Sarah Ahmed - The Wine Detective

2004 war das Jahr, in Australien entrissen Pole Position auf dem britischen Markt aus dem Französisch. In gewisser Hinsicht ist es seitdem ein Opfer seines eigenen gewaltigen Erfolg, weil, obwohl Australien unterhält sie die Position als Nummer eins, heute gibt es ein gewisses Maß an Gleichgültigkeit gegenüber seine Weine auf einem Markt mit großem Volumen Marken dominiert - Weine, die von überall her sein könnte (und zunehmend sind - Chile und Südafrika als Beispiel).

Western Australia - ein Favorit

So kommt es, dass das Jahr 2004 war auch das Jahr besuchte ich zum ersten Mal Australien. Das Timing könnte nicht besser sein können. Wine Australia mich gesandt hat, dann ein feiner Wein Manager für Oddbins und drei Sommeliers von Michelin-Sternen ausgezeichneten Restaurants, auf einem Whistle Stop Tour von klassischen australischen Regionen. In zweieinhalb Wochen besuchten wir Western Australia ("WA"), South Australia, Victoria, Tasmanien und New South Wales - sie fegte uns von unseren Füßen in mehr als einer Hinsicht! Obwohl Margaret River in Westaustralien war unser erster Anlaufpunkt, blieb als klarer Favorit. Warum? Das Klima und Böden - Zunächst wurden die Weine absolut von ihrer Herkunft informiert. Zweitens, wir fanden das helle und elegante Frucht, Lebensmittel-freundlichen Struktur des Western Australian Weine.

Im Jahr 2007 war ich wieder für eine eingehende Untersuchung. Nach einer schnellen und furiosen zwei Wochen tun Vintage bei Cullen in Margaret River, ich den Weg machen, für zwei Wochen auf eine Entdeckungsreise zu anderen Western Australian Premium Weinregionen: Swan Valley, Peel, Geographe, Pemberton und Great Southern (lesen Sie meine berichten hier ). 2008 brachte mich zurück zu Great Southern für eine gestochen scharfe Fokussierung auf Riesling, berichtet hier . Jeder Besuch verstärkt WA Stärke - seinen Fokus auf regional differenzierte, qualitativ hochwertigen Weinen und Weinbau Exzellenz Mi bis Terroir. Die Hochwassermarke von feinem Wein WA-Kultur? Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, rote und weiße Bordeaux-Blends und Chardonnay, die Great Southern Riesling und Cabernet und Swan Valley befestigte Liköre. Aber Pemberton ist auf einen Sieger mit Sauvignon Blanc und mit neuen Klone sorgfältig durch, um vor Ort abgestimmt, Rhone Sorten Pinot Noir und haben wirklich begonnen, abzunehmen im Südwesten.

Locovore

Dies, mein vierter Besuch in Western Australia, featured das ehrgeizigste kurze to date - wie der Ordner sagt, Sarah Ahmeds regionale Herausforderung! Ich verbrachte drei Wochen jonglierte Routen durch angeordnet Tourism Western Australia , das Wine Industry Association of Western Australia , Howard Park, McHenry Hohnen und schloss sich Wein-Seiten 'Tom Cannavan für einen Tag seines Wine Australia Programm. Tom und ich dann sowohl bei Qantas Wine Show of Western Australia, die einzige Show in Australien beurteilt ausschließlich auf westliche australische Weine konzentrieren - perfekt, um mich mit wie sich verschiedene Sorten führen über verschiedene Regionen Westaustraliens reacquaint.

Weniger mir gut bekannt war die aufkeimende locovore Gourmet-Food-Kultur, die sich um das Essen WA-freundliche Weine gewachsen ist. Meine Reiseroute Tourismus bot die Gelegenheit, einen trufferie und Oliven-Bauernhof und Interview Bauern, Köchen und Produzenten Mitglieder der Slow Food-Bewegung Margaret River zu besuchen. Es war spannend, eine lebendige Gastronomieszene, deren Mantra Zwilling zu entdecken, "frisch ist am besten" und "West-essen kaufen am besten," einen Anteil von einem blühenden, unabhängigen Sektor. Genau wie WA den Wein "Industrie", es ist voll mit kleinen, leidenschaftlich auf Qualität ausgerichtete Produzenten. Was mehr ist, für viele dieser inhabergeführte Unternehmen, ist die langfristige Nachhaltigkeit ein wichtiger Motor und dies in prinzipiellen Landwirtschaft, Fischerei und Weinbau-Praktiken.

Um es zusammenzufassen, dies ist kein Zustand, in dem größten am besten ist - seine lautesten Stimmen Champion Provenienz. Es geht um Qualität vor Quantität. Als führender Küchenchef Russell Blaikie (Abbildung mit Phillip & Sheelagh Marshalls Torbay Spargel) es ausdrückt, "in Europa haben sie eine DOC-System, um Qualität regionaler Produkte zu identifizieren, aber in Australien es erfordert, dass wir Köche Champion großartige Produkte und Produzenten." Ebenso begeistert dass Wine of Show ging an Brookland Valley Premium, Riede 2008 Chardonnay, Qantas Wine Show Chief Judge Vanya Cullen strahlte: "Es breitet sich das Wort der regionalen Single-Site-und Terroir."

In diesem Bericht werde Trab durch die Highlights der jeweiligen Route I, ausgenommen diejenigen, die ich in einzelnen Berichten über meine Besuche erzählt habe. Sie finden meine Howard Park Bericht hier und meine McHenry Hohnen Bericht hier. Dort finden Sie auch Tipps über umweltfreundliche Aktivitäten und wo Sie wohnen, essen und trinken in einem Feature, das ich für Decanter schrieb, jetzt online veröffentlicht hier und in Teil III von Tom Cannavan die Wein-Seiten Bericht über seine WA besuchen hier.

Tag eins

Geht es nach einem sanften Beginn, immer meine Lager in Perth durch einen Schleier von Jetlag und die Erkundung der Wein und Essen-Szene. Aber nicht vor meinem ersten post-Frühstückskaffee im Kings Park, eine schöne, erhöhte Lage mit Blick auf die Stadt. Übrigens Frasers Restaurant einen atemberaubenden Blick bei Sonnenuntergang hat und, wenn ich dort aßen im Jahr 2007, beeindruckt das Essen und die Weinkarte. Aspekte nebenan ist eine Fundgrube von lokalem Kunsthandwerk, das haben Sie griff nach der Brieftasche werden.

Delizioso Café

Pizza ist vielleicht nicht die offensichtliche erste Station sein. Allerdings Küchenchef / Schirmherr Raffaele Brotzu von Delizioso Café hat (im Bild) einen Stapel von Auszeichnungen für seine "al taglio" (durch die Scheibe) Pizzen, darunter die "Gourmet Pizza of the Year" World Championship bei Pizza Expo in Las Vegas gewonnen 2008. Es ist auch der perfekte Ort zur Aufstockung meinen Jetlag Pufferung Koffein Ebenen - Espresso ja bitte!

In Italien geboren und ausgebildet in Rom in der Kunst der handwerklichen Pizzabäcker-, Brotzu dem Charme der Coral Bay erlag, als er in WA Urlaubsreisen. WorkWise, er liebte und hinterließ der inhärenten Konservatismus von Rom und Zwängen der traditionellen italienischen DOC-System. Beschreiben Arbeiten in Australien als "unglaublich", Brotzu die von der Kultur der Innovation und der Verschmelzung von australischen, asiatischen, Italienisch und Französisch Esskulturen aufgeregt. Nehmen Sie seine Känguru ragu Pizza mit Trüffel infundiert Pecorino und Rucola oder seinem WM-Gewinner Rock Melone, Parmaschinken und Taleggio Pizza. Er schüttelt den Kopf, auf keinen Fall konnte er diese in Italien.

Fremantle Sardinen und Tintenfisch, Fini und Kailis Bio-Olivenöl, Ricotta aus Perth Hills und frischen Kräutern - Er hat auch von der einheimischen Produkten begeistert. Ich versuche, Caprese, Pilz-und traditionellen römischen Patate Pizza und Pizza Bianca mit einer Auswahl an Antipasti, alle delizioso natürlich, vor allem die letzteren (im Bild). Die Basis ist außergewöhnlich leicht und knusprig dank einer "reifen-Mix" (von links für 24 Stunden) und seine Grieß-Abstauben.

Schließlich sind hier Brotzu ist heiß Tipps, wo man essen und trinken in WA: Bouchard, Pate Negra, Sternanis, Jacksons, Restaurant amüsieren und die Loose Box. Ich hatte keine Zeit, sie zu besuchen, aber diese Namen kam immer und immer wieder, vor allem die Loose Box, deren Französisch Küchenchef gilt als einer der schönsten Australiens angesehen.

Dynasty - Lamonts

Wie es der Zufall wollte, brachte ein ungeplanter Besuch im kürzlich eröffneten Lamonts Wine Store Cottesloe, mich Angesicht zu Angesicht mit populären WA Koch, Kate Lamont (im Bild) zu stellen. Kate ist die Enkelin eines der wegweisenden Wein WA Helden, Winzer Jack Manns. Ihr Vater gegründet Lamont Kellerei im Swan Valley im Jahr 1978 und die Familie Reich hat sich seit erweitert, um Restaurants in der Schwan, Margaret River, East Perth gehören und sagte trendy Perth Küsten-Vorort von Cottesloe, die alle von Kate Speer-Spitze.

Die Cottesloe Steckdose ist ein Novum, weil es die Form eines Vinoteca nimmt. Es gibt eine große Auswahl an australischen und internationalen Weinen, die Sie im Restaurant für einen Aufschlag von 18,50 $ auf den Verkaufspreis genießen können. Was mehr ist, ist jeder Wein im Glas erhältlich so dass es ein großartiger Ort, um etwas obersten Regal-Set ohne die Bank zu probieren ist. Lebensmittel-weise, liegt der Fokus auf einfache, saisonale Gerichte, Tapas nur wenn du willst. Der starke Fokus auf Wein spiegelt die Philosophie im neuen Buch von Kate gepriesen "Wine & Food" mit Kapiteln von Wein Stil organisiert. Wie erklärt sie "immer mit dem Wein zum ersten Mal starten, weil Sie nicht ändern können, den Wein, aber Sie können ändern oder optimieren das Essen." Nun, das ist meine Art von Priorität!

Lamonts führen ein umfassendes Programm Verkostung während des ganzen Jahres, darunter "Wine & Food Gespräche" mit Kate von April bis Oktober. Siehe Lamont-Website für Inserate, und, wenn Sie die Margaret River Restaurant zu besuchen, lesen Sie in im benachbarten nennen Gunyulgup Galerien .

Little Creatures Brauerei

Geöffnet für Besichtigungen und Weinproben, Little Creatures Kleinbrauerei in trendigen Fremantle enthält auch eine beeindruckende Speisesaal. Es ist ein lebendiger Ort, um unprätentiös, schmackhaften Essen, durch Wein oder frisch gezapftes Bier genießen begleitet. Und für mich eine Chance, den Rekord, bevor es den Wein verändern all the way!

Obwohl ich rechne damit, ich bin wahrscheinlich die einzige Person, die jemals an Oddbins, der nicht trinkt Bier gearbeitet haben, auch ich dankbar über die Hoppy Hübschheit von Little Creatures Pale Ale bei meinem ersten Besuch im Jahr 2004. WA hat eine blühende Mini-Brauerei und Szene, von der Begeisterung Jamie (im Bild) getragen, überprüfte ich das volle Spektrum:

Pipsqueak Cider - jetzt Apfelwein ich tun Getränk. Fresh cut Granny Smiths machen für einen sauberen Schnitt Gaumen mit floralen Noten. Shame about the esterig Birne Tropfen Rand.

Little Creatures Pilsner - ein straight forward Licht, Hoppy Stil mit Cz Saaz, NZ Pazifik und Tasmanischer Hallertauer Hopfen und Malz Pilsner 100%.

Little Creatures Helle Ale - ein blumig, Zitrus-Gebräu mit Cascade und NZ Mouteka Hopfen hergestellt.

Little Creatures Rogers 'Bier - reicher, dunkler und nicht so frisch wie der Bright oder Pale Ale Malz ist, weil die gerösteten, Cascade und Chinook Hopfen.

Little Creatures Pale Ale - sehr Hoppy (floral) und fruchtig mit Grapefruit und einem attraktiven Rundheit. Es verfügt über Cascade, East Kent Golding, Chinook und Galaxy Hopfen, von denen einige hinzugefügt Ganzen sind. Besondere Vorsicht ist mit dem Malz zu seiner Hopfenaroma, die ich entdeckte, trug einen direkten Bezug zu meinem Glück zu bewahren genommen. Immer noch mein Favorit, von der Bright Ale gefolgt.

Seit meinem letzten Besuch Little Creatures hat sich erweitert. Das Loft ist seine neue Supper Club Lounge, eine Weinbar und Performance-Raum. Jetlag erwischte den besseren von mir - zum nächsten Mal!

Tag 2

Verkostung von um und über

Heute startete mit einer Verkostung von rund 30 Weine aus Peel, Swan Valley und Perth Hills an der Wine Industry Association of Western Australia in Perth den Büros, bevor Sie zu Swan Valley. Es war eine bunte Mischung. John Kosovich Weine stand Kopf und Schultern über dem Rest und Myatts Field Weinen erregte mich. Das waren meine Highlights:

Paul Conti Fronti Late Harvest Muscat 2009, Swan Valley - aus 100% frei fließendem Saft gemacht, dies ist ein delikater Wein mit einem ausgeprägten Rosenblatt Parfüm und Gaumen und einem Hauch von spritz. Frisch, angehoben und hübsch, mit einem Gewicht von nur 12,5%, hat es 67g / l Restzucker, sondern trägt die leichte Schulter. Es ist ein Stil der 1970er Jahre erinnert Aussie Weißen, die sehen eine Wiederbelebung wird (siehe Stella Bella unten).

