Australia
Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006
$6.99
Like many other red wines from Australia, the 2006 Black Swan cabernet sauvignon is rich and dark with a lot of black-fruit flavors. When I first tried the wine, I noticed a pleas ant but unusual aroma that I couldn’t pin down. After I read the label, I realized that I must have been picking up the fragrance of eucalyptus. Well, at least, that’s what the winemaker says I was doing.
Black Swan comes from a family-owned vineyard in the Swan Valley region in southwest Australia, not far from Perth. The vineyard goes back to 1941, and many of the original vines are still around. The estate had fallen into neglect when the present husband-and-wife team bought it in 1998. They turned things around, produced their first vintage in 2001, and have been winning gold medals every year in international competitions, particularly for the cabernet sauvignon.
I found Black Swan on sale recently at one of the large grocery stores and purchased a big bottle for $11.99. Just by chance, I bought the 2006, which I think had benefited from aging a little longer in the bottle. Later, I tried a 2008, which is more common on the shelves these days. It was good, but not as good. Try to find the 2006, but don’t be afraid of the later vintage.
Mattie’s Perch
Shiraz
$6.99, 1.5 liters
Cabernet Shiraz
$6.99, 1.5 liters
Mattie’s Perch shiraz and cabernet shiraz are very drinkable and cheap. They are simple wines that are good to have around the house for ordinary occasions or when 10 or 12 bottles of better wine are just not enough.
These wines are the latest offering from E&J Gallo to hit the market, and they seem to be targeted to the twentysomething crowd. Australian wines seem to have a thing about cute animals, and Mattie’s Perch is no exception. The label sports a koala bear on a tree limb saying “ripper” (meaning great) on the shiraz and “Dinky-di” (translated as the real thing) on the cabernet shiraz. Perhaps the marketing is designed to develop a cult following that speaks Crocodile Dundee.
Both wines are about 13.5 percent alcohol, which also is typical for Australian reds, but unlike other wines from the continent, they don’t have a great deal of character. Both are lighter than typical Australians made from the same grapes. They, too, are described on the label as providing “rich blackberry flavors.” I came up with something closer to watery grape juice on the shiraz.
Mattie’s Perch offers a full line of wines, including Chardonnay and white shiraz, whatever that is. They are widely available in the Upper Valley. The wines are cheap at $6.99 for a big bottle and are good wines to have on hand.
Shiraz, 2006
$9.99
Four Emus is an interesting wine, and the shiraz is pretty good. The line of wines is produced by Constellation Brands, the largest wine company in the world with annual sales of $4.6 billion.
The wines are being marketed to a younger crowd by associating them with charming animals. Each of the four wines in the line is represented by its own emu. For example, the shiraz is Bruce, who is described as the leader of the group, but “deranged” and “the sort of guy you’d hang out with if you were an emu.” I don’t exactly understand it, but perhaps it’s a metaphor.
Emus aside, the 2004 shiraz comes from Western Australia, a rugged state that takes up a third of the continent and has only about 10 percent of the population. It’s really the Outback. The wine is slightly tannic and has some earthy flavors that may be drawn from the hot, dry soil.
I like the screw top on the bottle, and for those having the wine while dining out, there is a neat little peel off tab on the label so you can remember what you were drinking.
Four Emus is widely available. It has been rated a “Best Buy” at $9.99 by some national wine magazines. Watch for it to go on sale. It’ll be a better buy.
Sémillon Sauvignon Blanc, 2005
$7.99
A bit difficult to find, but well worth the effort, is Long Flat’s sémillon sauvignon blanc, a very good, crisp, dry white wine. The wine goes well with a light soup, fish or foul and for just sipping during any time of year.
I’m not a fan of sweet wines, unless they’re dessert wines. Sémillon can be sweet, particularly in French blends, so I was a little concerned about this wine, which is 85 percent sémillon. But the grape in Australia is usually made in a very dry style, and that’s the case with this wine.
Long Flat has been making wine in South Eastern Australia for 40 years, and the company seems to know what it’s doing. The wine has a clean, non-oaked taste that the winemaker describes as green apple, citrus and tropical fruit. Long Flat is so good that they don’t even need an animal gimmick to sell it — just a plain label.
Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006
$9.99
One of my favorite Australian wines is Wolf Blass’ Yellow Label cabernet sauvignon.
I had tried the wine seven years ago, and I liked it but wasn’t blown away. It’s often hard to tell why some wines don’t charm you and others do. At the time, I was drinking far more expensive wines regularly, and maybe that corrupted my palate. That also was about the time that Wolf Blass was named the best Australian producer. Oops.
The Yellow Label, which is a full line of varietals sold only in the United States, is not the top wine produced by the company, but the wine reflects the skill of one of the best winemakers in Australia, and the price is certainly affordable. It, too, is a great bargain. The cab has a deep rich color and a flavor to match. There are no cute animals here, but there is an eagle hawk, which is the symbol of owner Wolfgang Blass’ native East Germany.
Hanwood Estate, 2006
$7.99
McWilliam’s Australian Riesling is dry, crisp and refreshing and an excellent buy at $7.99.
The McWilliams have been making wine since 1877 in Australia, and the winery is one of the country’s oldest family-owned businesses. The 2006 Riesling is from their line of inexpensive wines, and it has been winning international acclaim and awards.
Australia, the world’s sixth largest wine producer, is noted for winemakers who use the latest technology and innovative methods.
A few years ago, out of necessity, Australian winemakers started another trend. They had been reducing the amount of sulfur dioxide they used because of perceived health concerns. As a result, white wines (and some reds) unfortunately started developing cork taint and discoloration. The solution turned out to be screw caps. Now, more than 50 percent of Australia’s premium and fine wines have screw caps. Coincidently, the McWilliam’s Riesling also has a screw cap.
The McWilliam’s Riesling comes from its Hanwood Estate in New South Wales along the Murrumbidgee River in the Riverina region. The grapes come from the region’s high and dry Clare and Eden valleys, which are known for top-quality Rieslings, the company’s Web site says.
Sixth-generation winemaker Scott McWilliam says the Riesling has aromas of jasmine, passion fruit and freshly cut lime with crisp and clean tastes. He recommends it with shellfish, ham, mild cheeses and Asian cuisine.
I don’t know about all those tastes and smells, but the wine is pretty good on a warm summer night with a shrimp pasta salad. At least it was when we had it.
McWilliam’s Riesling is widely available. I found it for $6.99, with a listed price of $7.99. It’s a terrific summer wine for the money.
$9.24
Check out the McWilliam’s Hanwood Estates 2004 Shiraz. It’s dark, rich, smooth and lovely to drink, and it frequently goes on sale at the major food stores for $7.99 a bottle. The wine has a lot of plum and a hint of chocolate. The winemaker recommends meats and barbecue. I liked it with a Spanish fish stew.
The McWilliam family has been making wine in South Eastern Australia since 1877. They seem to know how to do it. The 2004 Shiraz has been winning awards and high ratings from the wine magazines. It deserves them.
On the other hand, don’t drink the McWilliam’s 2005 Hanwood Estates Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s clearly a wine before its time. The wine’s tannins are so astringent that it is hard to drink. There does seem to be a very strong fruit hiding behind the bitterness, so it could be good wine to put back for a couple of years. If I’m right, the result should be very rewarding.
I also tried the McWilliam’s 2004 Merlot. It was better than the Cab, not as good as the Shiraz and probably would be great in another year. I’m going to store both the Cab and the Merlot and see if they improve. I suspect they will.