2 out of 3 ain’t bad

Jansz Rose NV (Tasmania)
Cork, $25

Sparkling Rose is obviously very hard to get right. Too often these delightful drinks are marred by excessive tannins, unbalanced acidity or worse – both these things, covered up with a high dosage. As a result, sparkling Pink’s can often be painful things to drink, often at higher prices than their less blush counterparts.

However when done right, Sparkling Rose is a truly complete sparkler … and this great value pink is such a wine. Salmon in colour, it has more of a standard Pinot Chardonnay nose, with slatey, grapefruit armotics & just a hint of strawberry, moving on to a cosseting soft, strawberry and (faintly) peach flavoured palate. The finish is dry, clean and well mannered, leaving just the slightest stalkiness as an aftertaste. Overall it is impressively soft, yet also built like a proper, grown up sparkling wine, with no bullshit attempts at being anything less than likeable.

Great stuff, great value, well done all involved. 18.3

Bremerton Verdelho 2007 (Langhorne Creek, SA)
Screwcap $18

I like the Bremerton operation, all the wines are heartfelt and juicy varietal expressions at very reasonable prices. But if ever there was an argument about always drinking Verdelho shortly after release, this would be that wine. Served cold, the aromatics are muddled, with the first toastiness of bottle age shading the fruit (and not in a good way) which is of the red apple & mango variety. The palate then is tiring, with citrus, pineapple and yellow pear. The whole package is like a drowning fat kid who can’t waive his arms for help because he is to busy eating.

The thing is, that as a young wine, I think this would have been a lovely generously fruited drop with great ‘drink me with anything’ potential. But then that was probably 4 or 5 months ago, and now the love has gone. 15

Orlando Steingarten Riesling 2001 (Eden Valley, SA)
Screwcap, $26

‘Eden Valley Riesling, I love you’ – A new book by Andrew C Graham, exploring a love affair between a man and a South Australian grape variety.

Yes, I am this man. I’m not sure what would be in the book besides outpouring of love and longing – maybe a few recipes for BBQ Whiting? Whatever it would be, this wine would be included in the dedication. Its a near perfect example of aged Australian Riesling, drinking magnificently, but a wine that most people will never really ‘get’.

The colour is a youthful light straw, the nose a complex and delightful amalgam of Eden Valley Slate, voilets, toast, a little petrol and then heaps of lemon lime. The palate follows this nicely, but seems even cleaner and more defined than the nose, its acidity so fresh, precise and pure that this wines future is well assured. The limey palate is just so deliciously dry and when coupled with the slightly sweet toasty characters on the nose makes for an inspired food wine of real character.