Discover new European white wines from Bordeaux, Gavi di Gavi, Rueda and Jim Barry Clare Valley Assyrtiko
It’s time to look beyond chardonnay, riesling and sauvignon blanc to wines from Europe - and also discover a unique Mediterranean variety thriving in Clare Valley.
This is a story about a man who was so entranced by an exotic wine while travelling a faraway land that he spent the next 10 years doing what no one else had ever done.
Peter Barry, second-generation winemaker of that famous Clare Valley wine family, was enjoying a summer in the Greek Islands with his wife, Sue, in 2006 when he first tasted a white wine called assyrtiko.
Crisp and fresh, this grape variety, native to the island of Santorini, reminded Peter of good Clare rieslings – but with a different flavour profile.
What began was a decade-long venture to purchase cuttings in Greece, transport and quarantine the cuttings in Australia for two years, nurture them in a nursery for a further two years, and then plant them at a carefully selected site.
The first assyrtiko to be offered for sale under the Jim Barry Wines label – and indeed the first assyrtiko produced in Australia – was harvested during the 2016 vintage from the family’s Lodge Hill vineyard.
Six years later, this unique white has won a place on the wine lists of some of Australia’s most celebrated restaurants, including Aria and Bennelong in Sydney and Melbourne’s Vue de Monde, and is generating its own loyal following.
“It is riesling-esque but more textural – you experience that briny, oyster shell mineral character,’’ says Peter’s son Sam Barry, now commercial manager at Jim Barry Wines.
Having first tasted assyrtiko with barbecued seafood at a Gold Coast Greek restaurant, I can understand why many wine lovers have been hooked. There’s a taste of the sea in this wine, which draws you in.
The Jim Barry Assyrtiko is the perfect wine to spearhead The Australian Wine Club’s line-up of “alternative whites” this week. It’s an offer created to celebrate the discovery of new wines – and a well-priced opportunity to broaden your horizons by trying four whites you may have not yet encountered on your wine travels.
We’re border-hopping across Europe with an Italian cortese, a Spanish verdejo and a French sauvignon gris, along with Peter Barry’s Greek emigrant.
Jim Barry Clare Valley Assyrtiko 2021
Scored 94 points in the Halliday Wine Companion, where Erin Larkin described the wine as “perfectly poised for our climate and food” and giving off a “pleasant, sun-drenched hay vibe that most of us can only imagine”. It’s a beautiful crisp wine: white flowers and fresh citrus on the nose, leading to light floral, citrus and apple flavours and a touch of sea salt on the long finish. There’s a clean, mineral texture to this wine which is utterly refreshing – especially alongside fish and chips on a sunny day. Sam Barry told me the assyrtiko is ageing beautifully as well, having recently drawn down some back vintages from 2017.
12% alc. RRP $35 a bottle.
SPECIAL $20.83 a bottle in alternative white dozen.
Villa Broglia Gavi di Gavi 2020
If you like chardonnay but want to change it up, this is the ticket. From Gavi di Gavi in Piedmont, Italy, comes this delicious, mid-weighted white. Made from Piedmont’s celebrated cortese grape, this wine melds citrus and floral characters with honey, spice and almonds – you may be reminded of Italian amaretti biscuits. Villa Broglia lies in the “classico” part of the region, where the hand-harvested cortese vineyards enjoy “best of the best” Gavi di Gavi status. Vegan friendly. 13.5% alc. RRP $32.99 a bottle
SPECIALS $25.99 a bottle in any dozen; $20.83 a bottle in alternative white dozen.
Chateau Le Coin Sauvignon Gris 2020
Created using the early-ripening Bordeaux variety sauvignon gris, known for producing wines with good natural acidity and a strong depth of flavour. This wine showed a lovely balance between freshness and richness. Stonefruits, gooseberries and honey characters flow from the glass, with bright acidity delivering a crisp finish. Extremely versatile food wine: from apricot roast chicken to baked snapper and herbs. 14% alc. RRP $22.99 a bottle.
SPECIALS $19.55 a bottle in any dozen; $20.83 a bottle in alternative white dozen.
Made from verdejo grapes in Rueda, one of Spain’s leading wine regions, north of Madrid. Concentrated passionfruit, fresh pineapple and grassy aromas on display, leading to a textured palate with mineral characters adding complexity to the rich fruit flavours. Some compare verdejo to sauvignon blanc but it is heavier in palate weight and more layered. Salt and pepper squid, with a squirt of lemon, would be an ideal partner. 13.5% alc. RRP $23 a bottle.
SPECIALS $19.55 a bottle in any dozen; $20.83 a bottle in alternative white dozen.
DOZEN ALT WHITE DEAL Three bottles of each wine for $20.83 a bottle
Order online or telephone 1300 765 359 Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm AEST. Deals only available while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaites Wine.
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