Sparkling delight

In 1833, James Busby, known as the father of the Australian wine industry, returned from studying winemaking and vine growing in France and Spain. He brought cuttings of French and Spanish vines, which he planted in his vineyards in the Hunter Valley. As with all new plantings, the early days were fraught with difficulties due to the terroir and climate.

Nevertheless, by the mid 1840s, wine was being produced and shipped to England. In the 1850s, immigrants from Germany established vineyards in the Barossa Valley, South Australia. Similar to South Africa, Australian wines gained respect and demanded prestigious awards at European wine expos. However, like everywhere else, this success came to a crashing halt when the Phylloxera epidemic reached the shores of Australia.

The devastating impact on the industry in Australia was extreme. It took the best part of seven decades to recover the vibe that we now associate with Australian wines. In the interim the majority of wines produced were sweet or fortified. In the early 1980s the industry began to produce highly acclaimed wines that found a loyal following in Europe and the North American markets. During this time, huge supermarket chains in the U.K. were purchasing Australian wine at almost cost price. This prompted the Australian state governments to sponsor growers to pull out the excess vines and focus on quality.

Larger producers continue to produce massive amounts of affordable, approachable wines for the general market, in addition to their more boutique labels. Penfolds Grange is a prestigious label commanding cult status and a magical blend of M.S.G (Mourvedre, Shiraz and Grenache). In Australia, Shiraz is the most commonly grown red varietal producing huge, full-bodied, plummy wines. Their Chardonnays are refreshingly crisp white wines sporting the essence of local eucalyptus.

Australian winegrowers and winemakers have raised the standard of excellence, so much so that aspiring winemakers from around the world flock to work harvest and learn the skills of resident winemakers.

THIS WEEK’S PICK
This week I had the pleasure to taste a new addition to the Hinterland family. Jonas Newman and Vickie have just released their 2010 Riesling ($20) made in the Charmat method, delightful! This style of sparkling wine originated in Italy and is also used in the production of sparkling Russian wine. Essentially, the wine goes through secondary fermentation while in tank and is bottled under pressure in a continuous process. This method also allows the base flavours of the wine to shine through, showcasing the varietal and dexterity of the winemaker.

This sparkling is a delight to the nose showing candied lime, petrol, white flower and pecan. The palate is a dry crisp mouthful of green stone fruit plums, flint and our renowned County minerality and acidity.