Out Of The Bottle

With David Ellis

2011 The Yearling Sauvignon Blanc & 2008 Blockers Cabernet Sauvignon

It's not often that a winemaker can say that from a vintage that most described as “challenging and trying,” they were delivered some of the best white fruit they’ve ever had to work with.

But that’s what Rymill Coonawarra’s Sandrine Gimon had to say of fruit for the company’s 2011 The Yearling Sauvignon Blanc. “We had above average rainfall in winter, colder soil temperatures contributed to slow bud burst, and then heavy rains came during November and December,” Sandrine said.

“But the vineyard crew worked through everything that Mother Nature threw at them.” And through their care, the result was that excellent fruit that Sandrine describes as “sassy, luscious and multi-dimensional,” and which has resulted in the 2011 The Yearling being richly Sauvignon Blanc varietal, with trademark Coonawarra vibrancy and lovely lemon and passionfruit flavours.

Good value at $15 and a great appetiser wine to start a party with dips based on artichokes or sun-dried tomatoes, or to enjoy with most Thai dishes.

One For Lunch

Like many others in the 1950s and 60s, Eric Brand sold grapes from a block he owned in Coonawarra to the big Rouge Homme winery, and like those others was dubbed in the area a “Blocker.”

In 1966 Eric went a step further releasing a wine under his own Brand’s Laira label, it and subsequent drops going on to become some of Coonawarra’s finest and most respected. And today under the guidance of winemaker Peter Weinburg that tradition continues, with Brand’s Laira just releasing a wonderful 2008 Blockers Cabernet Sauvignon from a vintage Peter says delivered fruit of exceptional quality.

The wine is rich with intense blackberry/blackcurrant fruit flavours, fine tannins and varietal spice; pay $24.99 and enjoy with a rosemary-infused leg of lamb.

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