This time of year I disappear for three days with Pete and Dick. A brilliant-but-under-appreciated trio at the all-conquering Bishop Vesey's Grammar School in the 60's, we are going to walk Dartmoor and try being wicked. But at our age …?
Meanwhile here's a couple of things from Oz.
'Bounders' in Oz.
You should read this if ever you doubt the knowledge, commitment and skill of my 'Advisors' (sometimes, for obscure reasons called the 'Bounders'.)
The other day I had a customer wanting to talk to one of our buyers for advice because he felt someone called 'Wine Advisor' might not know enough. I told him my top Advisors probably knew more than I did (at 65 you forget more than you learn!) and that the new ones would never pretend to a knowledge they didn't have. Just not our style, that. Try for yourself.
Back in February, our Wine Advisors Simon Millard, Chris Moyle and Karl Wojna took a trip to Australia. Read on for a report - edited by me - on what they got up to that's fit to print.
Friday 18th February
Early meet at Martins Heron station for drive to Heathrow.
Saturday 19th February
Land at Melbourne 9pm local time
Sunday 20th February - Free day
Best breakfast buffet ever.
Tram to St.Kildas beach in the afternoon.
Monday 21st February - Yarra Valley
Domaine Chandon
A beautifully laid out modern winery. Heather gave us the tour of the cellars, riddling hall and barrel room. Bumped into Henry Laithwaite who was there learning about how to make sparkling wine. What are the chances?! Tasting with Glen the winemaker included our 2007 Heathcote Shiraz. The 2002 Prestige Cuvee was interesting, and the 2006 Brut and sparkling rose which were very good.
Yering Station
Tour and tasting with Gordon Gebbie, a very nice and knowledgeable chap. Again a modern cellar door but wonderfully designed. Stand outs of the tasting were the 2010 Fume Blanc, 1997 Yering Pinot Noir and the ’94 Parker 1st growth. The Xanadu and Mount Langi Ghiran ranges both good including a Margaret River Chardonnay and a Riesling from the Grampians.
(Tony … "Talking of 'what are the chances of that?, Gordon was the first Aussie winemaker I ever met … when he worked in Bordeaux. When I finally got myself to Oz, and visited my first cellar - Hungerford Hill in the Hunter - I got a bellowed "xxxx! Tony bloody Laithwaite, what the hell are you doing here"… from somewhere on top of the tanks. It was Gordon, the only Aussie winemaker I knew. He was there visiting too by chance!)
Giant Steps
Surprised as pulled into what appeared to be a DIY store in the middle of Healesville which turned out to be the winery. All glass and metal but on closer inspection an attractive modern building with a large café area buzzing with locals-mainly young families and school kids. As well as wine they make cheese, bake bread and grind coffee on site.
Tasting with Cameron Mackenzie and Steve Flamstead the winemaker- both really nice guys. Four sites – Sexton, Gladysdale, Tarraford and Applejack growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Sexton and Tarraford were the stand out amongst what were all good wines. Drove up with Cameron to the vineyards and saw the damage done by the bush fires in 2009. (When Tony was there - see his diary).
We've three wines from Giant Steps in stock now:
NINE TAILS MOSCATO ROSE 2010, GIANT STEPS CHARDONNAY 2009 and GIANT STEPS SEXTON VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2008
Very pleasant evening with Dan Parrott (Laithwaites Oz Buyer, based Down Under) in Melbourne with a few frosty beverages and some excellent Tapas from Movida.
Tuesday 22nd February - Mornington Peninsular
Yabby Lake
With Keith Harris- the cellar door was his recently vacated bungalow in the middle of the vineyard. Some good wines from Tom Carson. Red Claw is the entry level followed by Yabby Lake, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Waiting on the 2008 Rock Shiraz - the 2004 got 97 points from Halliday. No malo, minimal intervention. Kangaroos spotted on the vineyard tour!
A common theme we heard was move to screw caps helped along by the poor quality corks that apparently are sent to Australia.
Ten Minutes by Tractor
Wonderful views of Mornington Peninsular as at the highest point and overlooking the sea. Tasting with Julie. The 2008 McCutcheon Vineyard Pinot Noir was excellent as was the McCutcheon Chardonnay. The 10X Sauvignon Blanc also good. An impressive range.
Evening flight to Adelaide.
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