Emily and Chris tied the knot in one of my fav churches, The Church of Epiphany, at Crafers and reception at the gorgeous Mt Lofty. I had a ball, they were lovely to photograph and the bridal party were fun and into the photography which makes a big difference on the day.     

My blog is essentially me picking my fav picks and perhaps playing around with them. These are particularly ” old worldy “ and vintage. I used an action that gives it a look from the 70s.       

The Mount Lofty Volleyball Club was formed in 1986 to give talented Volleyballers from the strong Stirling/Heathfield/Aldgate Adelaide Hills area a chance to play State League Volleyball.  In its first year the Mount Lofty men’s team, coached by Harley Simpson and captained by National player Steve Tutton won the two major events in South Australia, The State League Premiership and the South Australian Open. 1987 saw the club campaign two State League teams with the inclusion of a women’s team. This team coached by David Eldridge emulated the men’s outstanding effort of winning the State League premiership in their first year. Olympic Gold Medallist Kerri Pottharst was a member of this team. In a very short period of time, Mount Lofty has become one of the powers of Australian Volleyball with many national and state players representing the club.

Mt Lofty was a foundation Club of the Australian Volleyball League fielding both men’s and women’s teams, winning both men’s and women’s divisions in 2002, 2004 and 2006.

2010 Adelaide Hills food and wine festival “crush”

20 wineries will be show casing the hills finest wines and gourmet food

in a relaxed and fun atmosphere with live music !

check out the program at www.crushfestival.com.au

Adelaide is the capital city of the Australian state of South Australia. It is the fifth largest city in Australia, with a population of over one million. It is a coastal city beside the Southern Ocean and is situated on the Adelaide Plains, north of the Fleurieu Peninsula, between the Gulf St Vincent and the low lying Mount Lofty Ranges.

Traditionally the Great Australian Dream has been to own a house on a modest quarter acre block. The suburbs are testament to that dream and most Adelaideans live on large allotments in spacious surroundings. The suburbs have few multi storey buildings and are leafy and green. Recently, inner city townhouses have become very fashionable among those with too much money on their hands and this has led to a spate of high rise developments.

Adelaide has a Mediterranean climate. Most of the rain falls in the winter months. Rainfall is unreliable, light and infrequent in the summer. The winter has fairly reliable rainfall with June being the wettest month of the year, averaging around 80 mm. Frosts are rare and there is usually no appreciable snowfall, except at Mount Lofty and some places in the Adelaide Hills.

The Festival City with stunning architecture surrounded by sweeping gardens and green belts, beautiful churches and the vibrancy of a modern inner city. See stunning views over the city from Montefiore Hill, the delightful Torrens River and sample the best at Haighs Chocolates. Adelaide is sometimes referred to as the City of Churches.

The fountain in the northern section of the square was designed by Adelaides premier sculptor, John Dowie and has as its theme three of South Australias Rivers, Torrens, Onkaparinga and Murray.

There are many options for accommodation, either in the heart of the city or alternatively on the coast, or amongst the wonderful landscape in the Adelaide Hills. Prices vary greatly depending upon what you are looking for, but you are guaranteed to find something just right.

Kangaroo Island is one of the world’s last great unspoiled island wildernesses. Native Australian wildlife and nature abound, and many species of plant and animal that are found on Kangaroo Island are no longer seen on the Australian mainland.

With spacious boulevards and vibrant inner city districts, sophisticated architecture and lush gardens, its the perfect venue for all sorts of activities big or small.

A great place to be come and see for yourself.

Today’s guest blogger is winemaker Teresa Heuzenroeder.

Teresa Heuzenroeder

I often get told that winemakers must be relaxed outside of vintage. After all, what else is there to do for the rest of the year? So I thought this might be a good opportunity to provide a winemaker’s post-vintage snapshot from a Chardonnay perspective.

For me there are three distinct stages Chardonnay needs to go through once the hyperactivity and nervous anticipation of vintage is over. We know the flavours and textures we tasted in the vineyard, but there’s still a way to go before we can realise that vineyard vision in the final bottle and it goes something like this;

The hard work behind the scenes is the real grunt work that no one sees and is hardly glamorous but every bit as important as what happens during vintage and blending. It’s all about barrels – stacks of them (literally). Each barrel has to be tasted, mixed and topped every couple of weeks from the end of vintage until about now. This mixing process helps build texture and body into the wine and gives that palate creaminess and toasted nut complexity that is so important for top-notch Chardonnay. At the start it’s difficult to see any difference at all, but as the year goes on you find yourself catching a tantalising glimpse of the complete wine. So close, but still more work to do!

Checking each barrel

Blending is the culmination of all our work and it’s make-or-break time for each barrel; will they make the cut or are they out? This is what we’re up to right now (just in case you thought we might be celebrating the Festive Season with a glass of Chardonnay in hand). Throughout November and December we are busy tasting and deciding on that critical final blend.  It’s important to assess every barrel as each is a complete wine in itself. However, the sum of the whole is far more important than any individual barrel and that’s what we always consider when we make our selection.

