Wine has been made for millennia from the early days in Georgia every Supra feast deserving a toast by the Tamada (toastmaster)  to the guests and host alike.

Modern day styles of wine and the global nature of commerce has seen every far flung style of wine available to people who would have never had some wines in their diet before.

From Tokaji being drunk in South America, Assyrtico in Australia, Shiraz in California heaven forbid Zinfandel in France and all of Asia now getting on board where once the drink was as foreign as hot dogs.

So what are the rules if any on matching food and wine. And what comes first?

Well the answer of course is up to you. If you want to drink that full bodied shiraz or light Pinot Noir with your favourite dish go ahead.

But for many of the traditional wine making countries they have always had wine with their food or food with their wine.

So a great guide to the styles and matching in these countries tends to be more straight forward as the local cuisine and local traditional wines tend to go well together. Think Florentine food and Chianti, Bordeaux and slow cooked lamb.

What about the new world what goes with what?

I have found that with a little elbow room and flexibility it is surprising how some wines will match with some cuisine.

But as a guide here are my top 5 tips for food and wine matching:

1/ Match the weight of the food with the weight of the wine

A big bold red will dominate the lighter cuisine of something like Vietnamese where nothing other than the wine will be tasted.

Seafood and big reds don't work but don't rule out some lighter reds that have a freshness and lack any firm tannin grip.

2/ Sweetness of the food should not be sweeter than the wine.

A dry tannic red with a sweet dish will make the wine taste bitter and hard and the dish overly rich.

3/ At some point chilli and hot foods will not match with wine.

The heat of the dish can cope with off dry white wines when the spicy hot elements are not excessive. And mild spiced dishes might work with a soft round red. But at some point that blow your head off curry is not even suitable for the right beer but becomes the sole domain of milk or yoghurt.

4/ Acidity is a great palate refresher getting you ready for the next bight. 

Higher acid wines go well with dishes that have higher acidity than the wine. Think Sangiovese and tomato based Italian dishes.

The acidity is also great to cut through fatty dishes like battered fish with a  fresh dry Riesling.

5/  Tannic reds need some protein in the food to moderate the drying sensations. Where the protein coats the tongue and binds with the tannins to create a smoother tasting sensation. This could mean a big meaty steak dish or that black bean burger or mushroom pizza.

Conversely lighter dishes go better with red and white wines that have little or no tannins to obstruct the flavours.

Just have fun the whole red meat red wine white meat white wine is not entirely true as many reds can now have lower levels of tannin and higher acidity and some white wines can have an element of tannin (albeit rarely) and lower acidity. 

I always choose the wine first when wine and food matching. But of course I would .

History

Port Winemaking stems from the strong relationship that England and Portugal developed over many centuries.

From the falling out with the French in trade in 1667 the Port wine industry blossomed, but even before this there were Englishmen involved in the wine trade of Portugal.

Many wines were shipped from the coastal producing regions and these wines seemed to be less popular due to the higher rainfall and cooler less sunny weather in the Vinho verdes region . So gradually the winemaking and grape growing began to develop much further inland where the hot days cool nights and drier climate provided ripe strong red wines that were favoured by the English palate.

The Douro became this amazing patchwork of vineyards where the local winemakers and growers would provide the power and richness from the multitude of local grape varieties. 

The journey across to England would be treacherous and not conducive to keeping the wine in good condition. The addition of a little brandy was used to stop the wines from spoiling. Initially this would strengthen the wine in body and weight but was by no means the same as the fortification of the ports today.

The extreme nature of the vineyards and the slopes mean that the port was transported via boats (Rabelos) to Gaia opposite Porto where the Port houses would mature them in different sized wooden casks. 

The terraces as seen today in the upper Douro had been extensively built post phylloxera where the Gallegos from the north came down and helped construct the walls by hand for food and board such was the desperation of the time.

The Countries name stems from the combination of Porto and Gaia that back in Roman times was known as Cale to become Portugal.

In the 18th century the Marques of Pombal stepped in when fraudulent port was being made that was lowering the quality of the wines. By doing so they created the first remnants of the later appellation systems that are now commonplace in the European vineyards.

The Fortification process that is now common today where brandy spirit is added to fermenting grape marc or juice to stop the fermentation and leave some residual grape sugars. Was not entirely adopted until after the exceptional vintage of 1820. It was demonstrated that the power and richness that fortification delivered, lead to an increased uptake in the main English market.

Vintage ports would carry favour with the English in the early 20th century and traditionally the wines that did not make it to England were then stored and matured these became popular with the local Portuguese the Tawny ports (Tawny due to their colour after ageing).

Other Countries in Europe began to gravitate towards some of the fortified styles being made in the Douro.

Today their are many styles of Port being made

White port:

Ruby Port: 

Early released lower intensity simple aged in larger vats for early release. Entry level style wines that are usually lacking in character but are approachable in price.

Reserve ports:

They have a bit more character and richness than the Ruby ports but still lack the complexity that great tawny and vintage ports deliver.

LBV (Late bottled Vintage Ports):

 Tend to have more extract and power than the two previous styles and a bit more interest due to the 4-6 years in barrel.

Tawny ports: 

These can be simpler commercial styles usually from the big houses, even with considerable age. Or complex amazing gems that have true interest and balance that smaller houses seem to be more successful at providing. The knowledge required to make top tawny ports has been evolving for many years and the expertise required is no doubt not truly appreciated by the wine world. Not all tawny ports are created equally.

Vintage ports:

 Although I am a fan of top tawny ports its the consistency and quality of Vintage port that I truly admire. Having a more vinous quality and with less tertiary flavours than a tawny due to the shorter barrel ageing (2 or so years) before time aged in bottle. The Vintage ports when done well provide a sublime rich and delightful tasting experience. The wines are usually a little drier than what a fortified style would be in Australia and the varietal mix is so varied that every Port producer has their own unique fingerprint. The structure and power of dark fruits in a vintage port and the longevity, they seem to blossom after 20 years in bottle where the fruit is still evident but the firmness and the alcohol have become secondary players. Too early and the alcohol burn is still evident too late and some of the primary fruit characters have dissipated, which some people may prefer. The timing for this will vary to some degree from each producer as the mix of varieties, method of extraction and quality and type of spirit.Some vintage ports can age gracefully for a long time.

Producers seem to fall into two camps the old school baked style where grape shrivel may impart prune like elements to the style.

But most switched on producers are getting fruit that is super sugar ripe without excessive grape shrivel most notably from the northern facing slopes where they get less heat. These provide more fruit vibrancy and will age more gracefully and become more interesting than the soupy baked styles.

How is it Made?

The traditions of Port making continue to this day with a patchwork of varieties planted throughout the upper Douro the region is only now planting vineyards with single varieties. 

The soils of the region are marked by schist which have been flipped vertically to create channels for the roots to grab a foothold on these steep slopes.

All the older vineyards are a melting pot of grapes from Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca to Tinta Cao, Tinta barrocca , Sezão, Tinta Roriz and many other varieties that some locals are not able to identify. Alicante boushet that in some regions looks dead set ordinary, is quite exceptional on the lower yielding sites in the Douro for both Fortified and Table wine.

This diversity is both a strength and a weakness as the winemakers get to know the vineyards and through experience provide a unique identity from that vineyard. The vineyard plots aspect, vine age , planting technique and the mix of varieties mean that no two vineyards are alike. Giving the port makers an amazing array of blending options if they so wish.

When the grapes are picked they are sorted for more expensive lots and /or crushed into Lagres. These are different shaped open red fermentation tanks that are generally made out of stone, concrete and in some modern examples even stainless steel. The crushed grapes are spread over a large surface area compared to other red fermentations and so the depth of the fermentation is usually only knee deep.

The local students or workers are then hired to tread they grapes in the initial maceration. This last for four hours or so so that all the grapes are crushed and you end up having a mirror like quality to the surface of the grape must. Then the maceration prior to fermentation can last up to 4-7 days or even longer after which the fermentation begins. Some producers will transfer the must to regular tanks fro fermentation due to space limitations will others will traditionally tread the grapes during the fermentation still in the lagres. 

Bigger houses have mimicked the treading process via elaborate machines but generally speaking are still not as good as the real thing. A technique that I believe is unique to Portugal?

After a short time fermenting having extracted the maximum amount of colour and flavour for the style desired the must is fortified with a brandy of around 77%. The quality of the brandy has a considerable effect on the style of the port. And unfortunately most of the brandy used for this process is sourced from outside of Portugal so a high percentage of the components of the ports is in theory not from Portugal. A bit of a slight on their industry for if they could fix this issue it would do a lot for struggling growers and lift the quality of the Port styles and vineyards even more. With the less favourable plots being dedicated to brandy production.

After fortification the grape must may spend more time on skins to extract more or pulled off early to get a more approachable style.

Then pressed the vintage ports and finer styles directed for tawny ports will go into smaller older barrels of 225 to 600l . The earlier release ports (ruby, white etc) will go into much larger vessels.

The wines were then traditionally taken to Gaia opposite Porto to be stored in the more humid environment conducive for quality barrel ageing and blended in these port houses. Many of which are still in place today.

The blending of the tawny ports in itself is quite a skill to maintain the house style and still give a quality wine. Even the parcels for the Vintage port need an element of skill in the blending due to the vast array of parcels for some of the houses.

The region has many amazing fortified wines but also a lot of producers cashing in on the style.

What's exciting in this region is just how good the white and red table wines can be which I will elaborate with further posts.. An area I think they should expand on and spend less time on the dwindling fortified market. Just keep the good stuff. 

Mind you that's easy to say from the cheap seats. This is a region with a strong history and tradition and change is slow but the changes are happening and the quality of some of the wines is exceptional without question.

 Pinot Noir is a notoriously fickle grape. With typically lower colour and tannin due to thinner skins than many other well known red grape varieties. 

The variety first emerged from the history books back in 1375 when not long after Philip the Bold the Duke of Burgundy banned the Gamay grape from Burgundy in favour of Pinot Noir. But it is said to have been growing in the region some 2000 years ago when the Romans arrived.

People have made it their noble quest in making great pinot noir having tasted it’s best self from a bottle of tasty burgundy in a good year.

It does not give generously when it comes to yield , has a tighter pine cone shaped like bunch that does not like wet weather so can rot easily. Can become flabby and boring if grown in too warm a climate and become just a soft red wine, or in too cooler a climate can be too aggressively bitter and tart due to the higher acidity and unripe tannins.

Ask 10 winemakers how to make Pinot Noir and they will give ten even 20 answers. So how does Tasmania stand up when it comes to Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noir has three styles as far as I can see ,

1/ There is the dry red soft easy uninteresting style that tends to be grown in warmer to hot regions they have alcohol on their side but would not be considered varietal pinot as its more about quaff-ability. They look more dry red that lacks any distinguishable pinot character except perhaps the lack of tannin.

2/ The more delicate red fruits and perfumed spice style: these tend to come from cooler regions don’t tend to have much flesh are more about bright acidity lifted perfume and fresh vibrant flavours. The wines may get more perfume and structure from cab mac and more weight and texture from barrel fermentation and maturation and some lees contact, possibly MLF in barrel. But the fruit spectrum is somewhat more delicate that the last style.

3/ When in a cool to mild regions the Pinot Grape can move into red fruits with a percentage of darker fruits. They tend to have more flesh and palate weight and can have much more structure. The alcohol levels are typically a little higher than the delicate style and the acidity marginally lower. But just like the delicate style the amount of structure and the flesh may depend on the winemakers philosophy of extraction, carbonic maceration % and the type of oak treatment. The tannins tend to be riper than in the cooler regions.

Tasmania on the whole falls into camp no.2 . There are a few exceptions with more fuller styles being produced in parts of the Coal River being one of the dryer warmer day cooler night type climates further north away from Hobart. And parts of the upper Derwent seem to get more body as well. Clones may help with more body and flesh coming from the Pommard , MV6 and 777 even 667 and more aromatics coming from the 114 & 115. Once the winemakers get some runs on the board with clonal familiarity more and more great pinots will come out of Tassie. As they have only just scratched the surface.

My Top Ten of Tassie that I tasted. Try saying that ten times after a few drinks.

 Their are many more to explore.

Bay Of Fires- Fruit sourced mostly from the Coal River Valley but with Derwent Valley and East Coast fruit this wine has much more flesh than many other Tassie examples. Rich fleshy yet still beautifully varietal with dark cherry plum and raspberries and a hint of strawberry. A great balance between flesh and bright flavours.

https://www.bayoffireswines.com.au/

Pressing Matters- Beautiful aromatic and lifted pretty red fruits the palate shows some darker cherry and flesh not as full as the Bay of Fires but just as interesting. (Stargazer is also one of the wines made by the same winemaker). These guys also make Riesling to die for if that's your thing.

https://www.pressingmatters.com.au/

Sailor Seeks Horse- From a warmer north facing site in the Huon Valley. A much more delicate style that also has a remarkable structure. The slow ripening on the vine combined with a wonderful selection of clones gives this wine a complexity that few could match. The wine will no doubt get pretty interesting and savoury as it ages. These guys will in future probably make the most interesting Pinot in Tassie. Providing the weather cooperates.

https://sailorseekshorse.com.au/sailor

Chatto-  Also from the Huon on a ridge behind Sailor Seeks Horse. Jimbo has a world of experience and his hands off approach is how many of the Tassie winemakers are making their Pinots. Here the wines are a true expression of the vineyards (other regions as well) they come from but beautifully balanced with no winemaking trickery getting in the way. As I've said before like Miles Davis you have to learn all the notes to know what not to play. He also is lucky enough to travel to Burgundy to make some wine there in the second half of the year. Not sure how Daisy feels about that.

https://www.chattowines.com/

Dawson & James- From the upper Derwent off older vines of the MV6 and Pommard clones. The soils are lighter in the Upper Derwent so unlike other areas of Tasmania their is a delicacy to the fruit coming from the soil. The wine finds a balance between texture and prettiness the older vines garnering a complexity and fullness despite the soil profile. Maybe due in part to these more fleshy full clones being used. They get a suppleness to their Pinot which is hard to master and no doubt speaks of the years of experience that Smokey and Tim have. And with Pinot Noir experience counts.

https://dawsonjames.com.au/

Springvale- East Coast estate fruit on red soils with a mixture of Pinot Clones. The wine has full honest straight forward raspberry and dark cherry flesh with a easy drinkability. The velvety nature of the wine and the round shape in the mouth make it a pleasure to drink.

https://www.springvalewines.com/2016-pinot-noir

Glatzer-Dixon- Structured and complex. A fish out of water in this line up being very different in style but made for the long haul. The fruit is picked on tannin ripeness rather than acidity and this gives Nick options with extraction you would not attempt on fruit that is not tannin ripe. The wines are much more layered and complex and when he combines all the techniques you get a more vinous wine and less tuitty fruity. Having worked at Domaine Albert Morot no doubt he has a feel for what is possible.

https://www.gdfwinemakers.com/

Handpicked- Surprisingly aromatic and pretty but with that Hallmark Tamar profile of Raspberry and cherry. The palate has a plush honesty yet still retains a brightness, with the noticeable oak giving the wine an attractive round creaminess.

https://handpickedwines.com.au/en/2019-auburn-road-vineyard-tasmania-pinot-noir

Mt Amos- Wines from the Tamar Ridge/Devils Corner stable are in complete juxtaposition to the Glatzer-Dixon model. Here Tom picks with acidity constantly in mind. Looking for bright aromatic and expressively red fruited styles. The wines I can attest age remarkably well having sampled way to many at the vintage break up party. The honesty of the style with both red  and hints of dark fruits  but with noticeable acidity. The wine is probably going to be at its best in a few years.

