MOURVEDRE STANDS TALL ON ITS OWN

A NICE red to go with a rustic Greek-style slow-cooked leg of lamb.

Wc29Oct12

David Ellis

MOURVEDRE is generally regarded as a variety whose roots were in Spain, although it’s also grown widely in France and more recently in New World winemaking countries as well, including Australia – although some of our earliest growers and makers planted the variety here so long ago that we can in fact boast we’ve some of the oldest Mourvedre vineyards in the world.

Generally it is blended here with Grenache and Shiraz to produce the increasingly popular GSMs, although some makers are now bottling it as a straight varietal, including Terra Felix whose vineyards just north-west of Bendigo in Victoria have soils ideal for this late-ripening variety.

And the 2008 Terra Felix 2008 E’vette’s Block Mourvedre in particular is a lovely drop with a palate that’s balanced and savoury, and has a typically Mourvedre spicy bite, together with a hint of oak. Pour it into the glass and its got a spicy cherry and blackberry fruit bouquet, with suggestions of herbs as well.

At around $17-$19 a bottle, depending where you shop, it’s a well priced red to enjoy with almost any barbecued meats, or Greek-style slow-cooked leg of lamb.

CREAMY crayfish risotto a perfect match with this one.

ONE FOR LUNCH: VICTORIA’S Yarra Valley is a consistent producer of exceptional Chardonnay fruit, with major local maker Chandon usually being associated with this going into its outstanding bubblies.

But it’s recently-released 2011 traditional Chardonnay has been blended from fruit from the Upper Yarra Valley that exhibited wonderful citrus flavours, and other parcels from the lower reaches of the Valley floor that had more stone-fruit characters to the fore.

The result is a wine whose aromas reflect the two blends of fruit, and with flavours of almond nougat and cashew; pay $27.95 and enjoy with a creamy crayfish risotto.

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