The final countdown is the point at which we realise the flavours we saw in the vineyard all those months ago are indeed still there but they’re even better. For some wines (like Eden Valley Wild Ferment Chardonnay) this will be the end of the journey and they’ll be prepared for bottling early next year. For others (such as the Adelaide Hills FDW[7c] Chardonnay) the blend will be put together and go back to oak for another few months to quietly mature and complex before bottling in the middle of next year. By which time the next vintage will be being feverishly worked on (see “hard work behind the scenes” above). So the winemaking cycle continues.

Now what was that about nothing happening outside of vintage?

We’ve had a feast of worthwhile Australian wines put before us in Dublin recently. As well as the Penfolds events mentioned below, Liberty Wines put on a terrific Australia and New Zealand Road Show a few weeks ago. The highlight of this was a Shiraz seminar co-hosted by John Duval, the man who made Grange for many years before moving on to produce under his own name. (If you ever come across John Duval Entity Barossa Shiraz, grab it.)

This week the Landmark tutorial was the third excellent event organised by Wine Australia in the space of a month. (Pro-active or what? Other countries struggle to put on one or two tastings a year – and then wonder why their wines are being forgotten.) Landmark is a seminar held annually in Australia to show off the country’s very finest wines. Dermot Nolan MW, who represented Ireland at it this year, talked us though a selection of his favourite bottlings at the Shelbourne – and very impressive they were too.  You can hear my comments (uttered through wine-stained teeth, I’m afraid) about half way through this YouTube video:

October brought a fascinatng Alternative Varietals tasting presented by Yalumba’s switched-on winemaker Louisa Rose. Now we know how extensively Australia is experimenting with grapes and wine styles that are relatively new to it – like Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris, Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne, Tempranillo, Nebbiolo and so on. Not an inch of room for boredom anywhere in sight.

September saw viticulturalist Marty Edwards present an intriguing introduction to the Adelaide Hills, a cool region that I have merely driven though (in a rush to Eden Valley).  I’ll certainly stop to track down some of its stylish wines next time.

Today’s guest blogger is winemaker Sam Wigan, or as Jane refers to him, Captain Colourscheme.

Well, it has been a good week for Yalumba, and it all started last Thursday at the Adelaide Review Hot 100 South Australian Wines. The Hot 100 Wine competition is open to any South Australian wine. Wines from the Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, McLaren Vale, Eden Valley, Coonawarra and Adelaide Hills are all eligible, and with more than 700 wines entered there is stiff competition to get into the top 100, let alone the top 10.

Sam and Teresa

Teresa Heuzenroeder and I got the call up that we had two wines (2004 Pewsey Vale Contours Riesling and the 2008 FDW7c Adelaide Hills Chardonnay) in the top 10 and that we would be required to pour and talk about the wines on the night. The news that we had two wines in the top 10 was very exciting, but we were unaware of what would unfold at the presentations at the Hilton that night.

The awards for the top 10 wines were announced 10th to 1st to build suspense. The first Yalumba entry was announced at number 8 (Pewsey Vale Contours) and with great jubilation I went up and accepted the award. At number 6 the presenter explained how excited he was to see a chardonnay in the top 10. Teresa and I assumed it was the FDW 7c, but alas it was the Norton Summit Vineyards 2007 Chardonnay (another Adelaide Hills Chardy).

With only five wines remaining, the tension was building.

As they read out the 2nd place wine it became apparent to Teresa and I that the FDW 7c was the top wine. Great success, Teresa was grinning from ear to ear and why wouldn’t you be – as the winemaker of the number one wine and prize winner of two return tickets to Paris care of Singapore Airlines. We spent the remainder of the evening talking and tasting with the punters who were very complimentary about the quality of our two top 10 wines.

The photo of Teresa and I was actually taken on Tuesda,y 3rd of November, Melbourne Cup day. We don’t usually dress like this, but to help celebrate we had an ’80s day at the races’ theme dress up (although I look more like a ’50s horse trainer!).

To cap off our winning week we also collected four trophies at the Limestone Coast wine show for the 2006 The Cigar - Best Cabernet Sauvignon, Best Red of Show, Best Wine of Show and Viticulturalist of Best Wine of Show – on Thursday night and a trophy for the 2007 Heggies Botrytis Riesling at the Melbourne wine show the following morning. All in all, a good couple of days for the Yalumba stables!

That’s all the news from me (Captain Colourscheme) here at Yalumba.

Not even rain could put a dampener on their day. These guys were so relaxed and into each other and the love they have for their 2 children Cooper and Charlotte was so evident and beautiful to witness. Funnily enough it rained on the birth days of both Cooper and Charlotte too.

Amy looked nothing short of immaculate, as did the bridesmaids of course. Jarrod and the lads donned their RM Williams get-ups and looked pretty dapper themselves I must say. Both the Ceremony and Reception were held at Glen Ewin Estate up in Houghton in the Adelaide Hills. We had some great light and some lovely moments were captured. Here’s a few of my favs……

Dane grabbed this corker….promise this was not a set up either….funny stuff.

Thanks Dane, another awesome shot I wish I took.

