RedtoBrown #Orangegate EXCLUSIVE: Port Adelaide Power to consider lobbying government to rename the beverage ‘wine’*

Adelaide Friday 23 May: Having succeeded in convincing the Australian government to change the name of the fortified wine Port (with Wine Australia renaming it ‘Tawny’ in 2006), AFL football club, Port Adelaide Power are pressing ahead with moves to change the name of the alcoholic beverage ‘wine’ to something else in order to avoid confusion with star player Ollie Wines.

The move by Port Adelaide comes at the same time the New South Wales wine growing region of Orange is attempting to regulate skin contact wine being referred-to as ‘orange’ to avoid similar confusion
among consumers and retailers. - Link: Here

Port Adelaide President David Koch hit the media circuit yesterday calling for wine to be renamed, and has even met with members of parliament to argue his case. “Ollie Wines is one of our best players, and market research is showing that the beverage wine is hurting his cut-through in the market – neutral fans we are trying to attract keep getting wine confused with Ollie Wines. Given his already massive profile, it seems an obvious move to either rename the drink or put strict caveats on the use of the term ‘wine’ when selling it at shops." 

The controversy over the Ollie Wines/Wine confusion has prompted Wine Australia to issue a clarification on the use of the term ‘wine’ when referring to wine. Henry Wilson, General Manager, Regulatory Services noted the following on the Wine Australia website:

“The word “wine” can signify many things; an alcoholic beverage, a star Australian Rules Football Player, something an interest group or region may think is important to their bottom line and want protected/denied to other people using the term legitimately. But when used to describe the alcoholic beverage known as wine, it could be an offence under both the Wine Australia Corporation Act and the Sports Trademark Act to refer to it as wine without providing a clear indication the product is not in fact Ollie Wines, the AFL football player, or a product derived from that player.”

Wine commentators and wine producers have been busily digesting the new clarification on the use of the word ‘wine’, and were considering alternatives to avoid further confusion with the Port Adelaide Football Club. Shortlisted alternatives were “Tomayne, Apalleraya, and Jungle juice”.

Confusion: Is this wine or Ollie Wines? 

Wine makers and producers are on notice to consider changing their labels to fully differentiate between the various uses of the term ‘wine’, and Wine Australia has encouraged the Australian Wine industry to be proactive and suggest alternative words to describe their product in anticipation of the Port Adelaide proposals succeeding in Australian and the European Union parliaments.

Hands off Ollie! - PAFC President David Koch adamant
that 3000 years of wine making history will not dilute Ollie Wines' brand image

*Satire, views expressed are personal satirical opinions, etc.  PAFC have nothing to do with any wine related issues, other than encouraging Ollie Wines to help win the AFL Premiership in 2014 and beyond.

2012 Climbing Pinot Gris (Orange)

Pinot Gris has never been my thing, so the fact I could drink this without much fuss is a good sign. It’s certainly varietal, but in no way a caricature or too sweet. Nice round, ripe fruit with flavours of pear and citrus. An appealing touch of brine, and then a bit of residual sugar.  All of this is underpinned by a lovely brisk acidity. If you like your Pinot Gris then I’d suggest this would be a good go-to wine.

Rated: 3.5 stars

RRP: $24

Closure: Screwcap

Drink: 2013-2015

Website: www.cumuluswines.com.au

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2006 Canobolas Smith Alchemy (Orange, NSW)

Bordeaux varieties, and in particular anything with some Cabernet Franc in it, work well in Orange. The 2006 Alchemy from Canobolas Smith is a lovely example of this. It’s a blend of Cabernet Franc (60%) Cabernet Sauvignon (35%) and Shiraz (5%).

This is a Cabernet that is ageing nicely. There is still plenty of primary fruit, but savoury, secondary characteristics are becoming increasingly prominent. Beautiful plum and milk chocolate are paired with leafy/tobacco notes and an earthiness that became more evident over 3 days of tasting. Very moreish, this wine is underpinned by a lovely acidity, and is great with red meats. Its good to drink now but will also age gracefully over the next 5-8 years.