Pooley wines in the Richmond area of the Coal River Valley. The Butchers Hill had layers of interest and darker fruits and a element of new oak that may not please purests but helped structure the wine into something interesting.

https://www.pooleywines.com.au/wine/butcher-s-hill-pinot-noir/22835/

Under The Radar Wines

Upper Derwent: Future Perfect a pinot that has texture and prettiness all with an alcohol of 12.2 %

https://www.futureperfect.vision/

Huon-  Elsewhere (not so under the radar ) a pretty delicate  style slightly cooler than Chatto and Sailor seeks horse although being directly behind Chatto wines.

https://www.elsewherevineyard.com.au/new-products/2016-pinot-noir

Tamar- Swinging Gate fuller style of Pinot 

https://swinginggatewines.com.au/

East Coast- Boomer Creek great views great riesling and pinot.

https://boomercreekvineyard.com.au/

Coal River- Craiggow has interesting pinot same clone different soils taste the difference.

https://www.craigow.com.au/

                   Merriworth had  fuller fleshier darker fruited style pinot with an attractive supple element

https://merriworth.com.au/product/2021-estate-pinot-noir-750ml/

Pipers- Sinapius has a pretty red fruited pinot with some rhubarb elements.

https://sinapius.com.au/product/2021-close-planted-pinot-noir/

             Apogee is also worth a detour

https://www.apogeetasmania.com/

WINES I DID NOT get to taste

Dr Edge

Tolpuddle

Stargazer

Giant Steps

When I first visited the Tamar valley on my way to Tamar Ridge in Kayena to start the vintage in 2022. I was struck by the majesty and beauty of the river winding it's way up from Launceston to the Bass Strait. Here along this estuary were vineyards, stone fruit orchards olive groves and fishing villages as well as nature reserves and national parks just a short journey away.

The region is the engine room of the Tasmanian wine industry with over a third of Tasmania Production coming from the broader region.

The climate 

Maritime 

The region is definitely a cooler climate but warmer than the rest of Tasmania with the exception of some parts of the east coast depending on the year,  particularly the Northern section of the Tamar which benefits from the estuaries influence. The southern part of the region south of Launceston is a little bit cooler due to it's distance from the Tamar river . The cooler season gives them time to pick the grapes when they want to rather than be forced to pick due to rising sugar levels and lowering acidity. Many Austrian and German grape varieties should be suitable in this climate. Chardonnay is well suited. And Pinot Noirs problem may be a lack of heat and fuller ripeness which may be an advantage if your making a more delicate style rather than a structural Pinot. 

Due to the more maritime influences they may have a lot more hang time on the vine than say Burgundy. Which may mean that some of these vines will still get to some semblance of ripeness although being numerically cooler.

The Rosevears sub region will probably be a bit warmer based on the aspect and proximity to a large body of water . This may also be the case in some of the vineyards further north.

                                         MID SUMMER TEMPERATURES        HDD                  RAINFALL 

                                         Minimum / Mean /  Maximum               7Months              (mm)

Dijon Burgundy                    15.0     /  20.8   /     27.0                       1324                  474

Auxerre                                14.4     /  20.2   /     28                          1266                  433

Northern Launceston           12.6     /  18.7   /     24.8                       1243                  294

Southern Launceston           11.0    /   18.1   /     25.1                       1074                  292

Reims                                  12.9     /  18.8   /     24.7                        1018                  385

Geisenheim                         13.4     /  18.7   /     23.9                        1001                  342

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_091237.shtml  ( Northern Tamar Probably Slightly warmer and possibly more maritime than this site?)

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_091311.shtml ( Southern Tamar a little more diurnal range due to the distance from the Tamar River)

The sub regions

Their are new vineyard plantings near the airport as well as older plantings in Reibia. Further south east on your way to Ben Lomond at White Hills their are also large vineyard holdings mainly owned by Penfolds.. The southern section can be ripening fruit up to two or three weeks later than the north depending on the year.

Wines to Try : Josef Chromy , Penfolds (straight Pinot Noir or the Yattarna Chardonnay which has a % of Tasmanian fruit.)

In the Northern section you have

Legana 

 In amongst the urban sprawl one vineyard on lighter soils is able to ripen Cabernet Sauvignon no small feat in Tasmania.

Wineries: Velo Wines

Rosevears 

A warmer site that has an north easterly aspect and basalt soils. Probably some of the first fruit to be harvested in Tasmania due to its advantageous aspect on the ridge in front of a large body of estuarine water of the Tamar river.

Lots of vineyards here and wines made from both larger and smaller producers.

Gravelly Beach

 Is further north it has a few vineyards just up from the river and has produced some very smart chardonnay.

Wineries to try: Holyman wines/ Stoney Rise the Holyman Chardonnay is particularly good up their with the best in Tasmania.

Deviot 

A smaller vineyard has had some success with Shiraz where due to the aspect and proximity to the river (within 10-20m) they have been able to ripen shiraz on their steep east facing vineyard.

Wineries to Try: Marion's Vineyard

Kayena & Rowella

Here there are several vineyards that are surrounded on three sides by the river helping to moderate the climate. Larger vineyard holdings and smaller sites co exist. The whole gamut of varieties that are grown in Tasmania seem to thrive here. With a special mention to Shiraz as three producers have all had some very interesting and tasty cool climate styles. But both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were also impressive.

Wineries to try: Tamar Ridge, Holm Oak , Waterton Hall

Beaconsfield to Exeter 

Further back from the river but still with some maritime influence a few smaller producers are making some interesting wines from mainly chardonnay, pinot noir and the odd pinot gris even a couple of rieslings. Swinging Gate had an amarone style cabernet Pinot noir blend that was pretty interesting, and a more fleshy fuller Pinot Noir.

The grape varieties

What does well chardonnay is hands down the most interesting and high quality dependable variety, even the amateurs in the region are making decent chardonnay. 

Pinot Noir in the right hands with a good understanding of their vineyards , clones and winemaking techniques makes great tasty raspberry and cherry styles with more flesh than many other parts of Tasmania but still quite light to medium bodied. There is an honesty to the styles. With producers that lack experience with the variety the wines tend to be light easy but lacking in character.

Of coarse the climate is ideally suited to Sparkling wine with the methode traditionalle technique, as the chardonnay and pinot noir keep their acidity. This is the case all over Tasmania but in the Tamar the southern area is particularly suitable.

Riesling can be interesting and delicate more minerally and less citrus like the Clare, but may have an excess of acidity when young. with age they tend to come into their own.

Pinot Gris is probably the most commercially viable variety with yields and growing conditions. And when done well can have a beautiful drinkability, but unfortunately as a style not many will set the world on fire.

What struggles

Cabernet Sauvignon will struggle in general and anyone persisting with this grape here you have to ask why?

Having said that the one exception I found was at Velo wines where the poorer soils and fastidious vineyard management produced a very nice varietal cabernet. I would suggest that maybe this is a much warmer site and combined with the poorer soils  may also assist in it's success.

Surprises

Shiraz in general does not lose enough acidity to be considered viable in most of the Tamar looking green and harsh. But the warmer sites close to water have all shown that great shiraz is indeed possible in Tasmania particularly in a warmer year (here and possibly in the upper Derwent and Lower Coal River Valley). with some having white to black pepper red to black fruits and a European like elegance to the wines.

Activities

 Penguin spotting:

 If you wander up to Low Head you can visit the nests and resting spots of the local Penguin Population. Their are also untouched sites that can be visited all along the Northern Tasmanian Coastline to see these fascinating critters.

https://parks.tas.gov.au/explore-our-parks/low-head-historic-site

Gorge Hiking: 

Cataract Gorge is a must visit. Hike up to the swimming pool or adventure along the winding path right through the Cataract Gorge Reserve and the Trevallyn Nature Recreation Area, located nice and close to the city of Launceston in Tasmania.

https://parks.tas.gov.au/explore-our-parks/trevallyn-nature-recreation-area

Platypus : 

Platypus House at Beauty Point provides a great spot to check out these unique creatures . Great if you have kids on board. There is also a nice breakfast spot slightly further north where you can look out on the bay.

https://platypushouse.com.au/

Seahorse :

 Right next door to Platypus House Seahorse World gives you an up close experience with these tiny delicate marine animals.

https://seahorseworld.com.au/

Zoo:

Tasmania Zoo has a wild variety of animals to discover, probably the most interesting being the Tasmanian Devils and the Meercat population.

https://tasmaniazoo.com.au/

Hikes:

Ben Lomond:

Climbing up Jacobs ladder this landscape seems unique to this small part of Tasmania with its Dolerite Cliffs. Climbing up to 1500m the climate cools considerably as you move into a cloud covered alpine environment. In winter the top of the mountain has a skiing available. In summer its a playground for hikers and mountain climbers.

https://parks.tas.gov.au/explore-our-parks/ben-lomond-national-park

A serene  hike through magnificent old tree ferns that culminates in the waterfalls at the top of the hike. You wander through the rainforest and get glimpses of the creek and moutain ranges through small gaps in the undergrowth.

https://parks.tas.gov.au/explore-our-parks/liffey-falls-state-reserve

Narawntapu National Park:

A world away on a beautiful stretch of beach looking out over the Bass Strait in the Northern Part of the Tamar region.

https://parks.tas.gov.au/explore-our-parks/narawntapu-national-park

Food Options

Stillwater: 

Situated just off the Bridge in the entrance to Cataract Gorge. Some of the best food in Launceston. I had great coffee and some poached eggs for breakfast.

https://www.stillwater.com.au/

Smell

Fern Gullies near Launceston like a mini Liffey Falls at Notley Gorge

https://www.discovertasmania.com.au/things-to-do/nature-and-wildlife/notleyferngorge

See

Brady's Lookout in Tamar has gorgeous vistas looking north as the Tamar river snakes its way north towards the Bass Strait.

https://goo.gl/maps/JF4o6UfrQNS1wMET9

:Eddy flows of the Tamar River.

 If you get up before sunrise or in the early hours of the morning and sit around or near the Batman Bridge you can watch the whirlpool eddies and flow of the Tamar River. In the early morning light this becomes a peaceful yet visually breath taking experience.

https://goo.gl/maps/Aow49va7cG7UwN578

Padymelons around the Bonnie Beach Road and other parts of Kayena

VISIT

Taste 

Oysters from all over Tasmania

Raspberries and other delights from the berry farm in Hillwood.

https://www.hillwoodberries.com.au/

Wine bar

Havilah a cool spot amongst some other eateries across from Princes Square in Launceston.

https://havilahwine.com.au/

Other Options:

# James Boags Brewery Tours 

https://www.jamesboag.com.au/

# Local Macaques Population while strolling through the Botanic Gardens

# Rosvears Pub looking out on the Tamar

https://rosevearshotel.com.au/history

# Pinot Noir Heaven

https://www.pinotshop.com/

What makes a great cellar door?

Is it the views, the food , the wine , the people the design or architecture the history the sense of place, the fun experience, the company? Having spent ten weeks in Tasmania assisting during vintage at Tamar Ridge I was able to get to many of the Cellar Doors and Wineries in the Tamar, Pipers, East Coast, Huon Valley , Coal River Valley and the Derwent valley. Below are some of my favourites.

 1/ East Coast Tasmania -

 The east coast is a popular destination on the way to Freycinet National Park where the famous Wineglass Bay is on everyone's Instagram bucket list. From north to south a great spot for surfers when its working, a scenic drive with views across the water to Freycinet National Park and further north around St Helens lie some stunning bays, the wineries are an added bonus.   

                                Off The Beaten Track 

                                                                    a/ Boomer Creek (views/wine/chilled ambience)- 

With views looking out over south of Coles Bay across to Freycinet National Park , the wines are of good quality particularly the riesling and they have little outdoor day beds, food platters and chilled tunes to laze the day away. Off the beaten track being further south than many of the other wineries it is definitely worth the detour.

https://boomercreekvineyard.com.au/

                             BEST VIEWS

                                                      b/ Devils Corner (views/food/ many wine styles) 

Spectacular views across Coles bay , Pizza for the kids coffee for the adults or some seafood to go with the fresh rieslings on offer. You can try varying tasting panels of wine from entry level wines through to the Mt Amos a seriously good Pinot Noir.

https://www.devilscorner.com.au/                        

             BEST SMALL WINERY EXPERIENCE 

                                                                                            c/ Springvale (Historic/ Family Run/ Wines/ Ambience) -

 As you drive past the vineyards and the winery you come to the old historic stables built in 1842, that they have turned into a cellar door. Inside it has a warmth and cosy ambience with the wine quality being of an exceptional standard in all the styles particularly the Chardonnays.

https://www.springvalewines.com/               

         TOURIST  SITE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

                                                                                            d/ Iron House (Views/Food/Beer/Whisky /Wine) – 

This venue in the White sands resort is more about the views less about the wines. The restaurant was very busy when I was there. A tourist offering that has there own brewery / vineyard/ Cellar Door & Distillery. Sits on the southern point of McIntyres Beach with beautiful views across the water.

https://www.ironhouse.com.au/

2/ Pipers Region-

This region is further north and east of the Tamar Valley proper. Its a tad cooler and later in ripening than the northern Tamar.

