Chardonnay Marsanne, star of the Pfeiffer Parish

 Chardonnay Marsanne, star of the Pfeiffer Parish

 

Pfeiffer, Carlyle Chardonnay Marsanne, 2008 Australia, 13.5%, €14.55 Karwig Wines 

Carlyle is the name of the parish where Australia’s Pfeiffer Wines  are based and Chris Pfeiffer is so proud of this Chardonnay Marsanne wine that he named it after the parish.

This is about as local as you can get and these little things are important. I remember New Zealand wine-maker Tim Finn, one of the wine pioneers there, speaking in Star Anise before Christmas and mentioning one of his little blocks and its peculiar suitability for producing excellent wine from a certain grape. But Tim was in no doubt what would happen to that little parcel if a major wine company took over. It would just be dug up and the most profitable vine planted.

And that would inevitably lead to less and less choice for the consumer. The survival of the family farmer, be it in dairy, meat or wine, will ensure choice in the long term. It is important and a point underlined by Darina Allen in last week’s Ear to the Ground when she pleaded strongly for the survival of the small butcher.

 Chris is one of these passionate family wine-makers and, fortunately, they do exist and quite a few of them find a market here and indeed visit regularly as you can see here.

Chris (left) showed this wine a few months back at an Australian Stickie evening in the Hayfield. I was impressed with it then and perhaps more so now after a longer “study session”.

Colour is pale yellow with hints of green and the nose is aromatic. On the palate, you sense immediately something fresh and rare. Lets you know it’s there, a lively little number, yet the unusual grape duo produce quite a smooth creamy combination, a very nicely balanced wine, with a dry persistent finish.

When Chris and his wife Robyn (who also attended at the Hayfield) took over the winery in the mid 80s, they were delighted to receive important practical help from their neighbours, even if the nearest of the new friends lived about 40 miles away!

Chris was representing those same Rutherglen neighbours and fellow winemakers at the Hayfield and was every bit as eloquent in promoting their wines as in pushing his own, perhaps even more so. He is obviously proud of his area. No surprise then that he named this one after the parish. It is a lovely wine from what must be a lovely place.

CHRIS PFEIFFER: SUPERB ON STICKIES

CHRIS PFEIFFER: SUPERB ON STICKIES

Stickie wicket

Yet another lovely wine evening in Cork, thanks mainly to a superb contribution by Australian Chris Pfeiffer. The renowned and deservedly much honoured Rutherglen winemaker was on his favourite subject: Australian stickies (fortified and dessert wines), and the Vine Wine Cellar in the Hayfield Manor was an excellent venue for the tasting, delivered with an abundance of intimate knowledge and no little humour.

Chris, as is his wont, was representing his neighbours’ as well as his own wines, and started us off with a NV Innocent Bystander Pink Moscato. This inviting 5.5% ABV carbonated effort “is taking the country (Australia) by storm” and certainly went down well at our table. Distributed by Liberty Wines, it is widely available here.

Then came the 2010 Brown Brothers Orange Muscat and Flora, weighing in at 11.5% or so, and also widely available. The Brown family are neighbours of Chris: “Forty five miles away but that’s neighbours in Australia. It is easy drinking, full of flavour and freshness and simple to enjoy.”

Now for the first of the true stickies: a 2009 Pete Lehmann Botrytis Semillon (Barossa Valley). This was the “..more classic, European style..complex..more persistent..with a delicious lusciousness on the middle palate..” Available from O’Donovan’s, Molloys and independent Off Licences.

Chris Pfeiffer

“Grant Burge is passionate about fortified wines” said Chris as he introduced the 10 Year Old Tawny (Barossa Valley). “The brandy spirit here plays an important additional role by adding flavour. Australian wines tend to be sweeter than the Douro.” This beauty, available from O’Donovan’s, Cellars, and Sweeney’s of Glasnevin, went down well.

I preferred the Tawny as did quite a few but the next wine, available through and at Curious Wines, also had many advocates including John McDonnell of Wine Australia Ireland who was helping Chris on the night. This was the 2006 Woodstock Vintage Shiraz from the McLaren Vale, “plum pudding and mince in a glass”.

Chris had lots of anecdotes about the wine industry and  let us know at this point that the table wines “pay” for the fortified wines which are regarded as “an accountant’s nightmare, because they tie up so much capital”. Fortunately, thanks to people like Chris, the accountants don't always have their way. “Fortified wines are undervalued...they deliver great punch for your pound!”

