Australia Mourvèdre
- SOLD OUT
Shipping Date: December 2010
Sugar Code: 0
Body: 5
Alcohol: 15%

The Region
The Riverland Region of Australia presents gentle rolling hillsides, expansive plains and vineyards as far as the eye can see. This inland region in South Australia experiences warm to hot days, noticeably cooler nights, and plenty of sunshine, where the grapes soak up the sun and ripen fully every year. This is one of the most productive areas in Australia and many of the big name wineries source their grapes from this location. Waikerie is situated on the banks of the beautiful Murray River, about 175 km northeast of Adelaide. The Murray River provides the much needed irrigation for both the vineyards and the extensive stands of citrus and fruit orchards. Waikerie is thought to be derived from the Yuyu Aborigines' language meaning 'anything that flies' or 'many wings or birds'.

The Wine
Mourvèdre, a Spanish grape by origin, where it is known as Monastrell, is a component of many famous wines including Chateauneuf-du-Pape and the Australian GSM (Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre) where it provides structure and intense fruit flavours. When this varietal stands alone you can expect aromas and flavours of blackberry, plum, mulberry, spice (clove and black pepper) and a touch of mint. This full-bodied wine has moderate tannins in its youth which will allow this wine to age gracefully.

The Food
Serve with braised beef short ribs; beef with peppercorn sauce; lamb stew; rich sauces on red game meats such as Bison, Elk and Caribou; rich winter stews; braised lamb shanks; and 3 to 5 year old cheddar and Beemster XO Gouda with walnut breads.

The Region
The Riverland Region of Australia presents gentle rolling hillsides, expansive plains and vineyards as far as the eye can see. This inland region in South Australia experiences warm to hot days, noticeably cooler nights, and plenty of sunshine, where the grapes soak up the sun and ripen fully every year. This is one of the most productive areas in Australia and many of the big name wineries source their grapes from this location. The Overland Vineyards are influenced by the mighty Murray River which assists in moderating the temperatures and supplying water for irrigation. This area was named after the sheep-herders and travellers who used this area as a resting point, and a river crossing, as they travelled 'over-land' from New South Wales to South Australia's Adelaide region.

The Wine
The blending of grape varieties is a way of developing a wine style that would not be possible with only a single grape. This off-dry, medium-bodied white wine has a round, smooth mouth-feel and just enough acidity to refresh on the finish. The richer Chardonnay, which is dominant in the blend, exhibits aromas and flavours of apple, pear and peach, while the refreshing Riesling offers notes of lemon zest and floral; the pretty Gewürztraminer adds the exotic spice and tropical fruit notes.

The Food
Excellent as a sipping wine, or serve with simply prepared shellfish dishes which may include shrimp, scallops, lobster, and crab; roasted chicken; turkey on crusty rolls with garlic aioli; Edam, Oka, Emmenthal and Gruyere cheese board; pasta with pan-roasted squash and sage; and poach salmon.

The Region
Manchuela, originally part of a larger region called La Mancha, is located in southeast central Spain. The Continental climate, with its long hot dry summers, and the arid, low fertility soils, are ideal for developing concentrated, fleshy fruit flavours in the Garnacha grape. Almost no rain falls between May and September, therefore two large reservoirs in the area supply the much needed water for irrigation.

The Wine
Spain is the homeland of Garnacha which is one of the most widely planted red grapes in the world. Garnacha has many aliases including Grenache in France and Australia, and Cannonau in Sardinia, Italy. The fruity expression of this grape is why many wineries blend this grape with others to produce the GSM wines of Australia, and the Chateauneuf du Pape wines of the Rhône Valley, and the legendary Tavel Rosés. Garnacha, as a single varietal wine, will have a lavish core of black cherry, raspberry and blueberry fruit flavours accented by a touch of earth, herbs and black pepper. The delicate use of oak will add that extra depth of complexity to this medium to full-bodied wine.

The Food
Serve with hearty, well-seasoned meat dishes, such as roasted leg of lamb with rosemary and garlic; braised beef; herb-roasted chicken; pork and vegetable stews; gourmet pizza with Spanish sausage and plenty of fresh herbs; slow-roasted pork; and a cheese plate of Manchego and Asiago with fresh baguette.

Australian Shiraz/Viognier
$150 / per batch
Shipping Date: January 2011
Sweetness Code: 0

The Region:
The warm climate and rich sandy loam soils of Australia's Riverland region could produce high yields, but the artisan grape growers at Salmon Gum Vineyards remove half the fruit at budburst and limit irrigation. With smaller numbers of berries and water-stressed vines, the resultant grapes display highly concentrated flavour, aroma and body.

The Wine:
Blending red and white grapes brings lush balance to this lively, deep ruby wine. Ripe berry fruit and violet aromas from the Shiraz are balanced by floral and stone fruit notes from the Viognier, with beguiling hints of orange blossom followed by toast and smokiness. There's sufficient acidity to give it structure, but the overall impression is soft and velvety. The long, gentle finish is ripe and appealing with surprising complexity.

The Food:
A great choice for game or meat dishes, it also works spectacularly with ratatouille and even soft fruit, especially combined with soft-ripened or goat's cheeses. It's also great all by itself as an elegant sipping wine.

