Australian Wine Tasting and Interview on Sustainable Viniculture

Last Tuesday, August 18, Wine Australia invited an assortment of journalists to Sassafraz Restaurant to get to know Australian wine better at a tasting of more than 50 modestly priced wines (most will cost between $12 and $25 retail).

For me, one of the most interesting parts of the afternoon was the chance to talk to Andrew Buttery, Managing Director of Gemtree Vineyards of McLaren Vale, South Australia. Gemtree is among the approximately 10% of Australia’s wine growers who are trying to cultivate the vineyards as sustainably as possible, employing biodynamic techniques.

What are biodynamics, I ask. “It’s not witchcraft; it’s not voodoo,” says Buttery. “We felt we were already farming sustainably, and we wanted to move to a new level. To keep the weeds under control, we’re using about 140 sheep in winter, and under-vine mulching in summer.”

Gemtree also uses composted cow manure in ionized water for irrigation and fertilizing, and plants a permanent cover crop like rye grass in the mid-rows to minimize watering, improve the soil and encourage earthworm activity. In addition, Gemtree has set aside 25 of its 330 acres as a natural area that can be used for educational visits. “Four frog species have returned to the site,” Buttery says proudly.

“The essence of biodynamics is unlocking the vines’ potential through improving the quality of the soil. High humus levels hold water and free up nutrients.” Don't some of these techniques represent a return to more old-fashioned methods? “It’s back to the future,” he agrees, “But with modern technologies. For example, we’re using aerial photography to identify inconsistency in the soil.

“In the ‘70s and ‘80s, people were sold on the idea of herbicides and pesticides. They got hooked on it like a drug,” he continues. “Particularly when we’re farming large areas, it’s an easier approach. But there’s been a movement, especially with the smaller vineyards; in the last three to five years we’re starting to see a swing away." Buttery mentions that parts of New Zealand, the Burgundy region in France and certain California wineries are also experimenting with biodynamics.

“It’s definitely the way of the future,” he says. “We’re third-generation grape growers and first-generation winemakers, and we want to leave the land in a better state than we found it.”

Gemtree was sampling three wines at the event:

• Gemtree Vineyards Moonstone Albariño 2008 – “We can’t call it “Albariño” anymore,” admits Buttery (the Australians have a cheeky habit of borrowing existing names for their wines, somewhat to the annoyance of Old World growers). “It’s going to be released as Moonstone Traminer in Australia and Savagnin in the rest of the world. It’s one of our first wines, 100% biodynamically grown and naturally fermented with wild yeast. It’s actually an unfiltered white wine, a cross between Riesling and Pinot grigio.” It's very pale and not at all sweet, with a gentle strength. In LCBO October 24, $23.90
• Gemtree Vineyards Bloostone Shiraz Viognier 2008 – “It’s 95% Shiraz and 5% Viognier,” Buttery says. “We wanted to make a Shiraz that was a bit more perfumed and feminine. The Viognier gives it that, but it still has a generous mouth feel, those bright red fruits.” It has a dark raspberry colour and a scent of mixed raspberries and strawberries, with a taste of blueberries, red currants and possibly cinnamon. It can apparently age at least six years. In LCBO November 7, kind of a good deal at $17.30
• Gemtree Vineyards Citrine Chardonnay 2008 – “It’s named after the gemstone,” Buttery explains. “We make this wine a bit differently; 30% goes into French oak barrels that are stirred every day, and 70% is fermented in stainless steel. After three months we combine the two. We pick it a bit early in the vineyard, trying to get a crisper, cleaner style of Chardonnay, closer to aromatic Rieslings and Sauvignon blancs.” Sadly, I couldn’t find a bottle to try. In LCBO October 24, $17.30

Here are some of the other wines I sampled, with notes. (Bear in mind that I'm no wine expert, just someone who likes wine and knows her fruit flavours well from making a lot of jam. By the way, I thought it was interesting that the Shirazes got less berryish and more peppery as they got more expensive.)

PINK SPARKLING WINES
(These are so popular at parties these days!)

• Yellow Tail Bubbles Rose NV: Made from Semillon, Traminer, Shiraz and Frontenac grapes. Smells faintly of rose petals, tastes flowery but sharp. On LCBO General List, $13.95
• Yellowglen Pink NV: Made from Pinot and Chardonnay grapes. A pretty straw-pink with a very faint aroma. Very frothy, with a faint grapefruit taste. On LCBO General List, $12.95

SHIRAZ

• X&Y Wines Shiraz 2004: Colour: Ruby. Smells like raspberries, with a smoky raspberry flavour. In LCBO December 5, $15.95
• Jacob’s Creek Reserve Shiraz 2006: Can age. Dark red colour, full raspberry scent with raspberry and cinnamon taste. On LCBO General List, $16.95
• George Wyndham Founder’s Reserve Shiraz 2005: Colour: Dark raspberry. Smells like raspberries and blackberries. Tastes slightly tanninish, with a fairly rich berry taste and perhaps a faint hint of mint. Giftpack with George Wyndham Shiraz Tempranilla 2007 in LCBO for the 2009-2010 holiday season, $39.95
• St. Hallett Barossa Blackwell Shiraz 2006: Colour: Dark ruby. Smells less fruity, more herbal. Peppery taste; not very tanniny, with eucalyptus, rosemary and coffee. In LCBO October 10, $29.95
• Mitolo G.A.M. Shiraz 2007: Colour: Rich red. Tastes of dark blackberries and pepper. In Vintages, $46.95

SHIRAZ BLENDS

• Yalumba Y Series Shiraz Viognier 2007: Colour: Blackberry. Smells like plums, tastes peppery. In Vintages, $15.95
• George Wyndham Shiraz Tempranilla 2007: A pretty raspberry colour. Smells fruity and minerally, with strawberries and raspberries; the taste is of strawberries and balsamic. See George Wyndham Founder’s Reserve Shiraz 2005, above, for price.
• Kangarilla Road McLaren Vale Shiraz Viognier 2006: Colour: Dark blackberry. Tastes less peppery, more balsamic. In LCBO Fall 2009, $29.95
• Penfields Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz: Colour: Clear ruby. Smells like cinnamon, pepper, strawberry, raspberry and vanilla. Tastes pleasantly tanniny, with vanilla, rosemary and red currant. In LCBO December 5, $37.95
• Penfolds St. Henri Shiraz 2005: 90% Shiraz and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Colour: Dark raspberry-plum. Smells like pepper, strawberries and blueberries. Tastes very peppery, with a great tannin mouth feel, licourice, Kalamata olives and cinnamon. In Vintages, $75
• Wolf Blass Black Label Cabernet-Shiraz 2005: Colour: Deep red. Smells like blackberries. Tastes peppery, with a pleasant rich, tanniny fullness. In LCBO for the winter holidays, $109.95

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

• Red Knot Cabernet Sauvignon 2007: Colour: Dark ruby. Smells like raspberries and blackberries. Very faint chocolate taste. (Couldn’t find a price or release date.)
• Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2006: Colour: Rich cranberry red. A dark raspberry/strawberry scent. Tastes like strawberry with a hint of catmint. In LCBO January 2010, $24.95
• Vasse Felix Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2007: One of my favourites. Colour: True blueberry, from purple red to almost indigo, with a scent and flavour of black currant, black olives, baked apples. In LCBO October 24, $38.95

RIESLING

• Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling 2008: Colour: Pale greenish yellow. Tastes minerally, with a little bit of lemongrass. In LCBO December 5, $21.95