John Kosovich Rare Muscat, Swan Valley - mit Taljiancich, ist John Kosovich einem der schönsten befestigten die Swan-Produzenten. Dies ist eine Non-Vintage-Mischung von durchschnittlich 20 Jahre alt, mit Basismaterial aus dem Jahr 1955. Er zeigt in seinem Tiger Auge Farbton, ein aus Bernstein und Mahagoni verschmelzen mit Safran blinkt und eine schöne Tiefe an die Nase und Gaumen. Im Mund ist das ein seltenes Vergnügen - lang, tief und dunkel, mit Toffee-, Lein-, Lakritz und süße gebrannte Toffee; wunderbare Resonanz Finish.

John Kosovich Likör Verdelho, Swan Valley - ein Tawny-farbig, golden umrandeten Mischung der Jahrgänge 1982 bis 1997. Ganz auf der Nase Madeira-like, mit einigen frischen grünen Oliven und Sardellen salzigen Noten, die durch folgen auf einem rauchigen Gaumen mit reifen, runden Guave. Das Mundgefühl ist etwas ganz anderes Madeira, mit niedriger Säure und mehr Körper und einem toffeed Süße, die auf einem licorous Finish mit einer Spur von gebrannten Honig zu bauen. Delicious.

Millbrook Immobilien Viognier 2008, Perth Hills - wird Millbrook Host eine jährliche Viogier Verkostung und die Vielfalt als eine ihrer Stärken betrachtet, ebenfalls mit in einem Shiraz Viognier. Dies hat eine reiche reif Nase mit kandierten Zitrusfrüchten, weißem Pfeffer und florale Anklänge. Der parfümierte, cremigen slighty Gaumen zeigt gute Typizität mit Geißblatt, Anis / Fenchel, kandierten Zitrusfrüchten / Ananas. Ein reicher Wein, nur ein bisschen warm, aber ansonsten gut gemacht.

Myatts Feld Vineyards Shiraz Viognier 2008 Mourvèdre, Perth Hills - Ich war von dieser Carmel Valley Produzent aufgeregt, die ich nicht hätte stoßen vor. Die Nase und mittlerem Gewicht Gaumen ist ganz Rhonish, schmackhaft und fleischig mit guter Struktur, dank sehnig Tannine, die attraktiv sind out mit leuchtend roten Früchten konkretisiert. Ein blumiger Lift und exotischen Orangenschalen auf der Oberfläche verraten den Viognier. Könnte mit ein bisschen mehr Konzentration zu tun, aber Ich mag die Helligkeit des Obst-und Trockenheit. Ein Name zu beobachten.

Myatts Feld Vineyards Kenneth grüne Weinlese Fortified 2008, Perth Hills - eine Mischung aus Touriga Nacional, Durif, Shiraz - dies hat einen sehr opulenten, expressiven Touriga Nase mit Schokolade und Veilchen - sehr verlockend. Der Geschmack ist recht modern - hell und präzise mit pulverförmigen Tannine lassen die roten und schwarzen Früchten für sich sprechen. Ein schokoladig Rand auf die Beeren würden für ein göttliches Spiel mit Schokoladen-Fondant Pudding machen.

Der Besuch des Swan Valley

Nur einen Steinwurf nördlich von Perth, dauert es 30 Minuten bis zum hübschen Swan Valley zu fahren. Mit seiner reichen Lehmböden und sonniges Wetter, hat der Schwan einen Hauch von Hülle und Fülle. Weinbau begann im Jahre 1829, was es ist WA älteste Weinregion. Houghton, einem seiner frühesten kommerziellen Weingüter, ist wohl seine bekanntesten Hersteller in den UK dank Kate Lamont Großvater, Jack Mann. Die treibende Kraft der Houghton für 51 Jahre, half Mann Westaustraliens Weine auf der Karte mit bahnbrechenden Tafelweine wie Houghton Weißer Burgunder, die er im Jahr 1937 gelegt.

Kroatischen Bauern, die auf dem Swan Valley nach dem Ersten und Zweiten Weltkrieg konvergierte sind auch mit Umwandlung von traditionellen landwirtschaftlichen Bodens für Weinberge gutgeschrieben. Seine führende befestigte Produzenten, John Kosovich (siehe Verkostungsnotizen oben) und Talijancich , wurden von Kroaten in 1922 und 1932 jeweils gegründet. Ihr reicher Bestand an Solera-Alter von Muscat, produziert Muscadelle (bekannt als Tokay), PX, Shiraz und Verdelho Weltklasse-Likör fortifieds, für mich, der Schwan-Station weinig Trumpf. Verdelho und Chenin Blanc Tafelwein kann auch sehr gut.

Tali ho!

Nach meiner ausgezeichnete Verkostung der Weine Kosovich, ich glücklich machte eine Luftlinie für Talijancich zu meinem ersten biodynamischen angereicherte Weine zu probieren. Wie bei Cullen, veranlasste die Verschlechterung der Gesundheit der Böden dritten Generation Winzer James Talijancich, gehen Sie die biologisch-dynamische Route.

Etwa zur gleichen Zeit entschied Talijancich auf der Weinkellerei ursprünglichen Fokus auf befestigten Produktion zurück. An einer Stelle vertreten Tafelweine 60% der Produktion, aber heute, Konto fortifieds für 70%, die Trauben, für die von den ältesten, unteren ertragreiche Reben bezogen werden. Für Tafelweine Talijancich nicht mehr leistet einen Viognier, Tempranillo oder Chenin Blanc hat aber mit Shiraz, Graciano und Verdelho stecken.

Nach starken Regenfällen, (was zu Rekord-Nachschub von Dämmen), steuerten wir klar im Weinberg statt und tourte durch die Keller. Ich liebe den Geruch von befestigten Keller - weich, mit Leinöl, altem Holz und dem berauschenden Verdunstung als "La Part des Anges" oder "der Engel Aktien", das Aroma zu konzentrieren und zu extrahieren als Weine im Fass Alter hilft bekannt. James gab mir die tief unten auf fortifieds machen Likör, ein Full auf süß und klebrig spezifischen Stil nach Australien. Zu Beginn werden die Früchte gepflückt später und reifer als bei Port oder Madeira sagen. An diesem Punkt, es ist so hart und eingetrockneten, dass die Frucht ist "gehackt", um die Trauben 'Sirupsüssen Saft zu extrahieren. Also, wie kommen die Weine sind nicht nur süß und dickflüssig? James erklärt, dass das Geheimnis um die feine Balance seiner Weine ist sorgfältig, um Verdunstung und Oxidation zu überwachen - ". Sie wollen nicht Sortencharakter zu verlieren, so dass Sie ein Element der Frische Notwendigkeit" Solera-alter Weine, sondern auch über die umsichtige verwenden, um der jungen Weine frischer, primäre Notizen hinzuzufügen. Hier sind meine Verkostungsnotizen.

Pedro Ximénez 2009 - wie das Essen eine Handvoll Rosinen - PX ist bekannt für seine Rolle in der reichsten Sherrys Spaniens bekannt! So zerbrach an diesem Morgen, dieser Wein, eine bloße Babe gerade jetzt, kommt aus einer Houghton Weinberg an der Wende des 19. Jahrhunderts gepflanzt. Talijancich haben den Kauf die Trauben für 52 Jahre. Vor einem Jahr veröffentlichten sie Julian James Pedro Ximenes: Blend Nr. 2 von einem Solera 1965 begonnen. James rechnet alles gut geht, die 2009, die später als üblich bei etwa 27 Baumé, werden zu einem einzigen Jahrgang Wein reifen abgeholt. Es hat einen faszinierenden floralen Kamille Lift zu seiner raisiny Obst und, obwohl licorous in der Textur, hat eine schöne Reinheit.

Pedro Ximénez 2007 - wenn das Jahr 2009 war spät geerntet wurde dies so gut wie vergessen, von James 'Eintritt nahm viel zu spät bei 34 Baume. Noch auf Feststoffe, sieht es wie Erbsensuppe und, zum Glück, nichts wie es schmeckt! Eine ausgeprägte buttrig, gequetscht Apfel Gaumen schöne Erwärmung Tiefe ist intensiv süß, aber ausgewogen. Dies ist auch ein Kandidat für die einzigen Jahrgangs Freisetzung statt Solera Alterung.

Likör Shiraz Probe - das 38 Jahre alte Wein ist für Misch-und explodiert mit unanständig köstlichen Aromen von Schokolade, Makronen-, Gewürz-und Kaffee-Box verwendet. James wies darauf hin, dass es selten ist, um Weine (im Gegensatz zu Solera-Blends im Gegensatz) zu lösen, denn mit der Zeit, Weine erreichen eine Melasse-like-Konzentration (meine unanständig lecker!), Die sie eignet sich nur für die Mischung macht.

Tokay 1969 - eine tiefe, dunkle Farbe mit einem gelben Rand. Auf der Nase und im Mund zeigt es fabelhaft floralen Duft Lift und mit dunklen, zugrunde liegenden nussigen Aromen Makronen. Es gibt eine reale Kraft der Persönlichkeit zu diesem Wein, der es eine perfekte Wahl für einen einzigen Jahrgang Release macht. Es wird rund 300 Dollar für eine halbe Flasche kosten, aber es ist bis es in meinem Wein Erfahrungen.

Talijancich James Talijancich Reserve Verdelho 2003 - wie WA Chenin Blanc, neigen zu Verdelhos in einem Off-trocken, leicht trinken Stil vorgenommen werden. Nicht so bei Talijancich. Ein verführerischer, parfümierte Nase, bleiben die beiden aktuellen Shows und tropische Wüste Limetten (was ich später an diesem Tag schmecken am Edgecombe Brothers) und das Museum 2009 Release eine beeindruckende Konzentration an süße, reife, runde und saftige Südfrüchte, mit der Abwägung sauer tropischen geschnitten, Green Mango und Limette. Es gibt einen Hauch von Tuffstein / weiß Steinpilzen und Toast, wie ein alter Hunter Semillon, sich auch in seiner Glycerin-kantigen Mundgefühl. Der Abgang ist sehr lang, dicht und mineralisch (Tuffstein, dass Qualität). Beeindruckend.

Mittagessen und eine Weinprobe auf Sittella

Wie Sie sich vorstellen können, der Blick von der Veranda des Restaurants Bild oben für einen entspannten Verkostung gemacht. Port-Samson Gold Armband Snapper waren ein Genuss für das Mittagessen danach.

Gegründet 1998, Sittella sind ein relativ neues Outfit, aber in den letzten paar Jahren, sie waren die erfolgreichste Aussteller auf dem Swan Valley Wine Show. Ich muss sagen, dass ich ihre Margaret River Cabernet und Swan / Margaret River Shiraz / Merlot Mischung bevorzugt zu den reinen Weißen Schwan Ich schmeckte. Ich habe nichts erhalten, um ihre 2007 Margaret River Semillon schmecken obwohl es auch in der Show Schaltung durchgeführt hat. Hier sind meine Notizen für die beiden Rotweine ich bewertet:

Sittella Satin 2007 bis 90% Swan Valley Shiraz, 10% Merlot Margaret River, das eine ist gut gemacht Plüsch, mit mittlerem Körper rot zeigt Schokolade Kanten saftige Zwetschgen und roten Beeren von pulverförmigen Kakao Tanninen unterstützt.

Sittella Berns Reserve 2007 - das Flaggschiff Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon wird in 100% neuen Eichenfässern Französisch. Es ist gut, Typizität mit getrockneten Kräutern und Schokolade bis hin zu seiner Pflaume und Kirsche Gaumen bekam. Jugendlich und ein wenig unrelieved in diesem Stadium, braucht es Zeit, sich zu öffnen.

Edgecombe Brothers

Ich erhielt ein herzliches Willkommen im Edgecombe Brothers Kellertür und ein Café. Es ist ein freundlicher, entspannter Ort für Frühstück, Mittag-und Tee-und, obwohl er schon zu Mittag aßen, konnte ich nicht ablehnen frisch gegrilltem Spargel mit Parmesan, schneiden durch schöne Hand George Edgecombe die (im Bild). Einer ihrer Lieferanten, Maggie Edmonds, läuft "Maggies Place", ein Bauernhof Stall direkt vor der Spargel-Patch. Das Motto hier ist frisch und vor Ort, mit produzieren hagelt entweder vom Schwan oder Gingin wo Maggie hat einen Oliven-und Passionsfrucht Bauernhof. Mir wurde gesagt, es ist der Schwan-Station nur frisches Obst und Gemüse Steckdose.

Vor der Feier auf dem Spargel, mit ganz eigenen Oliven Maggies Öl beträufelt, zeigte mir, wie man Maggie Olivenöl abschmecken. Die Technik ist die gleiche wie viel Wein, aber Sie erwärmen die Tasse und nicht spucken. Es macht Spaß, Lernen über die verschiedenen Sorten, darunter auch sehr eigene Mission WA die Olive. Weiter oben, eine Verkostung der Weine Edgecombe. Wie das Café, sie sind anspruchslos und würzig - die Late Harvest Chenin und Liqueur Muscat haben einen Charme bereit.

Tag 3

Es ist Zeit, richtig auf die Straße und fahren ca. 300km südlich für Pemberton und Manjimup, zwischen Margaret River und Great Southern. Mein Timing war gut, weil ein neuer Abschnitt der Autobahn gerade geöffnet hatte. Es Umgehungsstraßen Mandurah, Schneiden etwa eine halbe Stunde vor der Reise.

Je weiter man nach Süden kommt, desto grüner wird es. Während der Schwan unterstützt Oliven-und Zitronenhainen, von der Zeit erreichen Sie Donnybrook, du bist in Apfelland. Die Tankstelle dient auch als Hofladen mit Picknick-Tisch (im Bild), ein handliches Boxenstopp für Benzin und frischen Apfel-Ingwer-Saft. Vor etwas mehr als eine Stunde später, und in Manjimup und Pemberton, gibt es genug, um Regen herrlichen, riesigen Wäldern von Marri, Karri (im Bild in das erste Foto dieses Berichts) und Jarrah Bäumen zu unterstützen. Die reichen Laterit-Lehmböden der Region sind traditionell Obst-und Avocado-Plantagen und Gemüseanbau unterstützt, aber es gibt gut entwässerten Böden Eisenstein Kies auch guten Grund zu der Region im Jahr 1977 ersten Reben zu pflanzen.