 

 

 

Rated:

RRP: $45

ABV: 13.7%
Closure: Screwcap

Drink: 2012-2020

Website: www.canobolassmithwines.com.au

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2010 Ross Hill Cabernet Franc (Orange)

While in Orange a couple of months back I had this wine over dinner at Lolli Redini’s, then the next day at the winery itself. Finally I had a bottle the other weekend at home. All three times I have been very impressed.

It has a highly fragrant and floral nose with notes of blueberry, fruit spice, and lovely oak. Great to smell. There’s a beautiful generosity of fruit on the palate, not unsurprising given the 14.5% alcohol, but it shows no heat and retains plenty of freshness. There’s a nice even flow to this wine as it develops some sour cherry and earth notes through the back palate that is somehow a bit reminiscent of a Hunter Shiraz. A bit of grassiness and notes of cedar add further appeal. The wine finishes with good length and drying tannin. Works well with food or on its own. Very good wine.

Rated:

RRP: $36
ABV: 14.5%
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Wesbite: http://www.rosshillwines.com.au/


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2008 Bloodwood Shiraz (Orange)

Northern Rhone. That’s the first thing I thought when I stuck my nose into this. Of course it is from the Bloodwood estate in Orange, and is unique in its own way, but it’s an option as an affordable Northern Rhone-like hit if that’s your thing.

Sichuan peppercorns, dark berries, and a bit of meatiness. It’s a distinctive and appealing nose. To drink it is highly enjoyable in its unforced, medium-bodied form. Dark berry fruit is soon joined by spice, pepper, lovely oak, and an appealing hint of funky barnyard. Not always a fan of peppery, cool-climate Shiraz but certainly enjoyed drinking this. It should age gracefully. Nice wine.

Rated:

 

 

RRP: $30

ABV: 14.0%

Closure: Screwcap

Website: http://www.bloodwood.biz/
 
 
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2009 Philip Shaw No.17 (Orange)

Philip Shaw is of the belief that Merlot can become a star in the Orange region, and based on this wine it would be hard to disagree. It was one of a number of Bordeaux blends that I was highly impressed by during my trip to Orange over Easter. 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, 10% Shiraz.

It takes a while to open up in the glass, but once you’ve given it some time it drinks beautifully. Great structure and great flavours here. It’s a medium bodied wine of beautiful balance. Lovely natural acidity, fine tannins, and great persistence of finish. Ripe red fruits are balanced by spice, roses, and some Cab Franc grassiness. Overall, these flavours provide a lovely savoury edge to this wine. I tasted this over 3 days, and it was that last mouthful that was the most complex and complete. A place in the cellar is warranted and at $25 it is fantastic value to.

Rated:

RRP: $25

ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.philipshaw.com.au/

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Bloodwood Wines and the 2006 Maurice (Orange)

In his 1980 thesis on site selection, Stephen Doyle identified Orange as the site in NSW with the greatest potential for cool climate winemaking. The thesis, which he did while at Roseworthy college, focused on the central tablelands. During my visit to the winery, Doyle showed me the actual document itself, which demonstrated a fantastic level of detail in researching many potential sites in NSW. Produced on a typewriter and with a myriad of hand drawn graphs and charts, it was from a different age, and yet remains highly relevant today. His ultimate conclusion was that the area to the immediate west and north-west of Orange offered the greatest potential in the Central Tablelands, and that Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay would likely be the star varieties.

With his thesis done, Doyle and wife Rhonda decided to make the dream a reality. They found the site they were looking for on sloping gravel soils. These ancient soils were what Doyle was after, in particular because he believed they would ensure that the vines didn’t grow with too much vigour. Having found the right site, the Doyle's planted the first vineyard in Orange in 1983 and Bloodwood was born. Looking at the photos from 1983 it looked a very tough and Spartan beginning. A genuine pioneering adventure, but one that has blossomed beautifully in the ensuing 30 years.

