Uncorked: Wine reviews by the award-winning Gill Gordon-Smith

Uncorked

Wine reviews by Gill Gordon-Smith IWE

Back to the future

Illustrations by Eddy Sara.

Amphora: Historically a pottery vessel with two handles (or a unit of measure) but now used in wine circles to describe a large clay pot used to ferment and age wine. The practice originated some 6000 years ago in what’s now modern-day Georgia in pots known as qvevri – though many old world regions have used similar vessels over the centuries. The slightly porous clay gives the wine texture by allowing a little oxygen to slowly reach the juice, while keeping the pure fruit expression.

Basket press: A vertical grape press usually made of wooden staves in a cylindrical shape held together by steel hoops. It looks like a basket and has a horizontal wooden disk that gently presses the grapes. The juice from the squashed berries escapes through the slats and is captured.

Concrete eggs: A concrete tank shaped, unsurprisingly, like an egg. Winemakers have used concrete tanks for a long time, but egg-shaped fermenters arrived in the early 2000s. With no dead corners, the wine circulates during fermentation keeping the temperature fairly constant and adding texture, depth and mouthfeel. It’s a neutral fermenter that allows a little oxygen in but doesn’t impart flavours like oak barrels can. Orange (amber, skin contact): Wines made from white grapes that are treated like red grapes. The grape skins are kept in contact with the juice for days or even months. Skins contain colouring matter, phenolics and tannins and this style of wine has different flavours and lots of texture. The colour is various shades of orange or amber depending on how long the juice is left ‘on skins’.

Wild ferment: Fermentation via the natural or ambient ‘wild’ yeast found on the grape skins and in the environment and vineyard. The flavours from wild yeast are often more expressive than cultured yeasts, but there is some risk involved compared with the common practice of adding selected or cultured yeasts which allow more control during fermentation.

There’s a lot of new words appearing on wine labels these days. But what is orange wine? Why is the yeast wild? And how do concrete eggs and clay amporae get involved? Most importantly: how do these techniques translate in the glass? In this issue we celebrate the dreamers, believers and the curious-producers of the Fleurieu using ancient and innovative techniques to make delicious and interesting wines that delight and surprise.

Brash Higgins Nero d’Avola 2018 Amphora Project McLaren Vale

Wild ferment – clay amphora – skin contact Winemaker Brad Hickey combines ancient techniques with climateappropriate varieties like nero d’Avola and zibibbo to produce delicious, intriguing wines and was one of the first in the region to use custommade clay amphorae. The 2018 Nero is made in beeswax-lined amphorae, with 180 days on skins and naturally fermented. A bright ruby wine with an expressive nose of soft red fruits, pomegranate, ripe cherry, spiced oranges, heady florals and Italian herbs that amplifies and changes as the aromas unfold. The palate is full of red and black summer berries, ripe cherries and Campari flavours cut by a splash of blood orange acidity. It’s textural and gorgeous with fine tannins and a long, exotic, finish.

DILF Cabernet-Touriga 2020 Langhorne Creek

Co-fermented – wild yeast – basket pressed DILF wines is a collaboration between two of the region’s most successful sommeliers: Lachlan George and Josh Picken. After gaining experience, awards and skills working with some of the most prestigious and innovative restaurants in Australia and overseas, they’ve turned their attention and curiosity to making their own wines. This wine is a wild yeast co-fermentation of cabernet sauvignon and touriga. A rich and deep nose of black fruits, plum and cocoa followed by a truffled, earthy note. The palate is a lovely mouthful of blackberry, ripe cherry and darkest rum and raisin chocolate with powdery tannins and a little balsamic lick to finish.

Gemtree Wines SBE Grenache 2020 McLaren Vale

Concrete egg – minimum sulphur – certified organic Gemtree Wines are a perfect marriage of award-winning viticulturist Melissa Brown’s attention to detail and dedication to sustainability and biodynamics, and Mike Brown’s skilled work and curiosity in the cellar. Old vines, healthy soils and a hands-off approach have created a wine of vibrant ruby colour with a lifted nose full of bright red fruits, cranberries, mulberries, orange rind and spice. The palate is full of energy with red fruits, raspberries, plums, squashed wild strawberries and mandarin peel. It’s a gloriously textural and satisfying mouthful, beautifully poised and balanced by chalky soft tannin which complements the fruit and drives the long, long finish.

Somos Naranjito Verdelho 2020 McLaren Vale

Orange wine – skin contact – wild ferment Friends and business partners Ben Caldwell and Mauricio Ruiz Cantú met at university in Adelaide and are the team behind McLaren Valebased Somos Wines. Focusing on natural winemaking and alternative varieties, the duo have crafted an impressive line-up of textural and energetic wines. Handpicked, basket pressed, wild ferment, lees stirring and 180 days of skin contact have delivered a wine of real texture, interest and drinkability. Orange in colour, the nose is full of burnt orange peel, baked apple crumble and sweet ginger spice. It’s a walk on the right side of wild and a delicious mouthful of fleshy mandarin, yellow plums, apricot, sweet persimmon and warm spice with layers of texture. Well balanced and full of personality with a long spiced finish.