A great shot Dane took (one of many) – I love a shot that someone else has taken that makes me wish I’d thought of….

ummmmm…

Not sure how this happened but these guys just got funky and did their own thing and the light just matched the scenario. I’d like to be able to say I expected this shot to turn out this way but I’d be lying. Just perfect I reckon.

Why would you photograph anything else.

Mmmmmm…..

Jarrod’s bro. My challenge, set by his mum, was to get a happy shot of him…I think this fits and was only one of many.

This little guy was in a world of his own. While everyone else was busily chatting and eating he was hard at work covering himself in stickers.

Happy mum.

I’ll leave it there.

Hey All,

It’s been a while since my last post. So much has been happening. Along with shooting some great weddings we’ve also been moving across the city from the East to the West and are now based in Glenelg North and working out of a separate studio at the rear of our new home. I’m pretty sure I speak for Dane who helps out here a few days a week, when I say what a relief it is to be out of our little office and into this nice fresh bright space…more to follow on that later.

Below are some of my favourite moments from the wedding of Hayley and Simon. The sun was shining and everyone looked to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. We sure did. Enjoy.

A little taste of the images from Saturday. Amazing day, location, food, wine, people…the list goes on.

 A Morning in the Adelaide Hills was hosted by John McDonnell of Wine Australia Ireland and presented by Marty Edwards of the Lane Vineyards http://www.thelane.com.au/. Marty tasted through a number of wines that are typical of the styles that most represent what the Adelaide Hills are best at.  The Adelaide Hills is a narrow corridor 70 km x 30km with over 2000 hectares  under vine that was first planted in 1839. The vines are planted between 400 and 600 metres above sea level. The high altitudes regulate the temperature and with a diurnal difference of nearly 20C it maintains the natural acidity of the grapes. It also has a longer hang time than the Barossa or the McLaren Vale. The hang time or ripening period is significant as flavour develops better when the grapes are allowed to ripen over a longer period of time. A shorter ripening time with higher temperatures can effect the aromatic compounds of the grapes and produce very high sugar content. Therefore the wines of the Adelaide Hills are not your typical Aussie but are more European in style being fresher, aromatic and having balanced, natural acidity.

There are 95 Growers and 20 Wineries in the Adelaide Hills producing roughly 70% White wine to 30% Red, no mention of rose but Sparkling Wine is on the rise . The main grape varieties planted are Sauvignon Blanc (Regional Champion), Chardonnay, Shiraz, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Cabernet and New Italian varietals.

The Lane Gathering Sauvignon/Semillon 2007The first of Marty’s own wines that we tasted was The Lane Gathering Sauvignon/Semillon 2007. The aromas were of lime with vanilla notes in the background. The palate had rich flavours of apricot, lime and a nice streak of minerality. There was a certain creaminess derived from the oak treatment

The Lane 19th Meeting Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 

 Had an opaque core with a near tawny rim showing it age. There was quite a bit of sediment in the glass. There was a typical Cabernet Sauvignon nose of blackcurrant with some herbaceous notes. The tannins were less than medium and on the plate the plum flavour was more dominant with some blackcurrant and a slight mushroom character. The wine had a great length in sync with its overall quality.

THERE’S MORE TO GUMERCHA THAN A BIG WOODEN HORSE

Who needs acid when you can come to Gumeracha and visit the Big Rocking Horse!

Big things, I love them. Big wines. Big meals. Big occasions. And I especially love a Big Monument. Been to all of them in Australia. The Big Banana. The Big Pineapple. The Big Orange. The Big Sheep. The Big Koala. The Big Lobster. The Big Ned Kelly. But one of them holds a special place in my heart. It was the first Big Monument I ever saw as a kid. It was The Big Rocking Horse in the sleepy little Adelaide Hills town of Gumeracha. This Big Monument that showed me that dreams were possible. That even the pointless actually had a point (and a bloody big one at that)! Gumeracha has always had a special place in my heart. And that special place in my heart has grown a little bit bigger after getting to know the wines of Gumeracha’s own Protero.

VEEE-ON-YAY… IS A-OK (as are Goats and all that they produce)

If I was a goat I would like to live here

So, we’ve done the Rose, loaded up on good Chardonnay and had some wonderful Cheese and Oysters. But before we hit the Protero stand i’m distracted by a delicious looking platter of Goats Cheese and Quince Paste tarts. I think that Goats are probably the most underrated food producing animal in Australia. They produce delicious milk, cheese and meat. Curry Goat is bloody delicious. But anyways, I was peckish again so I *Bad joke alert* grabbed one of those tarts faster than a footy player would on his end of season footy trip. Were they good? Delicious. Who made them? Couldn’t tell you. Sorry. It was a catering company in the Adelaide Hills that do weddings, parties, anything… If anyone who was at the tasting knows please leave a comment below because I would like some more Goat’s Cheese and Quince Paste tarts. Please.

