Archive for June 2nd, 2009

As they say, a picture speaks a thousand words…participant Jamie Goode’s blog post today begins with a photo from the day just gone:

It has been one of those days that I’ll remember for a very long time.

It’s day 2 of the Landmark Australia Tutorial, and we’ve been treated to some very special wines, presented by some remarkable people.

Jeffrey Grosset (above) kicked the day off with a presentation on Riesling that included his stunning 1984 Polish Gill Riesling, which despite coming from an ullaged bottle (all he has left) was almost perfect, and the first Aussie Riesling I’ve managed to get really, really excited about. We were also treated to a remarkable 1973 Leo Buring DWC15 Riesling, that was still very much alive.

Then Stephen Pannell (above) presented a stunning collection of Shiraz wines from across Australia. I’ll be writing this up in depth, but I really enjoyed the diversity of wines on show. There were four 1990/1 wines (including a cracking 1991 Wendouree), then a range of 2006 that illustrated some of the regional styles (Langi Ghiran, De Bortoli Reserve, Giaconda Warner, Shaw & Smith, Astralis all showed really well), and then we tasted some Shiraz-containing blends blind.

But the best was yet to come. Andrew Caillard and James Halliday (above) presented a historical perspective on Australian wine, which included a 20-wine tasting that was among the most remarkable I’ve ever experienced. So exciting was the line-up that as we sat down to taste, the atmosphere was electrifying. The anticipation in the air was almost tangible - it was like the sense of buzziness you get at a great sporting occassion just before commencement of play.

Some highlights? Seppelt Great Western Hermitage K72 1954, 1955 Grange, 1955 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Michael Shiraz, Penfolds Bin 60A 1962, 1971 Grange, 1982 Wynns John Riddoch, 1985 Wendouree Shiraz, 1986 Brokenwood Graveyard, 1990 Mount Mary Quintet… it was just incredible. And now I’ve run out of time and have to leave for dinner. More later.

Participant Dermot Nolan gives a great (and exhausting!) overview of the fine Australian wines tasted on Day 1 of the Landmark Australia tutorial on his blog.

It is currently misty in the Barossa - I can barely see 100 m even at 7:07 am! Yesterday we had a fabulous range of wines to taste - given that we can expect the range to be better today we’re in for a treat.

Yesterday afternoon’s session was a chance to taste some fairly classic wines from some fairly classic regions. First off were two rieslings - a Clare Valley wine: Grosset Polish Hills 2008, and an Eden Valey wine, Pewsey Vale “The Contours” 2002. Both were very good although in different styles, especially age. The Grosset was typical with lime and mineral notes while the Pewsey Vale was round and supple and as close to perfection as you’re likely to taste.

Next up was a fairly mature Tyrell’s Vat 1 Semillon from the Hunter. What was interesting here was how little aged character it showed, being still somewhat herbaceous although there were some toasty notes on the palate. It was a really good example of the style. Nest two chardonnays, a Leeuwin Estate Art Series 2005 from Margaret River and a Petaluma Piccadilly 2006 from Adelaide Hills. These were two quite contrasting wines. The first is an “old style” Aussie chardonnay, quite big and ripe yet still very fresh and showing no sign of the 100% new oak in which it was fermented and matured. Lovely stuff and why, oh why do people persist in drinking sauvignon blanc when there are wines like this around? The Petaluma was a more restrained style and absoluely gorgeous - more Burgundian perhaps but very savoury.

Next we had a pinot noir from Geelong, Gary Farr’s By Farr Sangreal 2006. This had a lovely, elegant nose and fruity entry but, for me, was slightly tannic on the finish. I gather our pinot nour flight later this week will be blind so we have some arguments ahead, I reckon!

Then two cabernet based wines, Vanya Cullen’s 2001 Diana Madeline Cabernet Merlot from Margaret River and Wynn’s John Riddoch Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2004. Both were very good wines, with the merlot component in the Cullen wine giving it a slightly rounder feel. The general response to a question as to te perceived supremacy between the regions was that Margaret River was excelling currently but that Coonawarra should be better.

