The Cellar: Fresh Flavors from Australia

The Cellar: Fresh Flavors from Australia

This week’s featured wines come from the country down under - Australia. Due to the extreme weather conditions that exists in most of the country the majority of vineyards are clustered in the southeastern part of Australia, as well as a few on the country’s west coast where cool Antarctic breezes help create good grape growing conditions. The Australian wine industry is known for a couple of things; for having the most dynamic and cutting-edge wine industry in the world and for producing some of the biggest and most flavorful wines. This week’s wines are great examples of the type of wines that has placed Australia on the international wine map. Not only are these wines flavorful, they are also great values.  

2006 Rutherglen Estates ‘The Alliance’, Rutherglen

In the mid 1800’s Australia’s Rutherglen wine-growing region was among the world's largest, producing primarily fortified wines for the English market. The wine industry would eventually almost disappear as disease

killed many of the vines and other more lucrative businesses opportunities appeared in the region immediately thereafter. As the wine industry started picking up in the early 1990’s, winemakers and their investors were quick to rediscover the wonderful ‘terroir’ of Rutherglen. Rutherglen Estates is a big operation with five vineyards currently planted covering more than 750 acres. One of the interesting things about this Estate is that they grow a lot of varietals that are usually only found in France’s Rhone Valley, among them the two varietals that make up this week’s first wine.

‘The Alliance’ is a 70%-30% Marsanne and Viognier blend and a great 2006 vintage find for under $20. Most white wines in this price range are meant to be consumed right away and usually don’t have the density of flavors or complexity to age. However, in the case of ‘The Alliance’, which is made from two relatively full-bodied grape varietals that are packed with flavor, the 5 years in bottle has really made a complex and delicious wine. It is soft and full with dense flavors that include honey, peaches, alongside hints of minerality and ending long with a citrus note that make the mouth salivate. 

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2008 Piping Skrike Shiraz, Barossa Valley

Without a doubt the varietal that has placed Australia on the international wine map is Syrah, known Down Under as Shiraz. Probably the most famous place for Shiraz in Australia (and some would say in the world) is

Barossa Valley which seems to have the ideal growing conditions for this wonderful varietal. While most winemakers in the Valley like to make smooth and jammy wines deep in color and filled with dark berry flavors (a style that is very popular with the masses but slowly starting to bore some) other winemakers are looking to do more - among them the people behind this week’s second wine.

The 2008 Piping Shrike is produced and bottled by Czech immigrant winemaker Karl Cimicky and his son Charles. Through the years the father-son team has gained a reputation in the Valley for making wines that are more than just rich and voluptuous. Previous vintages of this wine have been awarded several 90+ scores and the 2008 vintage is no exception. This is not your average Australian fruit-bomb. While it certainly is full in body, it displays more red fruit (strawberries and red cherries) than dark fruit (blackberries and black cherries) notes. Filled with spices that remind me of the best cup of Brazilian coffee I ever had, this wine finishes dry and with nice acidity, something you don’t often see in Barossa Valley Shiraz.

Enjoy!

Steffen Rasch CSW is ready to answer any wine-related questions, comments or concerns you may have. Feel free to email him at [email protected]. And as always, don’t forget to follow GoLocalProv’s Wine Cellar on Facebook.