First, to be clear, Syrah and Shiraz are the very same grape variety. So the actual issue at hand is the pronunciation of "Shiraz" - some say sh-RAHZ while others say sh-RAZZ. The second is correct, much to the chagrin of anyone that deems those hard "A" sounds are just due to my being from the Midwest. It's okay, I've got the entire nation of Australia to back me up.
The grape variety in question has disputed origination, however is notably grown in France's Rhône Valley regions. Here the grape is known as Syrah (see-RAH) and is responsible for the famous varietals of Hermitage as well as blended with other varieties in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and surrounding Côtes-du-Rhône appellations.
In 1832 vine clippings found their way from Europe to Australia given the help of James Busby, a Scottish immigrant to the land down under. Through whatever means the grape came to be called Shiraz (sh-RAZZ) and is now perhaps the most notable, and certainly the most widely planted grape in the country.
The major difference between the wines of Syrah and Shiraz is stylistic. Both wines are full bodied and display a wide range of fruit characteristics. Berries, black pepper, and spice are common in either style. In France, Syrah seems to have more of an earthy, sometimes leathery quality. Shiraz in Australia on the other hand is often fruit-driven with jammy, ripe berry flavors that can sometimes edge out the more subtle earthy notes.
Showing posts with label country/Australia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label country/Australia. Show all posts
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
a zingy down under rielsing
Marlborough Dry Rielsing (2006)I'm not one to pass up a bargain - especially when it comes to wine! Recently I was shopping to stock up on some white wines and found a $16 bottle marked down to $8.99! Knowing the Kim Crawford name, I'd never actually sampled any of his (yes, Kim is a man - I had assumed surely it was Cindy's less attractive wine-making sister) wines. Even though seeing mark downs like that usually indicates that a vintage is on its way out, I bought a bottle anyhow. I had no intention on laying it down for more than a few days!
Kim Crawford
Rielsing
Marlborough, AUSTRALIA
This Riesling is from the Marlborough region of New Zealand, located on the southern of the two islands. Fairly new to the wine scene, vines weren't even planted in this regions until 1973 - literally a baby compared to old world Riesling from Germany. Marlborough is the largest wine growing region in New Zealand, and while renowned for Sauvignon Blanc also produces very good Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Riesling. The south island is the warmer of the two - things are reversed on that side of the equator - and with nearly 70 wineries Marlborough is home to over 40 percent of the country's producers.
Appearance: Brilliant and clear with just a slight hint of fizz. The color is somewhere between that of fresh hay and a golden wedding band.Based on this tasting I would definitely have to say that my perception of this wine nearing it's peak is way off. With all the acidity and fullness this has it could certainly age for a while - I'm going to have to go get a couple more bottles at that price! Also, while this is excellent served on its own I'd jump at the opportunity to pair this with food - well, then again when don't I jump at a chance to eat? Fatty fish, sharp cheeses, and fruit dishes would do very well matched to this wine. I'm sure it would be an excellent compliment to sushi as well.
Nose: Boasts of minerality - the smell you might notice along a riverbed in the spring - fresh, stony, earthy. This is my no means off putting, and in fact common in Rieslings, developing more as they age. Limes cut with a freshly sharpened knife also come to mind. The aromas are by no means intensely pronounced, but they are not hard to distinguish. Softening the hard line steeliness are floral notes as well as hints of peach, lemon, apple, and pineapple.
Palate: Holding the wine on my tongue the first thing I notice is how it prickles all over including the roof of my mouth. After swallowing I start salivating due to the high acidity. The label doesn't lie - this is a dry Riesling! The body, alcohol, and flavor intensity are all leaning towards the heavier end of medium. Flavors are bright and fresh - lime, apple, and lemon. Just as with the nose there is that sense that perhaps I just stuck a small pudding stone or piece of chalk in my mouth. The acidity lingers for a long time and is incredibly refreshing.
Rieslings are a great warm weather option, and come in a wide variety of styles. While this example is bone dry - even with 6g/L residual sugar - they can scale all the way to the sweet end of the spectrum, even into dessert wine territory. Additionally the grape is grown in many different regions around the world, each with it's own special characteristics. New Zealand, South America, and even those in the U.S. are great options especially when faced by a daunting sea of German labels. Don't let that discourage your exploration of Deutsch-Riesling though - there's a reason it's the most widely produced wine there!
Cheers!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Sparkling wines for more than just holidays & special occasions
Recently I attended "Counter Culture: Fizz-tivity," a wine and food pairing dinner at my local Whole Foods Market. Every month these dinners are held at the Osteria, a free standing cafe within the specialty foods department which serves fresh prepared foods to customers at a long, curved counter - thus the event name. December was all about sparkling wines getting everyone well prepared for the holidays.
Sparkling wine is an interesting segment of the wine world. Many of us think of sparkling wine as something only for special occasions - anniversaries and New Years Eve. Unfortunately that means that everyone only gets to enjoy it twice, maybe three times a year. Isn't that just utterly disappointing? Luckily there are many different styles and types of sparkling wines to suit any occasion and this dinner was a perfect opportunity to explore them.
