Vinodiversity Blog

Banrock Station Fiano

Banrock Station in the Riverland region produce wine from a number of interesting varieties. - Faino and Savagnin.  These varieties will play a huge role in the future of Australia's wine industry so why not try some to see what the fuss is about.

At the moment Vinodiversity's wine supply partner has some of theie wine on special.  A couple of offers caught my eye caught my eye.

They have Fiano and Savagnin, both 2009 vintage,  on sale at the bargain price of Just $13.95 per bottle. Use the links below to check out the details.

http://www.vinodiversity.com/banrockfiano

http://www.vinodiversity.com/banrocksavagnin

Why not order one or a mixed case!

 

Love affair with Southern Italian wine

Just started Melbourne Film Festival so I decide to look at Silvestro's Terronia video on his Love Affair with Southern Italian Wine. Looking forward to the school in October and there are still some places left.

 

More info from http://www.vinodiversity.com/italian-wine-school.html

 

Pork, Pears & Parsnips

I saw Jamie Oliver on TV making this dish on TV a few years ago and I have adopted/adapted it for my repertoire.

Here's the Darby Version.
For each person - 1 Pork chop or Steak; 1 parsnip, 1 potato, 1 pear.
and to cook: Olive oil, 1 tsp thyme or oregano, salt and ground pepper.

1. Peel parsnips and potatoes and cut into large chunks.
2. Quarter and core pears but leave skin on. Season Pork with S&P.
3. In large baking tray mix all ingredients rubbing oil and herbs into pork with your hands, make sure all ingredients are coated with oil.
4. Cook in moderate oven for 50-60 minutes until vegies star to get brown tips. Stir and shake a couple of times during cooking.

Serve with a green vegetable or a simple tossed salad.

I had this last night with a bottle of Tempranillo/Graciano blend.

Artwine 3 way Spanish Blend

Artwine in the Clare valley like alternative varieties but they are not hung up on jst varietal wines.  They have wine kusos for their ArtWine Tres Amigos 2009 - a blend of three Spanish varieties  - Tempranillo (60%), Graciano (30%) and Garnacha (10%).

Carbon pricing and the wine industry

Carbon Pricing - good for wine industry?

The current brouhaha over carbon pricing will mercifully die down in the next couple of weeks, but we need to look at the big picture beyond the personal attacks on the Prime Minister. Other industries such as the wine industry pay taxes without making death threats to scientists, what has happened here?

Firstly a large amount of the heat is generated by the fact that some people - a noisy minority - will end up paying a little more tax. It is unlikely that any winery will have to pay more tax. The vast majority will pay less, and for the first time in the history of tax cuts are actually being targetted to the lower and middle income earners. Even high income earners can minimise the impact of these charges if they indulge in a few simple energy conservation practices.

Most people will end up with a larger amount of money for discretionary spending, and that's good news for selling wine. It is hard to see anyone benefiting from the Opposition's current policy of giving subsidies to polluters, other than polluters themselves.

The biggest problem facing Australian wine industry is related to the high Australian dollar. This is caused by the two speed economy where the huge expansion of earnings by the mining industry is distorting our exchange rate. A mining tax would go some way to alleviating the problems in other industries, by providing better infrastructure and reducing taxes on other industry sectors.

 

See this other news article

Durif Myths Busted

Myth 1. Durif is a Rutherglen variety

Durif is a best known by its Rutherglen connection. But of the 83 wineries in my database who make wine from Durif only 18 are in the the Rutherglen region. see Vinodiversity's page on durif in Australia

Myth 2. Durif wines are all big wines with high tannins

Not neccessarily! Don Crane of All Saints Wines likes to make more approachable styles. You can read his views in this article by Jeni Port from the Age Epicure on 12/07/11

For a counter argument about how to make wine from durif see this article by Andrew Sutherland Smith of Warrabilla wines/

Myth 3. Durif can only be used in warm climates

Vale wines in the Mornington Peninsula don't agree and they have the proof in a bottle. You don't often see the word elegant when people write about Durif. See the article   Cool Climate Durif ? You must be kidding! 

All Saints Winery in Rutherglen

Awaiting Table Awaits

Just finalised my booking for Terronia the wine school of Southern Italy.

The video below shows a passionate Silvestro talking about his region, his school and the food and wine culture there.

The Awaiting Table Video from The Awaiting Table on Vimeo.

There are still places available.  See http://www.vinodiversity.com/italian-wine-school.html

You can see more about the cooking school and the wine school at

http://www.awaitingtable.com 

Make sure you tell Silvestro that Darby recommended you and so he will know that your appreciate great diverse wines - of which there are plenty in Puglia.

 

 

 

Fed Square this week

Looking forward to this month's Fed Square Showcase, the last for this cycle.  Next month is the annual awards night.

The wineries will be  from the Bendigo, Heathcote,  Sunbury,  Murray Darling and Swan Hill regions.

I'll be there with my maps of Italy, Spain & Portugal and France - as well as the Vinodiversity book plus De Lon's Wine Grape Varietal Table -a ll on display and for sale.

Image of the France map. it measures 660X990 mm. 

If you can't come and buy them you can order them for post from vinodiversity.com

Fed square wine Showcase

4-30pm - 8-30pm Wed and Thurdsay 6 and 7 July.

Details at http://www.fedsquare.com/index.cfm?pageID=74

See you there, come for a chat, or to buy some maps or a book.

Why isn't there more Durif in Heathcote?

A reader has asked this question on the Vinodiversity Facebook Page

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vinodiversity-wine-information/86540975243?ref=nf

My guesses - 

*Durif is wrongly identified as a warm climate variety - a variant of the idea that it is good for port.
*Heathcote winemakers are more interested in other Rhone varieties and more lately Nero d'Avola and Tempranillo.

Any thoughts?

Leave a comment!

This page stays near the top for popularity on Vinodiversity

A readers question about substitute for Madiera wine in a recipe reamins one of the most entry  popular pages on my site.

http://www.vinodiversity.com/substitute-for-madeira-wine.html

 

If you have a question of your own you can ask Vinodiversity 

Susumaniello with grilled chicken, mushrooms and risotto

Susumainello is a red wine variety used around Brindisi in the Italian Region of Puglia.

I enjoyed a bottle today with a lunch of skewer grilled chicken, some mushrooms cooked with garlic and spinach and a simple risotto.

Susumainello is not used in Australia, at least to my knowledge. It is one of a number of indigenous varieties in Puglia that are receiving more attention as part of the modernising wine industry there.

This wine features a donkey on the label, a reference to the belief that the name of the variety refers to a well laden donkey. Susumanilello grapes are apparently high yielders.