimal vineyard intervention plus maturation in French and American oak has produced a modern Australian interpretation of this classic Rioja region varietal.

An attractive ruby red colour leads to a somewhat restrained bouquet of spice, vanillin notes and forest floor. It took time to elicit those aromatics as the nose was so tight. The same went for the palate as the profile of herbaceous wild berries, white pepper and chocolate notes didn't get started until the following night's libation. No amount of medical intervention could have revived this wine on the first night!

That said, this medium-bodied expression of Australian tempranillo is attractive and offers a long, pleasant finish with all the hallmarks of the variety. Do give it an airing before pairing it with any lighter style meat dish.

Source: Retail Purchase. 87 Points. Website: www.winetrustestates.com.au

2011 Chalmers Montevecchio Heathcote 'Bianco'

There are some varietals that are compatible with each other and go on to have wonderful marriages. Western Australian Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blends are examples, as are the increasingly popular Shiraz and Viognier combination where the perfume of Viognier meets the power of Shiraz. Some marriages let's be frank, may not be a successful sum of their parts such as a recently tasted Verdelho, Viognier and Semillon blend that for me was lost somewhere in translation, perhaps better confined to the cardboard box variety of wine consumption.

The Montevecchio Bianco is a field blend of the Italian varietals Fiano, Vermentino and Moscato Giallo from the Chalmers vineyard at Heathcote and is one of the three wines in their Montevecchio range. The translation 'old mountain' refers to Mt. Camel and the ancient Cambrian soils that run through the Heathcote wine region in central Victoria.

The Chalmers family has pioneered southern Italian varietal wines at their Euston property in south-west New South Wales' Murray Darling region for the better part of a decade. The vines at their Heathcote vineyard were planted in 2009 with the inaugural release this year of a range of easy drinking wines under the Montevecchio label.

The Bianco is a superb blend of some of Italy's most ancient grape varieties grown in some of the world's most ancient soils and to me, a pleasure to experience for the first time.

Vermentino is a white grape variety grown in Sardinia and along the Ligurian and Tuscan coastlines and is known for its profile of savoury, herbal aromas, its dry, chalky palate and zesty preserved lemon characteristics.

A white grape variety that dates back to Roman times, Fiano grows predominantly around Avellino in the southern Italian region of Campania. A perfumed and appealing flavour profile, Fiano exhibits aromas of stonefruit, pears and apples with citrus fruit, toasted nuts and honey notes on the palate.

A clone of Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains, the Moscato Giallo (Yellow Muscat) is another ancient grape variety grown in the Italian regions of Friuli and Trentino-Alto Adige. It is renown for its intense musky, floral aromas and dry citric acid flavours.

This is an appealing wine that blends all of its component varietal parts into a harmonious whole and whose texture will marry well with a broad range of cuisine styles. The floral aromatics, the dry, tangy, honey zest on the palate leads to a long crisp, clean finish that should be a real crowd-pleaser for the upcoming warmer months.

Source: Retail Purchase. Rating: 90 Points. Website: www.montevecchio.com.au

2009 Tahbilk Marsanne

Consistently one of Australia's most popular white wines and always at a competitive price, the marsanne from the historic Tahbilk winery in central Victoria's Nagambie Lakes Region comes from plantings dating back to 1927. Indeed, Tahbilk claims to hold the largest, single holding of this, one of the world's rarest grape varieties.

The Marsanne grape arrived in Australia in the 1830's, was introduced into Victoria in the 1860's and now accounts for just over three quarters of its growth in the world. Without wanting to ruffle French feathers, it appears that this northern Rhone Valley varietal has found a more 'bountiful' home here in Australia.

In its native Hermitage AOC, Marsanne is the most widely planted white wine grape and is often blended with Roussanne. It forms the majority share in the white wines of the Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage and St. Joseph's AOCs. Marsanne is also one of the eight grape varieties allowed in the Cotes de Rhone appellation. In Australia, it is also blended with the other of the northern Rhone white grape trifecta Viognier, to produce some really intriguing and award-winning blends.

Pale straw yellow in colour, this 2009 example is best served with roast chicken. More aged Marsanne can cope with heavier white meat dishes or even cheeses. It is indeed a versatile, food friendly white varietal that can and does stand the test of what father time throws at it.

A lemon, green apple nose is followed by a palate packing sweet spice, minerality and a dry, zingy acidity. Hints of pear and peach emerge with the familiar honeysuckle notes. Clean, fresh fruit flavours linger on the long finish.

This lovely, well-balanced, medium-bodied wine can be drunk now but could easily be put away for a decade to experience the golden hues and honeyed, nutty, dry fruit complexity associated with an aged Marsanne.

Source: Retail Purchase. Rating: 90 Points. Website: https://www.tahbilk.com.au/