Then a flight of four shiraz. First, a controversial Brokenwood Graveyard 1998 from the Hunter. I found this wine poor but there was a general response that this was Hunter style. However, at dinner we had a second bottle and, for me, it was better - it still had the sort of red fruit style that Hunter shiraz is known for but was also fresher and rounder. Then a Mt Langhi Ghiran Langhi 2004 from Grampians. I was saddened at dinner to learn from James Halliday that the guiding light of Mt Langhi Ghiran, Trevor Mast, has got Alzheimer’s and that he is no longer involved at the winery. The wine was a classic Mt Langhi style with subtle pepper spice and a slightly firm palate.

Then Henschke’s Mt Edelstone 2006 from Eden Valley - what a wine! Supple and subtle and about as perfect a shiraz as you could want. Stunningly drinkable right now yet with a great potential to age. Then Penfold’s RWT 2004 from Barossa. Another elegant style with a bit more chocolate character than the Mt Edelstone yet also drinking well despite being a great wine for ageing. Finally, a Glaetzer Anaperenna Shiraz Cabernet 2006 from the Barossa. A much bigger style than the previous two - I think this is a Glaetzer style - but with great richness and balance. A modern take, perhaps, on the big Barossa style but I always find their wines to be very good.

The last wine of the afternoon was De Bortoli’s Noble One Bortytis Semillon 2006 from Riverina. Gorgeously sweet yet with a clean acid structure it was yummy.

Well, it’s now 7:33 and the mist is lifting. So, back to the wines because our dinner menu was amazing. To get us in the mood a superbly rich yet well balanced Pirie NV Sparking Chardonnay Pinot Noir, with Andrew himself here to dine with us. Then, three vintages of Jacob’s Creek Steingarten Riesling - 1998, 2005, 2009. The 2009 was a tank sample but showed very good depth of fruit with fresh acidity and should be a good wine when finished. The 2005 had a lovely toasty note on the nose and was rich on the palate and was my favourite of the three. The 1998 showed remarkably little toast and was still a lovely fresh wine - really good stuff. Stephen Henschke, who was also dining with us, briefed us on the history of the Steingarten Vineyard, now sadly out of use. Apparently it really was a garden of stones and extremely windy so no surprise it’s no longer in use!

Then, we had three McWilliam’s Mt Pleasant Lovedale Semillons from 1998, 2003 and 2007. These are classic wines and to get a chance to taste them was fabulous. The 2007 was quite mineral on the palate but with a fresh acidity and a fragrant, floral style. the 2003 was slightly toasty on the nose, with good depth on the palate yet remarkably elegant. The 1998 was my favourite with a lovely toasty nose with a hint of rosemary, and a very youthful and fresh palate even with some lovely toasty evolved fruit characters.

These were then followed by four wines from Yarra Yering - two vintages of Dry Red Number 1 ( a cabernet, merlot, malbec and petit verdot blend) 1989 and 1997 and two vintages of Dry Red Number 2 ( a shiraz, viognier and marsanne blend) 1980 and 1994. James Halliday explained the somewhat mad background to this winery owned by his late friend Dr Bailey Corrodus. The wines were fantastic. The 1980 #2 was a stunningly gorgeous mature red with supple, sweet fruit. The 1997 #1 was, for me, the least good showing some odd characters and a slight oxtail note on the nose. The 1989 #1 was a super wine, slight green notes on the nose but a lovely rich palate. the 1994 #2 elicited some adverse comment as it had a very peppery nose but I really enjoyed it.

At this stage we had four more wines to go but I was feeling the pace and I don’t think I was tasting that well. However, the Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 from Tasmania was firm and still youthful but very good, the Dalwhinnie Eagle Series Shiraz 2001 from Pyrenees was quite nice but the 2004 vintage of the same was very good and the “save the best wine for last” All Saints Estate Museum Release Muscat from Rutherglen was just gorgeous.

