WHAT'S NEW IN WINE - Wine I TRENDS - Eat My Words
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Wine I TRENDS
WHAT’S NEW
IN WINE
WE LOOK AT THE WINES AND EXPERIENCES WE’LL
BE TRYING AND BUYING THIS YEAR
WORDS SARAH GAMBONI
PHOTOGRAPHY ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
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Wine I TRENDS
WHAT WE’RE
BUYING
PAINT THE TOWN PINK
As the business manager of
fine wine for Dan Murphy’s,
Peter Nixon keeps a keen
eye on Australians’ drinking
habits, so who better to reveal
our current thirst? “Rosé
continues to go from strength
to strength, in particular
that southern French style
that’s light, dry and fairly
pale,” Peter says. And gone
are the days when pink wine from Beechworth, Rutherglen
was considered a lady’s or Central Otago; and grenache PHOTOGRAPHY PINOT PALOOZA, TOURISM, D’ARENBERG WINERY, ISTOCKPHOTO.COM, KISUME
drink. “There are a lot of men from the Barossa Valley. Try
who’ve embraced the ‘brosé’ giving these bottles a quick
lifestyle,” he says. chill for perfect alfresco
WHITE HOT drinking. Shiraz fans, turn
When it comes to white to cooler climates, such as
wine, the sauvignon blanc Canberra and the Grampians,
brigade has moved on to and syrah from Hawke’s Bay
pinot grigio and prosecco. in New Zealand, for a fresher,
“Pinot grigio is the fastest- more elegant style.
growing white wine, with HOLD THE SUGAR
local versions finally taking It doesn’t take long for food
off here,” says Peter, who trends to trickle down into the
suggests looking to the cool wine space and one that is
climates of Tasmania and taking hold is an aversion to
the NSW Southern Highlands sugar. “Anything that indicates
for crisp, zesty styles of this sweetness on the label is a
Italian wine. Our taste in hard sell,” Peter says.
bubbles has also taken on an
Italian accent, as prosecco
sales continue to soar. TOP: Dan Murphy’s Peter Nixon says
lighter wine choices such as rosé and
“Prosecco is the antithesis gamay are popular. RIGHT: Sell-out events
of Champagne. While such as Pinot Palooza have tapped into
Champagne is rich, complex wine trends.
and diverse, prosecco is light,
uncomplicated and easy to
enjoy.”
RED LIGHTS
We’re lightening up in the
red wine department, too,
Peter says. “Ten years ago,
PHOTOGRAPHY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
lighter reds were seen as a
negative, but now they’re
part of an emerging trend.”
Winemakers are picking their
grapes earlier to retain higher
levels of acidity and keep
alcohol levels lower, offering
a refreshing change to the
big, burly reds of the past.
Lighter reds, which are ideal LEFT TO FAR RIGHT: McLaren Vale’s
for summer, include pinot climate favours Italian grapes, Greek
wine is growing in popularity, inspiring
noir from Tasmania, the Yarra winemakers such as Jim Barry (INSET),
Valley and the Mornington a sake cocktail at Melbourne’s Kisume.
Peninsula; aromatic gamay
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Wine I TRENDS
WHAT WE’RE cuisine.” Jane agrees, citing
assyrtiko as one to watch:
TRYING “While there’s currently only
the one from Jim Barry wines,
BRANCHING OUT assyrtiko is going to make its
Stuck in a chardonnay rut? mark in Australia.”
As the chief of judges of the BEATING THE HEAT
Perfect Australian Alternative Varieties
Wine Show and a member of
Just as Peter saw the potential
pinot the Halliday Wine Companion
for drought-tolerant assyrtiko
in Australia, prescient
tasting panel, Jane Faulkner winemakers have been busily
has sampled her fair share of planting Italian varieties that
lesser-known varieties. “Gosh, can stand up to our climate.
lots of varieties excite me, “There’s no question McLaren
from those structured wines Vale with its Mediterranean
to the more smashable drink- climate is an exciting place
now styles,” Jane says. “Two to grow varieties that cope
examples would be southern brilliantly with our warming
Italian red wines such as climate,” Jane says. “Think
aglianico, for its structure and vermentino, fiano, aglianico,
savouriness, and nero d’Avola nero d’Avola and even Rhone
for its lovely fruit profile and whites, especially roussanne.