On to the Protero stand. There were more people ready to serve wine than being served wine at the stand. Which isn’t hard when there is no-one being served wine. But do you really need four people to man one stand? Maybe not but the first thing that struck me about the folk at the Protero stand (a bunch of owners/assistant winemakers) was there enthusiasm and love of what they do. Always a good thing, especially when you’ve passed a couple of soulless Foster’s/Constellation/Pernod stands. These are the three companies that produce the vast amount of wine in Australia. They dominate the wine industry in a similar fashion to the way Coles, Woolworths and IGA dominate the Supermarkets. Which brings me to another point. While I love wines from wineries and companies of all sizes, why is it so easy to pick the big brands at wine tastings??

INTWINES GUIDE TO PICKING (and avoiding) THE BIG THREE AT REGIONAL (or other) WINE TASTINGS

• Excessive Promotional Material
• Excessive highlighting of awards no matter how minor
• Tight ass pouring of wine
• Rude, holier than thou and uninterested staff manning the stand
• No wine above $20 RRP available for tasting
• Start Packing up 3 hours before the end of the Tasting

Ahh, cascades... So relaxing, so nice after a silly rant.

Rant over. Back to Protero. Enthusiastic people. Excited for me to try their wines. Excited for me to spread the word about their wonderful wines. You don’t need me, I say, you have some fancy Winestate Wine Of The Year award for your Merlot. No, they say, we want real people to spread the word. It works best they say. Agree I do. And then they give me a taste of the most delicious Viognier I have had for a while.

2007 Protero Wines Viognier

Protero Viognier 2007

Price :: $29 from http://www.proterowines.com.au

Cellar Potential :: Delicious now and will stay that way up to 3 years

Score :: 94

Music Match :: Delicate, sensual and refined… The music to match this wine could only come from Minnie Ripperton, of Lovin’ You fame. Why? Minnie and Viognier are both underrated. In the wrong hands they can become a caricature. Yes, i’m looking at you South Park and various nameless winemakers. But when they are treated right they are both capable of soaring to undreamt of heights. Forget Lovin’ You and head straight to Inside My Love, in my humble opinion her finest moment. Grab a bottle of this sexy, slinky wine. Grab your partner. Put on Minnie Riperton. And let the magic begin…

The Summary :: This wine is delicious. In the wrong hands Viognier can be oily, horrible stuff that tastes like the juice in a tin of sliced Apricots or Peaches. But not this stuff. Sure the signature Viognier apricot is there. But the aroma is more apricot kernel than pure apricot. And it’s supported by lifted citrus, quince and pear notes. Delicate. These intriguing notes continue onto the palate where they dominate the apricot to the point of almost making it disappear. But it’s really all about the mouthfeel. Buttery, slinky and balanced with the right amount of acidity. Not in the least bit oily. Refined. And for my money one of the best value Viogniers in Australia.

* This post is dedicated to the memory of Keith Floyd, a true legend who bought class, humor and irreverence to the world of food and wine. I heard the sad news of his passing as I was writing this post. He will always be a great inspiration to me and many others. RIP Keith Floyd*

Press Release (March 2007)

The photographic exhibition “butcher, baker, pizza maker…” is a documentation of people and place in the Adelaide Hills.  The exhibition highlights the well-known faces in the local hills area, including Piccadilly, Crafers, Stirling, Aldgate, Mylor, Heathfield and Bridgewater.

Giving an insight into the people who work in our community, the project showcases 36 individuals including the butcher, dentist, hairdresser, realtor, mechanic, greengrocer, coach, teacher, vet, baker, bus driver, doctor, fireman, florist and more.

As well as showcasing the quality of life in the hills community, the project is a working life documentation of historical value.

Photographer Jane Horton says, “Our community is made up of a diverse range of people – some we know well, others we know their face but not their name, and others we have heard of but don’t know what they look like.

I was keen to make a social documentation of some of these wonderful people in our community.  A number of our best known faces have retired or moved out of the area so I felt it was important to capture our current identities.

The exhibition is currently showing at the Aldgate Café. Plans have been made in association with the Royal District Nursing Society (RDNS) to publish a 2008 calendar of the local identities and will be distributed for sale throughout the hills.  All proceeds of the sale of the calendar will be donated by the photographer to the RDNS.

Press Release (November 2007)

Using images from her successful photographic exhibition ‘butcher, baker, pizza-maker…’ Adelaide Hills photographer Jane Horton has produced a calendar for 2008.  All proceeds from the sale of this calendar go to raise much needed funds for the Royal District Nursing Service.

Bill Taylor, CEO, Royal District Nursing Service says:

People like Jane Horton are rare in our society – she has never forgotten the support she received from RDNS nurses over 20 years ago and has now put her talent and considerable effort into producing this charming calendar.

Just as we were happy to be able to assist Jane and her family, we continue to assist over 1,500 people every day, and have done so since 1894.

Community support is vital for us to continue to provide the essential nursing care that comforts people who are dying, chronically ill or just out of hospital, and allows them to be professionally looked after in their own homes.

Sales of this calendar will provide very welcome funds to support the extraordinary work of our nurses.

Major sponsor of the calendar, Andrew Thomas says:

“I am proud to sponsor this fundraising initiative for The Royal District Nursing Service of South Australia. Jane has captured some of our terrific characters with her warm and personal photographs. This calendar provides a tangible avenue of helping fund the work of the RDNS and of informing our community of their invaluable service.

