Sarah Ahmed – The Wine Detective

I’m limbering up for next month’s Landmark Tutorial in the Yarra Valley in fine style, tasting some great Australian wines.  One of my most exciting finds to date is Cobaw Ridge’s Lagrein, of which I recently tasted a vertical.  Lagrein is native to Northern Italy’s Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region so it thrives in cooler climes.  No surprises then that certified organic producer Cobaw Ridge is located in the super cool Macedon Ranges, Victoria.   

The original Lagrein plantings, now 17 years old, produce vital, engaging wines with great varietal typicity.  Cobaw Ridge also sent me a couple of vintages of their refined, peppery Syrah (with a dash of Viognier).  Check out my notes of a vertical on my regional report page here – a great end to a week devoted to some less than usual varietal suspects.