juiciness. Hither & Yon’s nero is Also, cool-climate regions
a perfect example. It’s a great like Beechworth and the
red for summer as it’s not too Alpine Valleys are producing
heavy, not too light.” gems such as schioppettino,
If you’re looking to tempranillo and pinot blanc.”
branch out from your regular
chardonnay, Jane suggests SAKE
trying fiano or pinot blanc. It’s not just grape-based
Switch your sauvignon blanc wines that are capturing our
for arinto, picpoul, arneis or attention, with Japanese sake
gruner veltliner, and seek out also coming to the party.
tempranillo, cabernet franc, Sommelier Morgan Dunn of
mataro or montepulciano in Kisumé in Melbourne says:
place of shiraz. “We have sakes on the list that
speak to me aromatically and
GREECE IS THE WORD structurally in the same way
The man behind sell-out events some of my favourite wines do.
Pinot Palooza and Game of Venues are beginning to realise
Rhones, Dan Sims of Revel, has how versatile it is.”
a knack for nailing the local Sake is much more than just
drinking zeitgeist. Last June a partner to sashimi, Morgan
Revel shone a spotlight on the explains. “Sake is so diverse
oft-maligned wines of Greece that even if you fancied a bottle
with Oinofilia, showcasing with a three-inch-thick rib-eye,
80 wines from 20 producers. I’m pretty confident you could
“We had a bit of fun with it, find something to match.”
encouraging people to try some
wines they would not normally
encounter,” Dan says.
The charms of Greek wine
have not escaped Peter Barry
of Jim Barry Wines in the Clare
Valley, who was inspired to
plant assyrtiko following a trip
to Santorini in 2006. With its
crisp palate and fresh acidity,
Peter thought it would be a
perfect fit for the Australian
palate. Ten years later, Peter
released the first Jim Barry
Assyrtiko, saying: “It’s a natural
partner for our climate and
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Wine I TRENDS
HOW WE’RE A Tony Cragg sculpture at Pt Leo
DRINKING IT
Estate on Victoria’s Mornington
Peninsula. BELOW: A yoga and wine
session at Handpicked in Sydney.
URBAN WINERIES
These days, you don’t have
to plan a road trip to enjoy a
cellar-door tasting, with a host
of urban wineries popping
up in cities. In Sydney, visit
the Handpicked Cellar Door
in Chippendale for a tasting
flight at the bar or a private
event in the Experience Room.
Nearby in Redfern, Cake
Wines showcases drops from
its Adelaide Hills winery in an
edgy warehouse space. Just
down the road in St Peters,
Urban Winery Sydney offers
wine-blending masterclasses,
tutored tastings and winemaker
lunches.
Melbourne’s first “people-
powered winery”, Noisy Ritual
allows you to get involved
in the winemaking process,
including stomping, pressing, NEW SPIRIT
bottling and tasting workshops. DISTILLERIES AND
In the heart of Hobart, Glaetzer-
BREWERIES
Dixon Family Winemakers
“I think we’re in a golden
has turned an old ice factory
age of people embracing
into a winery and chic cellar
not only wine, but also
door. Across the ditch in NZ,
vermouth, spirits and craft
PHOTOGRAPHY DAN MURPHY’S; REVEL;ISTOCK; ADRIAN LANDER; ANSON SMART; HANDPICKED CELLAR DOOR
the Urban Winery in Napier
beer,” says Dan Sims of
is housed in an old art deco
Revel.
tobacco factory.
Standout distilleries and
DIY BESPOKE BLENDS breweries include:
Blending a bespoke red is BLEND your own gin or
nothing new at Penfolds whisky at Archie Rose
in the Barossa or Wynns in Distilling Co in Sydney.
©Christopher David Thompson
Coonawarra. But the high-end TAKE A TOUR of the
Sainthood experience at revamped whisky distillery
St Hugo takes it one step at the iconic Lark Cellar
further and invites you to adopt Door in Hobart.
a row of grapevines and then VISIT the new Hippocampus
turn their grapes into your own Australia’s largest sculpture BEND, STRETCH AND SIP distillery and cellar door
signature wine. In New Zealand, collections. Nearby, Jackalope Want to take a holistic in Perth.