                                 TOP CHOICE IN TASMANIA 

                                             a/ Clover Hill (views/wines/ambience/architecture) -

 Built on top of a ridge with views north towards the Bass Strait you look over the vineyards that scamper down the steep ridge. The sparkling wines that they specialise in are of a very high quality particularly the late discourged vintage 2006. With some of the packaged deals definitely a more luxurious experience. The design and architecture of the building a modern gem. A must visit!!!

https://cloverhillwines.com.au/

                                   Close second on best Small Winery Experience 

                                                                        b/ Sinapius (wines, cosy friendly, nice outlook) – 

Sinapius has a great eclectic range of wines that are all worthy of a mention I particularly liked the Gruner and the Esme Gamay but they also do Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and some unusual white blends. Sit out on the deck of the cellar door to take in views of the vineyard and the stray rooster.

https://sinapius.com.au/

                                  MOST INFORMATIVE 

                                                                      c/ Bay of Fires (wines/information/history)- 

A big expansive cellar door when you are taken through all facets of the wine making process (be prepared). The wine quality is exceptional particularly the Arras sparklings, I found their Pinot Noir from Coal River Valley Fruit to be fleshy and a pleasure to drink. The fruit is sourced from all over Tasmania to make the many wine styles available.

https://www.bayoffireswines.com.au/

3/ Tamar Valley

The engine room of the Tasmanian wine industry where reliable high quality wines are made due to the influence of the Tamar River. The closer the vineyards to the water the milder the day and night temperatures and the more reliable and earlier the ripening. With some sub regions highly suited to grapevines (ie: Rosevears).

                                                               a/ Tamar Ridge (views,wines,food) - 

I was working at the winery further north but the Cellar Door is on a ridge in the Rosevears sub region of Tamar just north of Launceston. This is a beautiful area with sloping vineyards leading down to the water. Probably one of the first places in Tasmania to ripen their fruit. The cellar door lies atop of the ridge with great views of the river. Wines available include Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Sparklings and of course Pinot Noir. I really enjoyed the Pirie Vintage Sparkling Rose. Food is available a great spot to eat before exploring the other parts of the Tamar.

https://www.tamarridge.com.au/cellardoor/

Drop next door to Turners Stillhouse for their Distillers Release Three Cuts gin.

https://turnerstillhouse.com/

                                     BEST NATURAL WINE 

                                                                   b/ Swinging Gate (food/natural wines/ homely feel) – 

The whole family is out helping serve people as they serve up woodfired pizza and take you through their wines both natural (pet Nat, Orange) and regular wines. I was a fan of their fuller style Pinot Noir and the Red amarone made from Cabernet and Pinot that will appeal to people who want something richer.

https://swinginggatewines.com.au/

                                                                     c/ Josef Chromy (gardens/restaurant/views/wines) – 

Situated in the southern Tamar south of Launceston the whole experience is professionally done. You can wander the picturesque gardens around the dam(lake), taste through some wines or eat next door in the agfg rated restaurant. The wines were all of good quality but the Josef Chromy Chardonnay was truly exceptional. They also have a Zweigelt (red grape) originally from Austria that has a bit more flesh than the Pinot Noirs, definitely worth tasting.

https://josefchromy.com.au/

4/ Coal River Valley

This tends to be one of the dryer parts of the Tasmanian Isle with varying exposures and soils. Closer to the estuary the vineyards can touch the water but as you go further north the vineyards start to climb to the slopes to no doubt avoid the frost risk and increase the sun exposure in the early morning facing generally easterly.

                                               No.2 Choice in Tasmania

                                                                                             a/ POOLEYS -

Pooley’s has their Winery in the built up area of Cambridge on your way to the airport. But the cellar door is a world away in the Richmond area where one of their vineyards is situated. Here an old Georgian built homestead creates a grand entrance where out the back in the Coach House you are treated to a selection of wines and pizza or other appetizers on the menu.

This is definitely in the top two or three must visit cellar doors in Tasmania.

https://www.pooleywines.com.au/

                                                           No.3 Choice 

                                                                          b/ GLAETZER-DIXON  -

Not Strictly in the Coal River Valley but in Hobart itself Glaetzer-Dixon gets a lot of their fruit from the Coal River and parts of the Upper Derwent & Tamar.

This is an immersive experience from a winemaker making his own path. More structural the wines are truly interesting coming from his bomb shelter like winery. His long ferment Pinot Noirs and Rieslings set him apart from many other wineries in the region. A must visit for wine interested types not really for tourist types. https://www.gdfwinemakers.com/

                             c/ On the southern end there are several little family operations that are worth a visit. 

From the historical Craigow ( https://www.craigow.com.au/) to the steep views from Coal Valley Vineyard (https://www.coalvalley.com.au/) even further north are the more relaxed expansive views of Nocton ( https://www.noctonwine.com.au/) with their riper chardonnay style . But the more unique of these was at Riversdale. What I can only describe as a time warp into the seventies the views towards the estuary where some oyster farms can be seen is beautiful as well as the nicely kept gardens and their Chardonnay and the Shiraz wines. The cellar door furnishings reminded me of some hybrid of Italian meets French meets timber complete with a cardboard cut out of Elvis. Most unusual.

https://riversdaleestate.com.au/

4/The Derwent Valley

Only two Cellar Doors in the lower Derwent Stefano Lubiana & Derwent Estate. If you don’t include Moorilla Estate. With Meadowbank having only a vineyard in the upper Derwent. As much as I liked the wines in Stefanos I much preferred the low key approach of Derwent Estate in the old Rathbone Cottage playing nice tunes and relaxed views. To be fair Stefano was setting up for a wedding when I visited.

https://www.slw.com.au/

https://www.derwentestate.com.au/

The Upper Derwent is truly magnificent passing through hop country to the expansive vineyards a shame that Meadowbank doesn’t have a cellar door and Kinvarra was also very picturesque but not open for a tasting.

https://www.kinvarraestate.com/

https://www.meadowbank.com.au/

5/The Huon Valley

Travelling further south the wines and winding roads of the Huon Valley along with the apples and ciders at Willie Smiths (https://www.williesmiths.com.au/apple-shed/) some great wines in a challenging evironment and beautiful views around every corner to the fun little village of Cygnet. I was lucky enough to visit a few small boutique producers (will cover elsewhere) but only several cellar doors were open to the public at the time

                                A/ Kate Hill wines-

Kate Hill was a nice quaint little celler door on top of the hill surrounded by vineyards. They have had a few tough years with frost and fires but I still tried some nice wines. The cellar door host was Windsor Dobbin a local wine writer. A mate I worked with in California is now helping out in the winery. https://www.katehillwines.com.au/

                                                  2nd Best Views 

                                                                             B/ Mewstone Vineyards- 

 Mewstone has one of the most picturesque cellar door sitting on the ridge looking out at the water towards Bruny Island. The exposure must be challanging for ripening grapes but they also source fruit from other parts of Tasmania. Here they are trying many different styles and experiments with the wines. A beautiful spot.

https://www.mewstonewines.com.au/about-us

                                                                                    c/ Tinderbox Vineyards

Not Strictly in the Huon more in the d’Entrecasteaux Channel but a beautiful little spot nestle between two ridges right by the water just above the northern tip of Bruny Island. Open by appointment but truly off the radar of most travellers.

6/The North West

a/ Ghost Rock

A very professional setup with views out to the north. Wines from different techniques and good quality. Exposed to the cooler breezes it is very different to La Villa in style. 

https://www.ghostrock.com.au/

b/ La Villa Wines 

A beautifully Regal Building on the flats near the a large estuary from the Mersey River. The wines are surprisingly ripe considering Tasmanias climate but due no doubt from the protection from the ocean breezes and close proximity to a large body of warmer water and the lighter soils  of their vineyards. A delightful décor welcoming owner and well made wines topped off with the offer to take some fresh apples off the tree out front. When you arrive the bell tower sounds. Great Experience.

https://www.lavillawines.com.au/

c/ Lake Barrington Wines : 

A great selection of wines I was able to try at the Tasmanian Wine Festival. Did not get to visit but looks delightful. The owner was very knowledgable. Had wonderful Chardonnay and a tasty Dornfelder a red variety more resistant to the wet weather that can stifle the NW region in some years.

https://www.lakebarringtonestate.com.au/

With so many microclimates , great seafood/cheese/whiskey/wine and burgeoning regions. Their really is something for everyone.

Back in the 1960's and 70's the famous region of Chianti in Central Tuscany was known for the Fiasco a large (1.5-6 litres) bottle in a basket of vin da tavola (wine for the table) used for the lunchtime quaffer. As a result the region became famous for easy drinking uncomplicated wine. After drinking a whole bottle a Fiasco was likely.

From the 1970's a more progressive attitude began to filter into the region, from the urban wealthy seeking a change,where modern approaches took hold. Now it still has these quaffers but has so much more to offer the wine curious traveller.

There are few wine regions in the world that encapsulate everything great about wine. The history the culture the people the wine the food the landscape, the romance and ultimately the dramatic beauty of the place.

One region that rises above them all TUSCANY. It's rolling landscape of vineyards olive groves and country lanes straddled by cypress pines, the historic hilltop medieval towns still being lived in today like forts above the valley’s. The friendly and animated local Tuscan people who really know how to enjoy life and the local cuisine it's 'Molto delizioso ' . If you have ever visited the region it is hard not to fall in love with the place. If you live somewhere better I would love to know where.

It really does live up to the hype.

The Region

Tuscany's rolling hills and varied landscape shares visual surprises for all who travel through the region.With many sites from Florence to Montalcino, Livorno to Arezzo.

There are over twenty five thousand places in Tuscany making wine , with nearly every other hill being a winery ,vineyard or an olive grove. To try and get your head around the wine from every corner of the region would take a lifetime.

Getting There

It pays to have your own transport or someone who can show you around if you want to truly explore Tuscany. There are options for the budget traveller but you are limited to places closer to Siena and Florence. The best bits of Tuscany are either between the two cities or in the south beyond the reach of any public transport or shuttle service. An easy way to get there if flyiing into Rome is on the fast train to Florence. Once in Florence you can venture south to some local stops all the way to Siena on a local train or rent a car and explore the area outside it's reach.

INLAND TUSCANY

Chianti Classico : This is the heart of the region centred between the two historical rival Cities of Siena and Florence. The traditional towns of Radda,Greve,Castellina and Gaiole being the center of what makes the region so good. Look for the GALLO NERO (black rooster) on the bottle to deliniate true Chianti Classico. Radda and Gaiole usually showing more elegance and Greve and Castellina more body and fullness.

Chianti : Everything outside the Chianti Classico region but inland is Chianti with some sub regions attached like :

Montalbano:

A highly regarded region west of Florence that lives in the shadow of the Carmignano area within it's borders. Here they make good quality sangiovese and caniolo blends

Rufina:

Here the Sangiovese and other varieties ripen later due to the elevation east from Florence giving them a certain elegance.

Colli Fiorentini :

Lies in the hills around Florence in a warmer subregion here generally the more simpler wines are produced.

Colli Senesi:

These are the hills close to Siena, and up to San Gimignano lying outside of Chanti Classico being it's South westerly neighbour,but also include Montalcino and Montepulciano so the styles can vary quite a bit. From concentrated to 'vin de tavola'.

Here I was lucky enough to help during vintage at a family winery and vineyard. Lower and slightly warmer than Chianti Classico on more sandier soils. The vineyards starting on the top of the hills and dipping into the ravines of forest in between hills. The variability of the grapes from top to bottom is quite dramatic due to the dryer soils at height and moist heavier soils closer to the forests. Sangiovese, Cillegiolo, Caniolo, Colorino, Mammolo, Malvasia, Trebbiano toscana and Chardonnay Merlot and Cabernet were grown here.

Colli Aretini,

Close to Arezzo on the eastern and higher altitude sites where more moisture eventuates means the wines tend to be lighter and more elegant .

Carmignano:

A subregion of Montalbano where 2 year old barrel aged sangiovese blends have traditionally been highly regarded.

Brunello di Montalcino:

This is the celebrity area of Tuscany both in reputation and in Price.

Discovered by the International Brigade you will find celebrities or cashed up merchant bankers from all corners of the globe trying to recreate a vision they have of what Tuscany is about. Either in owning a vineyard or winery or staying in some of the amazing local accommodation. This southern region is slightly warmer and considerably dryer than more central sections of Tuscany. And this together with the soils mean that lower yields give more concentration and extract.With the local clone of Brunello gaining a solid reputation for quality based on the original producer Biondi-Santi. Soils and style vary considerably across the hills from north facing to south facing. With one producer creating the most eclectic and dense vineyard I am ever likely to see. Planted like a vine nursury. The wines are based mostly on the Sangiovese 'superclone' Brunello and tend to be big extractive heavily oaked wines that need considerable time to soften and come into balance but once they do they have a real charm. This style is more international in design to attract the wine writers and American palates that like to see oak and alcohol. Elegance is not a word that comes to mind though the odd producer manages to get savoury elements when made in a more traditional manner.

Vin Nobile Montepulciano:

This is an adjoining town on a hill slightly east of Montalcino these too are big extractive sangiovese based on the 'Prugnolo gentile 'clone. A bit more sauvory but still on the riper end.

San Gimignano:

This towered fortified town is a favourite for most tourists. And has that discovered feel about it. Picturesque and postcard friendly I would gaze west daily during vintage to see the towers of San Gimignano. The surrounding hills have the white grape Vernaccia growing. It makes a light fresh easy drinking white with floral hints and a touch of welcome bitterness when done well, or oxidised nuttiness when done in a tradtional manner. Some producers are using new oak which for me just gets in the way.

COASTAL

Lucca:

The beautiful hills surrounding Lucca here the Sangiovese dominates...at the.foot of the Apennine Mountains. Whites are made from the traditional trebbiano and malvasia with other more international varieties also allowed (sauvignon blanc,vermentino, greco and chardonnay).