(LET ME TAKE YOU DOWN, ‘CAUSE I’M GOING TO) LOBETHAL ROAD where the Chardy’s unreal.

So what do you do after you’ve tried some great Chardonnay? Well, at the Hills tasting you eat some delicious cheese and then drink some more great Chardonnay! The cheese in question was from a company that i’ve loved and supported for a very long time. B.d. Farm Paris Creek. I’ll try not to waffle on but these guys have been making a great range of organic and biodynamic milk and yogurt products for almost 20 years. Recently they have also started making a equally good range of hard and soft cheeses. If you want more information on them and their products, check out http://www.bdfarmpariscreek.com.au/.

So, with a belly full of cheese it was onto the Lobethal Road stand. Call me ignorant but i’d never heard of Lobethal Road wines before attending the tasting. Especially ignorant as one of my favourite Hill wineries, Tilbrook (more on them in another post but just quickly their new Sangiovese Cabernet blend is brilliant), is also from Lobethal in the Adelaide Hills. But I digress… Great Chardonnay is what we are looking for so we ask for a taste of their top of the line model, the Bacchant.

What's this? This is where your head'll be when you drink this Chardonnay!

2008 Lobethal Road Wines Bacchant Chardonnay

Price :: $40 – 45

Cellar Potential :: Up to 6+ years

Score :: 96 Points

Music Match :: Sublime, uplifting wine deserves sublime and uplifting music.. Drink this wine while listening to Camille by Georges Delerue… If you don’t know Georges, he was a brilliant French Film composer that wrote over 350 scores for film and television. Make sure your seated when drinking the wine and listening to Camille, it is a heady and truly intoxicating experience.

The Summary :: Sometimes a wine you expect to be great turns out to be great. Sometimes a wine you expect to be great turns out to be disappointing. And sometimes along comes a wine of which you expect very little but delivers in spades. This is one of those wines. Uplifting aromas of honey, white peach, mandarins and a hint of oak. Near perfect balance and integrity on the palate with white peaches, citrus, oak and honey softly dancing on the palate. But that’s not the best bit. The texture. Oh, a joy to behold. Soft and silky it caresses the mouth in all the right places, making it almost a shame to swallow this wine. Is it a little pricey at $42? Not at all, at that price it’s damn good value. Do I still hate Chardonnay like I did six months ago? Not a chance. If we all tried Chardonnay this good the Anything But Chardonnay Club would be a lonely place.

YOU MUST BE OFF YOUR TROLLI!

…And now for something completely different. After more food treats (possibly the best smoked salmon, kingfish and prawns i’ve ever tasted from Harris Smokehouse in Hahndorf) it was off to sample the wines from Hahndorf Hill Winery. Tasted the whites, and sure they were agreeable and nice but the wine that really took me by surprise was their Rose. Deliciously fresh, dry as a dead dingo’s donger (like all good Rose) and totally unique. Unique because it is the only Rose in Australia made from the obscure grape varieties of Trollinger and Lemburger. Apparently these grapes are a little bit like David Hasselhoff’s singing… Big in Germany and Austria but pretty unpopular everywhere else! Anyways, the Rose is delicious and great value too. So put away your Rockford’s Alicante Bouchet and grab a bottle of this when it gets warm.

HHW Rose

Price :: Around $19

Cellar Potential :: Don’t even think about it, drink it young and fresh!

Score :: 91 Points

Music Match :: This Rose is a deliciously dry delight, so it needs some deliciously dry music to match. With the wines German heritage you need some German music to really match this well. Dry German music doesn’t sound very appealing but one brilliant pop song fits the bill. It’s got to be the most popular Cold War-era protest song ever, 99 Luftballons by Nena.

The Summary :: Australia has been plagued for years by overly sweet Rose wines. But the tide is finally turning with drops like Hahndorf Hill Trollinger/Lemburger Rose. On the nose I got a blast of raspberries, strawberries, apples and marmalade. Many of these notes continued onto the palate with the berries dominating. Texturally this wine is silky smooth with great mouthfeel. It finishes bone dry, inviting another sip… Then another.. Then another… Dangerous but delicious summer barbie wine, ditch the Banrock Station White Shiraz or Rockford’s Alicante Bouchet and grab a bottle of this.

STAY TUNED FOR PART FOUR or GUMERACHA (IT’S GOT MORE THAN A BIG WOODEN HORSE)

2006 Max Off The Leash Shiraz Viognier

2006 Max Off The Leash Shiraz Viognier

Price :: Around $20

Cellar Potential :: Up to 3 years

Score :: 85

Music Match :: A dog of a wine… A dog of a tune might just help you get your mind off this wine! Crank Boom Boom by Paul Lekakis to get your mind off the wine and back in the 80s…

Summary :: The Lane has one of the most picturesque Cellar Doors/Restaurants in the country. They also make some stellar white wines, such as the Gathering which I have reviewed previously. Off The Leash is their entry level range, the name has something to do with a dog called Max. Seriously, another dog related wine label?? Come on now people, I know they are cute and man’s best friend and all but enough already. Plus it’s disrespectful to name your crappest wine after your best mate! From the first sniff this wine was disappointing. Unusually for a cool climate region this wine smells of overcooked stewed fruits. This is ever so slightly tempered by apricots, berries, a hint of spice and white pepper. On the palate the stewed fruits are masked a little by the Viognier component. As a result you get some reasonable cherry and dark berry flavours. The Viognier also adds a little textural interest, making the wine smooth on the palate. It makes the wine bearable, but by no means great. The finish on this wine is very short and slightly bitter. All in all, a disappointing wine given the price and the wineries pedigree. It’s a little bit unrefined and basic for my tastes. Off The Leash? If they’d kept the wine On The Leash (ie. more controlled and focused) this wine could have been better. But them’s the breaks.