The next three wines were all by Chris, all from Rutherglen. The first was the Pfeiffer Topaque (previously called Tokay). “This is 100% Moscatel. No Botrytis here but it is well ripened and the last grape we pick (in June). There is plenty of accumulated sugar but we don't lose the fruit.” And this luscious flavour-full wine was well liked at our table.

Like the Topaque, the Pfeiffer Muscat spends five years in wood. The grapes have been harvested at high sugar levels and then the different parcels are blended to produce a youthful fresh wine. Sweet yes, Christmas pudding was mentioned, but not cloying.

Then we had the most fantastic bonus: Pfeiffer Grand Muscat. This expensive wine is not available in Ireland so I made the most of our taster, taking it tiny sip by tiny sip. It is twenty years old and has spent most of that time in barrel. “It is a very special occasion wine (like old Cognac). It is very complex and you don't need much.”

Ballymaloe's Colm McCan and yours truly

Yes indeed. And, believe it or not, Pfeiffer also do a Rare Muscat, four years older than the Grand. Like to get a  sip or two of that sometime.

And so this lovely stickie tasting came to an end but we weren't quite finished yet as Chris also had some of his bread and butter table wines to show us. Indeed, we had started on entry with a very attractive 2008 Pfeiffer Carlyle Chardonnay Marsanne. Up to 45% is Marsanne and 6 months contact with the lees also helps round it off. As the evening closed, we had some very tasty nibbles from the Hayfield and sampled two excellent easy drinking reds: the 2008 Carlyle Shiraz and the 2008 Carlyle Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Rutherglen wines, table, fortified and dessert, are available at and distributed by Karwig Wines. Worth a  call before Christmas!

SWEET ANTIDOTE TO BUDGET BLUES

 Wine Australia’s Stickie (Sweet Wine) Tastings

Tuesday 6th December: Hayfield Manor Hotel, Cork
Wednesday 7th December: Ely Bar and Brassiere, IFSC, Custom House Quay, D1


With a hell of a lot of acidity expected in next month's budget,  Wine Australia's Johnny McDonnell (right in pic) reckons he has just the thing to balance it up!

"A touch of sweetness is in order to, as Mary P would say, make the medicine go down.

So we are hosting two delicious sweet wine tastings in December, on the 6th in Cork and Dublin on the 7th.

Affectionately known as “Stickies” Down-under, the story of the Australian wine world is steeped in fortified and dessert wine making. Often tricky to sell, the one time that they do find favour is around Christmas.

So perfect timing for you to join us and try a range of these wines from Australia.

Joining us to lead the presentation duties is Chris Pfeiffer (left in pic above), owner and wine maker of Pfeiffer Wines in the Rutherglen. A regular visitor to Ireland with a huge passion for these wine styles, Chris is the ideal person to take us on this sweet journey.

So whether you have a sweet tooth, are looking for a different present for the wine lover in your life or on occasion you’d just prefer to pour (instead of make) your dessert, this is the tasting for you."

The cost is €20 per person, which includes the tasting and tasty nibbles afterwards.  Only 30 places at each event so please book your passage early.
For the Cork tasting, book direct with Wine Australia on ireland@wineaustralia.com or 065 7077 264.
For the Dublin event, direct with ely Bar and Brasserie on wineclub@elywinebar.com and on 01 676 8986.
Each tasting begins at 7pm.
If you require any further information please contact John at Wine Australia on
Ireland@wineaustralia.com or 065 7077 264.

THREE WINNING WINES

McWilliams Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon 2005, Hunter Valley Australia, 12%, €10.00 Tesco, 4.5 stars
Colour: light gold, bright, micro bubbles
Nose: Citrus rind.
Palate: Full fruity tropical smooth waxy mouthfeel yet well balanced. The Hunter is famous for Semillon and this is a fantastic example where the patient aging in the bottle has paid off in a big way. No wonder that it comes with a bunch of gold medals! You may read much more about this prize-winning wine here. 

OGIO Primitivo IGP Puglia Italy 2010, 13%, €6 Tesco, 4 stars
Colour: Ruby red
Nose: Intense, mainly cherry
Palate: Rich and fruity, warm, hints of spice. With the tannins doing their job, it is an engaging mouthfeel plus it has a long lingering finish. Quite a hefty drink from the heel of Italy and recommended on Twitter by Tom Doorley.

