Those who love learning about wine have plenty to look forward to this month, as David Pike reports.
Those who love learning about wine have plenty to look forward to this month, as David Pike reports.
PERTH Hills Vignerons Association is holding its annual wine show on Saturday and Sunday, September 7 and 8. Showcasing more than 60 wines from this rejuvenated wine region, it would be well worth a visit. Tickets are only $12 at the door, which includes a souvenir tasting glass, and plenty of tasting. The Kalamunda Agricultural Hall on Canning Road in Kalamunda is the venue and doors are open from 11am to 5pm each day. Contact Geoff Lindup on 9298 8049.
A real education
The Wine Education Centre in Claremont has a series of informative tastings coming up over the next few months. Ed Tomlinson from Lenton Brae winery in Margaret River is presenting an evening investigation of semillon/sauvignon blanc that venture beyond the normal styles we see in the marketplace. This will be a great opportunity to look at wines such as La Louiviere from France, Cape Mentelle’s Wallcliffe reserve and Suckfizzle from Margaret River. The wines are all influenced by their winemakers and show just how far outside the boundaries you can move with these two varieties. The series starts on Monday
September 9 from 6pm to 8pm. Contact the centre for further details and other courses on offer over the next few months on 9385 1699.
They love Sir Cliff’s wine
You just can’t keep a good man down. Sir Cliff Richard recently reached the top of the charts yet again. Vida Nova, a red wine made from a blend of shiraz, aragonez and trincadeira from Sir Cliff’s estate in Portugal, sold 3,000 bottles via UK supermarket chain Tesco’s website in just one day. Needless to say, there is an Australian connection, as the wine was made by Australian winemaker Dave Baverstock. How many wine web sites in Australia have sold 3000 bottles in total, I wonder?
Czechs’ original Bud affected by flood
Beer lovers around the world will be interested to learn that Budweiser maybe no longer. The European original, that is. The floods in Europe have seriously damaged the brewery that was the original producer of Budweiser in the Czech Republic. The famous brewery locally know as Ertse Budweiser (the First Budweiser) has been so severely damaged that it is believed it may have to be demolished. Another famous brewery, the Budvar Brewery, has reported massive loss of crops. Almost 25 per cent of its total hop crops have been destroyed but the brewery remains unaffected.
From the cellar
Peter Lehmann Stonewell 1996 rating 18.75/20 points
For those of you who have some of this hidden away, it is well worth sinking your teeth into now.
Although it still looks as fresh as a spring daisy, this Lehmann has a further three or four years’ life in it. Rich, ripe lifted aromas still are slightly dominated with coconut essence yet display intense black pastel and damson fruits. The palate is seductive, with a seamless integration of tannin, acid and use of oak. Spices with a touch of fennel, a slight lees character intermingles with masses of ripe fruit. An absolute delight, and it’s lucky that I still have a few bottles left.
Teruzzi & Puthod Peperino 2000 rrp $23.95 rating 18/20 points
This proved to be somewhat of a sleeper. When first opened, it didn’t seem to hold many surprises, but slowly it began to reveal itself. Worth opening an hour or so before you plan on drinking it. Displaying fragrant savoury aromas that were dominated with cherry and red berry fruits, this wine is made using 100 per cent estate grown sangiovese from the Tuscany region San Gimignano. The palate showed refinement and supple savoury notes that combined with a black cherry sweetness dusty tannins and morrish finish. It is a wine that lends itself to being drunk with food, and is probably best with a bowl of some traditional Italian cuisine.
Lenton Brae Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2002 rrp $18.99 rating 18.25/20 points
Lenton Brae has taken the plunge and bottled this wine under a Stelvin Closure – great move. Screaming the virtues of a very good ’02 vintage this wine will be taking up residence in my fridge over the coming spring and summer months.
Vibrant aromas of cut grass with a herbal edge and perhaps a touch of gooseberry. The palate is a delight, with a zippy fruit with a touch of mineral undertones. Ripe citrus fruits entwine with a wedge of white peach, nectarine, dazzling acidity and fantastic fruit weight.
