It’s a little unusual to see sparkling Pinot Noirs, but it would seem that they are very slowly becoming a popular alternative to the typical Shiraz used for most Aussie red bubbly. Thankfully, these wines have not yet been discovered by infamous international wine critics and the prices remain modest, even though the nation’s best examples can fetch prices in excess of $60 a bottle. It has now become tradition for me to crack many a red bubbly over the Xmas season and this year I snuck in the odd Pinot Noir.
Refreshingly, the Wallington “Cervantes” (a reference to the author of Don Quixote) was crown sealed to preserve freshness and vitality with no risk of cork taint or reduction. I can see a lot more fizz going down this path, as soon as the consumer confronts their “cheap beer cap” demons and the lack of the classic popping cork.
The colour was a ruby red with a very fine, gentle mousse. One could easily mistake the nose for that of a sparkling Shiraz, with gobs of sweet, juicy fruit and a surprising amount of complexity; black raspberry, liquorice, kirsch, vanillin and sarsaparilla. The super concentrated fruit/liqueur nature of the wine is echoed on the palate, with pleasant front palate sweetness and tannin, hints of a slightly cocoa texture and then a considerably lengthy finish.
Supremely enjoyable to drink. Though quite sweet, there is enough savoury flavour and textural qualities to provide structural integrity and give the wine the balance it deserves.
From the slopes of Mt Canobolas in Orange, New South Wales, comes another wine from the Patina stable. The colour is a pale, light yellow and the aromas comprise mineral, talc, lemon, orange blossom and, like the back label suggests, pear (odd for Riesling). Borne of one of Australia’s cooler climate regions, winemaker Gerald Naef has kept with the Aussie trend of producing a drier style. He does it well.
The acidity on the palate is lively and crunchy, swathed in citrus fruit, without being dominant or piercing as many can in their youth. The flavours on the palate cross over into lemon/lime spectrum, not intense, but not dilute either; an elegant, restrained and lithe Riesling that is scarily easy to drink (even for Riesling). The finish is kept in check, with just the slightest hint of astringency buoying the length and mouthfeel. I thought it was sensational with linguine marinara, though any seafood-related dish would suffice. A bargain wine that comes with a strong endorsement.