For Part One of Highlights of the Adelaide Hills Region Tasting click here :: http://wp.me/pBx4h-1u

A RANT ABOUT CAT’S WEE AND SOME SHUCKING GOOD OYSTERS

A great place for some freshly shucked oysters and a glass of The Gathering

So, one interesting varietal down, several more to come. I’ve talked about Pinot Gris but I’m yet to mention tasting any straight Sauvignon Blanc. Why not, some of the passionfruit, capsicum and cat’s wee lovers out there might ask? Well, firstly I am not a huge Sauvignon Blanc fan and secondly I didn’t taste any samples that were worthy of writing up. Sure, there were many examples that tasted ‘nice’ and ‘acceptable’. Full credit to the Adelaide Hills winemakers for making a style that appeals in a similar, crowd-pleasing fashion to Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. But if it smells like passionfruit and cat’s wee, then it just ain’t for me.

Personally, I prefer my Sauvignon Blanc blended with a little bit of Semillon. The complexity gained by adding the Semillon seems to smooth the Sauvignon Blanc’s intensity. It prevents the wine from becoming a caricature when done well. And the guys at The Lane Vineyard near Hahndorf have really nailed this style of wine with their 2008 Gathering Sauvignon Blanc Semillon.

2008 The Lane Gathering Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

2008 The Lane Gathering Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

Price :: $30

Cellar Potential :: Great Drinking Now but will develop over the next 2-3 years

Score :: 92

Music Match :: Smooth, complex and vastly interesting. Drink this while listening to Gather To The Chapel from Liam Finn’s great album, I’ll Be Lighting.

Summary :: This wine stands out from the pack with the kind of complexity and interest missing from the vast majority of Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blends. Enticing aromas of limes, almonds and honey. Great integrity on the palate with a touch of minerality, limes, lemons, white peach and honey. The honey aspect of this tasty wine extends to the smooth, mouth-filling texture which takes it to another level. If you love Sauvignon Blanc then give this wine a try, you won’t be disappointed. Plus the complexity and class may just inspire you to seek out something a little more interesting than Giesen Sauvignon Blanc, not that there’s anything wrong with that!

So, just when I thought this wine couldn’t get better, the guys at The Lane stand informed me of something a little special. They had organised for freshly shucked Coffin Bay oysters to be eaten with the wine to show what a great match the Gathering was for seafood. Excuse me? Freshly shucked Coffin Bay oysters? For free? Harvested the previous day? Shucked for me by the producer? Um, let me think about that… Yes, please! What a fantastic idea. The oysters were some of the best I have tasted and matched the Gathering perfectly. I’m certain that plenty of the punters at the tasting left with The Lane and the Gathering fresh in their minds.

And i’m even beginning to forget about the decor, things are looking up!

CHARDONNAY :: I HAVE TO ADMIT IT’S GETTING BETTER (IT CAN’T GET ANY WORSE)

With a belly full of fresh oysters and an increasingly rosy view of the Tasting it was on to the next challenge. The challenge? To find some bloody good Chardonnay and convince my mate that it’s something worth having a fresh look at. After a few failures (i.e overblown fruit, excessive oak… oh dear, someone missed the memo) we struck gold with a couple of smaller producers that are doing some great things with Chardonnay.

The first producer was Michael Hall, an English ex-pat and former jewelery valuer who moved to Australia to pursue a lifelong dream of making great wine. Michael studied wine science, then worked at some of Australia’s finest producers (Cullen, Shaw + Smith, Henschke etc) before settling at Rocland in Nurioopta. Michael Hall only produces very, very small amounts of wine under his own label but they can be very special. The first wine sampled was the 2007 Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay. A well made wine but a little heavy handed on the oak for my liking (91 points). Then we tried the 2008 vintage of the same wine, and Michael has absolutely nailed this wine, it’s an absolute belter.

Anything But Chardonnay Crew: Take the plunge, you might just like it

2008 Michael Hall Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay

Price :: $39-45

Cellar Potential :: Great Drinking Now but will develop over 5 years

Score :: 94

Music Match :: Michael Hall is a great winemaker, Hall and Oates were a great band. And this Chardonnay is classy, stylish and pricey (but still great value). Rich Girl by Hall and Oates matches this wine perfectly. Like Chardonnay they sure aren’t as popular as they once were but that doesn’t mean that they can’t be great!