Bolgheri: at the foothills of the Metallifere in the Provence of Livorno here Bordeaux blends like Sassicaia have thrived due in part to the mild but warm and dry climate with some sea breezes to cool the vines. This IGT wine is very highly regarded with up to 26 months in barrel. Other wines that have DOCG status share similarities in composition in both red and whites of other parts of Livorno and Grossetto. The straight Merlots can be very good.

Pisa:

Chianti Colline Pisane would be warmer being closer to the coast but with milder day temperatures.Lighter softer wines seem to be the norm, but with so many factors creating the wine styles here there are sure to be the odd gem.

Maremma:..in the Grosseto Coastal area of south west Tuscany the wines have many varieties allowed in them.

White: Ansonica,Chardonnay ,Grechetto, Sauvignon blanc, Trebbiano, Vermentino, Viognier

and Red: Alicante (Grenache), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,Caniolo , Ciliegiolo., Sangiovese,Syrah

The straight Ansonica can be quite interesting from the southern Grossetto area.

HISTORY

It is from this part of the world that the grapevine was spread throughout Europe.

The region owes much of it's early wine history to the Etruscans it was from their propagation of the vine taken up later by the Romans that began grape growing in the region. The Romans then spread it far and wide and advanced the skills and trade of wine and wine making. After the fall of the Roman Empire the re-emergence of the industry occurred mainly as wine merchants and traders in wine in the 13^th and 14^th centuries. It wasn't until the 19^th century that the industry gathered momentum where higher quality was sought. Then in the 1970's the yields and the winemaking became more aligned with what are now more modern international standards.

The renaissance art and the grape are uniquely alligned as major silk merchants and bankers of Florence would move into winemaking like the Antinori and Frescaboldi families. These merchants had and still have the connections and the capital to move wine both domestically and internationally. With many small producers selling their wine in bulk to these producers.

So in a good year like 2015 their mid end wines can be of very high quality.

The quality renaisance of the region came later in 1971, with the launch of Tignanello one of the first SuperTuscans. A blend of Cabernets and Sangiovese with the smaller barriques being used.

CLIMATE

Tuscany has a varied climate and to try to generalise can be dangerous. For the rolling hills the elevation the temperatures and the rainfall changes across the region.

But from the Table below it can be said that it gets drier as you head towards the coast or further south, that the higher elevated areas are considerably cooler and that the region generally has very warm subtropical summers. The diurnal range is also moderated by the ocean influences particularly around Livorno.

SOILS

The soils vary considerably across Tuscany and to hone in on one soil would be a mistake.

So I can give a basic rundown of the soils from some sub regions.

Chianti Classico: Two most famous soils are the

:Galestro (Rocky, schistous clay soil commonly found in most of Tuscany’s best vineyards) a

:Alberese (A compact clay and limestone found in the Chianti region) soils.

Chianti Colli Senesi Monte morli: mainly sandy clay soils.

Montalcino: limestone, clay, schist, volcanic soil and Galestro

WINERIES

The region has so many options that limiting yourself to what some wine writer recommends means that you miss out on some wonderful wines. Around 25000 wineries inhabit Tuscany from Traditional producers , bulk producers , modern artisans and the well known international merchants. A lot of wines may not even be seen out of Italy but can be of a very high quality.

Three wineries I really liked were Dievole, Ormanni and Isole de Olena. The last also had a very fruit driven modern Chardonnay.

What can you expect:

• Big extracted fruit and oak style from Montacino and Montepulciano based prodominately on Sangiovese with some having Caniolo to soften the wines. These wines are firm structured styles that need some time in bottle to soften. They are also popular internationally, so they usually have a higher price. Although much is made of the Brunello and Prugnolo gentile clones in these regions. I think the resultant wines are more about the dryer lower yielding vineyards. As the amount of Sangiovese clones in Tuscany is prodigious and like Grenache or Pinot Noir the quality can vary quite considerably based on the site and growing conditions.

  

• Chianti Classico : This is from the central section between Siena and Florence. The wines are softer from the use of Caniolo, Cieligolo, Trebbiano Toscana and Malvasia Bianca. Colorino and Mammolo are also used but have more structure with the colorino having red flesh and high acidity that can help beef up the wines. Based again mainly on Sangiovese the wines are sometimes co-fermented and traditionally stored in bottes ( a larger volume old oak barrel that imparts oxygen slowly but without the new oak character) .The size of these vessels means the wines maintain an element of freshness provided the barrels have been looked after. The wines have an elegance and savoury edge and a soft drinkabilty that goes well with the local proscuitto,tomatoes and buffalo mozerella. When done well they are easy drinking savoury cherry flavoured yet fresh. When done badly they taste of water or a bland acid tannin mixer. The prices vary but generally if you find a good one they are the best value in Tuscany.

  

• Chianti Classico Reserva: these wines have more depth than the basic Chianti's are higher in price and usually have more new oak influences. They are generally richer but still with a savoury cherry and structural elegance. The best of them are sublime examples of what Sangiovese and partners are capable of if the oak is not overdone. And for me are the best examples of Tuscany unadulterated by international influences. Try one from a Traditional producer and compare it with a modern producer and you will see the variance based on oak. I find the traditional style more attractive.

• IGT These wines can be anything from what was termed supertuscans where Cabernet and /or Merlot may play a major role or a nasty blend of simple wine that may not even be from Tuscany. There is no way of telling the difference except to look for a fancy bottle with Merlot or Cabernet blended with sangiovese that has a higher price. The Super Tuscans can be superb but generally have a very modern sweet fruit and oak mix that appeals to the . international palate. The Merlot in Tuscany can be exceptional so it is definitely worth seeking out. With wonderful sweet mulberry fruit. Tignanello and Sassicaia are the famous examples of the Super Tuscan Style.

• Grand Reserva: This is a step above the chianti Classico reserva usually a more modern style fruit and oak are generally more intense still with some acid drive from the sangiovese but rounder and fuller.

• Grand Selectione: These wines are typically the best parcels and most concentrated styles where oak is used in combination with the fruit. When done well it can be a focused concentrated experience with the wines handling the new oak influences. Richer more modern but still great drinking expect to pay a higher price for the best Sangiovese can offer if done well.

Winemaking

The winemaking techniques vary as much as the hillsides but don't be mistaken there are modern well travelled producers down to the traditional maker that was mentored by his father. Sangiovese when fermented can be an acid tannin astringent monster so a lot of the techniques used are to soften the wine. From using oxygen in the ferment some will drain and splash and return the juice over the top of the ferment others will use Micro-oxygenation by passing fine bubbles of oxygen through the wine both during and post ferment. Another technique that works well in the traditional manner is the co fermentation of the Sangiovese with lighter bodied grape varieties this can work well depending on what is used with Caniolo and Cielligolo working well and more aromatic lighter styles result from using Malvasia or Trebianno Toscana.

FOOD MATCH

Tuscan food is all about simply prepared great produce , fresh and ripe.

From the ripe tomatoes fresh basil great local olive oil zucchinni flowers salads and of course the cheese from Pecorino to my favourite Buffalo Mozerella. Matching wine and food really is not a problem here for the they have always gone hand in hand.

AGRITOURISME 

One thing that the region has excelled in is the agritourism there are villas infinity pools on site luxury accommodation in the vineyards and olive groves throughout the region. If you are a celebrity and you want to stay in the highest regarded accommodation there is …...........................

or a modest but cosy cottage on a vineyard and winery there are options near and around both Siena and Florence where they can shuttle you too and from the cities.All ranges all walks of life from budget to ultimate luxury.

Having been to the land of Julius Caesar, Marcus  Aurelius and Nero once before you realise that Italy holds a certain charm that makes you want to return. I sealed my fate when throwing a coin into the Trevi fountain, I was back for more. Vittorio an Italian or more accurately a Tuscan had done a vintage with me in the Yarra Valley and he invited me to his families property for the Tuscan Vintage.

Stumbling off the train in Florence I am surrounded by all manner of tourist. This is peak season in Tuscany and the buzz and hum at the station is particularly acute. Waiting for him to taxi me from the station I inadvertently begin people watching hoping to see a familiar face, From the immaculately dressed European well to do ready to be whisked off to a palatial villa on a postcard hillside in Chianti.To the Gypsy girl doing the well tread circuit of small change in the vending machines and looking for a careless traveler to give her an opportunity to be able to feed herself at the end of the day. This is the starting point for many an adventure with mine about to begin.

Seeing the welcoming face of Vittorio and his jovial manner "Bonjourno, andiamo!!!".We head south through the undulating country to somewhere between Siena and Florence right in the heart of Tuscany and Chianti. Traversing towards his home on every hill lie vineyards and olive groves with the familiar cypress trees and ancient stone villas with terracotta roof tiles straight out of a movie. The are over twenty five thousand wineries in Tuscany alone on every hill small families right through to large merchants make wine and olive oil for sale.

We arrive at Poggibonsi and then climb above the town to Montemorli a small hill village where the Vittorio and his family the Conforti's produce their wine and olive oil for over four generations. The historic hillside has postcard vista whichever way you care to look. 

That night I share a meal with the whole family . Georgio and his whole family Florella his wife and the three brothers, Carlo, Vittorio , Guido and Carlos wife and son.  

# The family

Seven generations of Conforti have worked at Montemorli and the work ethic and friendliness of the Conforti family is to be admired.

I was working in the cellar with the patriarch Georgio where a chalk board with the Italian and equivalent english word were written so we could attempt to communicate. Vittorio Guido and Carlo would help with picking and then in the cellar while Carlo  would also run his own organic vegetable farm on the property. The Matriarch Florella would keep everyone in line and cook the most delicious local cuisine. Doing many regional dishes for my benefit. The whole family lived on the property.

# the vineyard

Sitting above the town of Poggibonsi you look west to San Gimignano south is Siena and east is the Chianti Classico areas closest is the Castellina sub region. The vineyard is a high trellised patchwork of mainly Sangiovese with supporting varieties of Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Colorino Mammolo and some Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in the reds and Trebbiano Toscana and Malvasia Bianca in the whites. From the top of the hills that sink into the forests crevasse between hills the top of the vineyard is dryer than the lower sections near the forests. This creates a looser bunch of Sangiovese on the dryer top areas and a tighter bunch on the lower sections.

# the winery

A small compact winery and crushing facility houses a remarkable volume of wine. In this small space they can do up to 200 tonne through the winery with the 15-20 tonne fermentation vessels made of concrete and a narrow tiled terracotta floor for work space.

# the region

Chianti colli Senesi Encompasses a Large area that is by no means consistent across the region the vineyards typically lie on hills at 200 to 400m above sea level so are typically a bit warmer than the Chianti Classico region that has higher altitudes. The soil is a clay dominant grey to orange soil that becomes heavier and less suitable the lower down towards the valley you go.

# the wine styles

Like all of Chianti Sangiovese dominates the scenery and is softened by the other varieties. On it's own sangiovese straight off press has a astringency that is excessive due to both the acidity and the tannin structure of the wine. This is soften and tamed in a number of ways.

                                 1/ firstly during fermentation all wines are drained and returned into a small tub that helps introduce some air for a more advantageous environment for the yeasts and as a softener for the tannins.

                                 2/ Secondly some co-fermentation is utilized to bring more aromatics and mildness to the palate with the likes of Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo.

                                 3/ Thirdly the likes of Trebbiano Toscana and malvasie Bianca are co-fermented and/or blended to give the wine a fresher softer element.

                                 4/ Oak maturation in larger bottes maintains some freshness but softens the tannins in the wine with time.

The co-fermentation works surprisingly well in bringing a lifted aroma and softness to the mainly Sangiovese blend.

As such the wines from this sub region tend to be easier to drink younger than some of the tighter less friendly wines from parts of Chianti. The traditional blends are still well thought of and admired compared to the structural oaked styles made from 100% Sangiovese in other parts of the region. The traditional style is all about 'Vino Da Tavolo" wine for the table. Wines to be enjoyed with the wonderful food and cheese on offer.

They also make a VIN SANTO this is a traditional style where the grapes mainly trebbiano and malvasia are dried on racks in a warm loft above the cellar. The grapes crushed and pressed off to ferment in barrel the ensuing white wine is madeirised and can be sweet but tradtionally is more savoury with an element of sweetness. The locals dip their biscotti in the wine.

# the olives

After the vintage has finished the olives are ready to pick in late October. The local olive oil is as old as the hills they are grown on. A vital ingredient to the tomato and basil with buffalo mozzarella and prosciutto. The local coops take the olives and return them to the growers as olive oil.

# activities

-Enduro riding below the family winery,

 -Truffle hunting in Marche, 

-Chestnet Festival on the Tuscany Coast,

- Local Wednesday and Saturday Markets in Poggibonsi for fresh organic produce from Montemorli or some other local fresh produce.

-Check out the Crystal Glass makers in the next hillside town of  Colle di Val d'Elsa a pleasant walk along the old railway track now a bike path.

- Visit the winery and the Pizzeria at Montemorli

-Check out the local wine festivals like the Vino al Vino in Panzano in the heart of Greve Chianti Classico

-Visit Montalcino and Montepulciano south of Siena for bigger more structured, more oak defined Sangiovese

# San Gimignano

Towering above the hills west of Montemorli is San Gimignano a tourist town but one that was a key allied stronghold during the 2nd World War. It was on the Montemorli hill that Georgio shares a story of a German Commander dying in mortar exchange from Montimorli to San Gimignano. The high vantage point in the region has exceptional vistas to the east and surrounds to admire the rolling hillsides and picturesque farms olive groves and vineyards. The white Vernacchia grape is grown here with some fresh citrus blossom and nutty styled examples available.

# Siena 

We got to visit Siena a few times. An interesting wealthy hillside fortified town that has sweeping tree lined streets as you enter on the southern side. The rivalry with Florence is most evident in the Duomo (cathedral) being unfinished. The Oenoteca under the old fortress has some great wines to taste from all over Italy not just Tuscany. Try the white Ansonica. Siena has much to offer in food wine historic buildings and beautiful scenery. It has the oldest still existing Bank in the world, and the Sienese do dress well.

