RICH IN HISTORY, BUT NOT FOR THE CELLAR

David Ellis

ANDREW Margan won’t be the least offended if you don’t even think of the word ‘cellar’ when buying a bottle of his 2010 Margan Hunter Valley Verdelho.

Because this is a more-ish wine that once you’ve enjoyed the first bottle you’ll be looking for quick reason to go out and buy one or three more – Andrew didn’t make this one to buy and put away, he made it to buy and enjoy now.

Coming off the Margan Cornerstone Vineyard whose low-bearing vines are rich with history as some of the oldest Verdelho in Australia, the resultant 2010 wine has lively citrus fruit flavours coupled with ripe tropical fruit overtones to give beautiful richness on the palate.

And although  2010 was one of the more difficult vintages in the Hunter, Andrew Margan has created a great wine by picking in two batches: the first being slightly less ripe with that citrus and some green apple characters, the second coming later with the riper tropical fruit input. Pay $18 and enjoy with your favourite pastas and creamy sauces.

MAJOR success from a “vintage from hell.”

ONE FOR LUNCH: Owners and winemakers at Bendigo’s Blackjack Vineyards, Ian McKenzie and Ken Pollock sum up the 2008 vintage in one line: “Our vintage from hell and the most difficult in our 20-plus years history.”

The problem for them and others in southern Australia was an exceptionally hot beginning to the year, forcing them to pick fruit for 13-days straight rather than their more leisurely spread of five or six or more weekends. And they had to beg or borrow as many unused fermenters they could find to boost their own as fruit sugar levels went almost ballistic, or fruit threatened to shrivel and die.

But they came out of it with a very grand Blackjack Major’s Line 2009 Shiraz that’s all about red berries, creamy oak, balanced acid and fine tannins. Grab a bottle at $25 and enjoy with lamb shanks and a parsnip mash.

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