The first vines planted were red Bordeaux varieties. As part of his thesis, Doyle looked at historical patterns in terms of temperature and rainfall across numerous sites in the Central Tablelands. Not only did Orange look to be the best site in NSW from this perspective, but there were also striking parallels with Bordeaux in these patterns, with the one point of difference being a drier autumn for Orange. Gravel soils and a similar weather patterns to Bordeaux don’t of course inherently mean Orange will make great wine. The proof ultimately is in the bottle, but 30 years of refinement at Bloodwood has I believe proven Doyle's orginal thesis correct. There is some impressive Cabernet to be had here.

Upon arriving at Bloodwood, my wife and I got to help Doyle pump over his Cab Sav and Cab Franc that he had picked about a week earlier. He lets indigenous yeast do its work, and the pump over is

meant to try and keep that yeast healthy. Having had a taste of both varieties they looked excellent. Great colour, lovely ripeness, and none of the greenness I might have presupposed with this wet 2012 vintage. As it turns out the later ripening Cabernet grapes were not overly affected by the deluge in February, and the beautiful weather in late March/early April has seen some very nice fruit come in.

While there I also tasted the Merlot Noir (Doyle insists on Merlot being called by its proper name), Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2006 Maurice. All these bordeaux varieties were impressive wines, with a savoury bent, and the tannin and structure to age nicely. There was also a very impressive 2008 Shiraz, which if tasted blind I would have picked as being from the Northern Rhone. The highlight, however, was the Maurice.



2006 Bloodwood Maurice ($36)

This wine comes from a selection of the best barrels of red from the vintage, and hence the blend is always somewhat different. The name is a tribute to legendary Hunter winemaker, Maurice O’shea, who made a wonderful habit of blending the best barrels from not only his vineyards, but also from further afield. Doyle simply looks amongst his own 8 hectares.

The 2006 is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, with a bit of Cab Franc, and also a touch of Shiraz and Malbec I believe. It’s a savoury, medium-bodied Cabernet that drinks beautifully. It opens with an appealing nose of cedar, tobacco, dark berries, and a hint of eucalypt. To drink it presents a refined line and length of flavour that starts with lovely fruit before turning predominantly savoury. Acidity and fine tannins provide a nice sense of texture and grip. The sense of balance to this wine and the fact that it drank increasingly well over 3 days should see it age gracefully for the next decade. I love the fact that this is the current release of this wine. It is more than affordable as well, given the time and care that has gone into it. 4 Stars +

ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.bloodwood.biz/
 
 
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Cabernet Franc to become Orange’s calling card . . .

Well, I might be overstating the case, but the most impressive red wines I tried while in Orange over the Easter long weekend were all Bordeaux varieties with Cab Franc in the mix. The standouts were -

2006 Bloodwood Maurice – A Cab Sav that included some Cab Franc pressings in the blend

2008 Canobolas Smith Alchemy – a blend of Cab Sav, Cab Franc, and Shiraz

2009 Phillip Shaw No. 17 – 50% Merlot, 40% Cab Franc, 10% Cab Sav

2010 Ross Hill Cabernet Franc – 100% Cab Franc

I was keen to focus on the region’s red wines while there and get a sense of where things sit. I have a reasonable appreciation of Orange whites, in particular Chardonnay. Moreover, if you put a gun to my head and asked me to choose a New World Sauvignon Blanc to drink I would actually choose Orange as my go to region. On the other hand I haven’t had too many standout Orange reds. In fact I have had plenty of disappointing red wines from Orange over the years. More recently wine critic, Gary Walsh, made the comment that the region’s reds were a contender for the wooden spoon in Australia. Perhaps a bit harsh, but similar thoughts had crossed my mind.

A few days in the region gave me a more concentrated crack at the regions red wines. As a result I’m much more positive and optimistic than I was, particularly when it comes to Bordeaux varieties. The above 4 wines I have highlighted, across 4 different vintages and 4 different winemakers, demonstrate to me that there is potential greatness in the region’s reds. These are wines of character and interest that will almost certainly age well. Perhaps significantly, these four wineries represent some of the oldest wineries in the region, and hence have had time to get things right. They are not however, in the majority, and there are undoubtedly broad issues of site and clone selection, vine age, and winemaking experience that hinder quality more generally, but another decade may well do wonders for the overall quality emanating from Orange.

