By David Ellis from vintnews.
We’ve long sung the praises of Merlot as a wine that goes so well with such a diversity of dining options, and one we had a few glasses of recently simply further fortified our love of this oh-so-enjoyable little drop.
Focus of that recent attention was a 2013 Weemala label from Logan Wines in NSW’s Central Ranges, and made up of 60% fruit from the company’s vineyards at Orange that gave it its juicy blueberry flavours, and the remaining 40% from Mudgee that added nice suggestions of boysenberry fruit to the glass.
Owner and senior winemaker, Peter Logan says he pruned developing fruit bunches early in the growing season to keep yields per vine low, being a firm believer that Merlot is one of those varietals that does not like being overcropped. “2013 was an ideal vintage in the Central Ranges for red wines generally,” he says.
“Being sunny and marginally warmer than average with no excess rain, after what we’d had to do in the vineyards it resulted in full-flavoured fruit with ripe tannins – so that the wine essentially made itself out there in those vineyards.”
With those nice soft, yet juicy blueberry and boysenberry characters, this is a lovely drop to enjoy with quite a diverse range of foods from roast pork loin, to even salmon or a lighter-style lamb-based shepherd’s pie on a winter’s night – and the more so with its $19.95 price tag.
One to note: Tim Adams believes that Rieslings from the Clare Valley are most enjoyable when drunk young and zesty, or alternatively left until they’ve had five years or more in the bottle to develop almost-trademark complex toasty honey and bloom characters.
While we’re suggesting that, a 2010 Clare Valley Reserve Riesling that Tim’s just released is a wonderful drop to buy-now and enjoy-now, we’re also right behind him when he says that here’s one that’s worth tucking away in ideal conditions to enjoy in anything up to 20 years down the track – yes, that’s around mid-2036. But if that’s too far away, pay $29 now and enjoy with fresh-shucked oysters or other seafood.