Lost Lake

Meine erste Anlaufstelle ist verlorene See auf Pembertons "Goldenen Meile", eine Strecke von der Straße das ist auch die Heimat von Salitage und Picardie, unter seinen bekanntesten Produzenten. Obwohl der Weinberg im Jahr 1989 gepflanzt wurde, wurde es ab, wenn Stephen und Karen Masters kaufte es im Februar 2006, so wie vintage ragte laufen. Öffnen Sie über ihren Mangel an Erfahrung Weinindustrie, sagen sie, sie habe bei der Arbeit gelernt. Handlich, im folgenden Jahr qualifiziert Tochter Katie als Winzer, Kellermeister Beitritt Mark Aitken und von Anfang an, Nachbarn Bill und Dan Pannell der Picardie haben eine helfende Hand geliehen, darunter die Bereitstellung von neuen Spätburgunder-Klone.

Ohne Ausnahme waren die Weine gut gemacht, aber es ist Pinot Noir zeigt, dass das größte Potenzial mit sehr guten Typizität, so war ich froh, als Katie sagte, dass sie beabsichtigt, sich auf sie konzentrieren. With just a little more concentration (I found them a little lacking in conviction on the finish) and “hands off” character, I reckon they could be very good:

Lost Lake Pinot Noir Single Vineyard 2008 – pale, almost a rose, with a pretty nose showing good varietal character with red cherry, a touch of chocolate and just a hint of sous bois. Very pretty on the palate, those red cherry and chocolate notes following through, gently supported by fine tannins.

Lost Lake Pinot Noir Barrel Selection 2007 – A little deeper colour but still on pale side. The palate is more textured with spicier, sweet red cherry fruit.

Lost Lake Pinot Noir Barrel Selection 2008 – bright ruby with garnet flashes. A lovely floral nose and palate with lifted violets and sweet, ripe red cherry fruit. In the mouth it's quite silky with good mid-palate intensity to its red cherry layered with spicy oak and earthy beetroot. Promising.

Meanwhile, Karen intends to take The Deck cellar door restaurant upmarket under the management of chef Paul Griffin and his wife, Sophine. Due to start a month or so after my visit, the restaurant will then be open for dinner as well as lunch. Meantime, I enjoyed my Dam Platter (pictured), featuring fresh local Marron (freshwater crayfish), a regional speciality.

No prizes for guessing my next stop…

Picardy

Probably Pemberton's best-known producer, Picardy is the passion of Moss Wood's founder Bill Pannell and run in partnership with his son Dan, the winemaker. I'm sure I could make up a good limerick about Picardy given the Pannell's status as Pinot Noir pioneers, but I shall leave that to you! Suffice to say that they have championed Burgundy clones in WA in their pursuit of great Pinot and I'm sure they'll be glad that Howard Park are now also pushing the envelope with this variety together with Burgundy's Pascal Marchand (see my notes of a Pinot Noir tasting at Howard Park here).

Picardy Sauvignon Blanc 2008 – I first tasted the Pannell's Sauvignon Blanc in 2007 (see my notes here ) and, though it was made from bought in fruit, it impressed with its subtlety. Dan believes that too many WA producers pick the variety too early, though he's quick to point out that he's not looking for big flavours, rather for complexity. Sancerre is his inspiration. This, the first vintage from 100% estate fruit, has a rich nose and textured palate with a hint of honey cut with fresh cut apples. It's mouthwatering and subtlely complex thanks to around 7% Semillon, 6-8 hours skin contact and a bit of lees contact.

Picardy Sauvignon Blanc 2009 – for this wine, the pursuit of complexity sees the incorporation of around 5% of barrel fermented and aged wine (old barrels). This reminds me of a really good South African Sauvignon (my preferred New World style), with its intensely flavoursome, steely, almost smoky grapefruit and fresh cut apple cut and thrust. Again, good texture and complexity.

Picardy Chardonnay 2007 – this is a good example of the new breed of Australian Chardonnay made from Burgundy clones and, with an element of controlled oxidation, it's a more savoury, nutty-edged style. There's a good core of fleshy white peach, with well integrated oak yielding a nice burnish of smoky hazlenut. Grapefruity acidity makes for a lingering finish.

Picardy Chardonnay 2008 – part of this wine was aged in Bordeaux barrels which impart a cedary note. Earlier picked fruit produces a tighter style, with lively grapefruity acidity carrying a long finish with hints of smoke and cashew. Sehr gut.

Picardy Pinot Noir 2007 – savoury with bright red and black cherry and a cool earthiness, dank clay (which I like!), to nose and palate. Gut gemacht.

Picardy Tete de Cuvee Pinot Noir 2007 – lovely girlish and pretty fresh red cherry and currant to the nose. It builds in the mouth, with a swirl of red currant, cherry and berry, hints of cassis and bilberry. There's a subtle savoury undertone and some cocoa dust to its long, persistent finish.

Pemberley Farm & a Pemberton regional tasting

Bellarmine - in 2007 and 08 I drove the length and breadth of Great Southern checking out the region's justly famous Rieslings. Then I heard whispers about a fine German style of Riesling from Pemberton. Unfortunately I got lost on forestry tracks trying to find Bellarmine , which was established by a German couple, the Schumachers, in 2004. This time I got to taste their wines and was thrilled to discover their Auslese – fabulous purity and scintillating tension, one of the most successful of the new niche breed of sweeter Aussie Rieslings I've encountered.

Bellarmine Sauvignon Blanc 2008 – very Pemberton, with its steely, dusty, mineral grapefruit character with a nice twist of lime; zesty, good.

Bellarmine Riesling 2009 – dry style (though 5g/l of residual sugar) with a floral nose, some talc and a razor-sharp, fresh cut apple and grapefruit palate – austere and very mouthwatering. Needs a bit of time to unwind.

Bellarmine Riesling 2009 – this wine has 30g/l of residual sugar which reveals itself in a softer, appley nose and juicier fresh cut apples on the palate. A nice purity to this – its crisp acidity giving an impression of dryness.

Bellarmine Riesling Auslese 2008 – my pick of the bunch, this has a fabulous nose with hints of lime blossom and slate. The palate is exhilarating – tight, steely and slatey with terrific purity and tension, even though it has 120g/l of residual sugar and, in case you were wondering, it weighs in at a featherweight 7% abv. Exceptional.

Big Brook – this is a new producer, grapes having previously been sold to Houghton. You can find out more on their website here .

Big Brook Sauvignon/Semillon 2009 –This dry white has a smoky grapefruit nose, good freshness and lemony fruit – well made.

Big Brook Chardonnay 2008 – a promising debut for this 4 month oak-aged chardy – it's fresh and limey with honey hints. I like its vibrancy and well-judged oak. The 2009 vintage picked up a Gold Medal at Qantas Wine Show.

Fontys Pool – established in 1989, Fonty's Pool was originally a joint venture project between Cape Mentelle Vineyards and Fonty's Pool Farm. Fruit from the Fonty's Pemberton vineyards was vinified by Cape Mentelle, though when I visited in 2007, Fontys had its very own pocket-sized winery and Cape Mentelle was no longer involved. Good solid winemaking here.

Fontys Pool Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 2008 – quite rich and lemon and limey with some lanolin coming through – all very Semillon, but the Sauvignon gives it a nice charge of Pemberton-style steely grapefruit with a mineral/ironstone tang.

Fontys Pool Chardonnay 2008 – quite toasty with struck match palate on the nose and palate which is fresh and grapefruity with a salty, savoury quality; nice tight finish.

Fontys Pool Pinot Noir 2008 – beetroot to the nose and palate so nice Pinot Noir typicity with that savoury, earthy hint and a touch of chocolate to its bright red fruit – a very sound commercial Pinot Noir – could live a little more!

Salitage – owned by John and Jenny Horgan, Salitage is one of Pemberton's pioneer wineries and for me, its strongest suit is the Chardonnay, of which the 2008 is a cracker. Incidentally, they rent attractive self-catering cottages, surrounded by Karri gums, in which I stayed back in 2007.

Salitage barrel fermented Chardonnay 2008 – I preferred this to the very correct 2007. It comes from a cooler, wetter vintage – the more adverse conditions appear to have been character-building! It shows a classic WA profile – aromatic, with melon and pears augmented with honey, apple and more savoury notes. Very good, its subtle characteristics drawing you back to the glass.

Pemberley Farm

The focus at David and Monica Radomiljac's Pemberley Farm is grape growing. David manages 300ha in addition to the farm's 15 hectares of vineyard. He's a farmer by background and says it's common sense that, if you're passionate about it, and work 7 days a week, 12 hours a day - “feeling, smelling and breathing the vineyard” – you'll get great results. It's also become key to staying in the game where a fruit glut has seen a number of growers left out in the cold – David says many never picked or were not paid in 2009.

Monica tells me that they're fortunate not to be caught up in the red glut and, for whites, demand is in fact growing rapidly. He and Monica are immensely proud that their fruit has gone into Houghton's and Willow Bridge Estate's award winning wines. And, a couple of weeks after my visit, Domaines & Vineyards 2009 Pemberley Sauvignon Blanc picked up a Gold Medal at Qantas Wine Show. The Radomiljacs are partners in Domaines & Vineyards, ex-Houghton Chief Winemaker Rob Bowen's new venture and Bowen, together with David Crawford of Willow Bridge Estate, make Pemberley's own label wines.

Cable Beach Sunset Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2008 – made from 72% Pemberley Sauvignon Blanc and 28% Semillon Willowbridge Estate fruit from Geographe, this is vibrant and fresh quaffer with bright pea pod notes from Pemberley's Broome Range. A savvy riposte to New Zealand whose Sauvignon “Savalanche” is making sizeable inroads in the Aussie domestic market.

Pemberley Sauvignon Blanc 2008 – a more serious, hand-picked single vineyard wine, this is dry with steely, slightly smoky grapefruit and good acid drive – a very clean and pure expression of Pemberton Sauvignon. Much more interesting than most Kiwi Sauvs!

Stonebarn

Overnight, Tourism WA had arranged for me to stay at Stonebarn (pictured). Owned by Sharon and Dion Rangé, this secluded new luxury accomodation in a forestry estate location is set to capitalise on the region's burgeoning gourmet food and wine culture – not just premium wines, but now “black gold” (see day 4). You can find my write up of Stonebarn on Tom Cannavan's Wine Pages here , but it probably gives you a measure of the place when I say it's a Mr & Mrs Smith destination – see here.

Day 4 Manjimup

It's a sore point around these tender parts that Pemberton and Manjimup to the north were split into separate GIs. As Darelle Sinclair pointed out they're both small towns with many producers around her age without successors, so she argues, it would have been better for profile to pool resources and keep the region one. There's also little respect from some quarters about how the boundaries were drawn up. Site-wise, Manjimup is the more elevated of the 2 regions (up to 300m). Though they share a similar climate and soils – karri loams and ironstone gravel over clay – Vic Peos contends, there's more of the latter, better soils in Manjimup.

Sinclair

The tiger on Sinclair's label is the legendary thylacine, rumoured still to lurk deep in the forests round about – wished they'd told me that before I stayed at Stone Barn! I met with ex-science teacher Darelle Sinclair who, with her partner John Healy, established Sinclair in 1994. Darelle is the viticulturist, John the marketeer and the wines are made under contract at Flying Fish in Margaret River. Darelle keeps a watchful eye during the bench testing to make sure the wines reflect the house style – quite a full palate, with good acid drive for length and structure, so she's looking for fruit then acid. Here are my highlights of the tasting:

Sinclair Sauvignon Blanc Swallow Hill 2009 – nice concentration of flavour with lifted pea pod soon giving way to the steely grapefruit, iron mineral quality I associate with Sauvignon Blanc from down here. 13%

Sinclair Jeremy Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2006 – an 80/20 split. In South Australia this blend tends to have a real heft to it, but this is much more WA, bright and elegant with a (dried) herbal, tobacco nose and palate which shows black berry and currant fruit. Good freshness and ripe supporting tannins. 13%

The Wine & Truffle Company

Manjimup die schwarze Trüffel-Industrie ist eine neuere Entwicklung, die unter den Feinschmecker Welt ist im Sturm erobert. Ich rockte bis am Donnerstag bei The Wine & Truffle Unternehmen , um mehr darunter - ich hatte keine Ahnung - Trüffel sind eine Knolle nicht funghi ....

Obwohl das Unternehmen ist heute der südlichen Hemisphäre die größte Trüffel Produzent, als 1300 schwarze Trüffel-Eichen und geimpft Haselnusshaine im Jahr 1997 gepflanzt wurden, war Manjimup, auch Australien, Virgin Trüffel Gebiet. Dr. Nick Malajczuk, jetzt als "Vater des australischen schwarzen Trüffel", rechnete Manjimup bekannt war klimatisch ähnlich Perigord (Heimat des französischen schwarzen Trüffel), aber es war ein Glücksspiel.

Alle warteten mit angehaltenem Atem und am 03.30 am 28. Juli 2003, zu viel Stanzen von Luft, erzeugt das eine trufferie 168g/truffle. Seit diesem euphorischen Moment in der Zeit, erzählt Trüffelsucher Damon Boorman mich, dass die Geduld hat sich wirklich schon seine eigene Belohnung - das Unternehmen ein stetiges Wachstum Jahre und Jahr aus genossen sagte Lone Trüffel im Jahr 2003 auf 12.500 Trüffeln im Jahr 2009, bei einem Gewicht von 900kg.