# the food

All of Italy has something to offer. What Tuscany does well is simple produce grown locally and picked at its optimum. Cured ham, prosciutto, buffalo mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, fresh basil their own olive oil, zucchini flowers, all kinds of mushrooms and the rest.

Put together it just tastes so delicious. And the traditional wines are made to match. 

# departure

Having helped with the vintage it was time to leave. I was treated like another brother and would like to thank the Conforti's for their generosity if they happen to read this.. A truly memorable time. From going to a beer tavern in a 12th century abbey. To walking along the ridges of the vineyards in the evenings. And visiting other winemakers in Chianti Classico and Montalcino. To just sharing the lunches made by Florella and siesta.

Alla prossima 

In the past many wine books have been written about the regions around the world where grapes are grown and thrive for the production of wine. From the days when Winkler separated the regions by heat degree days and through to growing degree days and ripening temperature suggested by Gladstone. 

Having worked all over the world to say one particular climate is more suited to a grape variety than another ignores the complexities of wine. For at every stage their are so many different combinations and possibilities that to say region A makes better wine than region B with a variety is sometimes more about marketing than actualities.

What can be said, that if your starting template for high quality wine is balanced fruit , sugar, acid and ripe tannin accumulation low disease and freshness. Then comparing your region , or ideally your site, with different regions and sites around the world can give an indication into what will grow well. In some regions there may be many varieties that grow well in others there may be a few based on limiting factors like temperature, rainfall and suitable sites.

So where do you start?

1/Find out where the closest or most representative climate station in your region is located and obtain the information from the latest 30 year period (1981-2010).

Steer clear of any major city information as invariably they tend to be heat sinks and will have a higher temperature than surrounding farmland.

2/ From this data get the following figures:

     A/    Heat degree days latitude adjusted :

           # this is the mean temperatures of the seven months of the growing season (Oct-Apr or Apr-Oct) minus ten degrees

           # then multiplied by a day length factor (See Gladstones) above and below 40 degrees latitude (40 degrees being one)

           #  then multiply each monthly figure buy the days of the month 

           #  add the monthly figures together to get HDD latitude adjusted

    B/     Mean temperature of the warmest month

           # this will tend to be mid summer unless you are in a strongly maritime region where sometimes late summer will be warmer.

           # This is useful in ranking the apex heat load of the region in comparison to other regions

    C/    Maximum Temperature of the warmest month

            # This is important in differentiating between a milder acting climate and a more extreme one with similar mean temperatures. The vines can 'shut down' in higher temperatures typically above 35 degrees compared to being actively photosynthesizing at lower temperatures particularly if their is low water availablility. 

            # higher temperatures will require more moisture demand and typically regions with higher maximums to mean temperatures have much lower relative humidities so are more likely to suffer damaging stress unless soil is a mitigating factor.

            # Colour development can also be delayed in the berry skins with higher temperatures.

     D/   Average growing season rainfall (mm)

            # the mean rainfall is the most readily available figure for comparison

             # however the median rainfall is the better indicator of moisture status

             # regions with similar rainfall will more than likely have similar disease pressure if not accounting for wind factors

3/  Collate these figures together and compare it to the table below. 

            #The HDD figure is more involved but is critical in placing your region in the right heat zone (including daylength).    

            # Use the HDD as Temperature (HDD / no. of days in the season plus 10)  match the regions within 1 degree

             # match regions within 1 degree of your region for MTWM and Maximum temperature of the warmest month     

              # Match regions within 100mm of rainfall to your region

              # Regions with three to four matches are similar

4/ The closest matching regions to yours will be a useful starting point on what is suitable to grow in your region.

       # The first three indices A, B and C are more critical in regards to wine style being about temperature, but D (rainfall) is important in regards to disease pressure and can be useful in deciding what soils are appropriate for what varieties.

Read more »

A taste of Europe with a Modern twist

It was earlier in the 19th century when the Yarra Valley first had the vine take hold. Swiss

immigrants soon saw the potential of the area and what became Yering Station was first established

in 1849 by Paul de Castella. Soon more wineries were established with Pauls Brother Hubert and

Baron Guillaume de Pury starting St Huberts and Yeringberg respectively.

Melbourne was a wealthy city due to the Gold Rush. But a combination of phylloxera, a move to

fortifieds ,the depression of 1891 and competition from other wine regions from interstate post

federation caused the decline in the region. By 1937 there were no more vines in the Yarra Valley.

Phoenix rising

In the mid to late 1960's the region began afresh with new enthusiasm and a move towards table

wines again. Dr Bailey Carrodus at Yarra Yering, Dr John Middleton at Mount Mary , Reg Egan

from Wantirna Estate and the resurgence of Yeringberg by Guill de Pury. The persistence and

determination along with the high quality of the wines attracted the likes of James Halliday at

Coldstream Hills and Domaine Chandon with Tony Jordan and De Bortoli. From here the region

has gone from strength to strength.

People

The Yarra Valley now has a diverse range of well travelled winemakers and vignerons of

exceptional talent and personalities that have a national voice.

The stalwarts fom the internationally famous wine writer James Halliday and Steve Weber the

seasoned professional at De Bortoli to the winemakers of the year like Steve Flamsteed, Tom

Carson , Sarah Crowe and David Bicknell to the younger experimeters and innovators like Out of

Step and Mac Forbes and many others making great wine without the fanfare like Scott McCarthy,

Rob 'Sticks” Dolan, Andrew Fleming , Marc Lunt and Andrew Santarossa amongst many others.

Old families of the region still make wine. And it was enjoyable to visit the Yeringberg

vineyard and historic winery and chat with the humble and quietly spoken Sandra de Pury. She was

kind enough to let me plunge the Shiraz.

The sharing of ideas and the willingnesss to experiment means that whatever nature deals up

the region can mould wines of interest and elegance. Combined with being the lovechild of

Melbourne to assist in the finance at the quality end of the industry.

The Climate

The region in general is quite cool. Colder than Bordeaux and warmer than Burgundy but with a

greater diurnal range than both meaning that the day temperatures can be quite warm in summer but

the average temperature cool.

The region in Australia closest in climate to the Yarra would appear to be Tumbarumba

NSW albeit marginally cooler than the Yarra. They share a large diurnal range from night to day but

Tumbarumba has a slightly higher growing season rainfall but similar harvest period rainfall.

Coonawarra has very similar temperatures but is much drier normally so later ripening

varieties are probably under less disease pressure and have a greater possibility of uninterupted

hang time than in the Yarra. Coonawarra also shares a generally homogenous climate whereas the

Yarra has many varied and undulating aspects.

The Willamette Valley in Oregon USA also shares some temperature similarities but is

somewhat drier overall and has a cooler spring than in the Yarra.

The comparison below is with Coldstream on the southern end of the valley.The sub

regional variation due to elevation , aspect and exposure to warm northerly winds will no doubt

alter the range of what can ripen. The northern area around Dixons Creek being warmer and the

higher areas of Seville and Hoddles Creek considerably wetter and cooler. Any isolated hills that

could moderate the diurnal range variation would no doubt help in extending the scope of what

ripens which may be the case at Yarra Yering and surrounds.

WHAT DOES WELL

Chardonnay

Nearly every winery in the Yarra makes a Chardonnay and this variety is by far the most successful

for even the unintiated makes a descent chardonnay. And the best examples cover a few styles

where elegance and complexity come to the for. It all depends on how much Sly and the Family

Stone you can handle.

For full on funk Oakridge is the leader , this style tends to get better and more interesting with age

but it's not for everyone.

I quite liked the richer and more muscular Tarrawarra, and Giant Steps find a good middle ground

between funk and fruit weight. Even smaller Wineries like Pimpernel had some tasty drinks.

For my taste I quite preferred the fresh acid line and length but with a fruit lift with a little

funk or none at all from the higher areas of the Yarra up in Seville and Hoddles Creek , but for value

for money De Bortoli do a great job from the warmer Dixons Creek .The Lusatia Park vineyard

above 200m elevation up near Hoddles creek no matter who made the wine also gave great wines. I

think it is now owned soley by De Bortoli.

SHIRAZ

Although other red varieties are more favoured in the Yarra and more widely planted. For

me this variety is hands down the most interesting red coming out of the Yarra. The lifted white

pepper and berry fruits that a well made one can deliver provide a tasty and wonderful contrast to

the typical chocolate vanilla and alcohol that comes from the Barossa.People need to step outside

their South Australian comfort zone and try more elegant shiraz wines. De Bortoli, Giant Steps and

Seville Estate are a great place to start.

OLDER VINE BORDEAUX Blends

Some of the low yielding older vine blends of Cabernet Sauvignon and associates can provide

lovely elegance and interest. Yarra Yering ,Yeringberg and Mount Mary are testament to that. And I

tried a Cabernet blend from the southern Yarra at Helens Hill that was wonderfully varietal and

fleshy without the green edges. Oakridge also had an older blend that was great from a warmer year.

I think the secret to getting good cabernet blends is the higher isolated hill sites in the middle of the

valley that are north facing that fully ripen the varieties when the growth and yields are managed

well or in the northern warmer section where there is more heat load. The lower valley floor sites

are probably less suitable and the higher altutude sites in the southeast more challenging.

WHAT THEY CLAIM TO DO WELL

Pinot Noir

The region does make some great Pinot Noir. But for me this variety has the most hype and it tends

to under deliver. The ones that can get some flesh and suppleness into their wines I preferred like

Mandala “the Prophet”, Giant Steps and for quaffability 'the Village' at De Bortoli. Tarrawarra once

again had an interesting muscular style like the chardonnay and I found Pimpernel Pinots to be

good. Yeringberg for me is the best of the more delicate style.

Others in general were lighter fruit styles with a hardness either from too much stem or over

extracted and angular and astringent. The tannins are noticeable in the Pinots compared to other

regions. So any techniques to soften the tannins and add some flesh could only help.

Some producers from Willamette valley in Oregon use very gentle techniques so any

adoption of these would be welcome.

Heavier toast oak was used in some wineries to fill the palate out, not always successfully.

Cabernet Sauvignon Commercially

Even though Cabernet blends can be good particularly from lower yielding older vines and warmer

sites within the mid to northern section of the valley .

Generally speaking on it's own the commercial styles that were readily available suffer from

overly green elements that for me are unattractive. The region seems almost marginal for Cabernet

when made on a commercial level and I think they accept this greener character in their wines

through familiarity or necessity because the variety is so widely planted.

The climate trend of warming may improve the ripeness and flesh of the Cabernet Sauvignon in

the Yarra across the board.

SURPRISES

MERLOT

Merlot generally across Australia is disappointing with only a few regions doing it well. So it was a

surprise to try one at Coldstream Hills that was delicious. Which I think was solely Yarra valley

fruit. This variety should do well in the region as it ripens a bit earlier and is rain tolerant. Providing

the right clones are planted. Although tannin ripeness may be an issue.

Sauvignon Blanc

If you are looking for something a little different Dominque Portet does a fuller barrel fermented

sauvignon blanc which is quite interesting. Out of Step also had a great 'wild' example and

BoatO'Craigo had a vibrant style..

Best Of

White Blend: Yarra Yering Dry White No.1

Sauvignon Blanc: Boat O'Craigo or Out of Step

Chardonnay: Seville Estate or Wines from the Lusatia Park Vineyard

Pinot Noir: Fuller style : Mandala “The Prophet” Delicate style: Yeringberg

Shiraz: Giant Steps

Merlot: Coldstream Hills

Cabernet Blend: Helen's Hill for right Now Yarra Yering Dry Red No.1 for a decade on.

Best Value: De Bortoli

Fancy Pants Cellar Door: Domaine Chandon or Levantine hill

Cosy cellar Experience: Tarrawarra or Coombe Farm

Graze and taste: Giant Steps

Off the Beaten Track: :Long Gully Estate

Best alternate varieties: Soumah

Interesting Low Input Minimalists: Out Of Step and Bobar

Off the Grid: Serrat and Yeringberg

Other Activities

Cheese

The Yarra Valley dairy

Right in the middle of the valley this is a great break from the wines try the goat feta.

Chocolate

Just north east of Yarra Glen.

The free chocolate and Willy Wonka style outfits of the staff with windows into the making of the

chocolate and a massive outdoor play area along with the ice cream. This is the place to bribe the

kids on visiting a few more wineries. That is if you can ply them away from the place.

Food

Healesville Hotel has some great options

Giant Steps also has a large high roofed area and a window into the winery where you can

graze and relax in the afternoon

Beer

The White Rabbit Brewery is right behind Giant Steps in Healesville . They do season brews

and have a few different brews on tap.

Balloon Riding

Nearby Excursions

High country forests

Melbourne Laneways

Cycling in the Middle valley off roads

A Young Man with a Dream.

February 23rd 1939-May 8th 2018

Between 1963 and 1966 a young man already well travelled began teaching in Lyon and Stuttgart.

This was a unique time in Europe when the regions had their own personality and there was a freedom and openess to western Europe.

While teaching in Lyon he would venture north to Burgundy and Beaujolais and south to the Rhone valley. These adventures would lead to a fascination with the vineyards and wines of France. So to in Stuttgart he would visit the vineyards and wineries of Baden-Wurttenberg and from then on he was hooked.

What fed this obsession with the grape was fourfold. The beauty of the regions he visited the fascinating people he would meet like Louis Garoux in Burgundy , the wonderful wine and food he would be introduced to and the fun of making the wine itself.

In 1966 he returned to Australia and met Heather his soon to be wife.

By 1968 they began looking for a suitable place to grow grapes and make wine around Toowoomba where he was raised and set up his law practice. That same year they came down to Stanthorpe and were introduced to Dick De Luca a gentle giant of a man of Italian heritage that poured for them a muscat wine made from his vineyard.

John and Heather shared the passion for wine and during this time John read extensively about wine and winemaking. From Max Lakes "The Flavour of Wine" from 1969, "Progressive Winemaking" by Peter Duncan and Bryan Acton from 1967, "Scientific Winemaking" by J.R.Mitchell from 1969 and "The Wines of Bordeaux " by E.Penning-Rowsell from 1969 .

One of the books "Australian Wine The complete Guide" by Dan Murphy (the man not the wine group that bears his name) published in 1966 may well have sparked the interest with particular passages underlined.

