Charlie's Blend White 2011 & Angus The Bull Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
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2011 Charlie's
Blend White
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Hamish MacGowan likes his wine and he likes his steak, and for ten years
he's been partnering that steak with a Cabernet Sauvignon he says he created
as the first single varietal Australian red to specifically enjoy with steak
- and which he appropriately labelled Angus the Bull.
Hamish says red meat is quite subtle in flavour, and therefore needs a wine
that's not overpowering. "Which is why," he says, "I make Angus the Bull
from Cabernet Sauvignon: it retains tannins and fine fruit acid, the
characteristics that cut through the fattiness of meat." And while he adds
that his winemaking philosophy has remained unchanged over that decade, The
Bull over the same period has "evolved rather than changed" to meet a
shifting market place
As a result he's slowly increased the amount of cold climate Central
Victorian fruit to give greater elegance to the wine (the remainder is from
South Australia,) with his latest 2010 release elegant, yet still hearty and
generously tasty. Pay $19.95 and enjoy with that next steak - and as Hamish
does, with Spitfire brand Hot English Mustard from Victoria's The Regimental
Condiment Company.
One For Lunch
McLaren Vale's Kangarilla Road is one of our few makers to
produce a blend of Savagnin Blanc and Chardonnay - yes Savagnin Blanc, a
variety mostly grown in the L'Etoile and Cotes du Jura regions of France.
It's 2011 Charlie's Blend Savagnin Blanc Chardonnay has lots of sweet
tropical fruit and lychee flavours and a crisp acidity - and its certainly
well worth paying the just-$15rrp for this enjoyably different drop with
seafoods and salads.
Savagnin Blanc is also labelled in some parts of Europe as Traminer, and a
few years back when Spain's Albarino was thought would be the new darling of
white varieties in Australia, imported cuttings proved in fact to be
Savagnin Blanc and the "Albarino" experiment literally withered on the vine.
Hopefully with now-correct identification like Kangarilla Road's, there'll
be a bright new future for it.
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