Obwohl die Trüffel-Saison gerade zu Ende war wurde ich zu einem Mock Trüffelsuche mit Boorman und seine Labradors Errol und Sky (im Bild), die als Senf mit Begeisterung an, obwohl er ausgegraben 900kg sagte der "schwarze Gold" in den letzten 3 Monate oder so behandelt - Hunde mit feinem Gaumen dann. Eigentlich glaube die Hunde nicht für die Trüffeln graben, noch haben sie bekommen ihre Koteletts auf ihnen - sie sind im Wert von 3.000 $ / Kilo - so dass sie einfach aufzuspüren und ihren Duft Alarm Damon zu dem Ort. Damon dann sanft unearthes die Trüffel von Hand, aber nur, wenn sie reif sind.

After careful sorting, the truffles are despatched to top Aussie, Japanese, US and other worldwide destinations within 24 hours of being dug up, so they're super-fresh. Boorman tells me that they've had exceptionally good feedback from the likes of Wakuda Tetsuya (Tetsuya) and Peter Gilmore (Quay) in Sydney and Joel Reblochon and the French Laundry's Thomas Keller abroad. I was very sorry to have missed the season, but their truffle oil was delicious….You can join Boorman or one of his colleagues for a live or simulated truffle hunt and taste truffle produce at the café. The company also celebrates the start of the season around the end of May with “Truffle Affaire,” involving a truffle dog demonstration, entertainment and a six course long table degustation truffle luncheon. And to get a handle on fast-growing WA truffle scene, at the Mundaring Truffle Festival and Perth Hills Wine Show in early August, you can taste, buy and learn about fresh black truffles with a glass of the local Perth Hills wines.

I suspect you'll find The Wine & Truffle Company's vinous wares on show too. They're made under contract at Mount Shadforth winery. Amazingly (and I was clearly not the first to say this), the company doesn't make a Pinot Noir despite the fact we're in WA's Pinot country and the variety has a great affinity with truffles. I felt that the wines lacked a bit of concentration/structure, but these were my favourites from the range:

The Wine & Truffle Co Reserve Reserve Riesling 2007 – a fresh, limey nose with pretty floral/talc notes, with steely, mineral grapefruit on the mouthsluicing palate.

The Wine & Truffle Co Rose 2008 – made from estate Cabernet Sauvignon this is a well made rose with lifted floral, blackcurrant and red cherry fruit, just a touch leafy though this balances c. 10g of residual sugar and lends freshness to the whole.

The Wine & Truffle Co Shiraz 2007 – spicy plum with liquorice nose and palate, with its juicy finish and dryish tannins it's a good food wine.

The Wine & Truffle Co Merlot 2007 – a well made Merlot with a nice core of sweet plum and juicy blood plum. 15% Cabernet Sauvignon keeps it in check lending a note of tobacco leaf and a firm tannin structure. Gut.

The Wine & Truffle Shiraz, Cabernet, Merlot 2007 – a minty, peppery nose leads onto a juicy, peppery, firmly structured palate fleshed out with black berry, currant and blueberry fruit. Again, a good food wine.

The Wine & Truffle Co Cane Cut Reserve Series Riesling 2008 – this delicate sweetie has a pretty nose of lychee, orange and lime blossom. In the mouth it's toothsomely sweet with orange and apricot cut with fresh citrussy acidity – nice purity, not at all syrupy, super pretty.

Peos

Viticulturist Vic Peos' Macedonian grandfather arrived in Western Australia in 1926, followed slowly by his parents in the 1950s. Then, tobacco was the thing, but it wasn't long before the industry went belly up as Queensland took up the mantle of tobacco territory. The family then focused their efforts on dairy farming and vegetables, later branching out into hotels. When they sold their Perth hotel they decide to invest in wine, planting the first vines in 1996 and launching the maiden wines under the Peos Estate label in 1999.

There's quite a range of varieties and Vic is also nursing along some young Dolcetto, Sangiovese, Pinot Grigio and Nebbiolo vines. The wines are made in Great Southern at Forest Hill, whose Riesling I love. Winemaker Clémence Haselgrove is Bordeaux-born and bred and, interestingly, I particularly liked the Peos Cabernets, though Vic said it's the hardest to grow because the season doesn't always let you finish it off before the weather breaks.

2008 Four Aces Chardonnay – a lime zest nose with richer, cream and oak notes; ditto on palate whose butterscotch oak-edged fruit is undercut with brisk limey acidity.

2007 Shiraz – a damson and briary fruit nose and palate leads onto a tightly wound berry and blackcurrant palate. Good fruit purity, freshness and a nice lick of cinnamon and cedar spice. Gut gemacht.

2004 Cabernet Sauvignon – very deep in colour with a ripe cassis nose; the palate shows a good purity and concentration of tight cassis fruit, underscored by darker, savoury chocolate and an ironstone bloody tang. Well balanced and nicely supported by plush tannins.

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon – very youthful on nose and palate with a good depth of tighty coiled, blackcurrant and cassis fruit – needs time but good purity and promise.

Herriot Wines

John und Yvonne Herriot gekauft haben, haben ihren Hof im Jahr 1995, pflanzen ihre ersten Reben im Jahr 1997. Landwirtschaft begonnen, seine Attraktivität zu verlieren, wenn John ging auf eine chemische Behandlung natürlich. Erlösung kam in Form eines Buches über Biodynamik. Obwohl John, ein Ingenieur, gibt zu, dass es ursprünglich war ein "Sprung des Glaubens", seit 2000 haben sie die Farm so natürlich wie möglich gearbeitet. Im Jahr 2005 Herriot erhalten biodynamischen Zertifizierung. Auch Rindfleisch aus ihrer außergewöhnlich schönen Belted Galloway Herde (im Bild) wird biologisch-dynamisch zertifiziert.

In der Kellerei, herrscht die natürlichen Ansatz - Johannes, der den Wein macht, keine Säure einzustellen, impfen Hefe oder Nähr-und Schwefelgehalt niedrig gehalten werden. Ich fragte John mit einem Hauch von vorzeitigen Oxidation auf der 2008S, die er auf dem Kinn hat, ohne weiteres zuzugeben, dass das Projekt ist noch in Entwicklung befindet. Dennoch, basierend auf dem 2006s, dachte ich, dass die Weine mit Charakter und erfolgversprechend waren, und mit dem Shiraz, ist ihre wilde, leicht rustikal Rand eine positive.

Herriot Riesling 2006 - eine attraktive Nase und sehr scharfe, enge Gaumen zeigen Kalk Blume / Blüte, Grapefruit und ein Mineral tang. Es hat auf etwas Gewicht mit dem Alter gelegt, mit etwas Honig. Sehr gut.

Herriot Natascha Riesling 2006 - es gibt einen honigsüßen eingefasst, um dies zu-trockener Wein der Apfelsorbet Früchte. Einem fein strukturierten Gaumen ist lang und rein, mit mouthcleansing Säure ins Ziel. Sehr ausgewogen und gut strukturiert. Sehr gut.

Herriot Shiraz 2008 - ein charaktervoller Shiraz mit dunkler, aber saftige Beerenfrucht von Veilchen Zimt und weißem Pfeffer würzen angehoben. Gute Unterstützung von Unternehmen, sehnig Obst Tanninen. Es gibt Lakritz und einem Hauch von Kampfer als erwärmt sich im Glas.

Herriot Shiraz 2007 - ein Hauch tiefer in der Farbe, hat dieses schöne saftige violetten Kanten rote Früchte mit jenem Hauch von Kampfer bis ins Ziel. Strukturierte, kalkhaltigen Tanninen. Gut.

Batista

Vielleicht erinnern Sie sich, dass alle getrüffelt up, war ich ein bisschen enttäuscht, dass der Wine & Truffle Company hat nicht einen Pinot Noir. Ich würde etwas aromatisch und berauschend, und doch erdig glaubte. Später an diesem Tag, fand ich mehr als genug Entschädigung bei einem Besuch mit Bob Peruche von Batista. Er macht fabelhafte Pinot Noirs auf seinem kleinen Bauernhof thront hoch auf einem Bergrücken in Middlesex, Manjimup überblickt das wunderschöne Tal Warren.

There's no signage to Batista and, suffice to say, no website. Bob regards himself as “just a farmer” and, when it comes to winemaking, it's very much about pleasing himself. And I'm very glad of that because he has a wonderful sensibility around Pinot Noir. It all started when he was asked to advise on the planting of Smithbrook Estate's vineyard in 1988, which was established by self-confessed Pinot-phile, Picardy's Bill Pannell, together with investors in Burgundy's Pousse d'Or. Though Peruche was not growing grapes (in fact he'd pulled up his father's vines five years earlier), Pannell valued his knowledge of the land. Inevitaby Pannell introduced Peruche to Burgundy and, soon smitten by Pinot Noir's “smell of chook sheds and cow yards”, Peruche planted his own vines in 1993.

Unlike Pannell (and bucking overall trends), Peruche has not been as convinced by Burgundian clones 114, 115 and 777. His vineyard is mostly planted to the region's traditional upright and droopy clones and it's the upright clone that gets his vote, though he says 115 looked good for the first time this year (2009). The “winery” is as unfancy as Peruche's approach to winemaking – “I pick it, I crush it, I ferment it, settle it, taste for tannin and filter.” He tells me following criticism about brett from James Halliday, he's sterile filtered since 2005. While he feels that it's removed some of the earthiness he likes, he reckons it'll come back with time, as the wines age.

We taste the 2009 from barrel. It's from his best vines. Deep in colour, the nose entices with violets and sweet red fruit. In the mouth, there's raspberry, but the emphasis is on sappy black fruits, berry and cherry. Lovely weight, without being heavy, supported by attractively textured tannins. Sehr gut. We head indoors (pictured) to taste the 98, 2007 and 2008, accompanied by a tasting plate with his (excellent) Shiraz-washed sheeps milk cheese (which we'd spotted maturing in the wine shed).

Batista Selection Pinot Noir 2007 – made from two barrels from the best parcels, this has a good depth of colour, showing a chocolate edged to the black and red cherry fruit. The palate is intense, long and layered with floral notes, sappy red and black fruits and a fine spine of powdery tannins. Lovely balance and structure, this still has plenty to give.

Batista Pinot Noir 2008 – though very youthful and relatively closed this shows plenty of potential. A textured palate shows well-defined, fresh red fruits with chocolate. There's a lovely seamlessness to this wine, with excellent integration of the fruit, tannin and acidity.

Batista Pinot Noir 1998 - immer noch eine gute Farbtiefe, mit einem Granat Felge verlost sein Alter. Es zeigt, reife dunkle Frucht, sehr rauchig und salzig. Obwohl es von einem wärmeren Jahre ist und in dieser Zeit, nahm Peruche 14 näher als 13 Baume, es ist bewundernswert lebenswichtigen mit einer schönen Tanninstruktur und Textur.

Peruche die Pinot Noirs sind sinnlich, deckt sich das mit dem, was er erzählte mir von seiner Reaktion auf die feinen Burgunder, denen Pannell stellte ihn - ". Es fühlt sich schön" Und es sichert in einen allgemeinen Trend ich über australische Weine bemerkt habt - es gibt viel mehr Schwerpunkt in diesen Tagen auf die Textur als nur Geschmack entgegen, und ich liebe es.

Übernachtung im Stonebarn, war es Zeit, ein paar schöne Flaschen (nein, nicht auf meine eigenen!) Trinken:

Pepperilly Grenache 2007 - ein Cracker eines Grenache von einem Hersteller ich nicht vorgekommen, Pepperilly in der Geographe Ferguson Valley. Zwar gibt es einige herrlich extravagante Geschmacksrichtungen sind hier - würzig Orangenschale (Trinkgeld in Terrys Chocolate Orange), Mokka und dunkler Würze, gibt es nichts von dem Fett, gebacken oder konfektionierte Charakter, von dem Grenache leiden kann. Stattdessen verleihen frischen roten Früchten und Skelett-Struktur und Tannine Animation. Sehr gut.

Lillian Lefroy Brook Chardonnay 2006, Pemberton - ich liebte John Brocksopp die Weine, als ich über sie kam im Jahr 2007 und dies hat uns nicht enttäuscht (aber dann war John Leeuwin Estate Winzer). Reiche und gewichtige Aromen mit seinen Cashew-kantigen Stein Früchte und edle Eiche, aber gutes Balancing Frische bringt Struktur und Länge. Ich besuchte John in der folgenden Woche und Sie werden mehr Verkostungsnotizen finden Sie unten.

Tag 5

Slow Food in Margaret River

Die Slow Food-Bewegung in Italien im Jahr 1989 entstanden und wurde gegründet, "um Fast-Food und schnelle Leben, das Verschwinden der lokalen kulinarischen Traditionen und Menschen, die schwindenden Interesse an der Nahrung, die sie essen, wo es herkommt, wie es schmeckt und wie sich unsere Auswahl von Lebensmitteln entgegenwirken Auswirkungen auf den Rest der Welt. "

Heute hat die Bewegung mehr als 100.000 Mitglieder in 132 Ländern und, nach Food Perth Langsam , Western Australia hat fünf von Australiens 38 Slow Food Convivien. Glücklich für mich, fiel mein Aufenthalt mit einem Mittagessen in Cullen Wines auf der Margaret River Convivien der Slow-Food-Akkreditierung zu feiern. Cullen wurden zertifiziert organischen seit 2004 und seit 2003 biologisch-dynamisch. Das Ethos folgt durch Cullen in Essen. Chef Matt Egan sorgfältig Quellen frischen, regionalen, biologischen und biodynamischen Produkten.

