STEAK, PLENTY OF BULL AND A SPITFIRE FINISH

CREATED to enjoy with a good steak and a dab of Hot English Mustard.

Wc26Mar12

David Ellis

HAMISH MacGowan likes his wine and he likes his steak, and for ten years he’s been partnering that steak with a Cabernet Sauvignon he says he created as the first single varietal Australian red to specifically enjoy with steak – and which he appropriately labelled Angus the Bull.

Hamish says red meat is quite subtle in flavour, and therefore needs a wine that’s not overpowering. “Which is why,” he says, “I make Angus the Bull from Cabernet Sauvignon: it retains tannins and fine fruit acid, the characteristics that cut through the fattiness of meat.” And while he adds that his winemaking philosophy has remained unchanged over that decade, The Bull over the same period has “evolved rather than changed” to meet a shifting market place

As a result he’s slowly increased the amount of cold climate Central Victorian fruit to give greater elegance to the wine (the remainder is from South Australia,) with his latest 2010 release elegant, yet still hearty and generously tasty. Pay $19.95 and enjoy with that next steak – and as Hamish does, with Spitfire brand Hot English Mustard from Victoria’s The Regimental Condiment Company.

FRENCH connection from McLaren Vale: something different with seafood and salads.

ONE FOR LUNCH: McLAREN Vale’s Kangarilla Road is one of our few makers to produce a blend of Savagnin Blanc and Chardonnay – yes Savagnin Blanc, a variety mostly grown in the L’Etoile and Cotes du Jura regions of France.

It’s 2011 Charlie’s Blend Savagnin Blanc Chardonnay has lots of sweet tropical fruit and lychee flavours and a crisp acidity – and its certainly well worth paying the just-$15rrp for this enjoyably different drop with seafoods and salads.

Savagnin Blanc is also labelled in some parts of Europe as Traminer, and a few years back when Spain’s Albarino was thought would be the new darling of white varieties in Australia, imported cuttings proved in fact to be Savagnin Blanc and the “Albarino” experiment literally withered on the vine. Hopefully with now-correct identification like Kangarilla Road’s, there’ll be a bright new future for it.

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