The adage ‘where there’s smoke there’s fire’ rings true at David Pike’s place over summer as he barbecues up a storm.
AS the first rays of summer bronzed my belly last weekend and awoke me from the slumber of the cooler months, one thought kept racing through my mind – that of food.
I love marinating pork ribs, sauteing scallops and burning snaggers. Yes, it’s barbecue time again, one of the joys of summer.
Barbecues are a way of life at my place over the next few months and preparing the nightly barbie is one of my summer-time passions. But even more importantly it allows me to indulge in another passion, as man cannot live on marinating and basting alone. The hot months bring the rewards of fresh, clean summer-time whites.
A number of sprightly, zippy summer-time wines have arrived in recent weeks and last weekend, while preparing for the first barbie of the season, I pulled out a number of these wines to investigate what’s looking a good bet over the next few months.
Pikes Riesling rrp $17.00 18.75/20
Once again the riesling wines from the Clare are simply stunning. Winemaker Neil Pike was excited about this wine when I spoke to him just after the fruit had been processed way back at the beginning of the year. Right now he is stopping just short of calling the 2002 vintage one of the best on record.
The wine presents simple stunning aromas that display pristine notes of varietal riesling, mineral notes with citrus lemon and lime, and just a touch of blossom. The palate show explosive acidity that mingles in harmonious balance with the quality of fruit, while the finish shows persistence and a structure that will see this wine still drinking as we approach the next decade.
Primo Estate Colombard 2002-rrp $14.00 18.75/20
I have talked about this wine before but you really shouldn’t forget about it, as it is the best I have seen this wine. It has been a long-time favourite summer tipple. It displays all the quality you look for in a wine to stock up the cupboard over summer. Another of the wines that is really singing at the moment is the perennial classic of the classic whites, Vasse Felix Classic White 2002 rrp $17.00 18/20. This is showing all the vibrancy you would expect with an extra touch that seems to complete this offering by giving it an edge, especially when buying buy the case. Voyager Estate Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2002 rrp $19.00 17.75/20 is another wine that will often find itself taking up residence in the fridge over summer. This vintage is just starting to flower after a slow start to the season. It’s relatively pungent and has herbal and nettle notes and a approachable zip and zing across the palate, making this a very attractive offering from the team at Voyager.
One range of wines that really deserves a mention is the fantastic value varietal whites from Evans and Tate’s Gnangara range. The fluorescent label of Gnangara Sauvignon Blanc 2002 rrp $11.00 16/20 grabs your attention, as will the quality of the wine, which is full of really zippy fruit, a bag full of fruit and hangs around on the palate longer than any of the English batsmen currently on tour.
A real surprise that seems to strike a chord with a number of the educated palates attending the season’s first barbie was Xanadu Succession Chardonnay 2002 rrp $14.00 18/20. This is full of ripper lemon citrus fruits with touches of nectarines and peachy fruits, no wood just good old-fashioned flavour that several others could do with rediscovering when putting together this style of wine. Sundays always tend to take a little while to gather momentum at my place. However I have found a prefect wine to enjoy over a long leisurely brunch reading the weekend’s papers. Alasia Moscato D’Asti 2001 rrp $21.00 18/20 is the ideal accompaniment to brunch. It is full of sweet apple-like fruit with a touch of spritz and hidden acidity that lends to the refreshing style of wine. The best part is that it only holds about 5 per cent alcohol, another plus for this breakfast beauty.
Plantagenet Omrah Rose rrp $17.00 18.75/20
Ok, I maybe a little generous with my awarding of points but it’s is a style of wine that we Aussies need to embrace. If anything I would love to see this wine lose another degree or two of sweetness and perhaps be just a tad pinker in its colour while retaining its sublime freshness and vibrancy. It really is one of the best rose wines that has come out this year. Just whip the top of sit back and enjoy. After all it’s summer and there’s not really much else to do.
I love marinating pork ribs, sauteing scallops and burning snaggers. Yes, it’s barbecue time again, one of the joys of summer.
Barbecues are a way of life at my place over the next few months and preparing the nightly barbie is one of my summer-time passions. But even more importantly it allows me to indulge in another passion, as man cannot live on marinating and basting alone. The hot months bring the rewards of fresh, clean summer-time whites.
A number of sprightly, zippy summer-time wines have arrived in recent weeks and last weekend, while preparing for the first barbie of the season, I pulled out a number of these wines to investigate what’s looking a good bet over the next few months.
Pikes Riesling rrp $17.00 18.75/20
Once again the riesling wines from the Clare are simply stunning. Winemaker Neil Pike was excited about this wine when I spoke to him just after the fruit had been processed way back at the beginning of the year. Right now he is stopping just short of calling the 2002 vintage one of the best on record.
The wine presents simple stunning aromas that display pristine notes of varietal riesling, mineral notes with citrus lemon and lime, and just a touch of blossom. The palate show explosive acidity that mingles in harmonious balance with the quality of fruit, while the finish shows persistence and a structure that will see this wine still drinking as we approach the next decade.
Primo Estate Colombard 2002-rrp $14.00 18.75/20
I have talked about this wine before but you really shouldn’t forget about it, as it is the best I have seen this wine. It has been a long-time favourite summer tipple. It displays all the quality you look for in a wine to stock up the cupboard over summer. Another of the wines that is really singing at the moment is the perennial classic of the classic whites, Vasse Felix Classic White 2002 rrp $17.00 18/20. This is showing all the vibrancy you would expect with an extra touch that seems to complete this offering by giving it an edge, especially when buying buy the case. Voyager Estate Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2002 rrp $19.00 17.75/20 is another wine that will often find itself taking up residence in the fridge over summer. This vintage is just starting to flower after a slow start to the season. It’s relatively pungent and has herbal and nettle notes and a approachable zip and zing across the palate, making this a very attractive offering from the team at Voyager.
One range of wines that really deserves a mention is the fantastic value varietal whites from Evans and Tate’s Gnangara range. The fluorescent label of Gnangara Sauvignon Blanc 2002 rrp $11.00 16/20 grabs your attention, as will the quality of the wine, which is full of really zippy fruit, a bag full of fruit and hangs around on the palate longer than any of the English batsmen currently on tour.
A real surprise that seems to strike a chord with a number of the educated palates attending the season’s first barbie was Xanadu Succession Chardonnay 2002 rrp $14.00 18/20. This is full of ripper lemon citrus fruits with touches of nectarines and peachy fruits, no wood just good old-fashioned flavour that several others could do with rediscovering when putting together this style of wine. Sundays always tend to take a little while to gather momentum at my place. However I have found a prefect wine to enjoy over a long leisurely brunch reading the weekend’s papers. Alasia Moscato D’Asti 2001 rrp $21.00 18/20 is the ideal accompaniment to brunch. It is full of sweet apple-like fruit with a touch of spritz and hidden acidity that lends to the refreshing style of wine. The best part is that it only holds about 5 per cent alcohol, another plus for this breakfast beauty.
Plantagenet Omrah Rose rrp $17.00 18.75/20
Ok, I maybe a little generous with my awarding of points but it’s is a style of wine that we Aussies need to embrace. If anything I would love to see this wine lose another degree or two of sweetness and perhaps be just a tad pinker in its colour while retaining its sublime freshness and vibrancy. It really is one of the best rose wines that has come out this year. Just whip the top of sit back and enjoy. After all it’s summer and there’s not really much else to do.