Das heutige Mittagessen steht stellvertretend für die Mittagessen er stellt sich heraus, täglich, und hier ist es:

• Yallingup Woodfired Sauerteig mit Ellens Ridge natives Olivenöl extra, Agonis Ridge natives Olivenöl extra, marinierter Red Tail Ridge und Cullen Oliven
• 34 Degrees Blue - Tiefsee-Krabben und frischem Schnee Cullen Garten Erbsen-Risotto
• Bindoon organischen Rinderfilet mit gerösteten Cullen Garten Frühlingsgemüse und den organischen Vege-Shop niederländischen Rahmkartoffeln
• Margaret River Creamery Camembert mit Yallingup Woodfired Obst und Roggenbrot
• Margaret River Citrus Sevilla und Blutorangen-Tarte mit Agonis Ridge Orange gepresstes Olivenöl

Autarkie ist ein wichtiger Grundsatz der Biodynamik, also war ich nicht überrascht, Cullen Oliven und Frühlingsgemüse aus ihren biologisch-dynamisch gepflegt Gemüsegärten auf der Speisekarte zu finden. Ich war jedoch gekitzelt zu entdecken, dass die Erbsen aus inter-Reihe Deckfrucht (Abbildung mit Egan) kam - kein Abfall dort! Egan sagt mir, es ist wirklich lohnend die Arbeit mit den eigenen Garten und Kunden lieben es. Er sagt, dass die hitzige Debatte über GVO in WA hat Provenienz unter die Lupe genommen und, als Folge, Australier viel mehr interessiert, wo ihre Lebensmittel herkommen sind. Das Klopfen an Wirkung steigender Kraftstoffpreise auf Nahrung hat auch Interesse an lokalen, saisonalen Produkten gefördert und auf Cullen wird es nicht mehr vor Ort als mit Ihren eigenen Gemüsegarten! Seine eine reichliche Quelle von Salat, Kräuter, Kürbisse, Tomaten und Gemüse, der Überschuss von denen Egan Pickles oder macht in Chutney.

Als Nahrung für die Beschaffung von anderswo, hält er es so lokal wie möglich, obwohl es Flexibilität und eine gute Organisation in der Küche benötigt, wenn Ihr Menü durch, was verfügbar ist informiert wird. Aber wie andere Köche treffe ich während meines Aufenthaltes, wird Egan von der pulsierenden lovocore Szene und die Qualität und Nachhaltigkeit der regionalen Fisch-und landwirtschaftlichen Produkten begeistert.

Cullen Wines

The visit was also a great opportunity to catch up with the latest wines and developments in the winery since my fortnight cellar ratting in 2007. I'd tasted the much acclaimed Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay 2007 just before I headed out to WA (October's white Wine of the Month – see here ) and was particularly looking forward to tasting the flagship Diana Madeline Cabernet Merlot 2007, which includes 4% of each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Punching down the Cabernet Franc thrice a day was among my responsibilities during vintage 2007 – never had a flatter stomach! Anyway, this time I was searching for a vinous reward and found it – here's my tasting note for the Diana Madeline 2007 and some 2009 barrel/tank samples which I tried on a zip around the cellar with Vanya Cullen and Trevor Kent, her right-hand man in the winery. I haven't given notes for the 09 reds because the different varieties had yet to be blended, but they were looking particularly floral, a quality which Vanya says has become more pronounced since going down the biodynamic route.

Cullen Diana Madeline 2007 – a gorgeous nose, lifted yet rich with chocolate edged cassis and fresh blackcurrant. The palate shows lovely freshness and balance, with ripe but well-defined black and red currant and berry fruit supported by firm, savoury tannins. Subtle hints of cedar and tobacco come through on a long finish. For Vanya, “Cabernet should be medium-bodied,” though she says she fears it has sometimes “lost its way” in Australia because of a tendency to make it like Shiraz.

Cullen Mangan Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (tank sample) – very intense, direct and lemony, with lemon pips and riper lemon meringue pie notes. Always a linearity with Mangan SSB. Sehr gut.

Cullen Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2009 (tank sample) – I love the estate SSB for its limpid, subtle power and structure – see my notes here of a vertical tasting in 2007 at which I felt this wine really strutted its pedigree. Seventy percent of the wine was barrel fermented in new French oak. Unlike others in the region, it's the Sauvignon that's oaked not the Semillon. Vanya explains that Cullen Sauvignon is quite open in expression so it can handle oak and, conversely, it's the Semillon that gives the line so that sees no oak.

Cullen Chardonnay 2009 – last year, when I was in WA for a Riesling focus, I swung by Cullen on my way home to see how the 07s were doing in barrel. It was April and Vanya and Trevor showed me some still fermenting 2008 reds. Both were excited by the influence of some new bits of kit – a vibrating sorting table, conveyor and Bucher Vaslin basket press, each of which mean the grapes are transported and pressed even more gently than before. Cullen reds are renowned for their fine tannins anyway and, when I compared the 08 reds that had been mollycoddled with the new kit with batches that hadn't, I can remember thinking where are the tannins?!? Result!

In 2009, Vanya experimented with using the Bucher Vaslin basket press on batches of the Chardonnay (instead of the pneumatic horizontal press). Both chardys looked great but they were really quite different. The basket pressed wine was more floral and less citrus, with a particularly sensual, layered mouth feel. Too bad that the return is 400l/ton as opposed to the 500l/ton return from the pneumatic horizontal press, especially when we're talking about the hens and chickens prone gin gin Chardonnay clone which is a shy bearer, especially at Cullen where the vines are getting on. In fact, Trevor mentioned that they're thinking about introducing bee hives to give pollination a boost!

Cullen Late Harvest Chenin Blanc 2009 – there's been a sea change for the Chenin this year with the decision to use cordon cut fruit to concentrate sugar and flavour intensity. I must say, this has transformed this sweetie from a very pleasant drink to a really lovely wine. With greater depth of flavour and length and, excitingly, some Loire-like honey and camomile notes, it's characterful too. Promising.

Burnside Organic farm – The Good Life

Self-sufficiency is at the very core of Lara and Jaimie McCall's Burnside farm, my next stop and home for three nights. Over dinner, the couple told me how they'd left Perth and made their way to Margaret River after careers in stock-broking and journalism.

From the outset the couple, who have young children, didn't want to use chemicals and the farm is certified biodynamic. Lara tells me “it's not hard if you let the animals do the work,” which explains all the fences to ensure that the sheep, hens, geese, guinea fowl and guinea pigs (effective lawnmowers apparently) stay task-focused. They grow avocados, macadamia nuts, olives, capers (intensely fruity and floral), salad, herbs, vegetables and fruit. Lara tends the Zinfandel vines, biodynamically of course and makes a good Zin under the farm's “Three Boys” label. The larder is stocked with homegrown/homemade jams, chutneys, pickles, cheeses and ham. For guests staying in the farm's self-catering bungalows, Lara makes up a basket of farm fresh produce for breakfast, including her fresh-baked bread and very good it is too. You can also help yourself to veg and salad from the kitchen garden. Surplus produce is sold at Margaret River's fortnightly farmers market, which the McCalls helped found.

Day 6

Margaret River farmers market

Burnside farm is just 15 minutes drive north of Margaret River township, so, after coffee at Blue Ginger , a really cool Margaret River café and delicatessen, I head off to have a general mosey around the farmers market (pictured). I'ma honey fiend and, take it from me, the Karri, Marri and Jarrah honeys are worth lingering over.

It's also a chance to meet a couple of the producers I didn't have time to speak with at the Slow Food lunch. Marion Bauer of Yallingup Woodfired Bakery tells me her husband, baker Gotthard, is from a Stuttgart family of bakers. A traveller, he pitched up in Perth with his family and his woodfired sourdough bread, made from biodynamic flour, is now regarded as among Australia's best. Big Rock rye is fabulously flavoursome. You can visit the bakery at the corner of Biddles and McLachlan roads, Yallingup (northern Margaret River) from 10am to 4pm Thursday to Sunday.

Margaret River Organic Creameries stall is manned by Peter Togno's parents. His father, Frank, tells me that his father started the dairy farm business in the 1920s. Though he says they never used sprays, Peter was the passionate force behind the push to organics and cheesemaking, starting trials in 2003 which led to certification in 2004. This means they don't use chemical fertilisers, antibiotics or additives, which Frank says has resulted in an increase in quality and production. The range includes five cheeses – a Feta, Camembert, Havarti, Romano and Cheddar. They can't make enough Camembert and, of the cheeses on tasting, the Cheddar has nice bite while the Havarti is intense, nutty and more granular in texture.

Settlers Tavern

At the Slow Food lunch I really enjoyed chatting with Karen and Rob Gough from the Settlers Tavern , which I've reviewed on Tom Cannavan's Wine Pages here . Vanya Cullen had tipped me off about their amazing wine list so I briefly stopped by en route to my next appointment. Sure enough it's an impressive list with over 250 bins, including plenty of lesser known (at least over here) boutique Aussie producers and a good number of organic and biodynamic wines, Australian and international. Next time I visit, I'm coming here for a drink!

Must Wine Bar

Must's Chef/patron Russell Blaikie divides his time between Must Perth and the newer Margaret River branch, in addition to broadcasting and writing about food, so I was lucky to catch up with him for an interview. He's a passionate communicator about food and, though he's worked at The Dorchester in London and in Paris, he's thoroughly in love with his home surf and turf and, specifically, the freshness and quality of WA's raw ingredients.

That morning, he'd raided the farmers market for beetroot – like Kate Lamont and Cullen's Egan, he gets a buzz from working with ingredients, what's available, not recipes. He says that the slow food movement and farmers markets have really driven the focus on local, seasonal food, indeed Albany farmers market won Vogue Entertaining & Travel's outstanding Australian farmers market award in 2008 www.albanyfarmersmarket.com.au. For his part, Blaikie is keen to champion unique products like Must Margaret River's signature dry aged Butterfield beef, a single estate beef from Paul Omeehan's farm at the foot of the Stirling Ranges. Similarly, he only buys my starter's thick-stemmed, super-tender asparagus from Phillip and Sheila Marshall in Torbay (you can read my review of Must Margaret River and Must Perth here on Tom Cannavan's Wine Pages).

The small (and local) is beautiful philosophy follows through in the wine list not, I might add, in terms of the number of bins (around 500!), but rather because co-owner Garry Gossati is keen to ensure that it includes Margaret River's smallest producers. Gossati invited every Margaret River winemaker to show their wine and was delighted by the terrific response. It's meant that wines from one man operations usually only sold at the cellar door appear alongside the region's iconic producers. With my lunch, I enjoy one of around 20-25 wines available by the glass, Churchview's The Bartondale Reserve Marsanne 2007. Churchview are a relatively new outfit (established in 1998) whom I've never come across before. With a squeeze of fresh lime juice to the palate, I reckon this is early picked and, though the palate has Marsanne's trademark waxy quality, its fresh and delicate with lifted honeysuckle. Like it.

After posting a blog about week one, I'm off to a friend's house for dinner, featuring delicious snapper bought this morning at the farmers market. It's a night off – no need to ask questions or take notes and how relaxingly normal to prepare the guacamole, field the kids' questions and watch Harry Potter!

Day 6

Samudra yoga and surf session

An early start next day and I'm going right out of my comfort zone. Tourism WA have arranged a yoga and surf session for me with Samudra . I'm the least supple person I know and not big on swimming out of my depth! I'm also hyper-conscious that, on my first visit to WA in 2004, one of our hosts grimly pointed out the beach where a surfer was mauled by a Great White Shark. In a strange twist of fate, I subsequently (fortunately) meet someone whose brother was surfing next to the guy that died that day….Summoning up all my courage, I mentally rehearse the line “more people are killed by chairs than by sharks” over and over and, thinking positive, bring to mind all the winemakers I've met who are surfing addicts. In the end, I decide it's too good an opportunity to miss. And it is.

My next host is Lifestyle Margaret River, but aside from its teetotal café, Samudra pretty much sums up Margaret River lifestyle. Surfing's a huge draw here (the world championships have taken place at Prevelley beach) and there's a strong interest in activities which nurture the mind, body and soul as well as the stomach, while showing a healthy respect for the environment. Samudra expertly weaves these different threads together. Director, Sheridan Hammond tells me he started practising yoga after sustaining leg and back injuries surfing. Having surfed all his life, Hammond wasn't about to give up and yoga has helped him keep going. Practising with advanced yoga teachers in India introduced him to meditation and a healthier vegan diet.

Hammond is passionate about sharing the benefits of his journey with others. He tells me seeing the transformation that comes from a week's yoga and surf retreat is the best part of his job - “people awaken and you see the joy and clarity in their eyes.” After an early start, I'm feeling pretty bleary-eyed, but my Ashtanga yoga teacher is very reassuring. Though initially distracted by the mind-boggling things the regulars are doing with their bodies, I soon start to feel centred and more relaxed. Different positions encourage me to be mindful of my balance and flexibility – useful for surfing later.

Over breakfast in Samudra's award-winning, very cool café (pictured), Hammond talks me through their “food for life” philosophy – a vegan diet that draws on the best elements of Ayurveda, Macrobiotics and Raw Living Foods. Everything on the menu is organic or biodynamic and the café has its own biodynamic kitchen garden. I don't eat meat so I was excited to explore the menu over breakfast and lunch. Though, on first glance, it might look at bit worthy and hairshirt, let me tell you it's the perfect combo of delicious and nutritious. I'd be amazed if anyone realised that Bill's banana smoothie wasn't made with dairy milk as opposed to almond milk, in fact I reckon almond milk's nicer.

And so to the surfing. Smiths beach is typical of the region, gorgeous, unspoiled, with pristine white sand and aquamarine waves. Hammond's partner Lisa, a former surf champ, takes the lesson. Though she's a great, super-encouraging teacher, I don't make the transition from lying to standing, though one of our number does, (damn him!). I'd like to blame my divine breakfast of buckwheat pancakes and cashew cream (pictured), but I suspect that lots more yoga practice is the answer as, last attempt, my spaghetti-like arms buckle on me! But hey, body boarding is fun, I've overcome my fear of the sea and, even in half a day, I'm feeling awake, very alive and joyful. Mr Hammond, I salute you!

Lifestyle Margaret River

My exit from Samudra was (unusually) glamorous, in Lifestyle Margaret River's 1955 S1 Bentley saloon (pictured below). Nola Gaebler, my chauffeur, has been running tailored tours of Margaret River since 1997. I was impressed with the itinerary she'd planned for me – focused on “green” producers, with none of the usual suspects. Gaebler loves to share her knowledge of the region and there's always an element of surprise – she tends to steer clear of the big players in favour of smaller family-run outfits and gets a kick from showing the Perth locals places even they don't know. She explains “the emphasis is on meeting interesting people with stories to tell,” so she'll happily arrange exclusive “behind the scenes” visits and tastings with the winemakers or owners.

