Out Of The Bottle
With David Ellis 2008 White Label Shiraz Mourvedre & 2008 Brand’s Laira Chardonnay
Ask
most winemakers in the Hunter Valley about the 2008 vintage and they’d
more than likely tell you it was one they’d happily forget about –
except Andrew Margan who got the fruit for his White Label Shiraz
Mourvedre off the vines before the arrival of the rains that did so
much harm to others’ crops.
His in fact were probably the only
red grapes picked in the Lower Hunter before the rains, and while he
got only enough fruit for 300 cases, every bottle of this wine – the
only such blend made in the Hunter – is one to search out. (If you
can’t find it phone 02 6579 1317 or check-out www.margan.com.au)
Andrew’s
two grape varieties are inter-planted and always picked together, in
2008 yielding around just a tonne of quality fruit from every hectare
of the 40 year old vines. When made into wine it was good enough go to
under the Margan Family Winemakers’ White Label that was created in
2003 purely for small batches of wines that stand-out from others in
the Margan range.
The 2008 White Label is 85 per cent Shiraz
and 15 per cent Mourvedre, resulting in nice spicy-savoury flavours
from the Shiraz and a dusty richness from the Mourvedre, while savoury
tannins balance out the middle palate.
Pay $30, and as Andrew
Margan himself enjoys, serve with an exotic but easy to make sauté of
white beans, Spanish morcilla, scallops and picada. One For
LunchA
vineyard planted to Chardonnay amongst the predominantly red vines of
Coonawarra is used by Brand’s to show just how happily this block has
found itself at home in generally red-wine country.
The 2008
Brand’s Laira is a bigger-style Chardonnay, full-bodied with vibrant
stone-fruit flavours and hints of cashew nut and creamy oak characters;
at $21.99 it’s excellent buying to enjoy with crisp-skin salmon,
garlicky mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus.
Need a drink?
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