We started with a cheese course consisting of Robiola, a sheep and cow's milk soft cheese, served with dried currants, fresh raspberries, and almonds. Paired to this was a special beverage called Deus Brut de Flandres Cuvée Prestige 2006. Surprisingly not a wine at all, this was a specialty Belgian Ale which is unique in that it follows the Traditional method for making Champagne. This barley ale was a light straw color with aromas of ripened pear and honey. The pairing with the cheese board was great, and I can understand why they market this as "the Dom Perignon of beer." Check out the brewer's lively website here: Brewery Bosteels
After our cheese and Belgian/French ale we transitioned to a more Mediterranean course with Presto Prosecco Brut ($10.99) served with a zippy roasted tomato fondue. Prosecco is an Italian white variety and is used to make really fun sparkling wines. The Presto was gold in color and had fresh aromas including citrus, yellow apple, and pear. A dry wine with similar flavors it offered nice crisp acidity which simultaneously paired very well with the acid from the tomatoes and cleansed the creaminess of the cheese from my palate. For the price this is a great wine to serve to friends. It's mild-mannered and easy to drink - definitely a great everyday bubbly to consider.
Next up on to French Champagne with Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Extrem' ($39.99) paired with pan seared pierogies with spinach, fontal, and roasted pear. Sadly the first two bottles we opened were corked but the third was in much better quality. Nothing you can do, right? I'd say create a synthetic Champagne cork but the French would never go for it. Golden in color with aromas of citrus, cooked apple, almond, and a soft yeastiness. The best match from our dish with this Chardonnay was the poached pear, making a perfect compliment to the lemon and citrus flavors. This makes for a great sparkling wine to pair with food.
An American-made rosé accompanied the next course, Gruet Brut Rosé ($17.99) made by Gruet Winery in New Mexico. Clear and with a soft salmony pink, this wine boasted mostly red fruit aromas like raspberry and cranberry with softer fragrances of apple and grapefruit. As expected from the nose I wasn't disappointed by the crisp acidity from this wine. More of the red fruits and a soft citrus made this Chardonnay and Pinot Noir blend very refreshing. The paired dish offered grilled swordfish, winter greens, root vegetables, and a blood orange reduction. Very, very cool! This was probably the best pairing of the entire dinner.
Our fifth wine was another French Champagne from Bouzy, Jean Vesselle Oeil de Perdrix ($42.99). This was paired with chicken and boursin roulade, proscuitto, ratatouille crepe and reduced cream. The Oeil de Perdrix is a blanc de noir (white from black) Champagne made entirely from Pinot Noir grapes, so it has a very pleasant peach color. Aromas were concentrated around tart stone fruit (peach, apricot), apple, citrus and raspberry. It also had a distinct minerality, offering a nice sense of terroir. The rich ratatouille crepe and reduced cream stood up well to the crisp acidity, full body, and refreshing citrus on the palate. This was my second favorite pairing of the evening.
The final course of walnut encrusted lamb chops with green lentils, beet, and feta salad was paired by the intriguing Australian Shingleback Black Bubbles Sparkling Shiraz ($24.99). Deep purple ruby with very small bubbles made for one of the more interesting sparkling wines I've seen. The aromas were reminiscent of any other big Aussie Shiraz - black cherry, plum, licorice, and spice. Plum also dominated the palate and was a great match to the lamb and lentils. More rich flavors of chocolate and coffee lingered on the finish. For being named after an animal also known as a skink I always enjoy the wines Shingleback makes.
Completing our dinner we were served a decadent double chocolate cake with espresso mousse and cherry compote. What kind of sparkling wine would you possibly pair with this to make it better than it already is? Cinzano Brachetto D'Aqui DOCG ($19.99), a sweet sparkling wine from northern Italy. Made from the Brachetto grape - known also as Braquet in France - this wine is a bright pomegranate red in color and displayed aromas of cherry and strawberry, as well as honeyed and floral notes. All these followed through to the palate and made a remarkably good pairing with the chocolate, espresso, and cherry dessert.
This Counter Culture was a truly delightful experience and I was so pleased to be able to try so many different types of sparkling wines. In an unabashed plug for Whole Foods, if you're local and interested in coming to one of the dinners just call the store and ask for someone in the specialty department. Cost is usually about $45 and is entirely worth the amazing food and wine that is served - and is a great reason to have dinner cooked and served to you! A huge thank you to wine specialist Maggie Harrison and chef Eric Colby for making a great evening for all of us attending.
So when you go out to grab your bottle of bubbles to celebrate the beginning of 2009 check out some of the others sitting there on the shelf. Nothing needs to be expensive - just ask for a recommendation and you should be able to find some great sparkling wines for everyday enjoyment.
Cheers!