Tagus Creek Shiraz and Trincadeira, Alentejano 2009, 14%, €8.69 Tesco, 4 stars 
Colour: Medium dark-red
Nose: Aromatic, ripe red/black fruits
Palate: Fruity and juicy, spicy and warm, yet pleasantly dry. It is supple with a comforting mouthfeel and finish.
Decanter recently awarded this its international trophy for a Red Blend at less than 10 UK pounds "Deliciously good value. Fantastic." They said. And the judges were also impressed by its freshness.
Tongue in cheek, I'm glad to say the judges agreed with me. Now, I'll get the tongue out of the way to make room for another mouthful of delicious Tagus Creek.

A GOOD EXAMPLE FROM CURIOUS WINES

WOODSTOCK MCLAREN VALE, SEMILLON SAUVIGNON BLANC, 2010, 11%, €15.99, CURIOUS WINES


Following a well trodden path, the winemakers have done a good job here, balancing the fruity qualities of the Semillon (96%) with the refreshing traits of the Sauvignon Blanc. They are quite happy to put their names to this well rounded effort, quite a good example of the popular blend.

The names are Scott Collett and Ben Glaetzer and they are writ large on the label. And that would no doubt please Milos, a former Dordogne host of mine. I met the ex Guinness employee in his Sarlat home last year and the Serbian ex-pat maintained that it was more important to have the winemaker’s name on the label, even to the exclusion of the grape. “Sometimes we used eight or nine varietals around here. How would you fit all those on the label?”

This Woodstock  is a Pale Honey in colour with a moderately aromatic nose (white fruits prominent). On the palate, it has a smooth and fruity intro with a zesty citrus like follow-on. It boasts a nice balance of flavour and acidity and has a lingering finish. And it is pretty low in alcohol!

STAR OF THE ROAD

KANGARILLA ROAD, McLaren Vale (Australia), Shiraz 2009, 14% ABV, €16-18, list of stockists, 4 stars



Importers Wine Alliance has just released the 2009 version of this Shiraz onto the Irish market and it tastes like a winner all the way. I certainly think it is one of the better ones.

And Maurice O’Mahony of Wine Alliance reckons it is a step up on the 2008 release but he would say that! You don’t have to take my word (or his) for it, as Oz wine guru James Halliday has rated it at 91 points.

The colour is quite a dark one with a fruity nose (mainly of plum) and underlying herbal notes. It makes an excellent first impression in the mouth, warm and elegant, with lively and juicy fruits and well balanced, with a lasting finish.

Helen and Kevin O’Brien established this winery in 1997 and have built up quite a reputation for themselves. I’ve been reading the recently published Awards Special of Decanter Magazine and the O’Briens feature.


Their 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon won a bronze in the Reds and this Shiraz picked up a Commended, as did their 2010 Chardonnay in the Whites. Combine that with the Halliday score and you see they have pretty good form.

YALUMBA'S JANE FERRARI IN BALLYMALOE

Jane Ferrari with Maurice O'Mahony (left) and yours truly at Ballymaloe

KNEE OP FAILS TO HALT FERRARI


Jane Ferrari, the roving ambassador for Yalumba Wine Company (Australia), was in Ballymaloe yesterday. Despite being in the process of recovery from a recent knee operation, the indefatigable Aussie was in top form.

Busy, busy, busy. In the afternoon she spoke to the Cookery School, early evening she conducted a wine tasting and later a full scale wine dinner. And all that after a hectic few days and nights in Dublin.

Dodgy knee or not, she kept her lively show on the road. She also writes a blog and her latest post concerned the Irish game v Australia. Obviously she likes her sport and, also obviously, her sportsmen, including current favourite Ronan O’Gara.

But back to the wines, all produced in the Barossa area by the long standing family company and available here through Cassidy Wines.

Started off with the Pewsey Vale Riesling, produced in the high country above the valley floor and costing about €13.00. “This Riesling is absolutely spot on with Mediterranean-Asian crossover food,” said Jane. “It is essential to have this well chilled,” added Ballymaloe sommelier Colm McCan.

Jane then moved on to their Barossa Eden Viognier 2009, perfumed and luscious and made from super ripe grapes, handpicked. “This means the yield is halved but the wine is pretty elegant.”

The second Viognier, the Virgilius Eden Valley 2008, comes from the same 22 acre small yield vineyard. At €30.00, it is double the price of the first one. Hints of ginger in the peachy apricot aroma, it is an “unctuous and complex wine...at its best with food....complements a wide range of flavours”.