Allan Scott Family Winemakers features a sleek boutique hotel approach to wine tasting? Sign ENJOY live music,
in Marlborough lets you create and fine-dining restaurant up for Yoga in the Vines at food-truck snacks and
your perfect pinot blend in the Doot Doot Doot, where a jaw- Craggy Range in Hawke’s Bay, sample craft brew, gin and
comfort of your kitchen with a dropping installation of more where you can practise your ‘moonshine’ among the
home-delivered box of single- than 10,000 globes mimics sun salutations in the barrel beer tanks at Young Henry’s
block pinot noirs. the bubbling fermentation hall or on the lawn overlooking in Newtown, Sydney.
process. In McLaren Vale, the grapevines. Or, join a yoga and SAMPLE seasonal specials
ART AMONG THE VINES long-awaited D’Arenberg Cube wine session at Handpicked at Four Pillars in the Yarra
For an artistic bent to your is a futuristic Rubik’s cube Cellar Door in Sydney, where a Valley, perhaps the Bloody
tasting session, newcomer that houses tasting rooms, a one-hour session on the mats is Shiraz Gin or Australian
Pt Leo Estate on the Mornington restaurant and mind-bending followed by a tasting session at Christmas Gin.
Peninsula is home to one of installations. the bar. We like!
TWR1053
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Wine I TRENDS
MIXED DOZEN
PETER NIXON’S TIPS FOR AN IDEAL CASE OF WINE
PROSECCO PINOT GRIGIO
DAL ZOTTO PUCINO, PROSECCO ARTEMIS PINOT GRIGIO,
KING VALLEY < $20 SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS,
Australia’s epicentre for fine NSW < $20
prosecco. This is a delicious A cool-climate beauty with
interpretation. Italian heritage floral notes and a crisp finish.
paying off. DEVIL’S CORNER PINOT
PORTA DANTE, PROSECCO GRIGIO, NORTHERN
ITALY < $15 TASMANIA < $20
Deliciously fresh and Tasmania’s latest, greatest
affordable. White flowers, expression of this favourite.
apple and pears. Fine bubbles. WARBURN ESTATE RUMOURS
SANTA MARGHERITA PINOT GRIGIO, RIVERINA,
SUPERIORE 52 PROSECCO DI NSW < $5
VALDOBBIADENE, NORTHERN Think you can’t buy wine under
ITALY < $25 $10 (or even $5) worth drinking
Near the pinnacle of prosecco in Australia? Think again.
and still half the price of most COOL REDS
name-brand Champagne. TASMANIAN HILL PINOT NOIR,
TASMANIA < $20
ROSÉ The best-known lighter-red
BLUE PYRENEES BONE DRY
grape of all, it is harder
ROSÉ, VICTORIA < $20 and harder to find a decent
A great example of the light, example under $20.
fresh, zesty and bone-dry rosé Z WINE ‘RUSTICA’ GRENACHE,
styles now in Australia. BAROSSA VALLEY, SOUTH
PIGOUDET PREMIÈRE VIN DE AUSTRALIA < $20
PROVENCE ROSÉ, PROVENCE, Plush and fruit-concentrated
FRANCE < $20 with a complex savoury
Provence is to rosé (or light, underbelly. Minimally-oaked. PHOTOGRAPHY ANSON SMART PHOTOGRAPHY, MR MICK, DOMAINE WILLIAM FEVRE, FOUR PILLARS PT. LEO ESTATE
dry, savoury rosé) what Chill lightly to around 16°C and
Marlborough is to sauvignon enjoy with a barbecue.
blanc. This a benchmark. MOUNT LANGI GHIRAN BILLI
VILLA WOLF PINOT NOIR ROSÉ, BILLI SHIRAZ, VICTORIA < $20
PFALZ, GERMANY < $20 Those looking for a fresher,
Southern France doesn’t have more elegant expression of
a monopoly on great rosé. This shiraz need look no further.
one from Germany is absolutely White pepper, anise and
brilliant. raspberry on a silky palate.
Aged to
perfection
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