Sunshine in a Bottle
By Steve Prati in The Tennessean
Back in the day when Australia’s Little River Band and Men at Work topped the pop charts, very few of us would have expected wines from the Land Down Under to become household names. But wines from Oz, as the Aussies call it, have become so abundant now we tend to take them for granted. That would be a mistake--since there is so much more to their wine than large bottles with cute animals on the label.
While wine is grown in every state, South Australia is arguably the heart of the wine industry and Adelaide, the capital city, its pulse. About an hour north of Adelaide is the Barossa Valley, Australia’s most famous wine region. The Barossa was settled by German immigrants in the mid 1840s and is home to 150 wineries, including the famous vineyards of Penfolds, Two Hands, and Peter Lehmann.
Fifth-generation wine maker Peter Lehmann has become a legend in his own time for both his wines and his leadership in the Australian wine industry. One of his classic labels is a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, called simply, Clancy’s (2008). Shiraz is the iconic red wine of Australia and while it often stands alone, Shiraz plays well with other grape varieties, as this velvety combination proves.
Just down the eucalyptus-studded road in Angaston, the family-owned Thorn-Clarke winery literally has roots so deep in the Barossa that some of its vines have been in the ground since the 1850s. Their Shotfire Barossa Shiraz (2007) is representative of the intense, complex, fruit-driven style found in this region.
Forty minutes south of Adelaide is McLaren Vale--a vastly different region with its Mediterranean climate and vineyards flanked by the Adelaide hills on one side and pristine beaches on the other. Dozens of vineyards share the rolling countryside with olive groves and fruit orchards.
Famed d’Arenberg winery produces some of the area’s top wines, including The Stump Jump (2009), a marriage of Grenache, Shiraz, and Mourvedre This acclaimed blend illustrates the diversity of grapes grown in McLaren Vale.
No mention of McLaren Vale would be complete without recognizing Molly Dooker (Oz slang for left-handers) wines made by super-star wine makers Sarah and Sparky Marquis. Their Violinist (2010) is 100% Verdelho and the only white made by this husband-and-wife team. Rich, crisp, and spicy, this unique varietal is like Aussie sunshine in a bottle.
Get these wines at Cool Springs Wines & Spirits:
Peter Lehmann's 2008 Clancy's
Grapes: Blend (Shiraz, Cabernet Suavignon, Merlot)
Price: $16.99
Thorn-Clarke's 2007 Shotfire Barossa Shiraz
Grape: Shiraz
Price: $23.99
d'Arenberg's 2009 The Stump Jump (GSM)
Grapes: Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre
Price: $9.99
Molly Dooker's 2010 The Violinist
Grape: Verdelho
Price: $26.99