One poinigant passage is that wine " promoted peace and relaxation and stimulated conversation and prompted ideas that produced paintings and sculptures and theatre and literature". John being an avid painter himself and gaining an appreciation of the arts having returned from Europe.

From his tasting and research and with Heather they decided to buy a property in 1968 and planted vines in 1969.The first vines planted were Shiraz after the fashion of what he had seen in the Rhone valley where the grapevines were also planted on granite soils.

Having met Max Lake on a few ocassions he ventured to Lakes Folly to do a vintage in 1971. Here they would bunk down in a loft above the winery before helping with the vintage.

From the exposure at Lakes Folly, although 1971 was a very wet vintage, John saw the potential of Chardonnay first planted at Lakes Folly in 1969.

Coming back to Stanthorpe he brought with him cuttings of the Mudgee clone of Chardonnay (the original source of Chardonnay in Australia) from Pieter Van Gent now known as the Penfolds 58 clone. Planting Chardonnay along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir to compliment the Shiraz plantings. He made his first wine in 1974 called "The Family".

By 1975 his first commercial wine a red blend of Cabernet Shiraz and Pinot Noir won a Gold in the Brisbane Royal National Agricultural Show. In 1976 he made his first Chardonnay at that time amongst only a handful of wineries making Chardonnay in Australia it too winning a Gold Medal and White Wine of the Show at the local Stanthorpe show and a Silver in the 1978 Brisbane National Agricultural Show . The 1976 Pinot Noir also receiving a Silver in the Brisbane Royal National Agricultural Show. He also spent some time studying under Brian Croser and Tony Jordan at what has now become Charles Sturt University at Wagga Wagga.

From the early seventies to 1986 John was to bring his flair of winemaking to bear on successive vintages. The vintages of 1974,1979,1980,1981,1982 and 1986 all being standouts in terms of quality and staying power. I have tasted many of these wines some thirty years after they were made and can attest to the elegance, complexity and length. Some truly remarkable wines like the 1979 Cabernet Sauvignon (one of the greatest red wines I have tasted) and the 1981 Shiraz Cabernet that was voted amongst the to ten top wines of the country at the time by a particular wine writer.

John bought a quiet confidence and his talents to share with all around him. A gentle man in the best sense. With many great ideas from the introduction of the first appellation system in Australia "Ballandean Nouveau", to the Sanctuary Cove "Wine Race" , Bay Cooler , the first 'methode champenoise' Sparkling wine in Queensland and the first satellite cellar door. He was a true innovator and pioneer. He will be missed and cherished by all who knew him.

How do you taste wine and learn about flavour?

Many scribes have covered the basic See Sniff Swirl Spit scenario for tasting wine. So let's take another approach. How do you get the most out of your wine tasting experience. How do you become an avid wine taster and can you train for the event.

Ding Ding

Round 1

Get the SSSS info and put it into practice. Buy two wines of the same variety and even the same region or producer. Buy the cheap and cheerful $10-15 bottle (below ten at your own risk) and a $20-30 bottle ( more if your feeling indulgent). Now try them side by side. In theory the cheaper bottle should be fresh light simple and easy to drink, generally better slightly chilled (even red). The more expensive bottle should have more flavour mouth feel and richness and may change and develop in the glass. One is for quaffing the other for taking your time to enjoy.

Quaffers are fit for purpose and are not really there to reflect on so just enjoy the wine at your Sunday lunch barbie or like minded occasion. Other wines however can be tasted with more patience. If you prefer the quaffer all power to you.

Round 2

Anyone can learn how to taste. It's about using all your senses and paying attention. If you have Attention Deficit Disorder then maybe not ( I am surprised you have read this far), but otherwise you can learn the skill.

How?

Take the time to notice the flavours in your everyday eating and drinking. The acidity in your lemon or grapefruit juice, the firm drying bitterness in your mouth when you drink a strong cup of tea, the sweetness and viscosity of a spoonful of honey around your tongue, the smokiness and saltiness of some well cured ham, the heat in your mouth when you try a strong whiskey/vodka/gin etc, the creaminess of that vanilla yoghurt. All these tastes are relevant to wine tasting.

Round 3

Different people have different strengths in tasting the five basic building blocks of taste.

Sweetness: Easy enough for most people but don't confuse this with fruitiness. This confusion is probably due to many aromatic lifted fruity whites having some level of sweetness but they are not exclusive to each other. Mainly from sugar levels but a sweet perception can come from the alcohol and glycerol.This is usually an immediate sensation that subdues over a short time.

Area: the front tip of the tongue.

Sourness: Is due to the acidity of the wine. Too high and the taste will be tart (bite into a lemon), too low and the taste may be soapy ( don't bite into the soap). Just right and the taste will be refreshing. Acids can also taste a little different , try lemons versus granny smith apples (citric(fresh) versus malic acid (green)). Usually acidity is an immediate sensation that stays longer than sweetness.

Area: The sides and just underneath the tongue.

Bitterness: Certain compounds found mainly in the skins and seeds of the grapes and absorbed into the wine depending on the level of time the skins and seeds have been in contact with the juice/wine. So generally speaking red wines will have higher levels of bitterness.

Try the tea trick, or lemon lime and bitters,tonic water or the skins of some fruits will have elements of these compounds. Strongly hopped beer like an IPA is another option.The sensation is usually slow to develop but persists longer after spitting out.

Area: usually at the back of the tongue.

Salty: self explanatory. Usually an immediate sensation that also stays longer than sweetness.

Area: Also the edges of the tongue

Umami: A savoury flavour common in asian cusine, try fish or soy sauce dishes, cured meats, soft cheeses even Vegemite (any fermented products) .Usually an after taste that lingers can give an impression of furriness on the tongue.

Area: Mainly the back of the mouth and roof.

These building blocks are usually playing together in your mouth and are not an island. Similar to the visual flow across the colour spectrum. Where different sensations star at different times and in combination.

Some people are more sensitive to one and less to another. Based on how your taste bud receptors interpret the taste. So when someone tells you they can't taste that bitterness you can taste it may mean they are not sensitive to bitterness but you are. So individually you are both correct just perceiving differently. Totally Subjective.

Find out your strengths and weaknesses by playing around with levels of sugar, acidity,saltiness,bitterness and savoury flavours in your foods.

Round 4

Get into the language of wine by taking what you have learnt in the previous rounds and building upon it. Get a copy of an aroma wheel from a wine site or reference book on wine. Now cover the outside descriptors and just work with the very inside of the wheel with the basic descriptors.

As an example using the UC Davis aroma wheel (see Oxford wine companion), the basic descriptors are as follows: Chemical, Earthy, Woody, Caramelised, Nutty, Vegetative, Fruity , Spicy, Floral, Microbiological, Oxidized and Pungent. Now smell and taste the wine and based on your perception try to class the wines major character into one of these descriptors. Once you are able to do this move on to the next layer of descriptors and then the third layer. As you do this more often you will be able to describe the wine with much more confidence and it can also be fun.

If for instance I was tasting an unwooded Chardonnay I might start as Fruity as the first descriptor and then perceive Tree Fruits and Tropical Fruits and Citrus in the second layer. Looking at the third layer I can then better describe the wine as peach (tree fruits), melon (tropical fruits) and grapefruit (citrus).

As you get better there are terms and descriptors related to balance , structure and mouth feel that you can tackle. But for the moment concentrate on the more aromatic and basic flavour descriptors.

Round 5

Now come out swinging and get together with friends and organise your own wine options night.

Everyone brings a wine to the event but no one else knows what you have taken along. Each person gives the others three options about the wine they are tasting and everyone hazards a guess. Do this on several levels and the winner has bragging rights.

Even the best wine judges in the world can get this wrong so don't worry about the result the fun is in the tasting. Use questions like grape variety, country of origin, region, vintage and producer.

Talk about the wines descriptors and the more you do this the better you will become. The beauty of doing this with friends is you all have a good time learning how to taste wine.

Cheers Happy tasting!!!

For further research in tasting; 

Beginner-Intermediate taster try 'HOW TO TASTE WINE'  by Jancis Robinson (no relation)

Food and Wine matching I love 'THE SIMPLE ART OF MARRYING FOOD AND WINE ' by Malcolm Gluck , Mark Hix

For the winemaker/wine judge or seasoned taster 'THE TASTE OF WINE the art and science of wine appreciation' by Emile Peynaud. A invaluable resource on the subject.

Following On from the previous Article in Part one of the Granite Belt. Here is my take on some great examples of wines in the Granite Belt.

Not Gospel there are many other tasty titbits on offer. Make your own mind up

GRANITE BELT WINES

( I have to declare that I have a long association with the region at Robinson's which will not be included in the discussion other than the 1979 Cabernet below)

What they do well.

Chardonnay, Semillion, Cabernet Sauvignon , Merlot , Shiraz , Petit Verdot , Red Blends from these

I have tried many great wines over the years from the exceptional vintages of the early 80's through to the modern day. What has proven to excel are the reds. From blends like the traditional shiraz cabernet through to 100% petit verdot. But if you were ever lucky enough to try the old semillion of Rumbalara back before it became unfashionable to drink semillion it was a grape to admire. Chardonnay receives a mention simply because so many have done so well over the years from national wine of the year in Winestate magazine (Heritage) to trophy for best white wine at a National show (Robert Channon) along with the numerous gold medals around Australia. With the milder days and nights during ripening many wineries under appreciate just what can be done with Chardonnay on the Granite Belt.

I know the list above isn't exciting and new and fashionable but when you try a 1979 Cabernet Sauvignon that your father made forty plus years after he made it and it blows you away it's hard to go past these proven performers. Merlot , in the right hands, can be better than anywhere.

What they claim to do well.

Verdelho

Don't like the variety , never have. This is probably more a reflection of my taste than anything. It just fails to excite me with a mid-palate awkwardness that I don't admire. Friends will bring along a bottle of verdelho for me at wine options just to stir me up.  It's a popular drink for many others. And many wineries have a fresh example. Enough said.

What Shows promise

Tannat , Mourvedre/Mataro/Monastrell, Fiano,Vermentino,Durif

Some producers are making some really exciting wines out of these varieties. Where interesting aromas,flavour and texture really come to the fore.

Surprises

Chenin Blanc

One producer makes Chenin.When you see some of them with a bit of age around 7-10 years they really come into their own. Reminiscent of some of the old Houghton's White Burgundy where Chenin was a major player, it ages so well. That said, it is probably challenging to forge the best out of it every year.

Sangiovese : 

After doing a vintage in Tuscany I know how fickle this variety is to different soils and aspects even within the same vineyard. With so many clones and the vineyard variability it is hard to know where to start when introducing a new variety like this. But I have tried a few fine examples of this variety in the Granite Belt, which came as a surprise to me. The makers must have worked hard to bring out its best.

Riesling: 

One producer has made some fresh citrus and floral rieslings that are of a very high quality. The variety should do well in the region in regards to temperature and granite soils but rainfall during ripening is the major challenge. With a variety that has sensitive skin.

Strange Birds:

The region has many different grape varieties planted and if it's in Australia chances are its in the Granite Belt. The strange bird symbol on the regional map highlights the wineries that have something different. Look out for Graciano and Albarino as something on the horizon.

For My Taste:

Semillion :

Tobin Isabella

Sauvignon Blanc :

Masons wines Cellar Collection, Girraween Estate

Herbaceous Tropical fresh lifted

Chardonnay

Elegant modern Style: Ridgemill Estate

Old School : Ballandean Estate

Unwooded: Girraween Estate

The Estates have it.

There are many other great examples.

Cabernet Sauvignon: 

Top three for me

Pyramids Road

Harrington Glen (in a good year)

Mason Wines Cellar collection

The wines need cellaring to truly appreciate the length and elegance like a good Bordeaux but if you have them young just match it with a lamb roast or barbecued rib eye fillet.

Tannin Ripeness and ripe fruit is key. Some higher elevations in the region can sometimes struggle to ripen Cabernet fully. Can't over crop if you want quality.

Merlot: Ridgemill Estate

I have had some great merlot from right bank Bordeaux, Eden Valley, Coonawarra and even the Yarra. But the ripe fleshy character and black fruits possible in a ripe example in the Granite Belt can rival anywhere.

Shiraz: Too many great examples

Bigger Style: Golden Grove, Bungawarra

Medium Bodied : Pyramids Road,Whisky Gully

Elegant spicy: many producers do an elegant style with a black pepper spice and black fruits , in a cool year like 2008 or 2009 this can sometimes even be more white pepper.

Others are introducing some whole bunch/berry elements to create a lighter fresher ester lifted easy drinking style.

Mataro: Pyramids Road

Has that rustic tannin firmness and big fruit that ages particularly well.

Red blend: Ravenscroft Waagee or Bungawarra's Paragon

Ask him at the Cellar door about the name. He tells it so well.

Pinotage: Ravenscroft wines

Fortified: Ballandean Estate Muscat

Verdelho: I am not qualified to comment.

But just about everyone makes one. Freshness is key.

Petit Verdot: Mason wines Cellar Collection

Dense good length firm tannins inky has that typical (what I call orange rind) spice on the nose, this variety generally needs time for the tannins and acidity to soften but has all the building blocks of a great wine. It's cabernet sauvignon on steroids.

Fiano: Ballandean estate or Heritage

Saparavi:Ballandean Estate

Super concentrated jubey juicy

Marsanne: Marsanne/Rousanne at Bents Road

Tannat: Just Red Wines or Boreiann

Big tannin dense fruit

Sangiovese: Boreiann

Savoury and round

Nebbiolo: Ballandean Estate

This variety is typically tannin city without the dense fruit of Tannat needs time.

Vermentino:Golden Grove

Fresh and punchy fruit

Riesling : Ridgemill estate

citrus ginger

Durif : Golden Grove

best in a dry year

Malbec : Golden Grove

Big and brooding

Chenin Blanc: Casley Mount Hutton

With age gets an attractive honey toast with tree fruits

Best Older Vintages on Tasting: Casley Mt Hutton

2008 Shiraz probably the pick of them

Barbera: 

Golden Grove or Boreiann both good examples depending upon oak level preference

Most Underrated Winery:

 Pyramids Road

Readily Available outside region :

Sirromet, Witches Falls, Symphony Hill

Hipster/Modern/Funky: Bents Road (La Petit Mort Range)

Wine styles and Story targeting the younger drinker

Wow Factor Cellar Door: Savina Lane

Napa Valley comes to the Granite Belt great views over the vineyard

Hidden Gem: Bungawarra

Small cosy with good quality reds

Head in the clouds.