The Barossa valley floor is too hot for Pinot Noir and the Yalumba favourite is Grenache. Jane gave the winemaker’s point of view: “Grenache is easy to get along with. If you’re looking for the Diva of grapes, it has to be Viognier.”

The first Grenache was the Barossa Eden Bush Vine 2009 (€17). The fruit comes from 14 different parcels on the valley floor, mainly river sand. “It is raspberry over rosemary, berry over herb, no heat. The Number One word with Grenache is balance and this medium weight wine is a perfect match for juicy chargrilled pork chops.”

Then we moved on to the Single Site Bowden Vineyard Moppa Block Grenache 2006, darker, more cherry, more intense. This fruit comes from a tiny vineyard and 2006 was a “stellar vintage”. This is a “cracker of a food wine, ideal with roast veal, chorizo and other Spanish, Italian dishes”. Unfortunately, this gem is not available in Ireland.

Next up was their €40.00 The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz 2005. “This was originally called Galway Claret and is a bit of a specialty with us. It is the old Claret style and we are trying to keep the style alive. The Cabernet dominates the nose while the long lasting palate is down to the Shiraz. This could live forever!”

Then we moved to Shiraz and “into carnivorous territory”. Stared with the €24.00 Barossa Eden Patchwork 2008, an “old school juicy fruity middle weight”.

Next came The Octavius Old Vine 2004, a “serious heavyweight, long lasting in the mouth, great length of power and the flavours remain, ideal with meat off the bone, including venison fillets and also good with vegetarian dishes such as those featuring Shitake mushrooms”.

We finished on a sweet note with the Yalumba FSW8B Botrytis Viognier, Wrattonbully 2009, €18.00. It is a gorgeous dessert wine and Jane said cheese makers and dessert chefs “are going nuts for it. It goes well too with old fashioned desserts such as apple crumble.”

A lovely end to a lovely evening with a lovely person who entertained and informed with an abundance of down to earth fact and insight and no shortage of good humour. We cheered her off the stage and I reckon she’ll be cheering for Ronan on Sunday.

TOP WINE SPEAKER JANE FERRARI VISITS BALLYMALOE

Ballymaloe's Colm McCan, one of those who enjoyed last night's wine event in Electric, told me about their upcoming wine event....

WINE EVENT AT BALLYMALOE HOUSE

Learn about the heritage, culture and wines of Yalumba

with Jane Ferrari, from Yalumba Wines, Barossa Valley, Australia

Thursday 29th September, 2011

The inimitable Jane Ferrari, is simply one of the of the world’s best wine speakers, reflecting her wine knowledge & experience, heartfelt infectious passion, and expansive personality, coupled with that laid back, straight talking, down to earth wit & humour, open soul Australian approach. 

Jane’s interests also include a lifelong passion for horses & racing, and she also makes her own olive oil from her treasured gum-studded block of Barossa land.

Yalumba was founded in 1849 by Samuel Smith, purchasing a 30-acre parcel of land just beyond the southern-eastern boundary of Angaston, Smith and his son began planting the first vines by moonlight. Samuel named his patch “Yalumba” – aboriginal for “all the land around”. Six generations and 160 years later Yalumba is Australia’s oldest family owned winery.

7.00pm Wine presentation and tasting in The Grain Store at Ballymaloe House. Jane will give a wine presentation and tutored tasting on various wines that are made by Yalumba. A great evening not to be missed. €10, booking advised.

8.30pm Wine dinner with Jane Ferrari at Ballymaloe House. After the wine tasting, Jane will give a wine dinner at Ballymaloe House – with the wines matched to the Ballymaloe Dinner menu. Over dinner, Jane will introduce and speak about the wines as they are served with each course. €75, booking essential.

Ballymaloe House, Shanagarry, Co. Cork, Ireland

Tel: 021 4652531 res@ballymaloe.ie

www.ballymaloe.ie

Lonely Planet Top 10 Wine Weekends

Georgina Campbell Wine Award of the Year 2010

Food & Wine Magazine Top 10 Wine Experience of the Year 2010

SOUTH AUSTRALIA GEMS FROM MORAMBRO CREEK

Click to enlarge

SOUTH AUSTRALIA GEMS FROM MORAMBRO CREEK

Brad Rey, Brand Manager at Morambro Creek, the home of Jip Jip Rocks and Mt Monster, was at Karwig Wines in Carrigaline last Wednesday and oversaw one of the most fascinating tastings I’ve ever been at.