Summary :: This wine is all class. All of the elements that make up this wine; the fruit, the oak and the malolactic fermentation (for those of you confused by this one, I’ll explain all in an upcoming video post) are managed perfectly in this wine. Complex aromas of peaches, figs, nectarines and a hint of smoked macadamias integrate beautifully with the rich, smooth and damned sexy palate. This wine seduces your mouth like an expert lover, teasing and delicately touching in all the right places… A hint of oak here, persistent stone fruit and pear flavours supported by flurries of exquisite nuttiness, and an oh-so-slow and smooth finish… A completely and utterly satisfying wine.

Well, on that note, I need a bit of a lie down… Stay tuned for:

Highlights of the Adelaide Hills Wine Region Tasting :: Part Three or Lobethal Road (is where I want to be), Gumercha is more than a big wooden horse and the most unique Australian Rose you’ll ever drink…

INTRODUCTION

The view of the mighty Torrens as I wander to the tasting dodging Swans

On a cold and wintery night in Adelaide in late August, I braved the weather to head to the Hyatt Regency Ballroom for the Adelaide Hills Regional Tasting. After dodging a couple of light showers and parking my car for the night, I met friend and fellow wine lover Richie in the Hyatt foyer.

A NERVOUS START, A RANT AND SOME HIDEOUS DECOR

Machinery that is slightly less dated than the decor at the Hyatt Regency

As always with these kind of events I was a bit nervous. Nervous you may ask? Well, these events can be a bit hit and miss. Sometimes life-affirming and joyful occasions with great wines, food and personalities to discover and engage with… Sometimes boring (wines available everywhere), repetitive (sales reps not winemakers/viticulturists/owners extolling the virtues of whatever will help them reach the month’s sales target), soulless (poor venue/no food/excess numbers of depressed looking wine wankers) and depressing (oh, you’ve run out of your only decent wine 10 minutes into the event? Didn’t expect that to happen did you?)…

Upon arriving at the sales desk the signs weren’t good. $20 entry fee, no problem at all… Ah, they have Riedel tasting glasses, very nice… But no, the Riedel glasses were only for members of the trade and established wine industry folk. Oh well, at least it reminded me of my place within the wine industry (ie. no place just yet, but you wait, just you wait!)

I found that the smaller XL5 glasses were better suited to the white wines (at least 60% of the total) on tasting… They are also better suited to anyone getting slightly intoxicated as it’s much harder to spill wine out of an XL5!

But I digress. Upon entry to the Ballroom the first thing you notice is the decor. Luckily for the Hyatt accountants the 80s are back in fashion. It’s bought them at least two more years before they have to renovate this room. But the venue was laid out well, with plenty of room to move and a good mix of food and wine stands. I really loved the way they had a food stand after every four or five wine stands. This allowed for a well needed respite from the frantic tasting pace and a great chance to grab a bite while discussing the highlights and lowlights of the previous producers. So kudos to the organisers of this events and a heads up to those who organise similar ones.

ABOUT BLOODY TIME YOU GOT TO THE WINE TASTING PART

The world renowned Cascade of Sauvignon Blanc flowing from the Adelaide Hills

Now onto the tasting, with 30 or so stands to visit, time is of the essence. Whites were first and the quality was a mixed bag. While the Adelaide Hills have built their reputation on whites like Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, there were some disappointments. There were many Pinot Gris/Grigio on offer but only one really shone.

2008 Henschke Littlehampton Innes Vineyard Pinot Gris

Price :: $25-30

Cellar Potential :: Great Drinking Now but will develop over 5 years

Score :: 92

Music Match :: Best thing to come out of Littlehampton since the bricks and pavers, put on Lionel Ritchie’s funkiest moment with the Commodores, “Brick House” to make this wine come alive.

Summary :: One of the few good examples of this wine and style in this country. Extended time and stirring on lees has given this wine a whole lot of character and a whole lot of class. Tropical fruits and honey on the nose, luscious white peach and honeydew melon on the palate with great mouthfeel and lingering finish.

Moving right along now to the variety everyone loves to hate, Chardonnay. Up until about six months ago I despised Chardonnay more than the English Cricket Team, Manchester United and Collingwood. Now after a solid effort to seek out some quality examples, i’m falling in love. And as the Adelaide Hills have some of the countries finest examples, I found some crackingly good wines.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART TWO (tentatively titled  SOME CHARDY, A TROLLI and SOME SHUCKING GOOD SEAFOOD)

September, what a wonderful time to be in Adelaide. Apart from my 30th Birthday there are so many great wine events to attend, I thought it would be an opportune time to compile a few of the more affordable, can’t miss events. If I miss anything, please let me know the details and i’ll update ASAP!

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TASTE of SOUTH AUSTRALIA at the Royal Adelaide Show

Cellar Door Experience

Date: 4th-12th September             Time: 1.30pm, 2.30pm, 3.30pm, 4.30pm, 5.30pm & 6.30pm
Location: Royal Adelaide Showgrounds, Wayville
Venue: Taste of South Australia IGA Pavillion
Cost: Free with Show Entry (Adults $19, Concession $15)

The Cellar Door Wine Experience will provide you with exposure to a range of great South Australian wines. There will be six free educational wine sessions each day lasting 20 minutes.  Wine enthusiasts can taste and compare four wines while a short presentation is made by a ‘wine educator’.  Approximately 40 people can be accommodated per session.  The open plan allows passing visitors to access the information.  Sessions include wines from many regions. Some of the wineries included in the tasting last year included Petaluma, Peter Lehmann, Jim Barry and many more top producers.