Plenty to enjoy in this little ray of sunshine.
PERTH Hills Vignerons Association is holding its annual wine show on Saturday and Sunday, September 7 and 8. Showcasing more than 60 wines from this rejuvenated wine region, it would be well worth a visit. Tickets are only $12 at the door, which includes a souvenir tasting glass, and plenty of tasting. The Kalamunda Agricultural Hall on Canning Road in Kalamunda is the venue and doors are open from 11am to 5pm each day. Contact Geoff Lindup on 9298 8049.
A real education
The Wine Education Centre in Claremont has a series of informative tastings coming up over the next few months. Ed Tomlinson from Lenton Brae winery in Margaret River is presenting an evening investigation of semillon/sauvignon blanc that venture beyond the normal styles we see in the marketplace. This will be a great opportunity to look at wines such as La Louiviere from France, Cape Mentelle’s Wallcliffe reserve and Suckfizzle from Margaret River. The wines are all influenced by their winemakers and show just how far outside the boundaries you can move with these two varieties. The series starts on Monday
September 9 from 6pm to 8pm. Contact the centre for further details and other courses on offer over the next few months on 9385 1699.
They love Sir Cliff’s wine
You just can’t keep a good man down. Sir Cliff Richard recently reached the top of the charts yet again. Vida Nova, a red wine made from a blend of shiraz, aragonez and trincadeira from Sir Cliff’s estate in Portugal, sold 3,000 bottles via UK supermarket chain Tesco’s website in just one day. Needless to say, there is an Australian connection, as the wine was made by Australian winemaker Dave Baverstock. How many wine web sites in Australia have sold 3000 bottles in total, I wonder?
Czechs’ original Bud affected by flood
Beer lovers around the world will be interested to learn that Budweiser maybe no longer. The European original, that is. The floods in Europe have seriously damaged the brewery that was the original producer of Budweiser in the Czech Republic. The famous brewery locally know as Ertse Budweiser (the First Budweiser) has been so severely damaged that it is believed it may have to be demolished. Another famous brewery, the Budvar Brewery, has reported massive loss of crops. Almost 25 per cent of its total hop crops have been destroyed but the brewery remains unaffected.
From the cellar
Peter Lehmann Stonewell 1996 rating 18.75/20 points
For those of you who have some of this hidden away, it is well worth sinking your teeth into now.
Although it still looks as fresh as a spring daisy, this Lehmann has a further three or four years’ life in it. Rich, ripe lifted aromas still are slightly dominated with coconut essence yet display intense black pastel and damson fruits. The palate is seductive, with a seamless integration of tannin, acid and use of oak. Spices with a touch of fennel, a slight lees character intermingles with masses of ripe fruit. An absolute delight, and it’s lucky that I still have a few bottles left.
Teruzzi & Puthod Peperino 2000 rrp $23.95 rating 18/20 points
This proved to be somewhat of a sleeper. When first opened, it didn’t seem to hold many surprises, but slowly it began to reveal itself. Worth opening an hour or so before you plan on drinking it. Displaying fragrant savoury aromas that were dominated with cherry and red berry fruits, this wine is made using 100 per cent estate grown sangiovese from the Tuscany region San Gimignano. The palate showed refinement and supple savoury notes that combined with a black cherry sweetness dusty tannins and morrish finish. It is a wine that lends itself to being drunk with food, and is probably best with a bowl of some traditional Italian cuisine.
Lenton Brae Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2002 rrp $18.99 rating 18.25/20 points
Lenton Brae has taken the plunge and bottled this wine under a Stelvin Closure – great move. Screaming the virtues of a very good ’02 vintage this wine will be taking up residence in my fridge over the coming spring and summer months.
Vibrant aromas of cut grass with a herbal edge and perhaps a touch of gooseberry. The palate is a delight, with a zippy fruit with a touch of mineral undertones. Ripe citrus fruits entwine with a wedge of white peach, nectarine, dazzling acidity and fantastic fruit weight.
Plenty to enjoy in this little ray of sunshine.
