What did the grape say when it was crushed? Nothing it just let out a little wine!
I’m dreaming of a Wine Christmas…grape minds think alike as we prepare to celebrate the end of a year we would mostly like to forget.
Christmas is the most wine-derful time and now most of the borders are open, families will gather around the tree thankful for being together and surviving 2021.
Let’s take life one sip at a time, as we get in the festive spirit with these five great wines to initiate good times:
Good vibes and great wines can be found at Prometheus Wines on Cornhill Road in Victor Harbor. Named after one of the Greek Titans and God of Fire, Prometheus produces bright, bold and emerging wine varieties and styles, reshaping rules and bending boundaries to create something new, different and utterly delicious.
Prometheus Aglianico has decadent chocolate and ripe plum notes.
Grown by Ricca Terra farms at their Barmera vineyard, Prometheus’ 2021 Aglianico has been produced with minimal intervention, meaning the decadent chocolate and ripe plum notes will captivate and delight. A medium-bodied drop full of tart berries and black cherries complemented by savoury notes, it has a gentle tannin structure and refined acid finish – ideal to pair with your Christmas roast.
Return, refill and reuse at sustainable wine merchant ReWine on Rose Street in Fitzroy. This new bar on the Melbourne wine scene offers a wide range of international and Australian wines of different varietals and styles, all available by the glass on-site and by the bottle to take away.
Try this French Beaujolais Village from ReWine with roast chicken or duck this Christmas.
Imported straight from the winemaker from the famous Beaujolais region in France, ReWine’s Beaujolais Village 2019 is a medium-bodied red with typical poached red fruit flavour, nice firm tannins and enough acidity to make it into a very moorish food-friendly wine that will disappear out of the bottle at an alarming rate. Best paired with chicken, duck or lighter meats, cheese and meat platters and roast vegetables go well too; this Gamay is delightful as is, but improves with a bit of time to cool down in the fridge, if you like things chilled.
Family made with heart and soul, taste the character of this boutique Yackandandah vineyard in every glass of Valente Wines, on Yackandandah Road in the Victorian High Country. Restoring the vineyard to its former glory was key to the success of this winemaker, where grapes and wine are hand-picked and hand-made – from Syrah and Riesling to Rosé and sparkling Petillant Natural.
Fun and quirky, Valente’s Pet Nat is great with spicy tapas or as an aperitif.
Fun and quirky, Valente’s Pet Nat 2019 is created from Riesling grapes with no added preservatives, completing fermentation in the bottle for a natural sparkling spritz. Lemony in colour with intense citrus and apple aromas, on the palate it is lively, dry and citrusy; pair this drop with spicy tapas or enjoy as an aperitif.
Perched on the slopes of an ancient volcanic range and enjoying expansive views overlooking Marion Bay, Cape Bernier vineyard on Bream Creek Road presents an exciting culinary adventure of farm life, wine and food. An ideal day trip where you can sample Cape Bernier’s fine wines, enjoy local cheese platters and produce, as well as purchase the estate’s free-range pork; the winery also hosts monthly live music, cooking masterclasses and yoga.
Drink this Cape Bernier Pinot Gris now, or cellar for up to 5 years.
Cape Bernier’s 2017 Haphazard Pinot Gris is pale straw in colour with a floral bouquet, while the palate has refreshing pear and mandarin characters with a hint of honeysuckle and green apple from a small amount of field blended Chardonnay. Delicate fruit flavours balanced by a crisp acid finish pair well with succulent Christmas meats and seafood; drink now, or cellar for 3-5 years.
Nestled in the beauty of the Scenic Rim, good food and wine, magic views, peace and quiet await at Sarabah Estate on Rymera Road in Canungra. Set on 50 acres with just on 10 under grapes, this hidden gem boasts not only a cellar door, but also Chalet Bistro for dining among the lush vines and the Smoke & Vine Bar for pizza and a glass of estate organic Shiraz.
Wine, food, magic views and peace and quiet await at Sarabah Estate.
With notes of fresh peach, pineapple and melon, Sarabah’s Unwooded Golden Chardonnay has a crispy acidic palate making it the ideal wine for those searching for a seshionable Chardy! Think sushi, lobster, mussels and prawns to accompany this festive drop; the richness of the unwooded Chardonnay also goes brilliantly with the succulent fattiness of salmon.
