Birks Chip Dry Fino & Founder's Block Chardonnay 2010
Birks Chip Dry Fino
Sherry never springs to front of mind when talk turns to wine styles and
varietals, and sadly sales here are minimal as a good drop is most rewarding.
Perhaps its purely ignorance: there are those who simply know nothing about it,
others who link it to little old ladies in darkened sitting rooms, and others
who think it the choice of those who drink from brown paper bags on park
benches.
Sherry was in fact one of the first wines made here from vines brought out on
the First Fleet, but because of trade agreements with Spain and the EU we can no
longer call our home-grown product "sherry." And one of our best local exponents
today is Andrew Birks, who has just released a Birks Chip Dry Fino (Fino being
Spanish for "fine") that in one word can best be described as "fantastic."
Andrew was one-time Chief Fortified Winemaker for Lindemans, later head of the
Wine Science School at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga, and has done
stints as a guest winemaker and speaker in sherry's home-country Spain. And so
passionate is he about it, he even set up a solera (sherry-making cellar) under
his home in Wagga, his wines going on to win multiple international awards.
His Birks Chip Dry Fino is a great drop to enjoy really cold as an aperitif with
tapas such as olives, salted almonds, oysters and seafoods, and even mild
cheeses; he's made just a thousand 375ml bottles at $25. Get onto it quickly and
order through Bidgeebong Wines +612 6931 9955 or winery@bidgeebong.com.au
One For Lunch:
2010 gave Coonawarra one of its earliest and best vintages ever, and once again
Katnook Estate came up trumps with a Founder's Block 2010 Chardonnay from fruit
that enjoyed below average rainfall and above average temperatures.
This wonderfully elegant drop has peaches and melons to the forefront and nice
Chardonnay "butteriness." A great drop at $18 with seafood in a creamy sauce.
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