Out Of The Bottle

With David Ellis

Brookland Valley 2008 Estate Cabernet Merlot & Ant Moore Kiki Marlborough Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Australian winemaker Ant Moore who now calls New Zealand’s Marlborough Region home, has given a new twist to the region’s famed Sauvignon Blanc – he's made a sparkling from his 2009 Sauvignon Blanc harvest.

With a dash of sweeter wine and 5% fermented Mendoza Chardonnay blended into it, this is a wonderful party-time wine full of lively ripe-tropical and floral characters, and is slightly lower in alcohol than most sparklings.

Fruit came off Ant Moore’s Ant’s Nest, Pear Tree and Duck & Pheasant vineyards that have given him an enviable reputation for Sauvignon Blanc in his ten years in this New Zealand home of the stuff, in particular that from his Ant’s Nest vineyard that’s full of lemon, lime and tropical characters.

Bottled as Ant Moore Kiki Marlborough Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc 2009, it’s a rewarding sparkling at $19.95 to enjoy cold, but not too chilled so as to enjoy its full-on fruit flavours. (If you are wondering, Ant is short for Anthony.)

Now all there is to do is to think-up a reason for a party to enjoy it.

One For Lunch

West Australian Margaret River maker Brookland Valley has released a 2008 Estate Cabernet Merlot – the first since its exceptional 2004 because winemaker Peter Dillon didn’t believe the 2005, 2006 and 2007 vintages had delivered him fruit of high enough quality to bottle under the Brookland Valley label.

It was a decision to be admired, and doubly-rewarding for him is that this 2008 wine has already collected a Trophy and Five Gold Medals at regional and capital city wine shows; fruit came from the Wilyabrup sub-region of Margaret River, giving the Brookland Valley 2008 Estate Cabernet Merlot stand-out cassis, black olive and blackcurrant characters… an ideal wine at $45 to partner-up with rich, saucy Mediterranean pasta dishes.

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