By David Ellis from vintnews.
There are a couple of interesting things about the Mulligan family and their St Mary’s Vineyard 15km to the west of Penola in South Australia.
One is that they’re on land that’s made up of Terra Rossa soil over limestone just like their neighbouring Coonawarra, yet they’re defined officially as within the Limestone Coast, and the other is their unusual – and rewarding – Carillon label.
The first there’s little we can say much about, beyond that to most, their wines appear more Coonawarra than Limestone Coast, but the latter we heartily suggest that you can do something about, and that is to give a try to this Carillon that’s unusually made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Cabernet France and Merlot.
In 1985 Barry and Glenys Mulligan planted their first grapes, reaping the pioneering rewards of these in 1990. They made their first Carillon blend in 1999, giving it the name after the dictionary definition of carillon as “a collection of bells (in their case ‘Belles’?) that work in harmony to produce something special...”
The newest-release 2013 St Mary’s Carillon is an interesting wine, offering up suggestions of tobacco, cedar, plum and raisin flavours that make for a good match with red meats, or a hearty Winter’s casserole. It’s $40 a bottle in 12-bottle cartons from the winery, including delivery Australia-wide. Details on their website at: www.stmaryswines.com
One to note: wine buffs who enjoy their seafood know how rewarding white fish fillets pan-fried and shared with a good Sauvignon Blanc Semillon can be.
One of the latter worth trying is a 2014 from Voyager Estate in WA’s Margaret River, because here’s a Sauvignon Blanc Semillon that’s all about bouncy-fresh tropical and citrus fruit flavours coupled with a lovely natural acidity.
At $24 you’ll find it good value for the price, and while excellent with those white fish fillets, or other seafoods including shellfish, if you lean more towards meat dishes team it up with veal chops grilled and sprinkled with rosemary.
