Logically, many Australian winemakers growing vines in our cooler climates admire and study techniques developed in some of Europe’s greatest wine regions such as Alsace in France’s north-east, and Trentino-Alto Adige in Italy’s north bordering Austria and Switzerland. Specialised local varietals ripen slowly there, retaining a firm acidity that conspires to produce delicate aromas and, in some sites, beautifully cleansing mineral and flinty notes. Historically, those regions have been recognised for producing outstanding wines such as Italy’s prosecco and the German-influenced, highly aromatic, Alsatian gewurztraminer.
France’s Loire Valley, 200kms south-west of Paris, showing the climatic influence of the Atlantic Ocean and renowned as a cooler, challenging region to grow grapes, is notable for varietals such as chenin blanc and a lean, minerally sauvignon blanc. It is the Loire River itself that influences vineyard microclimates, providing some frost control and maintaining just a few degrees of temperature moderation to allow grapes like the vigorous chenin blanc to flourish. While rain can force early harvesting, it sometimes promotes ‘noble rot’, the fungus Botrytis cinerea that removes moisture from grape bunches, concentrating flavour and sugar levels – the building blocks of the region’s dessert wines.
Back home, Victoria hosts some of Australia’s best microclimates including Victoria’s Alpine Valleys (surrounded by mountain peaks Bogong, Feathertop and Buffalo), the King Valley (nestling below the peaks Cobbler and Buller), the Yarra Valley and the maritime climate of the Bellarine and Mornington peninsulas, which benefit from cooling Southern Ocean breezes and varying vineyard topography. On the Mornington Peninsula, where vineyards range from near sea level to several hundred metres above, many growers produce vertical ranges of varietals grown in vineyards of differing altitude.
While the more complex Alsatian pinot gris is now becoming more popular in Australia, boasting similar full-bodied complexities, it’s the Italian pinot grigio style – a cleaner, fresher wine made from the very same grey pinot grapes – that seems to be gaining strong local sales. In terms of white vinification, our cool-climate regions today produce a wide range of ultra-fine wines showcasing beautifully subtle fruit, with complex citrus, stonefruit and floral fragrances well suited to the Australian lifestyle and summer seafoods.
Some Aussie rieslings now lean toward the Alsatian style: crisper, with firmer acid, giving the wine a ‘drink now’ summer freshness of palate rather than the once common oily texture and citrus aromas. An extra benefit is greater potential for cellar maturation in bottle.
As the long summer and autumn days continue, we’ve chosen a handful of wines to illustrate these current winemaking trends for you, good examples that we feel deserve your admiration.
John Gehrig 2012 Chenin Blanc – King Valley
Displaying a very light straw colour in the glass, this fresh and complex wine initially presents with a rich herbaceous nose lifted by aromas of fresh-picked green apples and gentle layers of deeper, ripe pear.
It has a sharpness to its acidity that is initially present with quite a grassy/coriander leaf fragrance. As the wine warms up, deeper pear aromas come to the fore.
On the palate you’ll be amazed at its beautifully crisp, summer fruit crunch. This wine is seamless in design, with no offensive or unbalanced flavours, true to the varietal with a clean expression of fruit leading the charge. While you might find its mid-weight palate one-dimensional at first if too chilled, allow it to warm a touch in the glass to begin tasting those stunning ripe pears coupled with just a hint of richer, toastier notes. It finishes with a long, firm acid freshness, reminiscent of just-picked ripe green apples fresh from the orchard.
Those unique herbaceous characters, coupled with acidity, make this wine a perfect match for Asian spiced dishes, fresh salads and BBQed seafoods. This Loire Valley varietal is a rare offering from the King Valley and should be recognised and respected as a class-leading drop. It is perfectly designed to pair with our growing passion for Asia-Pacific food flavours.
John Gehrig 2012 Riesling – King Valley
A wine to celebrate, truly one to stand up and take notice of. Bright, outstanding lime and cumquat fragrances burst from the glass when you meet with this impressive crisp and charismatic King Valley riesling. This citrus brilliance dances on the front palate, presenting as a light and very summery style of wine. But wait a minute: continue to swirl it in the mouth and you’ll soon notice its weight grows fatter and more structurally balanced with rounder back-palate layers of melon and apricots. It’s quite a magic trick.
In terms of finish, this wine is lengthy to say the least. That impressive multi-layered citrus just hangs there, making this wine a seafood superstar. BBQ prawns, seared scallops… shellfish of any kind would be a perfect match.
With this concept comes a level of food and wine indulgence reserved for only our finest days and moments with great friends. Share this wine with the right group and I’ll guarantee you’ll be crafting some great memories.
While this wine boasts a clean and fragrant punch right now, it’s sure to age gracefully and become more ‘toasty’ and luscious, such is the quality of the fruit. I recommend buying at least one case. Share half this year with friends and lay down the rest for a long-term reunion. It’s a must-have cellar gem.
