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Whew, its hot on the west coast.
Yesterday
we broke all written heat records, we're all moving a
bit like sticky sloths while a good portion
of Canada is anguishing in their lack of
summer.
We aren't complaining too much yet
(we all remember this past winter), but after
so many consistent days of heat - we
un-airconditioned folks are craving some
"seasonal" norms.
Right now, home reminds me of my February trip to
Australia, complete with fires I witnessed
and the
blazing heat I felt. So it seems
suitable I continue on with that recent trip,
passing on insight and this time sharing what
Barossa Valley has to offer.
I've taken
you through New South Wales and McLaren Vale and
now I'll move onto Australia's emperor of
regions, the Barossa...
Part 1 features;
Saltram, Wolf Blass, Yalumba and Peter
Lehmann, but stay tuned for much
more...
Cheers,
Daenna
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The Bounty of Barossa
The most recognizable of all Australian wine
regions, Barossa is, in many ways, the king.
I had an incredible time visiting some of the
worlds most famous wineries, and revisiting
some friends I had met previously. After a
fantastic visit in McLaren Vale I headed
north, from Adelaide, on a 75 minute drive to
Barossa Valley. I had a busy schedule
planned.
Barossa Valley, (as you will be told) like
its home state of South Australia was free
settled, unlike the convict colonies of New
South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria, in 1836.
Its name, derived from a Spanish term for
mountain of roses, was later
misspelled and the region became known as
Barossa. And surprisingly, there is a large
German Lutheran culture, still very obvious
in the Barossa Valley. In 1838, looking for a
refuge, a congregation of "Old Lutherans"
settled here rather than abide by the new
Lutheran services put forward by Prussian
King Frederick William III...
To read about New South Wales link
here
To read about McLaren Vale link
here
photo: Shiraz vine planted in
1885 in Ebenezer region of Barossa - used in Peter
Lehmann's 1885 Shiraz
Read about Barossa Valley here...
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Perfectly Pink for Pride
Rigamarole Rose, Okanagan Valley BC, 2008
The label says, "Why is it such a Rigamarole
to convey the wondrous virtues of a great dry
rose?
A good question indeed, but really
folks, are we still having a discussion about
whether or not to drink pink.
The world,
after all is drinking pink and it's not
just blush.
The Rigamarole
part of the Mission Hill Family Estate's,
Artisan Wine Company is a cran-ruby colour
with aromas of sour cherry and fine spice,
strawberries and forest floor with hints of
watermelon. The entry is dry, it picks up a
hint of sweetness mid-palate, the acidity is
bright, it has nice structure and flavours of
berries and orange peel, licorice and cloves.
The finish is fresh and crisp - easy sipping
to cool-down on this long weekend!
$13.99
Plenty more where this came from...
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Jump on the bubbly bandwagon...
Two Oceans Sauvignon Blanc Brut, South Africa, 2008
Jumping on the popular bubbly train, Two
Oceans has produced this easy sipping
sparkler.
The price is right, it's a carbonated bubbly
after all, which is a much simpler production
method than traditional, but that's okay too.
The aromatics are fine, delicate white
blossoms and snap peas, hints of grass
clippings, guava and melon - rounded out with
a slightly leesy note. The palate has a drop
of sweetness, the flavours are gooseberry and
passionfruit and just a suggestion of
jalapeno. It is light and mousse-y and the
finish is crisp.
$13.99
More new reviews...
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A Spanish quaffer
Bodegas Lomablanca "Bardosa", Carinena DO, Spain, 2007
This joven (young wine) blend of Tempranillo
and Garnacha may become my summer red. The
brilliance of joven wines is they are not
aged in oak, so the fruit really shines. I
wonder if this could become a trend elsewhere
in the world as producers want their wines
released earlier (no oak age means we get it
sooner). The cost of oak barrels is
substantial, so no oak means a more
approachable price. Also, the Bardosa's
lightweight bottle leaves a smaller carbon
footprint.
I digress.
This is a delicious wine, period. The aromas
seduce with sweet smoky cherries, dark
flowers, chocolate and warm spice, the
secondary tones are leather, farmyard and
cedar. The palate is fresh and juicy with
gobs of cherry/berry fruit and loads of
spice, the texture supple and it has
fantastic acidity. Fine cocoa tannins coat
your mouth throughout.
Pair it with spicy sausage or a cold pasta
salad with hot chilies, tomatoes and
Manchego.
$14+
Loads of new reviews here...
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Coming next:Clare Valley, Barossa
Valley part 2, Adelaide Hills and Yarra
Valley.
Don't
forget to visit
winescores.ca
and winediva.ca for new wine reviews
every
day!
Pink and Cheeky...
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