Today we learn about riesling, from Jeff Grosset (who better?), Shiraz and blends with Stephen Pannell (one of McLaren Vale’s top winemakers) and then we get an historical overview from Andrew Caillard MW and James Halliday. Just in case you thought we were taking it easy!

Ireland’s Landmark Australia tutorial participant, Dermot Nolan, writes on his new blog on Thursday May 28, about what the tutorial is and why it exists, he also talks biodynamic farming with McLaren Vale locals Toby Bekkers of Paxtons Wines and Mike Brown at Gemtree Vineyards in the lead up to the tutorial.

So, after some 33 hours of flight I arrived in Adelaide at 08:00 today. Tired but excited by the prospects of the trip.

What is Landmark and why does it exist, I imagine you asking! Well, it is a week long tutorial where 12 selected people will learn about the finest wines Australia has to offer and the regional styles available. The tutors are some of Australia’s finest when it comes to wine - Michael Hill-Smith MW AM, Dr Tony Jordan, Andrew Caillard MW with help from luminaries such as Brian Croser, James Halliday, Jeff Grosset, Louisa Rose and others. This is going back to school in a big way!

That, then, is the what so how about the why. Well, the world of wine is similar to the world of cars - if you want to be able to buy a Lamborghini then a few thousand people have to buy Fiats! That is, there has to be some basic level of product in order to sustain the esoteric. With wine there are the big brands and the small estates. For many generations Australia has produced both but I think it is fair to say that in recent years, say the last 25 (recent to an old geezer such as myself), the general emphasis has been very much on the brands. For a country which has natural limits to its production it is important to get consumers moving up from the base into the value-added wines.

I believe that in markets such as Ireland and the UK there is an inverted snobbery about Australian wines - when people buy everyday wine they think Australia. But when they want to buy a fine wine they think France. Now, there is a lot of good everyday wine produced in Australia and the French do have a knack for making some very fine wines but this is not the whole picture. Not only are there some lovely inexpensive French wines but there are also some very fine, age-worthy Australian wines. Furthermore, these have been available for generations.

Landmark, I believe, seeks to open the world’s eyes to these wines by choosing people who can spread the word. As a educator I can obviously do this so, I suppose, this is why I was lucky to get picked.

Today I met with Toby Bekkers of Paxton Wines and Mike Brown of Gemtree Vineyards, both producers in McLaren Vale. Toby drove me around and showed me the basic geography, geology and topography of the Vale. We then met with Mike and discussed biodynamic farming (both farm their vines biodynamically) and then had a tasting and lunch at the Star of Greece in Port Willunga.

My feelings about bio are simple enough - it works but not for the reasons espoused by many. We know, from extensive medical research, that homeopathy is little more than a placebo effect and, since bio uses preparations in homeopathic quantities, I believe that all the happens is the vines get sprayed with water from time to time. However, most good doctors would happily offer you a placebo or a homeopathic remedy if they think that will help you cure yourself so why worry about bio vines? After all, in most cases, excellent fruit quality results and so long as the winemaker doesn’t muck things up in the winery then the resulting wines are usually very good. Furthermore, there is a marked increase in the biodiversity of the vineyard - soil, flora and fauna - which can only be beneficial in the long run.

Mike has a series of trials running in one of his vineyards where comparisons between bio, organic, light conventional and heavy conventional farming will be made. These should prove interesting because they’re measuring things such as cost as well as wine quality! One day, though, I’d love to see a trial where someone simply sprays a set of vines with water whenever they do a bio spray just to see what happens. But maybe that’s a blog for another day.

Well, faithful reader (who may well be as imaginary as the bio forces!!) I am exhausted after some 45 plus hours of travel and tasting, so more anon.