Chrismont NV Prosecco – King Valley
Winemaker Warren Proft says the secret to Chrismont’s complex and textured prosecco is the blending of a reserve wine, some of which is added every year to the new wine about to be bottled. Each year the reserve, held on lees in stainless tanks, is topped up with some of the new vintage ‘so it doesn’t develop into some big toasty monster’. This has become Chrismont’s house style, and it’s a layered approach to prosecco design that steps it just slightly ahead of other, more simple offerings.
Of the many proseccos offered along the King Valley ‘Prosecco Road’, the Chrismont NV stands tall with both a freshness of palate and a playfully clean summer fruit nose underpinned by some deeper ripe pear and stone fruit layers.
The first impression on sipping is its elegant fine bead, the next its well-rounded depth of fruit, lifted with the zest of that refreshing King Valley cool-climate acidity. It’s a first-class wine akin to good quality vintage champagne, boasting rounder, deeper fruit nuances. Chrismont’s upper King Valley Cheshunt site has a reputation for producing riesling with a palate addition of fragrant, bright lemon peel; this prosecco manages to evoke touches of that appealing characteristic. There is also a granitic minerality that makes this wine another class leading drop.
Food matching is not so important, as this wine is all about fun – it’s a perfect aperitif. Despite its moderate retail price it hands down beats any French champagne under $100. With such quality available it is no wonder Aussies now consume more prosecco than French stuff. It’s time to celebrate these masterpieces from our King Valley vignerons: they’re a 10-year overnight success!
Chrismont 2013 Pinot Gris – King Valley
I was surprised to find this new Chrismont Pinot Gris in a traditional Alsace-style tall bottle; I had been sure they’d previously only produced an Italian-style pinot grigio. Further investigation revealed that this 2013 release is Chrismont’s second pinot gris release, and that the estate has now chosen to produce quality examples of both French- and Italian-styled wines, with packaging demonstrating the clear distinction between the two.
Warren Proft suggests that while their Pinot Grigio previously was made slightly more complex and rounded, today they’ve chosen to pare this back to create a crisper, fruitier wine. The new 2014 Pinot Gris, meanwhile, is made round, voluptuous and less acidic with riper flavours derived from later harvest fruit. Further to that it has been barrel fermented on lees for about three to four months.
It presents with a light straw colour and some greenish hues. The nose opens with fresh ripe pears, hints of lime and a rounder, warmer quince-like sweetness. The mouth feel is delicate and supple, soft, yet retains some of that brilliant and classy firm cool-climate acid. The back-label suggests that drinking this wine is like tasting a ‘spoonful of apple pie with cream’ and that’s in many ways an accurate description. The palate is beautifully balanced with fresh, bright and ripe summer fruits and some softer, more complex, buttery layers. This subtle layering is made more refined by the clean minerality born of the upper King Valley’s pristine environment and crystal clear river waters.
As it warms in the glass, fuller fragrances of honeysuckle and caramel evolve, enhancing its beauty. It truly is a stunning wine that was thoroughly enjoyed during the review process.
I’d happily match this with a buttery seafood risotto, but served on its own it would also make a divine aperitif.
Chrismont has a grand new hilltop cellar door and wine interpretation centre under construction. Later in 2015 many more visitors can be accommodated to learn first-hand why the King Valley has gained such a strong reputation for producing some of our nation’s finest cool-climate wines. You are invited!
Quealy Tussie Mussie 2013 Pinot Gris – Mornington Peninsula
The aroma of this Mornington Peninsula wine, a light golden straw colour in your glass, is a complex blend of ripe peaches, apricot, rich caramel and layers of toastiness – evidence of time on lees. Lighter floral and cumquat citrus peel nuances waft from the glass.
The palate is lush, fat and well developed. It boasts a full and silky mouthfeel, sweet with ripe stone fruit but balanced with a moderate acid freshness. In terms of complexity and depth it is almost buttery yet possesses a pleasing cleanliness: everything about this wine speaks of hand-crafted care.
Grown in volcanic red soils at the higher, cool-climate Merricks North site, the fruit has ripened slowly and maintains the natural acidity of a microclimate that manages to produce seriously elegant fruit.
Best food match: sweet seared crayfish tails in butter, scallops on the shell, washed rind cheeses and/or a more robust truffled mushroom risotto (think complex rich buttery flavours). This is divine wine and deserves only high quality premium selected foods, but it will also stand tall as a brilliantly silky aperitif.
Sticks Pinot Grigio 2014 – Yarra Valley
It’s incredible what a difference vineyard location, soil and climate can make. The Sticks Pinot Grigio is a decidedly fresher, acidic, classic Italian pinot grigio style compared with the Quealy wine; with sweet blossom and preserved lemon citrus fragrances dominating, while softer layers of nougat lie beneath.
This wine is a great example of well-developed fruit that’s not been excessively mucked about with. It is bright, clean, summery and therefore would be great on any hot summer day. Given the leaner, sharper acidic bite, I’d marry this wine with some smoked fish, pickled octopus or freshly fried calamari lightly dusted in flour only, topped with finely chopped parsley. Just a squeeze of lemon is optional, as this wine will do the job for you. A simple summer wine born of quality estate-grown fruit.
www.sticks.com.au
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