GREAT REDS AND WHITES THAT ARE ORANGE

wine with david ellis

GREAT REDS AND WHITES THAT ARE ORANGE

ORANGE in the Central West of New South Wales has gained quite a
reputation for its Chardonnays in the quarter century since the first
vineyards were planted there in the early 1980s.

Now Philip Shaw is showing the region’s ability to produce great reds
too – his 2006 Philip Shaw Wines Pinot Noir No 8 proving itself a
darn good drop with wonderful red berry flavours, a touch of spiciness
and soft tannins, and on the nose intense truffle notes, cherry
blossom and perfume scents.

Fruit was harvested from Philip’s own 47ha Koomooloo Vineyard that
sits at a cool-climate 868m above sea level; and as he reckons the
most critical stage with Pinot is the gamble on just when to pick, he
chose to label his Pinot Noir No. 8 because that’s the Chinese number
for good fortune.

And then there’s his sorting table, a practice common in Burgundy but
not so Australia: he has half a dozen people gently handle the fruit
on the sorting table as it comes in, minutely picking out individual
grapes with imperfections.

It’s time-consuming and tedious, but it pays off: His 2006 No. 8 Pinot
Noir is a must-buy at $40 to savour over with plum sauce-basted roast
lamb.

ONE FOR LUNCH: TIM Adams is more than particular about the fruit that
goes into his wines, and for his premium 2007 Riesling selected
batches from across no fewer than ten vineyards in the Claire Valley.

Then he used only the first 500 litres of free-run juice per tonne of
fruit, creating a wine that’s intensely flavoured with a zesty acid
finish and lemon-lime aromas; pay $22 and enjoy with seafood salad and
warm baguettes.

WINE OF THE WEEK: KATNOOK Estate’s 2005 Estate Shiraz has had time to
develop huge fruit on the palate coupled with sweet vanillin and light
cedary oak tones; a remarkable celebratory wine at $40 with
thick-sliced leg ham and the works.

(Need a drink? We’re archived on http://www.vintnews.com)

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PHOTO CAPTIONS:

LUCKY No. 8: Philip Shaw chose the Chinese number for good fortune to
label his Orange Pinot Noir.

BEING picky about his grapes paid off for Tim Adams’ 2007 Claire
Valley Riesling.