A goat, yesterday.
One thing I've learned this week is that writing a blog is hard. Any idiot can power up their laptop and get some words up on the screen, but it's difficult not to read what you've just written and think 'Does anyone actually want to read this shit?', delete the entire thing and then start all over again. Judging by the Google analytics I put on the page, no one does want to read this shit, but that's another story. I'm nothing if not perseverant. Or stupid.
Anyway, if I'd gotten off my lazy arse last week and re-written all the stuff I'd erased, you would have read something about matching food and wine, how it's not that hard if you follow a few simple rules and how one good idea is to look at certain old world wine producing countries and regions, as wines were generally made to match the local produce.
One good example, I pointed out, was Sancerre in the east of France's Loire Valley. Before the Kiwi's popped up and started churning out rivers of Sauvignon Blanc in their gazillion gigalitres, Sancerre was the spiritual home of Sauvignon Blanc, and it went pretty well with the local speciality of goats cheese. Coincidence? Maybe. This was then going to lead me on to say that I can't stand Sauvignon Blanc, or it's countless mindless minions but as I'm starting to bore myself here, I'll get to the point.
I served a goat's cheese salad last week - of which a simple and delicious example can be found in Nadine Abensur's The Cranks Bible - and thought maybe I should accompany it with this classic match of Sauvignon Blanc. Luckily for me, the Weekend Age recommended the 2006 Gembrook Hill Sauvignon Blanc.
Gembrook Hill (http://www.gembrookhill.com.au/) are a very small Victorian producer who have been making wine in the Yarra Valley since the early 80's. They partially barrel ferment the wine, which leads it away from the asparagus, capsicum cats pee that is common in Marlborough Sauvignon. What I also like about Gembrook Hill is that they're focusing on three wines of one quality bracket and to me, that indicates how much care and attention that they're putting into production. Producers like Penfolds and De Bortoli seem to produce every wine for every market and price point, and while I understand that they're big businesses, I can't help but think that you can't please all the people all the time and maybe you shouldn't try to.
Gembrook Hill have been labelled as a boutique producer, and while I think it's sometimes a rubbish term used too often, it certainly is warranted here. At $27 there are cheaper examples of Sauvignon around, but the quality and difference in style make it more than a valid purchase.
OK, that's that. A quick mention to Chateau Leamon 2005 Shiraz which I had the pleasure of tasting at the weekend. I don't know too much about this Bendigo producer - that'll be my homework for this week - but the Shiraz was delicious and had all the hallmarks of a typical Victorian Shiraz. Ripe but not jammy (I'm not at all keen the word 'Jammy', but I'm yet to find a suitable alternative) blackcurrants and raspberries, good acidity and soft, supple tannins that benefited from an hour or so in the decanter. Usual white pepper and some other spice in there as well, especially the vanilla on the nose. Not terrifically complicated, but a really good wine all the same. Next stop will be their reserve Shiraz which has apparently garnered high praise. If you can't wait till I write more about them, then look at http://www.chateauleamon.com.au/
The next post will be something of a rant, if I ever get around to it. Now there's something to look forward to.
Good night, and if you're American, God Bless.
Posts
2 comments:
Go on! Own up! You are a closet Sauvignon Blanc (of the very mediocre variety) drinker! I've seen you hiding under the table late at night wearing a satisfied grin on your face whilst guzzling something from a bottle inside a paper bag.......could it be that which you spurn so vehemently?? I know what you are up to.
I come from a very different perspective as an appreciator of Sauvignon Blanc, but I understand why a lot of people don't like the pungency.
I wonder have you tried many Semillon - Sauvignon blends? The classic white Bordeaux blend (of which I've had almost none) is done very well by many of the Margaret River producers and is usually very good with food. The last few months we've been drinking a few cases of Brookland Valley Verse 1 Sem-Sauv 2007 - it won the best dry white trophy at last year's National Wine Show. Can be had from Dan's or 1st Choice for $13-odd if you catch the price cycle. Try the Verse 1 Chardonnay 2006, too.
Post a Comment