Sparkling wine is an interesting segment of the wine world. Many of us think of sparkling wine as something only for special occasions - anniversaries and New Years Eve. Unfortunately that means that everyone only gets to enjoy it twice, maybe three times a year. Isn't that just utterly disappointing? Luckily there are many different styles and types of sparkling wines to suit any occasion and this dinner was a perfect opportunity to explore them.
We started with a cheese course consisting of Robiola, a sheep and cow's milk soft cheese, served with dried currants, fresh raspberries, and almonds. Paired to this was a special beverage called Deus Brut de Flandres Cuvée Prestige 2006. Surprisingly not a wine at all, this was a specialty Belgian Ale which is unique in that it follows the Traditional method for making Champagne. This barley ale was a light straw color with aromas of ripened pear and honey. The pairing with the cheese board was great, and I can understand why they market this as "the Dom Perignon of beer." Check out the brewer's lively website here: Brewery Bosteels
After our cheese and Belgian/French ale we transitioned to a more Mediterranean course with Presto Prosecco Brut ($10.99) served with a zippy roasted tomato fondue. Prosecco is an Italian white variety and is used to make really fun sparkling wines. The Presto was gold in color and had fresh aromas including citrus, yellow apple, and pear. A dry wine with similar flavors it offered nice crisp acidity which simultaneously paired very well with the acid from the tomatoes and cleansed the creaminess of the cheese from my palate. For the price this is a great wine to serve to friends. It's mild-mannered and easy to drink - definitely a great everyday bubbly to consider.
Next up on to French Champagne with Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Extrem' ($39.99) paired with pan seared pierogies with spinach, fontal, and roasted pear. Sadly the first two bottles we opened were corked but the third was in much better quality. Nothing you can do, right? I'd say create a synthetic Champagne cork but the French would never go for it. Golden in color with aromas of citrus, cooked apple, almond, and a soft yeastiness. The best match from our dish with this Chardonnay was the poached pear, making a perfect compliment to the lemon and citrus flavors. This makes for a great sparkling wine to pair with food.
An American-made rosé accompanied the next course, Gruet Brut Rosé ($17.99) made by Gruet Winery in New Mexico. Clear and with a soft salmony pink, this wine boasted mostly red fruit aromas like raspberry and cranberry with softer fragrances of apple and grapefruit. As expected from the nose I wasn't disappointed by the crisp acidity from this wine. More of the red fruits and a soft citrus made this Chardonnay and Pinot Noir blend very refreshing. The paired dish offered grilled swordfish, winter greens, root vegetables, and a blood orange reduction. Very, very cool! This was probably the best pairing of the entire dinner.
Our fifth wine was another French Champagne from Bouzy, Jean Vesselle Oeil de Perdrix ($42.99). This was paired with chicken and boursin roulade, proscuitto, ratatouille crepe and reduced cream. The Oeil de Perdrix is a blanc de noir (white from black) Champagne made entirely from Pinot Noir grapes, so it has a very pleasant peach color. Aromas were concentrated around tart stone fruit (peach, apricot), apple, citrus and raspberry. It also had a distinct minerality, offering a nice sense of terroir. The rich ratatouille crepe and reduced cream stood up well to the crisp acidity, full body, and refreshing citrus on the palate. This was my second favorite pairing of the evening.
The final course of walnut encrusted lamb chops with green lentils, beet, and feta salad was paired by the intriguing Australian Shingleback Black Bubbles Sparkling Shiraz ($24.99). Deep purple ruby with very small bubbles made for one of the more interesting sparkling wines I've seen. The aromas were reminiscent of any other big Aussie Shiraz - black cherry, plum, licorice, and spice. Plum also dominated the palate and was a great match to the lamb and lentils. More rich flavors of chocolate and coffee lingered on the finish. For being named after an animal also known as a skink I always enjoy the wines Shingleback makes.
Completing our dinner we were served a decadent double chocolate cake with espresso mousse and cherry compote. What kind of sparkling wine would you possibly pair with this to make it better than it already is? Cinzano Brachetto D'Aqui DOCG ($19.99), a sweet sparkling wine from northern Italy. Made from the Brachetto grape - known also as Braquet in France - this wine is a bright pomegranate red in color and displayed aromas of cherry and strawberry, as well as honeyed and floral notes. All these followed through to the palate and made a remarkably good pairing with the chocolate, espresso, and cherry dessert.
This Counter Culture was a truly delightful experience and I was so pleased to be able to try so many different types of sparkling wines. In an unabashed plug for Whole Foods, if you're local and interested in coming to one of the dinners just call the store and ask for someone in the specialty department. Cost is usually about $45 and is entirely worth the amazing food and wine that is served - and is a great reason to have dinner cooked and served to you! A huge thank you to wine specialist Maggie Harrison and chef Eric Colby for making a great evening for all of us attending.
So when you go out to grab your bottle of bubbles to celebrate the beginning of 2009 check out some of the others sitting there on the shelf. Nothing needs to be expensive - just ask for a recommendation and you should be able to find some great sparkling wines for everyday enjoyment.
Cheers!
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