Climbing above the misty morning fog heading west towards the sun. Rising up, constantly ascending ,you come to a elevated garden where the food table is diverse, and the air is thin above the clouds.

Obtrusive rocks are spread through the landscape like a giant toddler has forgotten to put away his marbles. A place unlike any other where the seasons tussle for domination each bringing there own coloured personality. Summers with green and earthen brown, Autumns rustic reds and oranges ,Winter, a cloak of ice and snow whites and greys, Spring a welcome start of floral bliss a burst of colour.

In winter nights are cool and days are clear,with mountain peaks casting gentle shadows over each other as they bid the day adieu and prepare for the brisk evening. The moon soon emerges from it's hiding place from behind the mountains , reflecting the glory of her big brother while granite monoliths reveal themselves in the fractured light.

As the moon descends the true glory of this region is revealed, a stellar cast of glittering white, a vision into the past of a distant galaxy that may no longer exist.

This is the land of Kambuwal , Thunderbolt and Geronimo , of Mackenzie and Fletcher. A land of tin miners,graziers,farmers and forgotten soldiers. A land of Granite.

My father first came to the region in the late 1960's after spending sometime teaching English in Europe. He was searching for land that was familiar to him that spoke of a sense of place. Like the vineyards he had visited in the Northern Rhone and Burgundy while teaching in Lyon, here in the highlands he had found what he was looking for.

From the days of Fletcher and Father Geronimo the vineyards were worked to supply eating grapes to masses. With muscat too ripe for market finding it's way to the Italian communities of the north as vino de tableau to refresh/numb the Ingham cane cutters.

By the late1970's the wine bug had become contagious and all manner of tribes were setting up shop to toil in the soil for their golden elixir.

And as we reach over fifty years since the first wine grapes were planted ,the Granite Belt region has more diversity on offer and sheer quality than ever before.

GRANITE BELT REGION

Climate

When you travel from Brisbane or the coast it can be deceiving just how high you climb. The gradual rise in elevation culminates at the summit (928m) and Eukey (1000m). For every one hundred metres you rise the temperature drops over half of a degree. So the region can historically be between five to ten degrees cooler than the coast and with a relative humidity around 50-60%.

Comparing the region to other wine regions around the world and Australia the Granite Belt has most similarities in temperature to Margaret River and Bordeaux particularly during ripening (both in average and maximum and minimum temperature). Rainfall is more evenly spread over the year than the southern Australian regions, comparing well with quality European wine regions like Bordeaux , The Northern Rhone and Burgundy during the growing season. Average mid summer temperatures are around 21 degrees with the maximum temperatures being particularly mild when the south easterly weather arrives typically in February. The region normally has ripening temperatures from late February to mid April in the range of 17-20 degrees and maximum temperatures between 22-25 degrees.

TEMPERATURE COMPARISON (Degrees Celcius)

RAINFALL COMPARISON

*Information from www.bom.gov.au for Margaret River and Granite Belt .

* Information from www.meteofrance.com for Bordeaux and Bergerac

Landscape

The landscape is rugged with boulders of granite spread throughout the district. Some farmers have resorted to dynamite to blast the surface rocks to increase the soil depth (with the odd farm shed coming off second best). On the extreme south east rainforest pockets hide in shaded areas of Girraween National Park while on the western edge the region has a much dryer climate where Ironbark trees become more numerous. Most of the hills remain as native bushland due to the many steep rock slopes making them unsuitable to all but a mountain goat or some adventurous cattle. The rolling farmland below these slopes is covered with apples,stone fruit, salad greens, tomatoes , capsicum, strawberries, grapes,sheep, cattle and the odd lama. The soils for the vineyards are derived from the granite parent rock with sand, sandy-loam and clayey-loam bleached soils similar to some soils in both Alsace France and the Beaujolais cru villages just north of Lyon in France.

National Parks

On the southern end and more picturesque part of the region lie two National Parks the more rugged Sundown National Park on the western edge and Girraween National park on the south eastern section where dominant granite domes give a picture of the parent rocks underneath the whole region.

Food Bowl

The elevation makes the temperate climate more suitable to berries,vegetables and fruits more typical to Tasmania than the pineapple,bananas and mangoes associated with tropical queensland. Here olive groves , cheesemakers ,wineries and vineyards vie for sites amidst the usual suspects (tomatoes,capsicums, salads, apples, stone fruits,strawberries and the grazier crew).

Eating Out

Modern: Try Varias at the QCWT

French style Rural: Food Project on Mcgregor a MUST DO

Winery: Ballandean Cafe

Italian: Annas

Pizza: L'Aquila

Coffe Jam Doughnuts: JAMWORKS

Art Scene

Art in the Mill on the May Day long weekend provides eclectic pieces of pottery,sculpture and paintings to enjoy in the old Ballandean Timber Mill.

The Regional Gallery has some diverse exhibitions throughout the year and is a vibrant regional art space.

Festivals

Apple and Grape Harvest Festival

A bi-annual festival that triples the population. Originally a celebration of the apple orchards and table grape vineyards (2000 acres in 1950) that has given way to the wine grapes. A unique celebration of the fruit and vegetables that grow in the region along with the wine.

Taste

Brass monkey Blue cheese at the Granite Belt Dairy or cocktails at Viscosity

Touch

smoothed granite stones washed and eroded over millions of years

Smell

Eucalypts or acacias in flower or the fresh clean minerally forest floor lifted scents after a rain storm.

Sounds

The many bird calls as you trek throughout the National Parks in the early morning keep an ear out for the black cockatoo screech. If your lucky the lyrebirds, here at their northern limit, might disturb you with their mimicry.

See

#Night Sky (where did all those stars come from) ,check out the globular clusters from a local telescope.

#Wedgetail eagles circling above the valleys, on those clear calm sunny April days.

#Get a selfie with the Fruitasaurus at Ballandean

Activity

Climb up Slip Rock with views to the Pyramids below. Or hike through the many great walks in Girraween National park.

Nearby

Check out the eclectic old school cafes in the historic town of Tenterfield just across the border.

Wineries

There are over sixty wineries now apparently. With many different styles on offer. When one considers they have less than 1% of the industry, the regions wines do incredibly well in awards and wine reviews. With many high accolades and medals being continually won from as far back as 1975 through to today. When the wines are tasted on their merits they perform. Try it yourself, grab a known southern producer that is well regarded and try one of the wines listed in the next article against them in the same style and price category. Here's the trick though, get a friend to show you the wines blind without knowing which is which then pick your preference. My money is on the Granite Belt producer.

What Makes Great Wine?

Like anything subjective this is an absurd question.

It's as if you were turning up to a blind date and the woman you meet bombards you with her list of questions. What's your favourite movie? What's your favourite food? If you were stranded on a deserted island with one other person who would it be?

All valid questions , but if you had not already run for the hills, everyone's answer would be different and to gauge the “right answer” for the suitor you would need a degree in psychology. Let alone restricting your answers to a single response.So to with wine one persons Chateau Margaux is another persons overly drying red wine.

So to break it down despite the subjectivity clause, what is great? And how does the fermented grape juice rise above it's humble beginnings?

To be great things need to be above the ordinary. Really Sherlock!!

Ordinary wine is simple, lacks intensity, easy to drink but hard to savour.

It is defined mainly by what it lacks; balance , length, texture, structure, aroma, bouquet, mouth feel, complexity, varietal definition , typicality, terroir and above all flavour ( I know that some of these terms sound like a construction sites glossary but in a way great wines have layers).

So how do you rise above and make extraordinary wine?

Well there are two types of 'Great' wine. The wine on the page and the wine in the glass.

The wine on the page is about pedigree, awards, tradition, price, fashion, marketing hype, capital expenditure, press and scale. Some are valid guides to 'Great' wine but by no means infallible. For at the end of the day these things can fail to equate to the most important criteria. GREAT WINE IN THE GLASS.

Great wine in the glass takes you to another place the floral,citrus and honeyed toast of an aged riesling, the complex flavours of a great Bordeaux blend that gives you violets and cassis framed in a firm savoury elegance, that changes in the glass as you get towards the bottom of the bottle. Great wine when matched well with food can heighten the experience of both. Where the flavours and characters of the food dance with the wine on your tongue. To pass these things off as wine snobbery ( more about wine on the page), really means that you have yet to experience such delights. If this is not your thing cool. But if you are interested in food and wine it means you have some fun things to discover.

Making 'Great' wine comes down to capturing something in the bottle that speaks to you.

That makes this wine much more enjoyable and memorable than what you normally quaff.

A winemaker/vigneron/vintner does this by bringing an expertise and passion to what thy do. For at every stage of the grape growing to wine making to maturation there are forks in the road where choices can be made to dictate the quality and style of the wine. What choices are made and how they are executed ultimately dictates the quality and greatness of the wine.

These days many wine industry people comment on how wine is made in the vineyard. This is partially true. For great wine to be made the grapes need to have the right balance of acidity, tannin, sugar, flavour and colour for the style of wine intended. And to do this the vineyard needs to provide the right climate, soil and management to deliver the grapes in these optimum conditions.

How is this done?

#Do your research.

#Matching climate to particular grape varieties.

Planting the right grapevines in the right site can make a huge difference to the balance of the grapes. Their are optimum conditions for temperature and moisture status for particular grape varieties, And more suitable aspects and soils. Sites within a region or even a vineyard can be quite different.

# Don't rely heavily on so called experts.

Many 'experts' do not have local knowledge. You will gain much more insight into a site or a region by talking to locals who have been growing crops for years than relying on the high flying consultants for advice. In my experience many 'gurus' bring unintended bias to the table.

# Growing grapes for yield versus quality

Some grape varieties have a more forgiving tolerance for higher yields than others when it comes to delivering quality. However, generally speaking 'Great' wine comes from vineyards in balance where the leaf to fruit ratio is kept in check either naturally or by management practices.

Growing grapes where acid,sugar and yield are delivered is very different than growing for flavour and balance.

# Management practices

Techniques to optimise the conditions for ripening the fruit can delivery quality into the winery. Consistant, clean, ripe balanced fruit can be achieved based on manipulating canopies and soil conditions and the timing of certain practices for light infiltration, cropping level, disease control and microclimate stability. Practices on one site vineyard or region may not be suitable in a different place. Know your site.

Once the vineyard delivers optimal fruit on the vine it is quite critical to harvest this fruit in the right window of opportunity and at the right temperature and urgency and condition so as not lose any characters.

The process once in the winery takes on many avenues depending upon the style of wine. But certain criteria hold true for making 'Great' wine.

# Know your fruit

An understanding of the vineyard and where and how it has grown is almost essential. Some winemakers may get away with a lack of familiarity but will not be able to make truly great wine year in and year out from this vineyard without being familiar. Certainly to make improvements they will need to have a control from which to tweek management practices. A communicative and open relationship with a vineyard manager on the same page if a larger operation would be critical.

Knowing the level of ripeness and how that equates to wine style. Let the fruit reach it's full potential in complementing it with the right techniques to get the best out of what you have. Particularly in regards to acidity, extraction, oak, tannin,alcohol potential,colour, flavour , definition and mouth feel.

# Know the potential

Get a handle on the age ability and maturation spectrum of the wines your making and how certain techniques are more suitable to making extraordinary wine for particular wine styles.Taste as many different styles as possible.

Experience in how wines age from everywhere as well as your own vineyard and region is helpful in choosing which path to follow.

# Find your Niche

While having a burgudian like Pinot Noir you may get a following. Be different, don't follow the crowd. Do what you do well. Right now alternative varieties are all the rage and are a point of difference. But if everyone has them they lose their panache. By matching the site suitability and marketability of a wine with your passion and uniqueness you will make great wine that should sell. But don't sacrifice the last two for the first two as then you become just another winery/food technologist. Truly 'Great ' wine is unique even within one region.

# Bring passion to the table

# Do your homework

To truly deliver extraordinary wine you have to have a full arsenal of wine making techniques at your disposal. If you are making traditional wines in a traditional region and are following traditional methods. Understand why they work so that when troubleshooting you become a valuable part of the team. Innovation in traditional areas puts you ahead of the game. In a region where more modern processes are followed don't be afraid of low tech old world solutions but understand what they bring to the table. For the minimalist low interventionist organic winemaker. Being hands off requires a very extensive knowledge of the risks involved. Like Miles Davis, you have to know all the notes before knowing what not to play. To pretend otherwise is just a sloppy approach and speaks more of marketing than true intent or even worse ignorance. Great wine doesn't have a caveat it speaks for itself.

# experiment and give yourself options

Try new approaches within the scope of doing your homework and give yourself options to blend. Learn to adapt to what the vintage delivers.

# Focus

Maintain a focus while still giving yourself options to create. Don't try to be all things to all men.

Make something you are proud of.

# Goes without saying it must have the 'BIG YUMS' factor.

Doing a vintage with an English bloke who used to work at Odd bins I remember him saying that this wine has the 'BIG YUMS' factor.

The wine in the end has to taste delicious for the style intended. The enjoyability factor is vital. Would you want to drink a bottle of this wine. Don't let artefact get in the way.

Finally 'Great' wine needs to be shared. For to truly appreciate it, you need to see how others react and how you react in their company. Sure you can truly appreciate it on your own. But the experience will be or the more richer in good company. I do stress good company, don't waste it on your relative that only drinks Rum. You need to have a people filter and that is probably the hardest choice knowing who to share it with.

Still it's not like your pulling teeth.

The first time you visit the Margaret River Region you are struck by the expansive beauty of the coastal beaches and inlets. With many different wineries and as many surf breaks the region unveils itself slowly to the new visitor. Great galleries , forests and food along with the rolling beauty of grazing cattle and vineyard country interspersed between Karri and Marri forests.

My first visit to the region was back in the early days working for Houghton's a winery in the Swan valley which garners grapes from all over the state. I was lucky to get an invitation to a tasting at Cullen's called 21 great chardonnay's of the world because the winemakers at the time couldn't go. It was a great introduction to the quality of wines from the region. With the Cullen"s Chardonnay at the time being the pick of the wines.

