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Snow flurries? No worries.
Winter gloom beginning to ail ‘ya? Hop a Qantas and fly to Australia Can’t make it Down Under? Come to Salamandre We’ll surely warm ‘ya Wine for cool California |
Western Australia lies about as far from California wine country as one can travel without getting closer again. Sandie and I flew to the Land of Oz for the grape harvest in March.
We were greeted warmly by Ken Allan, daytime barrister in Perth , water polo godfather, and owner of Rosily Vineyard with his wife, Dot. The Margaret River region reminded us immediately of California 's Central Coast , with the tempering climate of the Indian Ocean helping warm weather grapes ripen with rich flavors and great acid balance. Further to the South, under the influence of the chilly Southern Ocean, Pinot Noir thrives as magnificently as the Santa Cruz Mountains . We saw familiar golden hillsides gleaming in the long fall light, although copses of towering karri trees replaced our familiar oaks and redwoods. One striking difference—aside from the kangaroos on the road at dusk—was the pervasive sense of personal responsibility and the utter absence of overweight children.
The Aussies study and learn from other people's traditions, but not surprisingly, they won't blindly follow any pretentious European footsteps into the Outback. Aussie winemakers experiment constantly with viticultural techniques, tinker with fermentation protocols, and use oak in novel ways, but their creative mischief soars with blending. Australian Cabernet & Shiraz lively blends have become household favorites, with the secret of a little Cabernet Franc to amp up the spiciness.
We were greeted warmly by Ken Allan, daytime barrister in Perth , water polo godfather, and owner of Rosily Vineyard with his wife, Dot. The Margaret River region reminded us immediately of California 's Central Coast , with the tempering climate of the Indian Ocean helping warm weather grapes ripen with rich flavors and great acid balance. Further to the South, under the influence of the chilly Southern Ocean, Pinot Noir thrives as magnificently as the Santa Cruz Mountains . We saw familiar golden hillsides gleaming in the long fall light, although copses of towering karri trees replaced our familiar oaks and redwoods. One striking difference—aside from the kangaroos on the road at dusk—was the pervasive sense of personal responsibility and the utter absence of overweight children.
The Aussies study and learn from other people's traditions, but not surprisingly, they won't blindly follow any pretentious European footsteps into the Outback. Aussie winemakers experiment constantly with viticultural techniques, tinker with fermentation protocols, and use oak in novel ways, but their creative mischief soars with blending. Australian Cabernet & Shiraz lively blends have become household favorites, with the secret of a little Cabernet Franc to amp up the spiciness.
The Aussies don't grow cork trees, but they have lots of aluminum in the red earth. Over the last 5 years, nearly 95% of the Down Under wines have transitioned to screw cap closures. That's not a reflexive contrarian approach. Nearly every study comparing cork finished wines with the screw caps has favored the latter. We tasted at least 300 samples and found not one single tainted wine! A winemaker in the Margaret River remarked with a wry smirk, “Well, we still bottle 15% of our prestige Cab with corks…for export to you Yanks.”
This fall, Salamandre's partners Wells Shoemaker and Dave South are making a new blend, intended to salute the Aussie creativity…or irreverence, if you insist. We've combined Cabernet Sauvignon 40%, Shiraz 40%, and Cabernet Franc 20%, and we're going to call it Newt South Wells. We'll give you a little preview taste….
That blend won't be ready for the bottle for a year, but in the meantime, we are setting the table with an exciting array of Gold and Silver Medal Salamandre wines: Three Pinots, a big Syrah, Primitivo of course, the Wiley Coyote Cuvée, our last cases of the Ménage à Trois …and some close out specials that will make you exclaim: No Worries, Mate!
Wells Shoemaker MD, Winemaker
This fall, Salamandre's partners Wells Shoemaker and Dave South are making a new blend, intended to salute the Aussie creativity…or irreverence, if you insist. We've combined Cabernet Sauvignon 40%, Shiraz 40%, and Cabernet Franc 20%, and we're going to call it Newt South Wells. We'll give you a little preview taste….
That blend won't be ready for the bottle for a year, but in the meantime, we are setting the table with an exciting array of Gold and Silver Medal Salamandre wines: Three Pinots, a big Syrah, Primitivo of course, the Wiley Coyote Cuvée, our last cases of the Ménage à Trois …and some close out specials that will make you exclaim: No Worries, Mate!
Wells Shoemaker MD, Winemaker