PITCHING TO CRICKET FANS – ’OWZAT?

David Ellis

WHEN you buy an obsolete cricket ground that’s heard the Thwack! of bat on ball for a-near half-century and replant it with a vineyard – in deference to its founders and fans leaving the actual cricket pitch untouched in the centre of the vines – it’s probably only natural that you’ll give one of your cricket ground vineyard wines a cricketing moniker.

And that’s just what Jim Barry Wines did when they bought the old Penola Cricket Ground in South Australia’s Coonawarra in 1996, when the game ended there after some 46 seasons. They planted most of it, except for the pitch and a small area around it, as well as close to 12ha (30 acres) outside the fence, with cabernet sauvignon, and labelled the resultant wine The Cover Drive.

Their now just-released The Cover Drive Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 is a drop to enjoy this time of year with a hearty winter’s Sunday roast, or to cellar away for three to five years; it’s nose exhibits a delightful blend of dried herbs, cedar, cassis and sandalwood, and the palate has rewarding velvety fine tannins coupled with nuances of briary fruit and wood from 12 months in 50% American and 50% French oak.

Pay $22.95 and you’ll realise why Jim Barry Wines wanted to get their hands on this great 12ha sitting over some of Coonawarra’s finest terra rossa soil.

ONE TO NOTE: AT the time Lindeman’s launched their Early Harvest range of lighter alcohol and calories wines in 2007, they did so with just two labels: today they have eleven wines now made to this growing-in-popularity lower alcohol/calories format.

The latest is the Early Harvest Pinot Grigio that it says is the first lighter alcohol/calories pinot grigio on the market, and well timed to capitalise on the growing popularity of the variety whose sales under all labels are increasing at an amazing 22% year-on-year.

And despite Early Harvest Pinot Grigio’s just 8% alcohol, it’s got refreshing crunchy apple and pear flavours and balanced acidity. At $14.99 a good drop to take along to the party room if you’ve more than just a couple of glasses in mind.   

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