Some years later I have returned to do a vintage at Vasse Felix and working in the region gave me plenty of time to absorb the culture and get around to the many wineries of the region.

THE REGION

Margaret river lies on the far south western corner of Australia it is surrounded on three sides with Ocean. The Ocean and its breezes and the direction of air drainage play an important role in determining the warmth of each vineyard site with sub-regions being warmer if the ocean influence air drainage and breezes are from the north versus cooler if southerly influences dominate. The area varies quite a lot in terms of temperature with the more southerly influenced sites being up to two degrees cooler during the day and with a higher annual rainfall than the northern part of the region. 

Climate 

The region has a Mediterranean climate with only around one hundred and fifty to two hundred milimetres (150-200mm) falling during the growing season. The ocean influences give the region a maritime climate with the temperature range from day to night being quite mild compared to many other Southern Australian regions. It has similarities to Bordeaux in regards to temperature but is slightly warmer particularly in the traditional northern sections of Willyabrup. The rainfall is however much lower than Bordeaux (500mm) but the average seasonal afternoon relative humidities are similar. 

Wineries

The many wineries in the region cater for all manner of visitor.

 If you want to seek out Quality smaller producers that make great wine the following are a great way to start Windance, Woodlands, Flametree and Brown Hill estate.

For medium to larger producers that give a great experience with very high quality wine try the following Chateau Xanadu, Cape Mentelle, Howard Park, Vasse Felix and Voyager Estate.

For traditional styles and founding producers try Cullens , Leeuwin Estate and Pierro.

For large commercial cheap and cheerful where you just are out for a good day and are not looking for anything to complicated try 3 Oceans, Watershed and Swings and Roundabouts.

Margaret River

What they do well:

Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab blends, Petit Verdot and Semillion Sauvignon blanc both in the grassy style and the more complex barrel lees style.

What they claim to do well:

Everything. If you meet a local you will soon realise that all things Margaret River are the best in the world. Surf, people the wine and anything else from the region. According to them anyway. They claim to live in the best place on earth even the people who have not ventured outside Western Australia hold this view. The reality is close to  this, it is a pretty good place to visit, but there are great wines elsewhere great beaches and surf elsewhere although not many together (Chile, Southwest France , New Zealand and Portugal come to mind). The small town syndrome is far outweighed by the positives with great food wine and surf. If your visiting you get to taste and experience the best it has to offer. Just avoid the winter wet season.

Hidden gems

Mosswood, Ashbrook estate, Mchenry Hohnen, Cape Grace

What only the select few do well in the region

Shiraz (Windance,Brown Hill Estate, Churchview)

Favourite: Brown Hill

Merlot (Happs)

Best maker of

Chardonnay :

 Big full malo style: Leeuwin estate; Pierro

Elegant style: Fraser Gallop and Vasse Felix, 

Fruit lift between big and elegant:  Woodlands. 

Favorite: Woodlands Chloe.

Sauvignon Blanc Semillion blends 

fresh grassy style: just about everyone,

 textured style : Stella Bella Suckfizzle and Vasse Felix

Favourite: Suckfizzle

Cabernet Sauvignon

Flametree, Woodlands,Mosswood, Houghtons Gladstones

Favourite:Woodlands

Petit Verdot

Tassell Park, Chateau Xanadu and Cape Clairault

Favourite: Chateau Xanadu

Cabernet Blends

Mchenry Hohnen, Cullens, Cape Mentelle

Favourite:Cape Mentelle

Zinfandel

Cape Mentelle

Food and Beer

Food:The Studio Bistro, The Margaret River Bakery (Breakfast), The Common bistro, Cafe Boranup , Blue Ginger Fine Foods(coffee, deli),Bunker bay

There are about seven breweries in the region with quite different styles catering to families or more about food. Most look over the rolling cattle grazing country and are a welcome palate change to the wine.

Galleries 

The Studio Gallery, Boranup and Yallingup Galleries

Surf

I liked surfing around Gracetown and some of the small beachy's off Margarets as well as some power waves at Margarets, Yallingup has some great breaks. Depending on conditions you will find a wave that suits unless the winds have picked up. The choice for waves is prodigious and other than surfing near seal populations in the north its wise to surf in numbers. Every local has a shark story, and with the big waves coming from deep water to shallow it also brings in the great whites. I was lucky but a few weeks after I left the region there was an attack right at the break I regularly surfed.If your brave enough head out to the Cow bombie for some of the biggest waves you are ever likely to see.

Caves

Mammoth jewel or lake cave are all worth a visit these ancient hidden gems are scattered below the Karri and Marri forests in the local national parks

Forests 

On the southern end of the region south of the Margaret River township around Boranup there are small stretches of local karri trees climbing up to 60m above the forest floor take a nice drive south along caves road and you will stumble across them. The remaining forests are made up of mostly the Marri trees.

Camping

Contos or Hamelin Bay are great places to camp and can be serene not attracting the same crowds as the more northerly sections of the region.

TASTE:roasted nibs of cocoa beans before the chocolate is made at one of the local chocolaterrias

SIGHT: Watch armies of kite surfers do their aerobatics when the wind and the waves reach epic proportions at Margarets.

Coastal Valley vineyards of Chile 16th March 

Casablanca and the coastal Aconcagua are cooler areas than the inland regions due to the maritime influences from the cold ocean currents traveling up the western seaboard. With sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and pinot noir being the major varieties.The days don't get as warm there is more humidity and the nights are milder.

Casablanca

Casablanca lies around twenty to thirty km from the coast and 40 to 50km wnw of Santiago with some variation in the soil profiles, ridges and steep hills either granitic cream grey sandy loam over sand going into stony pebbles or a higher iron content redder loamy soils. On the lower parts of the valley a heavier dark grey clay soil is predominant, it tends to delay the ripening of chardonnay and sauvignon blanc due to both usually a higher crop but also a cooler soil, compared to the others. Chardonnay and sauvignon blanc are harvested in mid to late march the more clay soils into april. Frost can be a problem earlier in the season and the easterly facing slopes are the coolest in the area.I found the chardonnay here particularly good, but it is very dependent upon the clone,site, management and crop load. the clones 96 and 548 being particularly impressive in regards to the fruit and acid balance. One vineyard of sauvignon blanc on the red soil was very impressive with a combination of herbaceous, mineral fruit and acid freshness. 

Aconcagua costa(coastal)

Is about 10 to 20 km from the coast and some 80 to 100km nw of Santiago the vineyard i visited was off the valley floor and quite simply a breathtaking vineyard. Every aspect and microclimate was covered and in an extraordinary fashion with steep rows that climb the heights and reach the depths of the property. Here the sauvignon blanc in certain sites (mainly the cooler spots either protected from the afternoon sun or exposed to the coastal winds) were particularly varietal, the more protected and warmer spots less so. Chardonnay here was more round and full not as much acid as Casablanca. They also have a pinot and syrah on the top of the hills on sites exposed to the coastal winds.  The pinot having red fruits and the syrah some pepper and berry but it  was a bit early to tell for the syrah. They were picking sauvignon blanc and chardonnay at the time of visiting and this was in mid- march. 

Petit Verdot Bunch sorting final day of crushing in Dry Creek Valley

Dry Creek Vineyards

Goblet (Bush Vines)         

  VSP(vertical shoot position

Lyre Trellis

 Californian Sprawl

Sonoma Valley

Lying north of San Francisco about one and a half hours drive you come to the Sonoma Valley. Running parallel with its more famous big brother the Napa valley. There is a lot of diversity along the valley and ridges and many wineries and

vineyards to visit.

The area is split into many sub appellations from Alexander Valley and Knights Valley in the North

East to Dry Creek and Rockpile in the north west Russian River and its sub regions of Chalk Hill and Green Valley in the middle going down to Sonoma Valley in the south and into Carneros closest to San Francisco which shares its appellation with the Southern end of the Napa Valley. The final appellation is Sonoma Coast a large region that encompasses all of the coast north of Russian River itself and then inland down to Carneros. Most of the area is effected by the fogs that roll in from the ocean.

Most of the vineyards are trellised either with VSP,Lyre trellis,the Californian Sprawl(on single or T- trellises) or goblet bush vines. Some produces will leaf pluck the morning sun side where little or no sun reaches (depending on how many days they have fog free). And non-leaf pluck for protection against the afternoon baking sun. These are generally north south facing vineyards. The area may well be one of the few regions suitable to east west facing vineyards. Some will try leaf plucking others will drop fruit at veraison ( when the grapes change from green and start to colour up) and some well beyond veraison. Others crop way to heavily and will over expose the berries on the morning side to compensate for the cropload. Sauvignon blanc, viognier and chardonnay are the main white varieties here. With the most exceptional examples coming from Russian River for sauvignon blanc and chardonnay where the fogs lift later. 

Viognier 

Sauvignon blancs tend to have noticeable alcohol and are more textural than NZ examples and are more passionfruit pineapple and tropical fruit.As the US public don’t seem to warm to the lantana/tomato leaf (methoxy) aromas and flavour and tend to not like high acid wine styles generally.

Overcropped    

     Fruit Thinning

   Low Vigour (Needs water and or nutrition particularly on shallower stony soils)  

     High Vigour Needs management  

The chardonnays have noticeable oak even in more toned down versions and buttery creamy malolactic styles with considerable alcohol heat are still the fashion. The trend in Australia to more restrained acid line and length styles does not seem to have any noticeable momentum here.Dry Creek seems suited for viognier where the sun emerges earlier relative to Russian River. 

Zinfandel degrees of berry shrivel from the same bunch

The viognier is particularly good from Porter Creek, Dry Creek

Vineyard and Lambert Bridge and most one’s i have tried have been good to

great examples with lifted apricots and orange blossom and a full but not fat character with a good phenolic fullness that is not aggressive.

The reds vary widely based on not only site but also on vineyard management. Zinfandel the most prestigious variety in Dry Creek in terms of price anywhere up to 5000 to 8000 dollars a tonne is also the most difficult to grow with red unripe fruit, ripe fruit and heavily raisin fruit all on the same bunch. Combined with the propensity for botrytis and up to 50% of the acidity being malic acid , its a variety I would not grow personally. Other varieties that seemed more suitable for dry creek were malbec and cabernet franc these looser bunched varities having a better balance of fruit acid and tannin and no botrytis problems. Cabernet Sauvignon does well but tannin development can lag behind the fruit/acid and sugar parameters although they seem to be better in Alexander Valley. And Merlot just doesn’t seem to gain any generosity or flesh still having green hints and unripe tannins/phenolics. Syrah or Shiraz

depending on your postal address does well both in Dry Creek and further north west in Alexander valley. Unfortunately it is not fashionable with the locals a bit like semillion in Australia. The big alcoholic fruit bomb variety is I guess zinfandel and the spicy leaner shiraz style would not be in vogue with the general wine consumer or the wine spectator palates. Petit Verdot seems well suited from what i observed and tasted.With great acidity and fruit concentration brown seeds firm and clean fruit with a ph in the order of 3.3 and a brix of around 26 ( 14.4 baume). And Peite Sirah (supposedly Durif) is the colour and extract booster which can be a bit much on its own.

Other french varieties are being tried on a smaller scale like Grenache, Mouvedre,Marsanne and Rousanne.

Finally what I think is most interesting are the successful experimentation with all things Italian.

White varities such as Fiano , Vermentino and the red garden of Barbera, Dolcetto Sangiovese, Ciliegiolo (cherry like in looks and flavour), Mammolo (violets sometimes seen in old chianti blends), Nebbiolo and Montelpuciano ( that is almost black in colour fleshy tasting without any perceivable aggressive tannin). The reds in particular shows signs of providing flavour without needing alcohol and oak to get in the way from savoury with something like Sangiovese to more fruit forward flesh from Montelpuciano.

Healdsburg Havens

  In Healdsburg the first thing you notice are 

the beautifully well kept large porch homes with a 

splash of red white and blue proudly displayed up front and some neat well kept gardens. When you reach the central town plaza a few lonesome large redwoods rise up to meet you surrounded by great restaurants, bakeries, boutiques and wine tasting rooms.

There are over 250 wineries in Sonoma, with more than 20 tasting rooms in Healdsburg itself all within walking distance. What better way to introduce yourself to the flavors of Sonoma.

I managed to try eight places and all of them were of a high standard. Of particular note were three smaller producers. 

The first Williamson wines was interesting for the way they matched food and wine. A large selection of wines but the food matches like truffle salt and cheese or a mango ginger cheddar is what made the experience particularly fun.

Stephen and Walker around the corner made a textually rich and riper tropical style Sauvignon Blanc from Russian River and some savory Zinfandels from both Russian River and the warmer Dry Creek Valley which i liked. They also had a rich and complex 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon from a highly regarded Napa Valley vineyard subregion called Howell Mountain.

The last of the three amigos was Hawley Winery. Not a bad wine in the whole list. First rate quality. From the fresh and clean NZ style Sauvignon Blanc, a rich varietal orange blossom Viognier and  a european styled elegant textural Chardonnay a little funky and doesn’t have oak as a main component. The reds didn’t disappoint the richest and most intense Zinfandels of the day with that baked christmas cake character I associate with great Zins (due in part to some raisins in ferment). And both the Merlot and the Cabernet Sauvignon had a sophistication and elegance that can only come from a winemaker who really knows what they are doing. Hats off to you Mr Hawley.

Wandering through the centre you will stumble upon Copperfields a chain that has a good selection of magazines and a small but interesting selection of coffee book style selections. For a more in depth  and compelling read just across the plaza their is Levin & co. Here you will find great food and wine information, a good selection of novels and interesting hard to find books. The layout of the store has a chaotic library feel that any book lover will really get into just for sheer diversity and scope. The store is locally based and has a real personality. Grab a read and then pick up a coffee and something hot at the Downtown Bakery just next door.

The Vintage  Nomad

From humble beginnings the nomad travels across the globe seeking activities, tastes, flavours and smells that arouse his interest. From far flung corners of the continents to well travelled paths, the experience of a travelling vinofile getting his hands dirty all to unravel the mysteries of the ancient vitis vinifera. The Journey is about to begin.