Marri Wood Park

Our first stop is Marri Wood Park , owned by Julian and Lisa Wright, who bought the property in 1992, planting it the following year. Julian's brother is Michael Wright of Voyager Estate. I don't know about the brothers, but Marri Wood Park and Voyager Estate are like chalk and cheese. Voyager Estate's presence is trumpeted by the third largest flagpole in Australia. An immaculate Cape Dutch-style cellar door sits pretty in landscaped “werf” gardens. Marri Wood Park's Yallingup setting is altogether more rustic. It would be wrong to say we swept down the driveway, though the Bentley gamely handled the ironstone gravel track, leaving a cloud of red dust in our wake. Here the cellar door is a corrugated metal affair, but the secluded setting is lovely, true to the name, surrounded by Marri trees.

Wright, a financier, originally employed a manager to run the estate when he was still working in Perth. Less than impressed at the thought of donning a protective suit to spray chemicals when he “retired” to take over running Marri Wood himself in 2004, Wright elected to adopt organic practices instead. A couple of months later, despite reservations it was “hocus pocus,” a course at Cullen persuaded him to give biodynamics a go and he's not looked back. In fact, he's very hands on in the vineyard and proudly takes me to see his biodynamic field-station (pictured). The barrels feature a range of soil-enhancing cold fermenting preparations, including a fish emulsion, causarina brew (an antifungal high in silica and Australia's alternative to horsetail) and my first road kill prep – not the best timing after lunch! Wright dilutes these potent reductions before dynamising them with a stirrer and spreading them around the vineyard with a fertigator.

In the winery, it's another story. Wright says he'll never know as much as ex-Leeuwin man Bob Cartwright, his white winemaker or Ian Bell (formerly of Moss Wood, now making great wines for himself at Glenmore ), who makes the red wines. Excitingly for me, being a Chenin nut, it's Chenin which Wright has singled out as his vinous calling card. He's keen to prove that Margaret River can make top Chenin and picks quite early, between 11.5 and 12 baume, making a serious, dry and steely style. I'm impressed because, with notable exceptions like Peel Estate, WA Chenin tends to be made in a fairly soft focus, easy drinking style. The Chenins are the stars of the show – here are my Chenin tasting notes:

Marri Wood Park Grandis Brut Reserve 2007 – made using the traditional method, this is a fine sparkling wine. It spends 16 months on the lees because Wright's not looking for an autolytic style. As with the table wines, the focus is on a steely, tight style. This is dry, fresh and steely with good acid drive giving nice grapefruity length. Impressive.

Marri Wood Park Reserve Chenin Blanc 2006 – shows lime peel and some development on the nose. The palate is crisp, dry and mineral with persistent steely grapefruit and a hint of toast, that developed note. Very good – my pick of the bunch.

Marri Wood Park Reserve Chenin 2007 – a warmer vintage and, though still dry and well-structured with only 12.3% abv (the 06 is 12.2% abv), this is rounder with juicy citrus and lemony acidity. Gut.

Marri Wood Park Reserve Chenin 2008 – picked a little later this comes in at 12.7% and has a touch more richesse with its honey-licked Granny Smith apple fruit. Good minerally length. Sehr gut.

Olio Bello

I really enjoyed my truffle farm experience so I'm happy to discover that my next port of call is Olio Bello , an organic extra virgin olive oil producer. Before this trip I knew that WA's wineries are fantastically visitor-friendly, but I'd not appreciated that food producers also offer such great tasting and learning experiences.

Olio Bello is quite a sizeable operation, with 10,000 olive trees planted amongst native vegetation. This biosdiversity attracts bees who help pollinate the olive trees. After my introduction to olive oil tasting at Edgecombe Brothers I rattle though a “Heinzian” number of varieties of olive oil, well a dozen not 57. But it does include “Big Nev” made from the pungent Nevadillo variety (a stonker!) and their unique parmesan infused olive oil which I can only say is very parmesan-like on nose and palate. I guess it'd be a useful substitute for the cheese itself, saving money and finger nails! There's also an exciting range of fruit pressed and infused oils made using lemon, lime, mandarins and passion fruit. It's late in the day and I'm behind schedule so there's no time to sample the wares at the café, but I'm told they make their own pasta and also cakes using olive oil instead of butter. Their website has a heap of tips for cooking and baking with olive oil – see here .

Merops

It's back to wine for the final appointment of the day at Merops , a certified organic producer. Aware of my interest in the Loire, Gaebler (pictured at the wheel) hits the jackpot again because Merops Ornatus is a Cabernet Franc dominated blend. Now made by Clive Otto of Fraser Gallop (see here for some Fraser Gallop tasting notes) and previously by Jancis McDonald (see the Stella Bella notes below), the wines are very good. When I meet owner and viticulturist Jim Ross at his home, it's very clear to me why they are such subtle, well-defined wines. His walls are lined with framed labels of top Bordeaux wines. Ross tells me that he and his wife Yvonne developed their love of Bordeaux wines when they lived in France. It clearly informs the style here.

When they planted Cabernet Franc, Shiraz and Merlot vines 10 years ago, Ross and his wife had a long established horticulture, nursery and vineyard irrigation business. Ross speaks with no little feeling and knowledge when he says it's just common sense to work organically – “spend your money on nutrients for a balanced soil rather than poison.” His approach is highly scientific compared with most organic producers I've spoken with and based on the work of American scientist Professor William Albrecht. Ross calls it “bio-fusion” and you can find out more about it here . As for the wines, here are my notes:

Merops Shiraz 2005 – bright ruby in colour and refreshingly bright on the palate too with well-defined red fruits with blackcurrant supported by firm, quite sinewy tannins. It's not as soft-centred as many WA Shiraz and I like it for that. There's a touch of mocha, but it's worn quite lightly, with just 25-30% new oak here.

Merops Ornatus 2005 (Cabernet Franc 74%, Cabernet Sauvignon 11% and Merlot 15%) – a subtle nose and palate, still quite tight with sinewy tannins fleshed out by well-defined red cherry, damson and plum fruit with a lick of liquorice. Sehr gut. He tells me the 2009 Cabernet Franc is his best yet – I look forward to tasting it down the track.

Supper at Woodlands

In 2007, I was really excited to discover Woodlands (see my 2007 notes here) , so it was good to catch up over supper with brothers Stuart and Andrew Watson. They're really driving Woodlands forward and it was a real bonus to spend time with their father David too who, with his wife Heather, established the vineyard in 1973 in the heart of Wilyabrup.

Woodlands was one of Margaret River's first five vineyards but is less well known because, for a period, wines were not made under the Woodlands label. Still, Wilyabrup is arguably the Margaret River hot spot for Cabernet Sauvignon (see my notes of the Great Wine Estates of Western Australia tasting here ) and I rate Woodlands amongst the region's finest. Stuart, who only started making the wines in 2002,is choc-ful of ideas about how maceration, splashing, use of lees and pressings can attain the qualities he so admires in great Bordeaux – “concentration without sweetness…I like savoury.” So I reckon it can only get more exciting still at Woodlands. Here are highlights of our informal tasting over supper:

Woodlands Margaret River Reserve 2007 – 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot & 16% Malbec – a great combination of lift and depth and very expressive now. Floral with juicy black cherry, plum and tighter cassis. Savoury cedar, chocolate and balsamic/soy notes ratchet up the complexity and intensity. Ripe but present supporting tannins. Sehr gut.

Woodlands Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 – this has a terrific concentration of cassis with a vibrant sour cherry twist underscored by liquorice. It's a powerful wine with a great thrust of energy about it – animated fruit collides and conjoins with textured tannins, of the oak and fruit variety, adding savoury depth and length. Tons of potential. I can see why Stuart says if he could make a vintage every year, it'd be 2007 for its line and persistence.

Woodlands Cabernet Franc 2005 – planted in 1975/76, this is a limited production wine – typically around 600 bottles and glorious if the 2005 is anything to go by! Very deep in colour, it's inky, floral (rose petals) and dry, yet has a swagger, a richness to its chocolate, liquorice and cinnamon-edged sour cherry and damson fruit. A sensual wine – just gorgeous.

Woodlands Malbec 2005 – very deep colour and tight on the nose though decanted an hour previously. Though initially fleshy and expansive in the mouth with blueberry black cherry and chocolate, it slides off the palate a bit. The tannins start to build in the mouth on the finish. A big wine, yet to centre, but good potential.

Woodlands Cabernet Sauvignon 1982 (92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Malbec) – a cool classic vintage in which David says Moss Wood, Cullen and Vasse Felix all made great wines (see my notes of the Cullen here ). Deep plum/aubergine hue, this is tight, tight, almost Nebbiolo/Barolo-like with its tar and roses and structure informed as much by acidity as tannin. There's a touch of boot polish and the gravelly, mineral quality I find in older Margaret River wines, but still a core of balsamic-edged red cherry. A well-hewn wine, one to drink up soon, but still quietly impressive.

Day 7

Bushtucker tour

I'ma little worried by the title of this morning's activities – yes, like the idea of canoeing down Margaret River, but I'm not sure the bushtucker lunch is a carrot – can't help thinking about Brian Paddock's bush tucker trial on “I'ma celebrity….”

We paddle off at the mouth of Margaret River, our journey serene compared with the frenetic paddling and surfing out at sea. It's a pleasant way to pass the morning, save for one family who go round and round in ever decreasing circles prompting our Bushtucker Tours guide to comment about family dynamics, divorce and the like. Fortunately, they eventually get into their groove and redeem themselves by winning the race back to the beach, the prize a bottle of wine. Transpires they've done the trip before and I'm not the only one who, not so sotto voce, wonders if their earlier display wasn't tactical bluffing. Me competitive…

If the canoeing threatens to cause division, the bush tucker picnic is a bonding affair. After a genuinely interesting trot through the bush tucker ingredients we are about to receive, Quondongs, Kakadu plums, Bunya nuts, bush tomatoes and the like, the wichetty grub gauntlet is thrown down. I waste no time playing the vegetarian card and, frankly, I'm surprised how many people volunteer to taste these unearthily white ridged and distended grubs (the very ones in my photo). While some say it tastes like chicken (doesn't it always?), those who drew the short straw, the head (or is it the bottom?!?!?), look close to wretching. Fortunately, a spoonful of sugar in the form of Marri honey sweetens the wichetty pill and, after a spot of cave exploration, we head home.

Cape Lodge

Tonight's “home” is Cape Lodge , a luxury five star hotel. It's been cold during my stay and, as usual, I've been over-optimistic about the weather. Many cotton layers do not a warm person make so it's sad but true that one of my highlights of the stay is the heated bathroom floor! I've written up Cape Lodge on Tom Cannavan's Wine Pages here and you'll see that the restaurant is tip top. I'm still thinking about the sashimi of hiramasa with Asian omelette and jasmine rice.

While I'm there, it's a good opportunity to taste some samples I've been sent during my stay – here are the highlights:

Fraser Gallop Semillon Sauvignon 2009 – this is much more forward and fruity than the 2008 I tasted in London earlier in the year with owner, Nigel Gallop – see here . There's pea pod and ripe passionfruit to the nose and palate with the Sauvignon very much to the fore. Though I preferred the stony, flinty quality of the 2008, it's a juicy, fruity well-made wine – maybe just a bit young and primary now to be fair.

Willespie Riesling 2002 – though Riesling was planted in Margaret River's early days, there are not many producers making Rieslings today. Great Southern's cooler climate is generally better suited, but this is good, especially with some age behind it. Showing a petrol and ripe salted lime nose, it's quite round and generous in the mouth, with lemon butter and lime shred flavours and more delicate talc hints balanced by ripe citrus acidity. Very enjoyable, more comparable with South Australian Riesling than Great Southern's more finely etched wines.

Willespie Old School Barrel-fermented Semillon 2007 – a toasty nose with ripe citrus/lemon and sweet talc/herbal notes which follow through on a rich, round palate with lemon/lemon curd. A fresh finish gives length and poise. Sehr gut.

Day 8

Today is back to wine and the Wine Industry Association of Western Australia have organised some visits with Margaret River producers.

Flametree

Earlier in the year I heard that Cliff Royale, the very talented winemaker at Voyager Estate had moved on. Just before I headed out to WA, I discovered he'd gone to Flametree . Though only established in 2007, Flametree's Cabernet Merlot 2007 was awarded one of Australia's most prestigious awards, the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy. It's been awarded annually, since 1962, to the best one-year-old dry red wine in the Royal Melbourne Wine Show, so I was keen to find out more, especially with Royale at the helm.

The cellar and cellar door are located in Dunsborough, a popular resort town. Royale explains that Perth owners the Towner family had always wanted to get into wine tourism hence the location. He's quick to point out that there are no vineyards here, it being too far north (too warm) from a quality perspective. Instead, all the fruit is bought in and Flametree work with 8 growers in Wilyabrup. Though he's only been there 6 weeks, Royale is happy to show me the wines. Aside from the 2008 Frankland Shiraz , which showed plenty of pepper, sweet blood plum and blackberry fruit with fine tannins, the current range didn't bowl me over. There are some sound commercial wines but for me a lack of structure and character. To be fair, it's early days for the winery, let alone Royale and, having discussed his plans for the wines, I'm very sure next time I visit that the range will have benefited from some Royale treatment, especially with the Chardonnay – a particular passion for Royale.

Pierro

Pierro is renowned for its Chardonnay in particular and, though I swung by the cellar door in 2007, I'd not met owner/winemaker Dr Mike Peterkin (pictured) before. Margaret River's early history is bound up with doctors then chancing their arm at winemaking – doctors Kevin Cullen, Tom Cullity and Bill Pannell founded Cullen, Vasse Felix and Moss Wood respectively. Like Peterkin, they were influenced by Dr John Gladstone's report touting Margaret River as a potentially great winemaking region. He tells me, aged 20, “it sounded like fun” and, when he finished his medical degree, he went to study oenology at Roseworthy, graduating in 1977. In 1979, after a vintage in Clare Valley, Peterkin made wine at Cullen, that same year buying 65 acres of very rocky Wilyabrup land to develop his own vineyard. He observes though well-drained ironstone gravel soils occur throughout Margaret River, they predominate in Wilyabrup, hence the preponderance of Marri trees.

