The Australian aristocracy

A new Australian wine coalition will expose the world to the country's traditional family wineries, writes JOHN WILSON

OUR IMAGE OF the average Aussie “ocker” standing around the barbie, tinnie in hand, clad in T-shirt, shorts and rubber sandals does not lend itself to ideas of exclusivity.

The Australians are not noted for bowing and scraping. They may have rejected the move to a republic in the 1999 referendum, but they still tend to firmly reject any notions of elitism.

Yet last year a small number of the best-known names in Australian winemaking came together to form Australia’s First Families of Wine, or AFFW for short. This loose coalition will host occasional tastings, and their wines will be embossed with the AFFW logo.

All are family-owned, second- or third-generation wineries, including many founded in the 19th century. The 12 inaugural members include some very well-known names such as Tahbilk, de Bortoli, d’Arenberg, and Henschke.

In a news release, Mitch Taylor of Wakefield argues that “family wineries make better wines because they understand the long-term decisions involved in the pursuit of quality, not just for one vintage but for many generations to come”. So does this signal the emergence of a new nobility? Who are the aristocrats of Australian wine and how do you define them?

The group does not yet include many of the great producers of Australian winemaking such as Grosset, Leeuwin, Cullen and Giaconda. It also excludes names such as Penfold’s and Cape Mentelle, now owned by large corporations.

The AFFW members may all be family-owned, but they are not all boutique – Yalumba, Brown Brothers and Wakefield are substantial producers by European standards.

The Australian wine scene is dominated by a few large players, who own the majority of brands and control a great deal of the juice, too. However, there is no shortage of small boutique wineries, largely run by one or two people, who make some very special wines. We don’t always see them in this country, and even if available, they require a bit of detective work to track them down.

It is easy to criticise the concept. However, it does lay down a marker to the world that there is more to Australia than large brands, and that there is a long family tradition in winemaking. It should remind us that the distinct regions of Australia produce some unique styles of wine. Hopefully it will expand and prosper.

See australiasfirstfamiliesofwine.com.au for further details of this initiative.

BOTTLES OF THE WEEK

Wakefield Estate Riesling 2008, Clare Valley, 12%, €12.39Classic Clare Valley Riesling with lively, crisp lime and green apple fruits. Made to go with crab and other seafood dishes. Stockists: Most independent off-licences should stock this, as it won a gold medal in the Noffla awards last year, but it is available in the following: Centra, Supervalu, O'Briens, Next Door Off-Licences; O'Donovan's, Cork; Griffin's, Oughterard; Texaco Londis, Trim; Griffin's Londis Beacon Court, Sandyford, Dublin; Joyce's, Galway; Cheers, Kennelsfort Road, Dublin; Bunch of Grapes, Clonee, Co Meath.

d'Arenberg The Stump Jump Red 2007, South Australia, 14%, €9.95I drank this several times during the recent cold weather and each time it went down a treat. Supple, bouncy, ripe plum and strawberry fruits with a smooth finish. A brilliant value wine. Stockists: Very widely available from independents including McCabe's, Blackrock; Bin No 9, Goatstown; Deveney's, Dundrum; Morton's, Firhouse; Cheers, Perrystown; Lilac Wines, Fairview; McHugh's, Artane and Killester; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Gibney's, Malahide; Lord Mayors, Swords; Red Island, Skerries (all Dublin); O'Brien's off-licences; Grenham's, Ballinasloe; Morton's, Salthill, Harvest, Galway city; Burke's, Kinvara, Co Clare; Fahy's, Ballina, Co Mayo; Top Class Wines, Sligo; Next Door Myles Creek, Kilkee, Co Clare; Next Door, Lifford, Co Donegal; Egan's Food Wines, Portlaoise, Co Laois; Old Stand, Mullingar, Co Westmeath; McEntee's, Kells, Co Meath.

Tyrrell's Vat 9 Shiraz, Hunter Valley, New South Wales 2001, 12%, €37Tyrrell's make some of the truly great wines of Australia, not all of them make it to these shores, and they certainly aren't cheap. But the light Vat 1 Semillon, crisp Vat 47 Chardonnay, and the Vat 9 Shiraz are classic Hunter Valley wines, which deserve far greater recognition in this country. The Vat 9 is a world away from most Aussie Shiraz, with intense but light, slightly chewy savoury dark fruits and black pepper.

Try it with a slow-roasted shoulder of lamb with black olives, to bring out the savoury edge. Stockists: Sweeney’s, Harts Corner, Dublin 9; Cellar Master, Stillorgan, Co Dublin; Cooper’s, Cahir, Co Tipperary.

Yalumba Wrattonbully Botrytis Viognier, 2006, 12%, € 17.99 per half-bottleThe Hill Smith family has had a rollercoaster ride with Yalumba, successfully surviving the great booms and busts of Australian winemaking. They make a large range of wines, all good, and in some cases excellent. Wratotonbully is one of the newer wine regions of South Australia, which enjoyed a planting boom in the mid-1990s. With a climate not dissimilar to Coonawarra and Padthaway, there are hopes for high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon. In the meantime, Yalumba has found it perfect for producing botrytis-affected sweet wines. Luscious, fresh peach and apricot fruits, cut through with a fresh acidity.

Long, sweet, but perfectly balanced, this would go really nicely with fruit tarts. Stockists: The Corkscrew, Chatham Street, Dublin 2; 64 Wines, Glasthule, Co Dublin; On The Grapevine, Dalkey, Co Dublin; Donnybrook Fair, Dublin 4.

VINTAGE TASTE AT KELLY'S

Kelly's Resort Hotel is now taking bookings for its spring wine tastings, this time hosted by two excellent producers from Burgundy – Arnaud Mortet of Domaine Mortet in Gevrey-Chambertin, and Alain Gras, whose eponymous estate produces some very tasty wine from Saint Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Meursault.

The hotel is offering some very competitive packages, including one night with bed, breakfast and dinner, for €121 per person, per night. The event takes place from February 21st-26th. Book with Pauline Power on 053-9132001, or see kellys.ie for further details.