PURE PLEASURE: FIRST CREEK’S ORGANIC WINES

NICE one with pan-fried veal chops topped with winter vegies.

Wc25Jul11

David Ellis

THE Hunter Valley’s First Creek has come up with a couple of interesting wines for those into an organic-food lifestyle: a 2010 Organic Bianco Puro (Pure White) and a 2010 Organic Rosso Puro (Pure Red.)

And while production was around 4000 cases you might have to be quick to grab your choice – already 1500 cases are on their way to Sweden where there’s a big market for organic wine.

We were particularly taken by the First Creek 2010 Organic Bianco Puro, and probably with good reason: winemaker was this year’s Hunter Valley Wine Society Winemaker of the Year, Liz Jackson who was Young Winemaker of the Year 2007, and made the 2010 NSW Wine Awards’ Wine of the Year.

The Bianco Puro is a blend of Verdelho, Chardonnay and Semillon from vineyards that engaged in minimal chemical use, while in the winemaking process there was equally minimal intervention – allowing First Creek to be granted the status of Australian Certified Organic.

COOL winner: try this award-winner with sweet and spicy pork spareribs.

The wine has nice lime/lemongrass aromas and these characteristics follow-through on the palate, making it an ideal partner with pan-fried or grilled fish, or white meats such as pan-fried veal chops topped with winter vegetables.

Pay $25; check-out www.firstcreekwines.com.au if you can’t find it.

ONE FOR LUNCH: CUMULUS Estate Wines have just released the 2008 Cumulus Shiraz from their cool-climate, high-altitude vineyards at Orange in the NSW Central West, a Gold Medal and Top Ten winner at this year’s France Syrah du Monde Awards.

Loaded with dark cherry, red berry, licorice and spice flavours, it’s good-value at $30 to share with sweet and spicy BBQ pork spareribs. Or think about the cellar: this one’s got a good 15 years in it.

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