And it wasn't just because of the wines, which included a few surprises for this punter and were all of outstanding quality, that I’ll remember Brad. It was mostly for his convictions about wine and his common sense.

The Canadian born and raised Brad brought a breath of fresh Rockies air to the proceedings.

 “Most of New World Chardonnay..is concocted crap.”

“Oak shouldn't be the dominant characteristic. Wine is made from grapes and should taste of the fruit.”

“The earth is like a tea bag. All that grows in the vicinity...elephant fennel, wild rosemary..eucalyptus..finds its way in.....and ends up in the glass.”

“Don't wash your wine glass with water (fluoride in Ireland!). Wash it with wine, maybe bottled water.”

There were three sparklers on the table. A Mt Monster brut, an easy drinker, something like an “Aussie Cremant” was the first. Then came the Jip Jip Cuvee from 2009. Very pleasant indeed and again easy drinking.

Brad maintains that Aussie sparklers are on the up and up. They were up too, many moons ago. They’ve been making them since 1890s and they were extremely popular in Oz in the early 1900s, then seemed to lose their way but are now on the firmly on the way back.

And the third sparkler seemed to confirm this. It was Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz, a medium bodied mouth friendly wine. A very pleasant surprise indeed and Brad recommended using it with pork or duck or “anything you’d use Pinot Noir with”. Must try that.

After knocking much of the New World Chardonnay, Brad opened his own bottle. “I try to let the fruit speak, let Mother Nature do the job.” And this unoaked bottle spoke the fruit. Gorgeous and refreshing with a little richness added through limited contact with the lees, perhaps another lesson from the Loire which Brad knows and likes.

And France was in his mind too when making the Jip Jip 2009 Sauvignon Blanc. Citrusy and soft, fresh and clean and well balanced, made that way because Brad doesn't like high acidity.

He was delighted with his Mt Monster Shiraz of 2008. “Good, the way I want to see it. Very minimal oak. May be served slightly chilled. It is light fruit, blueberries and raspberries and the tannins are fruit tannins. This is about balance and reminds me of the joven I used to make in Spain.”

Then we moved on to a more traditional Shiraz, the 2009 Jip Jip, a multi medal winner that has spent quite a while in 2, 3 and 4 year old French oak. But the oak doesn't dominate. “Drink it on its own; it is easy drinking.”

He was quite proud of the next one also as it has been his “first go” at Morambro Creek Shiraz. This 2008 had been in 20% US oak but from now on it will be 100% French barriques. The annual spend on oak is now massive, well over a million Australian dollars. Good wine, though!

The finish was a beautiful Mt Monster Cabernet Sauvignon 2008. No oak, lovely and bright, not heavy, tannins enough and easy drinking, according to Brad who admitted to being “chuffed by that”. Remember, Brad hasn’t seen most of these wines for a while as they are long gone from Morambro.

The fennel is in here, fresh mint, cassis, blue and red fruits, all in a rich texture with velvety tannins. It has been getting a great reaction.

Morambro is certainly a name (three names really) to watch out for and to make it easier, you can get all three at Karwig Wines.

Chardonnay winner from Curious Wines

Langmeil Eden Valley Chardonnay 2010 13%, Curious Wines €11.99, 4.5 stars

Not all plain sailing in South Australia (pic by Langmeil)

I liked this one from Curious Wines,  an excellent expression of this widely grown grape from a producer best known for its Shiraz. And it goes straight to my list of 2011 favourites.

Colour is a very pale straw and it has an inviting aromatic nose. With some of the mix spending a few months in French oak, this has a rounded user friendly mouthfeel. It is vibrant, fresh with a fruit tang and that is all carried into the decent finish.

Not too much more to say about it. Well worth the money as there is a 20 per cent discount on Australian wine for the month of August.

The Langmeil winery is based in the Barossa, adjacent to the Eden Valley, and here is some Technical Stuff from the vineyard:

2010 Eden Valley Chardonnay - Sourced from a small vineyard in the Eden Valley, this elegant wine is made from pristine, flavour ripe bunches, gently pressed and cool fermented. Most components remain un-oaked for freshness (70%) while some are finished in French oak (30%) for complexity as well as undergoing secondary malolactic fermentation to soften natural acidity. This wine exhibits fresh, full fruit flavours, fine structure and a dry finish.