THE TOPS FROM CANBERRA AND HILLTOPS

Wc20Jul09

david ellis

THERE’S nothing new about making wine in the Canberra Region – they’ve been doing it for 180 years.

What is new – in the sense of the last ten or twelve years – is the exquisite quality today of some of those wines: owners of over 140 vineyards have worked hard to coax the best from their cool-climate vines, and some thirty-three wineries have worked equally hard to extract the best from that fruit.

One such drop is Ravensworth Wines’ 2008 Riesling that’s got lovely gentle apple and lime flavours, a hint of lemon and a touch of minerality that’s crisp and more-ish; pay a good-value $18 for this wine and enjoy with your favourite seafoods.

ONE for gamey dishes on cold nights

NEIGHOURING Hilltops around the NSW town of Young is another of our smaller regions that’s coming up with plenty of nice surprises.

Chalkers Crossing have created some really excellent wines here, and one worth searching out is their full-bodied 2006 Hilltops Cabernet Sauvignon: complex red-berry flavours and fine tannins are coupled with accompanying fresh cassis, blackcurrant and mint aromas.

Don’t look past this now at $24.99 to enjoy with gamey meat dishes or a platter of strong cheeses – or put aside for greater enjoyment in eight or nine years.

THESE two wines, incidentally, are amongst thirty from six makers that will feature at an interesting “By the Dozen Top 6” Canberra and Hilltops tasting in Sydney’s The Rocks on the evening of July 30th.

The 30 wines were chosen by “Top 6” founders David and Veronica Webster who tasted dozens from the two regions and will discuss their reasons for choosing their “Top 6” makers’ final 30; cost is $25pp that’s redeemable against orders of $240 or over. Book at wine@bythedozen.com.au – and ask about future “Top 6” tastings from Hunter Valley and Tasmanian makers.

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