It is hard to imagine anything as perfect as a Clare Valley winter, mist shrouding rows of bare vines, the gentle patter of rain on the iron roof, and a warming glass of red wine in hand, ideally in front of a toasty fire.
Whilst winter has not yet arrived, it is on its way. Our vines are adorned with rich, autumnal hues of golds, amber and vermillion. Days are warm but nights are already very cool, and the smell of wood smoke drifts along the valley after sunset.
It is also a slower time in the vineyard as we wait for vines to enter their dormant period (when we will start thinking about pruning). Nimfa and I are spending our days at the
vineyard relaxing and catching up on our reading and generally enjoying the quiet life and time with each other.
Cool evenings require something heartier. I’ve always liked my red wines; red is after all the colour of passion, of love, and of the oxygen-enriched blood that pulses through our veins. Shiraz has been a particular favourite of mine, but with the quality of Cabernet Sauvignon coming out of the Clare Valley, I find myself divided between these two varietals. Nothing beats a Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon with a hearty stew and fresh crusty bread to warm the heart and soul.Thoughts invariably drift to food and the wine we might drink with it. Our Riesling pairs beautifully with simple lunches of salads, cheeses, dips, olives and bread consumed over a few hours sitting in the warm sun with the weekend papers.
“I love bright red drinks, don’t you?
They taste twice as good as any other colour.”
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Dave Palmer, our wine maker, recommends matching the dark, berry favours, soft tannins and subtle oak of our classic Clare-style Shiraz with slow cooked lamb shanks served with puy lentils, or try our Cabernet Sauvignon with eye fillet steak served with anchovy butter and seasonal greens.
If you missed picking up our wines at our recent 2015 Shiraz launch at the Sevenhill you will be pleased to know our special of one dozen bottles of 2015 Riesling and half dozen 2015 Shiraz for $199 (with free delivery Australia wide) is still available. Click here for our online shop.
Cheers until next time, Don.
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