Can Bordeaux blends or indeed Cab Franc itself become a calling card for the region? I reckon the potential is there but it is probably not the easiest sell. Firstly Bordeaux blends are not exactly trendy in the Australian wine market, and secondly there seems to be an almost automatic association in Australia with cool climate regions and either Pinot Noir or Shiraz, not necessarily Cabernet.  However, one only has to drink Domain A Cabernet Sauvignon or Yarra Yering Dry Red No. 1, to know that our cool climate Bordeaux blends can be world class. Promoting and selling cool-climate Cabernets is not exactly a marketers dream (at least not in 2012), but I think it might be where greatness lies for red wines in Orange. A great conversation I had with Bloodwood winemaker Stephen Doyle, just reinforced this notion, and I will look at the Bloodwood story in some depth in a separate post.

Orange Cabernet . . . I’m not sure how easily it rolls off the tongue, but I certainly think it can roll generously down our palates if focus and attention is afforded this style in the coming years . . .


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NSW Wine Week – Sydney Cellar Door – Belgravia, Capital Wines, Bidgeebong, Thomas Wines, Brokenwood

The Sydney Cellar Door was a wine tasting with wineries from all over NSW, as part of NSW Wine Week. It was held in Hyde Park on a beautiful Autumn afternoon, and it was great to be able to taste numerous wines from the different wine regions. The highlights were -

Orange – 2008 Belgravia Apex Chardonnay. I’ve been a fan of Orange Chardonnay for a while now, and this wine just reinforced that view. A wine of elegance that still had good power and thrust on the palate. Lovely fruit, some nuttiness, and a judicious use of oak which happily is becoming commonplace in lots of Australian chardonnay.

Canberra – Capital Wines – Was very impressed with their entire range of wines with the standouts being the 2009 Riesling, the 2008 Reserve Shiraz, and the 2008 Reserve Merlot. The Merlot was possibly the best Australian Merlot I have had. Merlot is a variety that generally we have done very poorly in Australia, and as such it was a bit of a revelation to taste a Merlot that not only had beautiful plummy fruit flavours, but also lovely tannin and structure (a rare thing in Australian Merlot). A wine to look out for if you’re after a quality Merlot!

Tumbarumba is a region that I think might one day match the Margaret River in producing Australia’s top Chardonnay. A lot of the Chardonnay fruit from the region has historically been blended into many of the top Australian Chardonnays like Hardy’s Eileen with little recognition for the region. More and more Tumbarumba Chardonnays, however, are now being recognised as being from Tumbarumba and I’m loving what I’m tasting from the region.
Bidgeebong – 2006 Icon Series Tumbarumba Chardonnay – I could drink a lot of this Chardonnay. It’s a Chardonnay with a rich, creamy texture, which nevertheless has a leanness and steeliness which points towards it being a Tumbarumba. Lovely citrus and peach flavours. Could be aged for at least another 5 years though its drinking beautifully now. Great drop!

Hunter Valley – I tried to stay away from the Hunter wineries on the day simply because it’s the NSW wine region I am most familiar with, however I couldn’t resist its offerings in the end . .
2009 Thomas Braemore Semillon – Young Semillon often has little appeal, tasting a bit like water with a squeeze of lemon, and you really need to wait 10 years for it to work its magic. This Semillon, however, has some surprisingly tasty, intense fruit at this stage. It also has great length and acidity which points to a long, long future ahead of it.

2007 Thomas Kiss Shiraz – A darker, more full-bodied shiraz than is often the case in the Hunter. Some lovely lush fruit that nevertheless still has some earthy, savoury flavours that are typical of the region. Very good length.

2007 Brokenwood Graveyard Shiraz – this was the final wine of the day that I tried, and it was for me the wine of the day! A wine of great length, lovely tannins, and wonderful savoury flavours that build in intensity along the palate. If only spending $100+ per bottle was no big deal . . .

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