All About Wine

The white Rhone grape Viognier and her sisters Marsanne & Roussanne are fast becoming the white wine alternatives to Chardonnay. McLaren Vale best know for reds is also looking good for these whites.
McLaren Vale is on the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia. Bordered by the Gulf of St Vincent, it has a Mediterranean type climate, meaning warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters with ocean breezes moderating the climate. Grapes love these conditions. Like the Rhone Valley, McLaren Vale has the red varieties of Shiraz Grenache and Mourvedre and white varieties of Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier.
“D’Arenberg” in McLaren Vale produces iconic Shiraz blends from vines that are 100 years old. These wines are complex, intense and lingering, beautiful expressions of our sun filled land. However it’s the white varieties that now have the Wine Buffs excited. The white Rhone Varieties of Marsanne and Viognier are often blended together. Viognier has a bouquet of fresh apricots and fruit yogurt with zippy acidity and a textual mouthfeel while Marsanne smells of honeysuckle and almonds. The D’Arenberg ‘Hermit Crab’ blend is a full to medium bodied wine that is a fresh alternative to Chardonnay. The Marsanne can develop a viscous texture as it ages which provides the body and weight to cope with full flavoured creamy chicken, veal or pork dishes. The blend can cope with a little cellaring 2 – 5 years, but is great when young and fresh and can then be served as an aperitif.
D’Arenberg’s The Money Spider Roussanne is another great white hope. Roussanne is a wine with varietal typicity, a penetrating long and delicate peach like palate, a characteristic “herb tea” aroma with touches of peach blossom and almonds. Roussanne is a complex wine with the ability to age gracefully.
Viognier as a single varietal is the “Princess” of Rhone white wines. Although difficult in the vineyard, wines made from the grape variety always impress. Viognier was first planted in Australia in 1980 and in the last ten years the variety has grown in popularity. The town and appellation of Condrieu in the Northern Rhone, grows and produces wines made only from Viognier. Recognised as a “Serious white wine” has resulted in higher prices for wines which are barrel fermented or wood matured as well as unwooded styles. D’Arenberg the ‘Last Ditch Viognier’ has a lifted, nectarine, white peach and apricot dominated aromas as well as enveloping rose petal, ginger and fruit blossoms, a complex unctuous long lasting palate with textual mouthfeel.
The reds of McLaren Vale we know are great but the white Rhone varietals are definitely worth searching for. The Last Ditch, Hermit Crab and Money Spider are all available in First Choice, Dan Murphy’s and Stewarts.
To learn more about the Alternate wine varietals come along to the wine Appreciation with wine & Food Matching Course at Park Regis Hotel, North Quay on Saturday 8th March 2008 from 12noon – 8.30pm. Call 3870 2555 for details.