High style: It's up and away for higher-altitude vineyards

 

Patina's vineyard at Orange

When a winemaker from the Orange region of central New South Wales meets one of their counterparts from Queensland’s Granite Belt, one of the first questions likely to be asked is ‘'How high are you?’’

No, it’s not about the effects of non-medical use of cannabis or other illicit drugs, it’s about the height of their vineyard.

It’s a bit of a boasting game given that both are among the highest viticultural regions in Australia, with many vineyards in Orange between 600m and 1100m above sea level and most of those around the Granite Belt ranging from 700m to 1000m.

To say they qualify as cool-climate areas is something of an understatement as both can experience snow during winter and generally are a lot cooler than districts closer to their respective coasts.

So if you want to see what cool-climate wines are all about, seeking out some from the Orange district is a good way to start.

One that is particularly successful with chardonnays is Patina, established in 1999 by Gerald Naef on the slopes of Mt Canobolas.

Gerald says one benefit of higher-altitude vineyards is the high difference in day-night temperatures. During the day the grapes accrue carbohydrates via photosynthesis in the leaves, then at night during respiration the vine borrows back some of these stores from the berries. The lower the nighttime temperature the less the vine needs to borrow during respiration resulting in more intensity in the grapes.

The result is more flavour concentration at lower alcohol levels, something evident in Patina’s latest release chardonnays, the 2019 Estate ($40) and 2018 Reserve ($60). They’re lovely examples of cooler-climate chardonnays that show concentration, complexity and elegance without being too big.

Patina is not limited to chardonnay, however, with their pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, riesling and cabernet merlot definitely worth seeking out.

Nearby Bloodwood winery, established by Rhonda and Stephen Doyle in 1983, thus making it one of the oldest in the region, has been making rieslings for quite a few years but Stephen says they are still working out exactly what the best style for the vineyard is.

He know, however, that riesling, regardless of the residual sugar content, should sit on a knife’s edge between fruit and acidity. He’s been looking to build more texture on the palate, usually be allowing the wine to sit for six months on fine lees.

The 2018 version ($32)  is a lovely example of the style, with citrus and floral characters balanced by mineral acidity. It’s still a baby as a 2010 version tasted at the same time shows lovely citrus and honey aged characters, still balanced by great acidity.

Find out more about these wines and buy them at www.patinawines.com.au and www.bloodwood.biz

 

Family treasure: Taylors Estate range has represented good value for almost half a century

The Taylors Estate range has been around the market for what seems like forever so it is something of a surprise that it is less than 50 years since the family launched its first wines.

It was in 1973 that the first Estate cabernet sauvignon and shiraz were produced from vines planted in 1969 but they quickly made a mark, with the cabernet winning the Montgomery Trophy for best red wine at the Adelaide show. It probably helped that they sourced the cabernet vines from the Wynns operation at Coonawarra.

Now, the Estate range takes in the original cabernet and shiraz plus merlot, pinot noir and tempranillo in the reds, plus riesling, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and pinot gris in the whites and a sparkling pinot noir chardonnay.

While much of the fruit still comes from the family’s Clare Valley vineyards, a fair bit comes from other districts, particularly when they fell another area makes a better version. For example, the sauvignon blanc comes from the Adelaide Hills, as does the pinot noir and there is a fair dash of Limestone Coast material in the latest vintages of the cabernet, shiraz and merlot and Padthaway fruit in the chardonnay. 

Unsurprisingly, the riesling is all Clare Valley fruit. When you can source the grapes from one of the best areas in Australia for the variety, why bother too hard looking elsewhere?

All the wines bear a touch-activated sensor that uses  thermo-chromatic ink that changes colour depending on the temperature of the bottle so consumers can make sure the wine is at the optimum temperature for enjoyment. Hopefully, it means people won’t serve the whites too cold and the reds too warm. 

And two of the whites, the sauvignon blanc and pinot gris, have earned vegan-friendly certification.

All the Estate range has a recommended retail price of $22 but I have seen them for $18 or less, which makes them very good buying for the consistent quality they represent.

Learn more about Taylors at www.taylorswines.com.au

Classic tales: An Australian legend and an Aussie take on a top-flight Italian

Moss Wood 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon

The latest vintage of this top-flight Margaret River red is one of their best. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot and cabernet franc, it shows lovely concentrated blackcurrant and mulberry fruit on the nose and long, complex palate with a touch of violets and restrained oak, finishing with long, fine tannins. It’s so balanced that, if you wanted, you could enjoy it now with rack of lamb but it deserves another decade in the cellar to really hit its straps. It’s worth becoming a Moss Wood member to get your hands on this beauty. Price is not yet confirmed but expect something about $125-$135. Rating: 97. More info: www.mosswood.com.au

Soumah 2017 Single Vineyard Nebbiolo

The classic Italian grape of Barolo and Barbaresco is given an Australian makeover with this Yarra Valley red, from Soumah's Hexham vineyard, with its distinctive rose and savoury characters, a touch of violet and tobacco leaf, with long, fine firm tannins which belie its pale colour. This is definitely one to cellar for five years or more, at which stage it should be a lovely match for Mediterranean style lamb dishes. $50. Ask at fine wine outlets or try the winery (www.soumah.com.au). Rating: 95

Golden times: A granite Belt pioneer celebrates a half-century of shiraz

 

Angelo Puglisi in his beloved shiraz
vineyard. Picture: Ballandean Estate

For any winery to celebrate 50 years of one variety is a proud achievement. When it is a winery on Queensland’s Granite Belt it is even more notable given the Sunshine State’s comparatively recent foray into the wine industry.

However, the 2018 vintage of Ballandean Estate’s shiraz marked 50 years since founder Angelo Puglisi planted shiraz on his Ballandean property.

It’s an almost accidental achievement. Angelo in his youth wanted to be a mechanic but circumstances dictated otherwise and he followed his father on to the family farm.

Given his Italian background, wine was always around. The family grew table grapes among other things and what didn’t make it to market was turned into wine, not always the best. Angelo remembers many that were too green or too overripe and a few that were already approaching vinegar status.

It didn’t stop him from deciding that there was a future for wine grapes in the region and in 1968, with the help of volunteers from Stanthorpe Rotary, he planted a vineyard of shiraz that is still going, although a little knocked about by the severe drought of 2020.

Angelo thought it was a prediction for the district’s future that the temperature when they planted the vines was well below freezing. “I just knew we were going to become known as a cool-climate area,” he jokes.

He was right. Ballandean and the Granite Belt with many vineyards planted above 800m is among the highest wine-growing areas of Australia.

It does mean those shirazes will never rival the sometimes over-the-top ripeness and lusciousness levels achieved by the Barossa Valley or McLaren Vale. But they are lovely medium-bodied styles than can mature gracefully for decades. A 1996 version that featured at a recent celebration dinner for Ballandean’s shiraz story was drinking beautifully. It may not have had the pure fruit characters of younger versions but it had lovely complex savoury features and a fine tannin and acid finish.

The 2011 vintage is still showing youthful dark berry and spice on the nose and palate, with fine tannins and acid that suggest it still has a decade or two in it.

The 2018 Anniversary version is flavoursome and well-balanced youngster that should repay another couple decades in the cellar, while the currently available 2019 also has lovely dark berry fruit, spice and pepper, with trademark fine tannins and acid backbone.

The drought and bushfires mean that it’s unlikely there will be a 2020 vintage but early indications are that the ’21 promises a return to top form.

For more information, go to www.ballandeanestate.com