Out Of The Bottle
With David Ellis 2008 Mount Barker Whispering Hill Shiraz & Kurrajong Downs Black Duck Shiraz
When
he founded Western Australia’s Capel Vale winery back in 1974, Peter
Pratten set out create wines that would emulate those of the classic
wine regions of France – Bordeaux, Alsace, the Rhone...
His
enthusiasm paid off virtually from the start, and today his Single
Vineyard premium series under the Mount Barker Whispering Hill and
Margaret River The Scholar labels are highly-awarded gems of what he
aspired to create.
“My father has always been inspired by the
great wines of France, wines of elegance and typicity,” says Peter’s
son, and now company CEO, Simon Pratten. “So it makes sense that our
latest releases – the 2008 Mount Barker Whispering Hill Shiraz, 2008
Margaret River The Scholar Cabernet Sauvignon and 2010 Mount Barker
Whispering Hill Riesling – would be influenced by our approach to
handling these old world classics.”
We were particularly
impressed with the 2010 Whispering Hill Riesling, a wonderful cool
climate wine that’s made only in select years from the very best fruit
from the most select rows in the vines: the palate of this gem is alive
with lime-citrus flavours, coupled with great flint and mineral
characters.
Pay $35 and start a grand dinner with this and fresh
oysters, or finish-off with a glass or two with some soft goat’s and
hard cow’s cheeses. One For Lunch
Half-way between
Sydney and Brisbane is the New England wine region, an inland area of
42 vineyards and five wineries that was first planted in the 1880s, but
it only now coming to recognition – particularly as Australia’s only
region to boast both warm and cool viticulture.
One label worthy
of an investment in is Kurrajong Downs Black Duck Shiraz: the red berry
flavours are influenced by spice and peppery characters making an ideal
match with sweet and spicy pork spareribs. Great buying at $21.
Need a drink?
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