Though the investment required Peterkin to practice medicine to support his habit, he shared the aspirations of his fellow doctors whom he says went against the Australian grain. Peterkin describes this succinctly as an agricultural model, with an aversion to luxury goods and expensive wines. Cullity, he says, set the tone with a classy label and pricey wines, distributed rather than sold direct via the cellar door.

Thirty years on, Peterkin remains passionate about winemaking and steps me through the developments at Pierro over the years. During this time he's experimented with different techniques. He says “it's easy enough to industralise the process but there's always quality losses.” For him the traditional, small batch approach is still best – the challenge has been how to implement it “without breaking your back.”

Since an extension in 2000 designed around handpicked fruit, the reception area is much improved. Ten kilo Bryce buckets go onto racks to avoid crushing the fruit, which is then cooled down to 5 degrees centigrade. From 2006 the fruit has gone over a sorting table which Peterkin says has exceeded his expectations in terms of quality dividends – it's been key to eliminating more leaves and botrytised fruit. The press is on a very gradual modified Champagne setting and fermentation tanks are set up for free run, first press and second press fruit. Reds are transported by forklift rather than pumped (it's gentler) and are mostly open-fermented and hand plunged, followed by a post-fermentation maceration in closed tanks. For eight years now Peterkin has used a system to score tannins rather than just relying on tasting in the vineyard and, in consequence, has hauled back from “heroic” 40 day macerations, save for in great vintages. He's also a fan of working with more solids and batonnage for the reds, though it's labour intensive. Using these methods and with press material for blending the reds, his aim is to avoid the “head and shoulders” upfront profile commonly associated with New World wines in favour of wines of structure – “length and backbone.” Peterkin adds, “the initial impact is not so dramatic, but the flavour profile builds in the mouth.”

Peterkin planted a second Wilyabrup vineyard in 1988, Fire Gully, next to Moss Wood and Fermoy and this vineyard provides the fruit for his more upfront Fire Gully range. Here are my picks of the tasting:

Pierro Semillon Sauvignon Blanc LTC 2009 – this is an SSB with a difference – a little touch of Chardonnay (10%) which, together with some of the Semillon is barrel fermented. It's very aromatic with pear, grapefruit and floral notes on the nose and palate. Unsurprisingly, it's a little richer and more expansive on the palate than your average SSB. Sehr gut.

Fire Gully Chardonnay 2007 – made in a different style to Pierro, with less oak. It has a nice lick of vanilla and toast on the nose, but the palate is fresh with pretty floral and grapefruit and pear fruit; nice line, length and persistence with some peach coming through on finish.

Pierro Chardonnay 2007 – the whole bunch pressed Chardonnay starts fermenting naturally in stainless steel but Peterkin inoculates yeast to finish the fermentation in barrel, using two yeast cultures for complexity. Pierro's opulent style is influenced by a full malolactic fermentation and Peterkin tells me that picking with low malic acid followed by batonnage and time in barrel (12 months in 50% new French oak) keeps the buttery diacetyl notes at bay. It's 95% WA's traditional Gin Gin clone which Peterkin prefers to his Davis or Burgundy clones and it certainly helps to keep the wine in check, as does picking at different ripeness levels. Ideally he'd like to release the wine after another 12 months in bottle, but demand is high! The nose shows classy, slightly smoky oak which follows through on the rich, complex palate with a good depth of cinnamon-edged white peach and pear and textured creamy, leesy notes. It's well-balanced with gin gin's classic spine of acidity at the core. Since 2002, Peterkin has concentrated on improving the longevity of the wine without changing its voluptuous style – gentler handling and the sorting table have helped. See my tasting notes for the 2005 & 2006 vintages together with Andrew Caillard MW's observations about Pierro Chardonnay here .

Pierro Pinot Noir 2007 –Margaret River is a little warm for Pinot but this is one of the region's best, made from vines now almost 30 years old – traditional upright and droopy clones. There's good typicity, with sweet red chocolate-edged cherry and silky fine tannins balanced by fresh acidity.

Pierro LTCF 2006 – the little touch here is 10% Cabernet Franc, though Petit Verdot and Malbec have now joined the party – a recent regional trend. Peterkin didn't make the reserve wine in 2006, the coolest vintage on record and so this wine benefits. It has the hallmark relative paleness of the vintage, the upside (if colour matters to you) being nice present but ripe tannins. Again, true to 2006, the emphasis is on red fruits – cherry and berry with some leafy hints. There's a lick of chocolate but this is a pretty wine. Gut.

Pierro Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2004 – aged for 18 months in French oak, the Reserve is released after 4 years with potential to age another 10 years plus. It certainly fulfils Peterkin's brief – it's not an immediate impact “head and shoulders” wine, mid-weight and intense not dense, it shows red cherry and earthy blackcurrant with chocolate and builds in the mouth, showing ripe, savoury tannins. Sehr gut.

Settlers Ridge

It's pass the parcel day today and I'm collected from Pierro by the chatty Kaye Nobbs of Settlers Ridge . She and her husband, winemaker and viticulturist Wayne, planted vines in 1993. Chemical induced asthma had forced Wayne's retirement from the airforce and so the approach here has been organic from the off, with certification in 1997 for both the vineyard and winery. Settlers Ridge make a number of preservative free wines too, particularly aimed at asthma sufferers who have a low tolerance for sulphur.

At the pretty and very welcoming cellar door in Cowaramup, fronting onto the Bussell Highway, I taste through the range with Kaye and Wayne. They've won lots of accolades, especially for the Shiraz though I found it a little traditional for my taste, with its American oak and sturdy frame. Wayne tells me he's been pulling back from winemaking owing to health reasons and this year has seen some big improvements now Clive Otto of Fraser Gallop is consulting.

Settlers Ridge Chenin Blanc 2008 – this is no Marri Wood Park Chenin but it's a good commercial wine, with honeyed, tropical fruit and judicious acidity to balance the residual sugar.

Settlers Ridge Lantana 2008 – a light semi-sweet red, made from a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet and Malbec. A bright, pale pink, it's sweetness is deftly off-set by bright fruit. Another well done quaffer.

Settlers Ridge Merlot 2000 – a sound, mellow Merlot drinking well now with its developed, Christmas cake spice and plum.

Settlers Ridge Malbec Merlot 2007 – this is the maiden vintage of this 50:50 and my favourite of the range – deep aubergine, it has a lifted, floral nose with a dark but juicy black berry and plum palate showing (attractively) bitter chocolate, liquorice and hint of bay leaf/tobacco. Good length.

Sangiovese Novello 2007 (now just called Sangiovese) – this wine won the best Aussie/NZ preservative free wine award and it's got good varietal character – drier and more savoury than the Bordeaux blends, it has firm chewy/sinewy tannins to its sweet liquorice-edged core of plum fruit. It just lacks a bit of definition (fruit clarity), but that's the trade off here given it's a preservative free wine.

Serventy Organic Wines

My final appointment before heading to McHenry Hohnen for a couple of days, Serventy was sold around two years ago. With a switch to biological farming Merops-style (see above) and a new winemaker this year, it's not possible to taste up-to-the-minute wines, so I'll keep my powder dry on this one and see how the new regime fares another time.

Days 9-10 McHenry Hohnen

McHenry Hohnen is a stone's throw from Serventy so there's time to get stuck into a Chardonnay vertical before dinner. There's a clear-eyed quality that I admire about co-founder David Hohnen and winemakers, daughter Freya and son-in-law Ryan. It tracks deliciously into their vinous output.

Verticals of Calgardup Brook Chardonnay and 3 Amigos White offered vignettes of each vintage, for example, the light and shade of 2007 versus 2006, while a blind horizontal tasting of Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro blends from South Australia and the Rhone put their own McH H 3 Amigos Red into perspective. Aged in old oak barrels with no “varnish” of new oak to detract from varietal and vineyard character, it more than held its own.

You can read my detailed report on my visit here , including my day on the farm finding out about David Hohnen's rare breed sheep and pigs (pictured). His free range pork and lamb products and McHenry Hohnen wine will be sold at the new Caves Road cellar door, farm shop and café just west of Margaret River township.

Day 11

Cape-to-Cape walk

This morning I take a break to walk a leg of the Cape-to-Cape track to Redgate beach, a surfer's favourite. The rain just holds off, so I'm able to enjoy the white sands and blue skies in high definition. With only a handful of walkers and surfers and no tacky tourist developments, it's a glorious broad sweep of natural, wild beauty.

John Brocksopp, Lillian

That afternoon, I've made an appointment to meet up with John Brocksopp, Leeuwin Estate's former viticulturist. I loved his Rhone whites in particular when I tasted Brocksopp's Lillian label at Picardy in 2007, so I was really looking forward to meeting him. At his pocket-sized winery perched atop of a hill near Leeuwin Estate, I taste wines as characterful as the man himself. Brocksopp's take, shared by plenty of the producers I've met, is that Australian winemaking tends to be overly protective and wines don't get enough air.

The Lillian line up used to include a Shiraz Mataro but he's now focusing on the Rhone whites, a Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and I'm happy to give lots of airtime to these wines! The Burgundian varieties come from the oldest vines in Pemberton, planted in 1982 by his neighbour, upright and droopy for the Pinot and gin gin clones for the Chardy then. Brocksopp's own Pemberton vineyard, on coarse sandy soils with a silt and gravel topsoil, is the source of his Viognier (planted 1992), Marsanne (planted 1993) and Roussanne (planted 1998/99). On the reds, he says he head-grafted the Mataro to Viognier because he couldn't get it ripe every year. Here are my tasting notes, with some 2009 unfinished wines first up:

Roussanne 2009 – this unfinished sample has the classic floral and green tomato notes that I associate with this variety. In the mouth it puts me in mind of a good Soave (ie one made with Garganega), with its green almond, suavely textured palate.

Viognier 2009 – two samples here, one with no malo (round but limpid and cooly mineral with pronounced fennel/aniseed), the other barrel fermented and aged with malo in barrel (richer with musky apricot and candied citrus to the nose and palate though balanced a fresh).

Lillian Marsanne Roussanne 2008 – this weighs in at 12.8% abv. It's delicate, floral and honeyed with that limpid, mineral quality on the palate and lovely dancing freshness. Some fennel here too on a persistent finish.

Lillian Marsanne 2001 – Brocksopp first worked with Marsanne back in his youth and tells me that it was one of the best wines he made for Seppelt in Rutherglen – “Marsanne's the guy for me!” He reckons St Joseph can be on par with Burgundy and he's got a point. Though there's good freshness still, this shows lovely developed creamy, noisette (brown not black butter), praline, roasted hazelnut and spice to its stone fruit.

Lillian Viognier 2008 – a lifted nose with rose petal and lychee. It's ripe and juicy on the palate with a lovely spicy fresh ginger bite to its succulent lychee fruit.

Lillian Viognier 2005 – a creamy peach and apricot palate with a developed, toasty, autolytic edge. Gut.

Lillian Chardonnay 2008 – he says 08 was a terrific year in Pemberton and this has a Meursault-like richness and structure, with roasted hazelnut to its classic gin gin clone pear and grapefruit. Brocksopp observes that Pemberton produces more structured wines than Margaret River so it's important to flesh them out. Great balance here.

Lillian Chardonnay 2006 – lemony with good life and lift this reflects the cool vintage. With 50% mao (the 08 had no malo), there's a richness to the palate and a lovely silky texture.

Lillian Pinot Noir 2009 – two barrel samples, one fresher with red cherry and fine tannins, the other bigger and grippier with black cherry and cinammon. Gut.

Lillian Pinot Noir 2007 – quite a big wine with good spicy depth of plum with chocolate and plush supporting tannins. Nice length with a menthol hint to the finish.

Lillian Pinot Noir 2006 – a lovely wine from this cool vintage and it's Brocksopp's maiden Pinot Noir…..Beautiful purity and definition of red and black cherry fruit with riper cherry stone notes. There's a cool tinge to this wine with a fine spine of underpinning tannins.

A magic visit.

Days 12-14 Howard Park

It's off to Howard Park , somewhat nervously because I'm speaking the next morning and my brief is yet to be confirmed. Anyway, it all goes well, indeed I'm chuffed to find out that I've been quoted on the local radio by one of Perth's leading wine merchants. You'll find my detailed report about Howard Park's annual International Riesling Tasting here . It also covers several other exciting tastings I enjoyed whilst there – a blind international Pinot Noir tasting, some golden (well Cabernet) oldies from WA's finest (HP 88, Cullen 78 and Vasse Felix 74), top notch Burgundies and a catch up with HP's recent developments, including:

* Howard Park Reserve Riesling, a feisty single vineyard Rizza
* Howard Park Riche Riesling, a Euro-centric Riesling
* Madfish Premier and Gold Turtle labels, Madfish goes posh
* Marchand & Burch Pinot Noir, happenings in Burgundy and Great Southern
* developments in the vineyard (the picture is a clue) and, indeed, a new vineyard.

Day 14

Tom Cannavan is also a guest at Howard Park and we'll both be judging at the Qantas Wine Show of Western Australia in Mount Barker, Great Southern. I join Tom en route down to Mount Barker via Stella Bella, Voyager Estate and Leeuwin Estate – it's a trip down memory lane for me because I visited all three in 2004. Then, we were driven around by a local. This time it's just me and Tom and it all goes horribly wrong from the off with confusion about whether the Stella Bella tasting is at their cellar door, which our timings suggest, or a good half hour further south at the winery. It transpires it's the latter and, in our bid to make up time, we overshoot and are half way to Nanup before we realise the error of our ways. Fortunately, probably the only general store for a 50 mile radius confirms where to look and Stella Bella's Stuart Pym is very forgiving when we arrive 45 minutes late.

