HOT, DRY, DROUGHT – PERFECT !

FLAVOUR-packed to enjoy with sweet and spicy beef short ribs.

Wc13Jun11

David Ellis

WHEN you get hot, dry drought conditions in the Hunter Valley, you can bet you are going to get low-yielding, wonderfully-flavoursome fruit from the Shiraz vines there at simply thrive under these harsh circumstances.

And such was the 2007 vintage, giving Tintilla Estate’s James Lusby just what he wanted for his iconic Tintilla Reserve Shiraz. “If you could not make a good wine in 2007,” he jokes, “you shouldn’t be in the winemaking game.

“I love the subtleties of Hunter Shiraz,” he says. “And with our Reserve Shiraz we aim for a flavour-based wine, not dominated or inhibited by high alcohol, a wine that will age well.” And that’s certainly what he achieved with the 2007: a wine with wonderful plum, blackberry and blackcurrant flavours, complemented with typical Shiraz black pepper and spice.”

At $30 this is a cracker drop to enjoy with such wintry fare as sweet and spicy beef short ribs and mash.

BRING this out with special-occasion butter-grilled lobster.

(You can try this wine, along with others, at Tintilla’s  Cellar Door, Hermitage Road Pokolbin during the June Hunter Valley Food and Wine month.)

ONE FOR LUNCH: AT its inaugural launch, the late Len Evans described Penfolds’ Yattarna Chardonnay as “a step forward for Australian Chardonnay,” referring to it being all about respecting the character of the individual sites from which its fruit originated.

The latest Yattarna, the 2008 vintage, continues this philosophy with fruit for this 14th release coming from across Tasmania and the Adelaide Hills – “our best fruit, from our best barriques for our best white,” says Winemaker, Peter Gago. A truly special occasion wine (at $130) to enjoy with marron or butter-grilled lobster, or classic Italian veal Vitello Tonnato; available cellar door only, see www.penfolds.com

(NEED A FOOD/DRINK IDEA? Check out  http://www.vintnews.com )