Presented in conjunction with the South Australian Wine Industry Association, the Cellar Door Wine Experience provides a hands-on, educational experience for wine lovers at any level of wine knowledge.

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Barossa Small Winemakers Annual Tasting

Date: Saturday 5th September              Time: 10AM – 5PM
Location: Chateau Tanunda, 9 Basedow Road Tanunda
Venue: Grand Ballroom
Cost: $ 10 per person includes souvenir etched tasting glass
Having been a regular visitor to the Barossa Small Winemakers Centre I can tell you that this will be a fantastic event.

The Barossa Small Winemakers Annual Tasting is a showcase for wines of the Barossa’s small independent winemakers. Wines here give visitors to the Chateau access to wines that are rarely found elsewhere.

The centre is housed in the cellar door sales area at historic Chateau Tanunda, just a few minutes walk from Tanunda, in the heart of the Barossa Valley – one of the World’s premier wine regions.

The Small Winemakers Annual Tasting features over 90 wines made by over 30 small producers in the valley. These are mostly handmade wines, produced in very small quantities. They come from growers with small parcels of some of the finest fruit in the Barossa. These people are the heart and soul of the Barossa, and are producing wines that are difficult, if not impossible to find. Many of these wines are made by fifth generation vignerons or master winemakers, employed elsewhere, who produce their own vintage.

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The Fermentters during vintage

FRIDAY LUNCHES AT THE WINE UNDERGROUND

Date: Friday 11th of September and Friday the 18th of September              Time: Lunch
Location: 121 Pirie Street, Adelaide
Venue: The Wine Underground
Cost: $65 per person, all inclusive. Phone 82321222 ASAP to book.

Just when you think it couldn’t get any better, one of Adelaide’s top restaurants (Top 100 in Australia 2010 Gourmet Traveler Restaurant Awards) The Wine Underground unleashes a couple of brilliant Friday Lunches.

On Friday the 11th one of the Barossa’s leading lights, Two Hands, provides the wines. If you haven’t tried these guys wines then do yourself a favour and grab a bottle of 2007 Gnarly Dudes Barossa Shiraz and sink your teeth into some textbook Barossa goodness. Their range includes great Shiraz from Australia’s top regions as well as some interesting whites. Should be a good one.

On Friday the 19th of September two of Australia’s top Pinot/Chardonnay producers provide the wines for a lunch that could be a classic. Marchand & Burch from Great Southern in WA team up with Kooyong from the Mornington Peninsula. Awesome. If you love Pinot and you love Chardonnay then this event, at $65 per person, is about as unmissable as wine lunches get… Bring it on!

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Vale Cru Wine Tasting

For more detailed information on this event go to :: http://mclarenvale.ning.com/events/vale-cru-high-quality-small

Date: Sunday 20th September 2009              Time: 2.00 to 5.00 pm
Location: The Victory Hotel, Sellicks Beach
Venue: Outdoors on the grass at the Victory Hotel
Cost: $ 40 per person, includes free wine glass and $20 off per dozen on the day.

“Come along for an afternoon discovering McLaren Vales ultra premium wines, and meeting McLaren Vales small batch winemakers.

Outdoors on the grass at The Victory hotel, overlooking the vines of McLaren Vale and Sellicks beach. The wines will be poured by the winemakers. Phillip White and Drew Noon will discuss the importance of the land in winemaking.”

Cost: $40 per person (includes a free wine glass and $20 off per dozen purchased on the day).

This information was taken from the Vale Cru website, looking forward to some exciting happenings from these guys in the future…

Well that’s it for now… Please don’t hesitate to leave a comment if you know of more exciting events coming in August and September!

Dear LiveTown fans,

A reminder: it’s this coming Saturday, July the 11th! 7.30 til 10.30 at Littlehampton Peace Memorial Hall, 75 Main Road. Littlehampton. Home-cooked supper included. BYO licensed. Family and friends welcome. Guess what? We even have raffles and door prizes!!

Here’s a cool photo of Lasseter’s Gold Bush Band (newly together, but individually experienced – see our “Artists” page):

And here is the same picture of Andrew Clermont that we used last time! It’s a beautiful photo, but I reckon we’ll try to get a shot of him “live” at LiveTown on Saturday.

If anyone has performed at LiveTown and is also reading this, you might want to be in our Artists page! Send or give us a nice photo of yourself and some info, and we’ll be totally glad to include you. (This site is visible to search engines). And you can be in the Artists album on the FaceBook page.

Other breaking news is that we are now on FaceBook so if you go on FaceBook come and “Fan” us, we’ll be gloriously glad to have you along there. This is our new badge:

Live Town Club | Promote your Page too

Look forward to seeing you on Saturday,
Tangrine Meg.