I am always delighted to discover another great wine region in Australia. There are so many. One I learned of recently is a region called Mudgee. It is in a beautiful area northwest of Sydney. Great wine has been produced there since the 1800's.
The name Mudgee is derived from the Wiradjuri term Moothi meaning "Nest in the Hills".
One of the best vineyards there is the Robert Oatley Vineyard nestled in the scenic hills of rich volcanic soil. I recently had the good fortune to to taste some of their wonderful wines.
The first I tried was their Shiraz, which first presented itself as very good wine. It is reasonably priced and certainly a good value, but I thought, what makes this wine unique in a field of so many great Australian Shirazs?
I noted that the wine was very well balanced, the tannins were smooth, it had the spice and cherry/berry fruit I would expect. As I savored the wine it began to reveal delicious cranberry flavors and enticing rose petals aromas. The tannin remained gentle yet more pronounced. The flavors became more floral but never overpowering. I think this wine is much more graceful and refined than may Aussie Shirazs that often revel in their wildness.
It is a great food wine offering plenty of complex flavors yet balanced and smooth enough to go with many dishes.
Another reviewer said this, "The wine has sufficient weight on the palate, but more telling is the length in the mouth and interesting complexities of dried herbs, licorice, minerality and earth." Scored 88. -Robert Whitley, Whitley on Wine.
I also tasted their Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is made on the other side of Australia, in the southwest corner, over 2000 miles from Sydney, a region known as Pemberton and Margaret River. I have always liked wines from this area.
I find this one to be exceptional. It is carefully made with "a blend of approximately equal portions of Pemberton, Frankland and Margaret River grapes; the first two parcels providing purity and structure, and Margaret River brings distinctive tropical – passion fruit varietal flavors." Winemaker
I love the silky texture of this wine, the rich body, and wonderful citrus flavors. You can really tell a lot of care goes into these wines.
You can find these wines at Angelbeck's here in Montclair and at some Bottle King locations as well as restaurants like Pane E Vino, The Hohokus Inn. Another source is www.winebuyer.com.
