It's a long long way from Clare Valley to here ...

It’s a long long way from Clare Valley to here ….

You might be surprised to learn that Ireland has a wine drinking tradition dating back about 2000 years. Until recent times we would have had images of the French spending hours over dinner with their bottle of ‘Rouge’. But this banquet was happening in Ireland in Celtic times. One King of Connaught is reported as constantly ‘going from one feast of purple wine to another’. In the 11th century the Norsemen of Limerick paid an annual compliment of ‘a casket of red wine for every day of the year’ to Brian Boru. During the 18th century Ireland flowed with wine. In 1740, 1000 caskets of wine shipped from Bordeaux to England while 4000 shipped to Ireland!

Consequently, the Irish Wine Geese, the Irish citizens who left their homeland after the Battle of the Boyne and the Battle of Kinsale, have played a key role in the world’s wine trade since the early 1700’s. These ties can be found almost anywhere wine grapes are planted, from France to America, South Africa to Australia. The list of Irish wine achievers is incredible. James Concannon, born on the Aran Islands, settled in California’s Livermore Valley in 1883 and was one of the first wine makers in the area. His family has made wine there ever since. The Irish emigration Down Under was of course significant, which is why you’ll find vineyards with Irish connections in New Zealand, South Africa and especially Australia. One of the most famous wineries in Australia’s Clare Valley, Jim Barry Wines, has Irish ancestors. His Armagh Shiraz, has often been rated as one of the top wines in Australia. The Margaret River region, in South Western Australia, is home to Leeuwin Estate, one of the world’s most remote wineries. Its founder Denis Horgan, whose great-grandfather fled County Cork after the potato famine, went on to become the first premier of Western Australia in the 1880’s.
Australia's first vineyards were planted in 1788 in a small area near the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The climate there, however, didn’t suit vines and so winemakers had to seek out drier conditions in a region a little further up the coast, now the well-known Hunter Valley. Having faced many difficulties these early Australian winemakers eventually achieved considerable success. At the 1873 Vienna Exhibition the French judges, tasting blind, praised some wines from Victoria, but withdrew in protest when the provenance of the wine was revealed, on the grounds that wines of that quality must clearly be French. Australian wines continued to win high honors in French competitions. A Victorian Syrah (also called Shiraz) competing in the 1878 Paris Exhibition was likened to Château Margaux. Since then, Australia has rapidly become a world leader in both the quantity and quality of wines it produces.Today there are vineyards planted throughout all 63 designated wine regions totalling 170,000 hectares.

The late 1990’s saw an explosion of rich jammy reds and tropical fruity whites make their way onto our Wine Shop shelves and at a price where few other countries could compete. So we are all probably now familiar with the fact that, yes, Australia makes great Shiraz, but there's lots more to enjoy. Over 130 grape varieties are used to make wine in Australia and most people can only name about a dozen... What could you be missing out on? Nevertheless the classical varieties still dominate, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Riesling.

Shiraz…!
Shiraz is the most widely planted grape variety in Australia and represents 26% of all wine production. It is without doubt Australia's favourite red variety, both domestically and internationally. Ripe fruit, a fleshy mid palate, soft tannins and a kick of American oak is the template of the Shiraz from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Hunter Valley. But the beauty of Shiraz is that it can flourish in a range of climates. The cooler regions of Central Victoria, Coonawarra and Padthaway are also known for structured wines with black cherry, pepper and spice characters rather than the chocolate and stewed plums found in warmer climates. With an Australian Shiraz, barbecued food and well-flavoured cous-cous are great. Rich beef stews and all duck and game dishes go very well. Venison is particularly good. Our old friend to The Wine Vault, Will Nairn of Peel Estate in Western Australia is now producing a Sparkling Shiraz and brought a few cases on his last visit, for something different to impress your friends, try with rich pâté or terrine.

Chardonnay…!
Due to the highly oaked styles of the early 90’s, many people boycotted Chardonnay, preferring instead the fresher, more delicate white wine varieties, however it is again gaining popularity. 20% of all wine production in Australia is in fact Chardonnay. Chardonnay to a winemaker is like a blank canvas to an artist, the base flavour is generous, but relatively neutral so the winemakers individuality can be expressed through the winemaking techniques he uses. The style of Australian Chardonnay is difficult to categorise. Grown in warm climates, such as the Riverland or Sunraysia, the flavours are rich, ripe and uncomplicated and the structure is mouth filling and round. Flavours such as ripe peach, fig and melon are common in these wines. In cooler climates, such as the Yarra Valley and the Adelaide Hills, the structure is tighter and leaner, with flavours of lemon, grapefruit and green apple. Secondary characters of nuts, toast and vanilla come from oak contact where as butteriness comes from malolactic fermentation and creaminess from yeast lees contact. Shellfish cries out for a crisp, fruity Chardonnay while a full-bodied Chardonnay with oak will go very well with rich pâtés and also with creamy pasta and chicken dishes.

Cabernet Sauvignon…!
Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for 17% of all wine produced in Australia, where it was praised for its elegance, structure and purity of fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon is seen as the exact opposite of Shiraz refined and reserved. The variety is at home in the southern region of Coonawarra where it thrives in the terra rossa soil, producing deeply coloured, firmly structured wines with great ageing potential. The long, cool growing season allows for amazing intense berry flavours. Cabernet also shines in the Margaret River where the climate is very similar to that of Bordeaux. Beautifully balanced wines with fresh berry fruit and fine tannins are the hallmarks of the Margaret River wines. Some of Australia's oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines can be found in the Barossa Valley. This state escaped phylloxera and so 100-year-old vines survive there. The yield and berry size is incredibly small, yet the colour and flavour is extraordinary. In cooler climates, mint and leafy characters intermingle with blackcurrant and red berries. In warmer climates, chocolate and tobacco characters can be found. Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely best with flavoursome meat dishes, roast lamb and pork are especially good, so too are meaty casseroles or salami. A delicious choice to follow this would be a mature hard cheese.
Wine is special in that every wine is different. The more you focus on the diversity and the more you seek it out, the more you will enjoy wine. There is a whole world of enjoyment if you dare to dabble…

http://www.winediva.com.au/grapes/chardonnay.asp