When you’re aiming to impress, choosing the perfect wine can be a little intimidating and there is nothing worse than looking at the wine list on a first date or a meet-the-parents dinner only to discover you can’t actually pronounce anything on the list and you have no idea what to order.
Ahead of the NSW Wine Festival, we decided to ask the husband and wife team behind Logan Wines, Peter and Hannah Logan, for some help with navigating the wine scene in 2013.
RESCU: Can you tell us about some of the ‘it’ grapes of 2013?
Peter Logan: For the reds, besides the continuing rise of pinot noir, I think tempranillo will gain quite a following in 2013. Mount Majura in Canberra and Angullong from Orange have been making headway with this medium bodied, fruity and savoury, cherry and spice flavoured variety for a few years.
There are now a number of producers who have planted tempranillo grapes in the Mudgee region where the terroir should suit this variety nicely. We’re very excited that the first release of our Logan Weemala tempranillo (from the 2012 vintage) will hit the shelves late in 2013.
In terms of white wines, I think the two ‘old timers’ – chardonnay and riesling – will be the ‘it girls’ in 2013. Chardonnay will continue its Australian re-invention as a complex yet elegant and age-worthy variety, without overt oak flavours – particularly from cooler climates like Orange and Tumburumba.
The Summer of Riesling campaign has seen a timely re-focus on this great variety and NSW is producing some of the country’s best examples with Canberra, Southern Highlands, Mudgee and Orange all producing great riesling.
RESCU: If we want to really impress, what sort of wine should we be looking for?
Hannah Logan: Choosing a lovely little wine from a lesser known region and/or an obscure variety can impress your drinking companions and open them up to a world beyond their Oyster Bay sauv blanc. However the most impressive wine is a really good wine!
If I was heading to a dinner party and wanted to impress with my wine selection, I’d be choosing a cool climate tempranillo or riesling, but there’s a lot to be said for branching out and trying something new. If you’re a little uncertain, do some research on which regions excel with particular varieties. If you usually drink sauvignon blanc, try a fresh vibrant riesling. Bored with another cabernet merlot? Try a tempranillo.
Never forget that a good cold climate NSW chardonnay is always bound to be impressive!
RESCU: Which wines are best in which regions?
Peter Logan: I think it’s beyond doubt that semillon excels in the Hunter Valley but a few other regions are showing that certain varieties are particularly suited to their terrior. The first to come to mind is shiraz in the Canberra region. The Clonakilla label put shiraz on the map but there’s many a top shiraz coming from Canberra now, like Collector and Nick O’Leary.
While Orange grabbed our attention about five years ago with sauvignon blanc, a variety that does perform wonderfully in the region is chardonnay – that variety in my opinion is the best there. The success of chardonnay from wineries like Philip Shaw, and others, is a testament to how wonderful this great variety can be in a true cold and sunny grape-growing region.
I’m also really taken by shiraz from the central ranges regions of Orange and Mudgee. While other states tend to be more celebrated for this variety, the style of shiraz being produced by our neighbours is incredibly easy to drink and food friendly. We’ve just released our first range of benchmark wines, the Logan Ridge of Tears Mudgee and Orange Shiraz. These two shiraz grapes have been grown only 70km apart but are stylistically and incredibly different. I hope they offer a good showcase of just what the central ranges can do with this noble grape variety.
RESCU: Are there any really simple wine matching rules that will help wine novices find the right wine for their meal?
Hannah Logan: I know how this feels! When my now husband, winemaker Peter Logan, first asked me out on a date to a BYO restaurant, I went into a mad panic about which wine to bring! My wine education has come a long way since then and while I’ve learned that there are some tried and true matches – pinot noir and duck for example, or fresh seafood and semillon. I really like to encourage people to experiment with their wine and food matching. This is how great discoveries are made!
There are a few rules of thumb that I have found very handy when selecting a wine to match a trickier style of cuisine. When it comes to spicier Asian cuisine like Thai and Vietnamese, a riesling with a touch of sugar on the palate (not dessert sweet), or a spicy gewürztraminer are beautiful partners because their flavours, which are generally in the fresh and aromatic spectrum partner rather than clash with your food and the small amount of sugar will stand up against the spice.
With Japanese cuisine, I like a pinot gris, a non or lightly oaked chardonnay, a semillon or semillon sauvignon blanc blend. These whites have more subtle flavour, as does Japanese food. So neither cuisine nor wine is overpowering.
When it comes to French wine, there’s something very romantic about a rosé, perfect with classic French bistro salads, steak tartare or a savoury soufflé. If you’re going for heavier French or Italian cuisine, you’re best to go for a red, but you can move from pinot noir through to the heavier red spectrum, such as shiraz or tempranillo. Largely choose a variety of red you prefer, but remember the bigger more tannic wines (such as cabernet) partner best with protein, such as red meat or cheese, while both game meat and offal marry well with a good pinot noir or sangiovese.
Pronunciation Guide:
Tempranillo – Tem-prah-NEE-yoh
Pinot Noir – pee-noh nwahr
Chardonnay – shar-doh-nay
Sangiovese – san-joe-VAE-sae
Riesling – REESE ling
Semillon – seh mee yohn (French) OR SEM eh lon (Australian)
Sauvignon Blanc – saw vee nyon blahnk
Gewurztraminer – geh VAIRTZ trah mee ner
Pinot Gris – pee noh gree
About the Logans: Husband and wife duo Hannah and Peter are busy making wines for their Logan, Weemala and Apple Tree Flat labels. While Peter makes all things taste good, Hannah is in charge of things looking good. From label design, to the Tasting Room interior design, right down to staff uniforms is all Hannah’s eye. 2013 marks the 17th vintage for the Logan range wines and with Peter only at 43 years old, there should be many more to come!