Ageing:
Appealingly bright and fruity when young, it will develop more of its floral aromas after six months, and after a year will begin to show violets and blackberry flavours, and continue to deepen in flavour.

Pacifica White
$150 / per batch
Shipping Date: January 2011
Sweetness Code: 0

The Region:
The Pacific Rim has micro-climates and terroir as diverse and excellent as any in the world. With Semillon from the blazing sunshine in Australia, Chardonnay from the crisp valley air in Okanagan, British Columbia, and Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier from the hot sunny mornings and cool afternoons of California's North Coast, each vineyard also has unique soil ranging from sandy river bottom loam, to stony red clay, and nearly pure limestone.

The Wine:
Pacifica White showcases bright fruit, excellent structure and a long layered finish running out from a veritable fruit salad of flavours and aromas. Complex pear and honey notes, grassy citrus and grapefruit, ripe apple, fig, melon, peach, and pineapple all mellow into spicy, honey, butter, butterscotch and hazelnut flavors that linger beguilingly.

The Food:
Full-bodied yet supple, this wine has a range of fruit characters and enough acidity to stand up to a wide range of foods. Off dry, but perfectly balanced it works well with spices, seafood, clams, mussels in saffron cream, and especially with Asian food.

Ageing:
Delicious and ready to drink almost immediately, this wine has the ability to change with time, evolving dominant notes from one grape to the next. Sauvignon Blanc's citrus and herbs provide crispness early on, giving way to melon and honey notes of Semillon, then Viognier rises to show stone fruit, flowers, ripe apricots and candied orange peel while Chardonnay asserts its green apple and notes of white fruits and minerals.

Italian Primitivo
$150 / per batch
Shipping Date: February 2010
Sweetness Code: 0

The Region:
Puglia forms a long narrow peninsula, making up the heel of the boot of Italy. Dry and warm, it basks in the Mediterranean sun, and has a long, rich history of grape growing. The Appenine mountains give an excellent range of elevations and soil types, and it produces more wine than any other region in Italy, specializing in intensely ripe grapes from its hillsides.

The Wine:
Italian Primitivo is medium red in colour veering to brick, rich, and concentrated, exuding aromas of blackberry, plums, tobacco, prunes and red cherries, with the Italian signature of firm tannins and a long, gripping finish with notes of vanilla and toast. Like most Italian reds it retains acidity to balance fruit character and marry well with food.

The Food:
Primitivo shines in the company of assertively flavoured foods like lamb, pork, grilled beef, ribs, roasted red meats, wild game, spicy cheeses and pizza. Its firm backbone of acids and tannins make it work well with rich and spicy foods like Italian sausages or lasagna.

Ageing:
Medium-bodied but with good grip and intensity, this wine will begin to open up after six months, the richer flavours will show at 12 months.

Austria Grüner Veltliner
$150 / per batch
Shipping Date: March 2010
Sweetness Code: 0

The Region:
Grüner Veltliner is almost unique to the Niederösterreich, Austria's growing region along the Danube River North of Vienna. It finds its finest balance in loess, the fine-grained, densely compacted glacial dust that has blown in to the vineyards over many thousands of years. This unique terrior is largely responsible for the distinctive characteristics of arguably Austria's greatest asset.

The Wine:
Grüner Veltliner produces stunningly intense and concentrated wines that start with citrus and grapefruit aromas, hinting from the very beginning at the variety's most distinguishing characteristic, the spicy fragrance of freshly ground white pepper. In addition to white pepper they can also show aromas of sour apples, flowers and minerals —surprisingly delicate.

The Food:
The steely dryness and bracing acidity of Grüner Veltliner works brilliantly with seafood, mussels, salmon, grilled halibut, fish stew, and grilled oysters.

Ageing:
This wine has huge ageing potential. After three months in the bottle it will present bright, simple flavours of citrus, but after a year the tropical fruits will come out to duel with the white pepper.

Portuguese Douro Tinto
$150 / per batch
Shipping Date: April 2010
Sweetness Code: 0

The Region:
The Douro valley is Portugal's premium wine region. Situated along the Rio Douro (River of Gold), the scenery is spectacular and the soil is just about perfect for growing quality wine grapes. The climate is continental, very hot and desert-dry in the summer; cold and wet in the winter. Douro's most memorable feature is its difficult terrain. Most of the slopes are so steep that the only way to grow anything is by creating terraces, the painstaking construction of dry stonewalls to support the banks of soil.

The Wine:
A blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca, the names may be unfamiliar, but Tinta Roriz is the same grape as Spanish Tempranillo. Together they make an intensely aromatic wine with an impressive depth of fruit and complexity. Black fruits such as cassis along with mulberry and raspberry predominate and are complemented by plums and tobacco, followed by the resinous aromas of violets and rockrose. High tannin levels and good natural acidity mean that the wine has an excellent potential for ageing without loss of structure or balance.

The Food:
Incredibly flexible as a food wine, Douro Tinto will match perfectly with roasted lamb, or duck, barbecued meats, grilled eel and meat sauces. The finesse and complexity also make it intriguing just on its own.

Ageing:
This wine will show black fruit, plums and a firm structure of acid and tannins. Six to twelve months will reveal more floral aromas and a hint of ripe berries and cassis.