Drop Of The Week
South Of The Tweed
State of Origin is just around the corner, and despite the fierce rivalry between Queensland and New South Wales, there is much to embrace south of the Tweed. When mentioning NSW wine thoughts head straight for the Hunter Valley, and rightly so. But there are numerous other regions in NSW including the Riverina, Orange, Tumbarumba, Canberra, Cowra, Hilltops, Mudgee, Gundagai, Hastings River, Shoalhaven Coast, Perricoota and the Southern Highlands. More than you thought perhaps? Furthermore, New England is now in the mix and was only officially declared a wine region in 2008.
Whilst quality wines have been pumped out of these regions for some time, there’s a couple of regions really starting to jump up and down making some noise. All for the right reasons too.
McWilliam’s recently released a new range of wines under the Appellation Series banner to highlight the various regions within NSW. Of the six I had a look at, these two shone like beacons.
The Appellation Series Tumbarumba Chardonnay 2013 ($24) is a belter! To those who believe Chardonnay is nothing but heavily oaked, think again. I felt my nose was dragged into the glass. Attractive nuttiness and florals prominent. Throw in some fleshy peach and a dash of creaminess and that about sums it up. Captivating stuff! The fruit is the hero here and it's hard not to top up the glass again and again. Delicious and then some. Keep an eye out for it.
From a little further down the road comes this Appellation Series Canberra Syrah 2013 ($24). This is an excellent example of a medium bodied wine. Cool climate Syrah at its best. Smell the violets! Take your taste buds on a tour of deliciousness with cherries, a touch of raspberry and white pepper coupled with nicely integrated spice. Silky smooth to finish, it's a delight to drink full stop. Drink in the short term, and when it's fresh and this good, why not? Excellent wine and excellent buying.
These wines will be featured in an upcoming NSW High Country wine dinner at the Queensland Cricketer’s Club. Guests at the dinner can indulge in 12 glasses of wine with 6 courses for $120. The best value wine dinner in town? All signs point to yes!
by Steve from Qwine
