NewsBite

Six wines to enjoy in the spring sun

FRESH wines to enjoy this spring.

Fancy a glass?
Fancy a glass?

At last the clouds have broken and we’ve been blessed with the sunshine of Spring. Don’t you just want to sit out on the veranda and soak it all in.

Hay Shed Hill Pitchfork 2017 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

$16

Region: Margaret River

Best with: White fish ceviche

***1/2

The favoured white duet from Margaret River comes in many variations, this value-laden label does its thing with semillon in the lead role, while Hay Shed Hills’ main label does the reverse, with definite sauvignon characters dominant. This is arguably a more intriguing wine, with the grassiness toned down and the blend and balance more even and wholistic to make a pleasing seasonal refresher. And top value, too.

Lambrook 2017 Sauvignon Blanc

$19

Region: Adelaide Hills

Best with: Pork Belly, fennel

****1/2

Dual trophy winner at the recent Royal Adelaide Wine Show for best sauvignon blanc and best white wine under $20, this is state of the art fresh and zesty sauvignon that has tempered the nose punch of uber-passionfruity styles and moved much more towards a citrus motivated place in the variety’s spectrum, here yellow grapefruit at its core, but not forgetting to celebrate more familiar tropical fruit tingles too. Delightfully balanced and refreshing and satisfyingly delicious. A beauty.

O’Leary Walker 2017 Watervale Riesling

$20

Region: Clare Valley

Best with: Spiced quails

****1/2

The two annual riesling releases from O’Leary Walker, this and from Polish Hill River, present you with often polarised approaches to the variety, this year the Watervale subregional stepping up with quite some power and unctuous ooze, but it’s the aromatic profile that excites and intrigues with its natural lime senses pocketing deeper musks and dark roses and even more interestingly a botanical gin-like note as well adding palate complexity. Let it linger — most captivating.

Innocent Bystander 2017 Rose

$20

Region: Yarra Valley

Best with: Lighter smoked meats

***1/2

Mid-toned pink — just a few hours of skin contact for the colour soaked from the Yarra preferred rose grape, pinot noir. The standout attraction here is a rose petal and strawberry crush set of aromas to start, and the drip and swirl in the mouth with perhaps a bit too much ease, neatly crafted to see the fruit sweetness (not sugar sweetness) as well as savoury lines and enough body and structure to handle good antipasti during a long lunch.

Geoff Merrill 2017 Grenache Rose

$22

Region: McLaren Vale

Best with: Ham-hock carbonara pasta

****

Over the years this rose, harvested from older bush vines, has seen less and less time on skins so now the colour is mid pale with faint blue-ish rims and a great pink gloss. Unlike the Yarra and pinot as a key rose hit, this taps into the Vales’ great grenache as the best option and delivers a deliciously subtle set of white cherry like flavours, surprising given the ripeness level at 13.5%alc. In true Geoff Merrill styling there’s plenty of backbone and drive while still refreshing.

Mount Horrocks 2016 Semillon

$33

Region: Clare Valley

Best with: Truffled veal

*****

In a league of its own, this is semillon on steroids (in a truly great way), barrel fermented in 40% new oak that shows in its faintly smoky/charry nose yet never dominating the citrus zest and lemon curd fruit. Once you dwell further, there’s more than just that — stone fruits for sure, with a floral notes too like the waft of field grasses and wheat. It’s a serious wine drinker’s sophisticated white, totally engaging and ultimately delicious.

Maidenii Dry White

$35

Region: Central Victoria

Best with: Pintxos

****1/2

And now for something out of the norm. Notice there’s no vintage date — that’s because this starts out as 2016 viognier and semillon that is fermented in barrels that has previously housed Maidenii’s famed vermouth. Then it was freshened up with some 2017 riesling. The excitement here is that after a year in those barrels the wine, now bone dry, has picked up the vermouth’s palate teasing botanicals both to the nose and the palate. It’s a sensationally good aperitif.

Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/thesourcesa/six-wines-to-enjoy-in-the-spring-sun/news-story/2d46c7da5a189fb55a42c0dc0cc7e73f