Stella Bella

I had a very memorable visit to Stella Bella in 2004 featuring a vertical of my favourite wine from their line up, Suckfizzle Semillon Sauvignon. It's a terrific, complex barrel-fermented and aged Bordeaux-esque style that develops beautifully – I bought a six bottles of 2002 when I came back but they've long since disappeared!

First time around I met the other half of Stella Bella's dynamic duo, Pym's wife Janice McDonald. Dynamic because their wines cover the spectrum: Skuttlebutt for quaffing, Stella Bella mid-priced premium wines (c £10-15) and Suckfizzle, the flagship Bordeaux blends and quality is written through the range like Blackpool through a stick of rock. And with 6 vineyards, mostly on ironstone gravel, with some sand and loam, the couple work with an unusually wide spread of varieties. Here are my highlights from the range.

Skuttlebut Sauvignon/Semillon 2008 – a dry Sauvignon/Semillon/Chardonnay blend – the chardy gives mid-palate weight, the Sauvignon a vibrant pea pod nose and palate and the and Semillon brisk acidity. Gut.

Stella Bella Semillon/Sauvignon 2008 – once barrel fermented (with 15% new oak for the Semillon) this is aged in stainless steel tanks. It's tight and lemony with a sweet herbal/hashish notes on the attack, with some juicier, rounder fruit on the palate. Sehr gut. Pym shows us a 2003 which has developed lovely lemon curd and toast notes as the Semillon does it's thing; nice and flinty too.

Stella Bella Sauvignon Blanc 2009 – Barrel ferment adds a bit of structure and complexity, as does picking at different ripeness levels. This shows passionfruit, pea pod and fresh cut grass with steely grapefruit lending a mineral note. Sehr gut.

Stella Bella Chardonnay 2007 – this is a rich style of Chardonnay, toasty and smoky with good depth of peach, nectarine and cashew with gentle balancing limey acidity. With full malo, it's creamy but in a silky, slippery way, rather than fat and buttery. Pym (who used to make Devil's Lair Chardonnay) has reigned back on the oak (this is c. 15% new) and uses lots of solids for texture. Gut. He pulls out a 2002 with nutty/noisette developed notes, again creamy but with good balancing freshness. I like 2002 Margaret River Chardys.

Stella Bella Viognier 2007 – interestingly this comes in a flute shaped bottled and Pym uses a range of techniques to buffer Viognier's irrepressible fruit: it's fermented in old oak (c. 3yr old) with medium solids and Pym sometimes blends back the pressings. Though the nose is cedary with KFC spices, there's bouncy fruit on the textured palate, with apricot and lychee and well-integrated but mouthcleansing acidity to the finish. Really well balanced – nice wine.

Suckfizzle Sauvignon Semillon 2008 – yep, another great Suckfizzle SBS, this is flinty and steely, like a Pessac Leognan (Pym visited Domaine Chevalier in 95 and has applied the principles to his fruit), but with a sweeter Margaret River hashish note and vibrant lemon zest. An imposing, poised, well-structured palate reflects the nose flavourwise. Lovely, gravelly and mineral finish. Pym also shows the 2005 – and another one – tight, with a really focused girder of Semillon at its core and that gravelly, mineral undertow. Great mouthsluicing finish.

Skuttlebutt Cabernet Shiraz 2007 – a serious wine for the junior range with tobaccoand chocolate-edged dark plum jam and black cherry supported by firm sinewy tannins.

Stella Bella Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 – (15% Cabernet) – I've always found this to be one of my favourite Australian Sangioveses. It comes from 6 rows of 10 year old vines in Augusta and another vineyard – all planted to the grosso clone which tends to overcrop, so Pym green harvests around half the crop. Since 2007, the vines have started to settle down and find their balance so yields are higher but so is quality. More often than not the Italian grape is blended with a generous variety like Shiraz or Grenache, but I like its affinity with Cabernet Sauvignon. It amplifies the varieties' cool elegance and structure. This is a pretty but serious wine with berry and currant fruit, tea leaf, liquorice and flowers, well supported by firm, sinewy tannins.

Suckfizzle Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 – picked in 2 tries, this is a complex and powerful wine with dried herbs, especially sage, to its black currant and berry fruit – reminds me of Jancis Robinson's description of Napa Cabernet – a tennis match between the fruit and herbs. Tannins somehow sinewy and slightly smudgy too (?) provide ample means for ageing though it's approachable now. Very accomplished.

Suckfizzle Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 - showing a few more years under its belt, this is a little bloody with the savoury meat pan juices I associate with Bordeaux. The sage is really pronounced on palate and there's hints of eucalypt too to its core of sweet red and black cherry and plum. Ripe tannins provide ample support. Gut.

We finish up with some cheeky semi-sweet quaffers for the chiller:

Skuttlebutt Savvy Sauvignon Blanc 2009 – there's a real trend in Australia for these fun and frivolous styles and this is Schloeur with alcohol with its spritz and fresh-picked grape fruit and 80g/l of residual sugar.

Stella Bella Pink Muscat 2009 – this is a cracker, that always gone down well at tastings – with 2% Traminer it shows turkish delight and gingery, juicy grape and lychee fruit. Much more subtle than the Savvy, it's a very pretty wine and wears its 90g/l of residual sugar very lightly, tutu style.

Voyager Estate

This is another estate I first visited in 2004 and again in 2007. Since Cliff Royale moved on, Steve James, the estate's long-serving viticulturist has taken on the newly created role of 'Manager – Winemaking and Viticulture' with Royale's former assistant, Travis Lemm focusing on the winemaking. So there's continuity at Voyager , the only change that I picked up on thus far being the use of American oak and pulling back on acid in the Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon. It makes it less hard-hitting (my preferred style), but more commercial.

Chardonnay 2007 – very much the early picked, well-structured Voyager style that I really rate. It shows smoky oak with tight lime, lemon, grapefruit and pear. There's great texture and length with plenty of lees work/solids lending a savoury tang. Sehr gut.

Chardonnay 2006 – I love this cool vintage's Chardonnays. This has a floral Puligny Montrachet heady character and fine lemony acidity, though more exotic lime zest sets it apart from Burgundy. Lovely.

Shiraz 2006 – Voyager has always made a creditable Shiraz with a bit of oomph while being more savoury than sweet. This has fleshy, juicy black berry and cherry with lifted floral notes and a grunt of pepper.

Cabernet/Merlot 2005 – a cracker, with a lovely purity and depth of succulent cassis, blueberry and blackberry fruit backed by gravelly tannins. Great balance and length.

Tom Price Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2004 – this limited edition wine (made from the top 10 barrels that vintage) is deeply coloured and made in a sexy, flamboyant style with lush earthy raspberry and coal-dust-edged cassis. Long and powerful with seamless tannins, it's very good indeed.

Leeuwin Estate

Established in 1974, Leeuwin Estate is one of Margaret River's pioneering estates and home to the Art Series Chardonnay, one of Australia's most iconic wines. We're late and lunch beckons so, after a speedy tasting, we sit down to eat with winemaker Paula Attwood and owners Denis and Tricia Horgan and assorted family members. The Horgans are renowned for their warm hospitality and you can find my review of the restaurant on Tom Cannavan's Wine Pages here .

Though Leeuwin's relatively cool Margaret River location south of the township in Witchcliffe pays great dividends for the whites, it can be more challenging for their reds, which I've found a touch austere, both in terms of fruit and tannin profile. Though they're released with bottle age to counter this, in my experience, they benefit from more time still. So it's good to hear that, since 2003/2004, Attwood has been working to address this with increased fruit exposure (via leaf removal) and, in the winery, is using a more oxidative approach with open ferments, micro-oxygenation and splashing better to polymerise (soften) tannins. A modern basket press also makes for more gentle extraction and Attwood says Malbec plays an important role, soaking up oak. The yet to be released 2005 Art Series Cabernet shows a nice purity of fleshy black currant and cherry fruit with powdery tannins. The still raw, way off release 2007 includes around 15% Wilyabrup fruit which, from further north, probably accounts for its blueberry notes.

Here are my notes on the finished white wines:

Leeuwin Estate Art Series Riesling 2008 – as with the Willespie reviewed above, this is closer to Clare Valley than Great Southern Riesling in style – very talcy/powder puff with a good depth of limey fruit in the mouth. One of Margaret River's consistently good Rieslings but call me an acid freak, I prefer my Rieslings a little edgier.

Leeuwin Estate Siblings Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 2009 – Siblings are Leeuwins most forward wines. The SBS was a new addition to the range in the previous year and the 2009 is already a step up, with greater depth. A lifted talcy nose leads onto a bright citrus palate with attractive lemon curd notes (the Semillon is barrel fermented in 5 year old oak barrels).

Leeuwin Estate Prelude Chardonnay 2007 – not shy on the biscuity/toasty oak but, nonetheless, its pear and melon fruit is bright and precise, marshalled by vibrant lemony acidity. With good length and balance, as always, the Prelude is a satisfying Chardy to drink while the Art Series does time in the cellar.

Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 2006 – well you know my thoughts on the 2006 Chardys already and, unsurprisingly, the Art Series is a tour de force. Just a quick word about the unique ingredients behind its success: it hails from the oldest vines planted in 1976, notably Block 20, described by Attwood as “the banker.” Its old, leached soils provide excellent drainage and deep root penetration so yields are moderate, never more than 2.5 tons to the acre (c40hl/ha), especially taking into account the gin gin clones “hens and (small berry) chickens.” This produces fabulously balanced fruit on the vine with high sugar ripeness and a whopping 8-9g/l of natural acidity providing the structure and richness for long-term ageing.

In the winery, the grapes are crushed and given around 8 hours skin contact to enhance texture and longevity. It sees 100% new oak, with lees stirring and battonage and malo as appropriate for the vintage. Attwood tells me the 06 saw an unusually high degree (25%) of malo to add weight in this the coolest vintage on record. It's a tightly coiled, muscular Chardonnay with classic gin gin pear, dried pear and pear skins, though such is the charge to this wine, there's hardly time to savour this, though you're left in no doubt of this wine's power and presence. I'd stick it away for at least 3 years if the also cool vintage 2002 is anything to go by – see my notes from a tasting in May for the 2002 and 2006 here .

Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 2005 – a warmer vintage more expressive on the nose and palate with pear, grapefruit and lingering cinnamon notes on the palate. Plenty of power in reserve.

Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 1989 – all the library stock was rebottled 18 months ago, with 50% lost to oxidation. This survivor has a developed nutty edge to its pear and pear skin fruit but there's still plenty of va va voom. A tight spine of acidity drives a long finish. Impressive.

Days 14, 15, 16 & 17 – Qantas Wine Show of Western Australia

After Leeuwin, Tom and I (pictured in our natty judge's apron) sped south for Mount Barker where we're due to attend a judges' dinner. Dusk is when the kangaroos come out to play and, with a good four hours of heroic driving, Mr Cannavan does well to more or less retain a straight line, despite the best efforts of our marsupial friends.

Once in Mount Barker we get lost down Z roads (aka dirt tracks) trying to find Tom's lodgings. We pitch up late for dinner and a tad stressed, but it's good to meet our fellow judges who soon put us at our ease, as do some rather nice wines – I think I can be excused for not taking notes!

Next day we're given a pep talk by Chief Judge, Vanya Cullen. The beauty of this show is that, unlike say the Perth Show, it focuses exclusively on Western Australian wines. Excited by a run of three great vintages – 2007, 2008 & 2009 – Cullen told us we could expect to find some wonderful ambassadors for Western Australia's diverse and characterful wine regions.

The show certainly reflects the growth spurts of WA's youthful south western wine industry, shooting up from only six classes in 1978 to over 40 classes in 2009. And with 53 gold, 114 silver and 325 bronze medals, not too many pimply teenagers at that – there were plenty of sophisticated, well made wines among the 1132 entries, many of which were new to me. Click here for the full results and this is the list of trophy winners:

• Best Wine of Show – Brookland Valley Chardonnay 2008
• Best Red Wine – Knee Deep Wines Shiraz 2008
• Best White Wine – Brookland Valley Chardonnay 2008
• Most Successful Exhibitor Overall – Houghton Wine Company
• Most Successful Exhibitor processing under 250 Tonnes – Harewood Estate Wines
• Winery with Highest Aggregate for their three top pointed wines – Vasse Felix
• Best and Most Distinctive Regional Characteristics – Xanadu Wines Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Margaret River
• Best Shiraz – Knee Deep Wines Shiraz 2008
• Best Cabernet Sauvignon – Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
• Best Pinot Noir – Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir 2008
• Best Red Blend – Houghton Wine Company CW Ferguson Cabernet Malbec 2007
• Best Fortified Wine – Lilac Hill Estate Wines Fine Old Tawny
• Best Older Red Wine – Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
• Best Chardonnay Brookland Valley Chardonnay 2008
• Best 2008 Riesling – Bellarmine Dry Riesling 2009
• Best White Blend – Hamelin Bay Wines Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2009
• Best Aged Riesling – Palandri Riesling 2006

Being a great fan of Great Southern Riesling, I was sorry not to judge the Riesling class which had a 65% success rate medal-wise. Of those classes I did judge, other traditional WA strengths showed impressive consistency – Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Semillon blends which, with a few notable exceptions, I prefer to the straight Sauvignons, also Chardonnay. Though the class was small, I loved the fortified trophy winner, Lilac Hill Estate Wines Fine Old Tawny. WA Shiraz has yet to convince me – it can be a bit middle of the road and lacking structure/character for my taste, though oddly enough at the wine show, strapping tannins, big oak and not enough fruit let the side down! Maybe I should keep stum and, since I've reached the end of my marathon report, now I will! Until next time….

And if you're visiting WA, you'll find plenty of tips about its gourmet food and wine culture in Spice magazine (click here for their website) and general tips on Tourism WA's website here .

Sarah Ahmed
Der Wein Detective
8 January 2010 (based on my travels 21 September to 9 October 2009)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2783/4257077501_53c75611e1.jpg