It seems a while since we reported on wines we had recently enjoyed. I guess many realise that Mrs Ozzie and I have interests in foreign parts that take us away from the land downunder and so we were away for a while, busy with things when we're in Oz and then there was that blinking accident!
So this year we've been imbibing from our cellar which has limited us to our favorite Margaret River wines.
Today however was different!
We attended a wine appreciation seminar conducted by a well-known TV presenter and columnist here, Peter Howard. Seemed fair enough but the 'problem' (if there was one) was that he was being sponsored by one of our biggies, McWilliams Wines and so we dwelt on their Hanwood range.
Here in the land dowunder red wine is so popular that wineries can't keep up with the demand, but this is not the case with white wines which are languishing, so guess what the seminar focused on? Yep, you guessed it, a pinot noir chardonnay and a semillon. The shiraz came out last!
So here they are, with notes from the winemaker:
McWilliam?s Hanwood Estate - one of Australia?s leading premium quality wine ranges ? is a blend of high quality fruit from a range of vineyard sites within South Eastern Australia. Fruit is predominantly sourced from the Riverina and Hilltops regions in New South Wales, the Yarra Valley in Victoria, and Coonawarra in South Australia. This diverse fruit supply provides the winemaking team with a broader range of blending options and enables them to produce a range of wines that are high in quality and consistent in style from one year to the next. McWilliam?s Hanwood Chardonnay is one of the most consistently awarded white wines at its price point and arguably the fastest growing Chardonnay in the domestic market. |
McWilliam's Hanwood Estate Pinot Noir Chardonnay NV
Colour:
Pale strawish yellow.Bouquet: Fresh floral fruit aromas are complemented by subtle yeast complexity.
Palate: Delicate palate revealing elegant fruit characters followed by a crisp, clean finish.
Cellar: To be enjoyed now.
Grapes were picked in February. They were harvested with low-temperature handling of both fruit and juice. The juice was cold-fermented for 14 days, with subsequent maturation on yeast lees.
Alcohol by Volume: 11 % McWilliam's Hanwood Estate Semillon Chardonnay 2002 Colour: Pale straw with yellow hues.
Bouquet: Fresh, grassy lemon and citrus blossom with peach and mango fruit aromas with a spicy vanilla oak character.
Palate: The front palate shows complex citrus and stone fruit flavours, which extend into a creamy mid-palate balanced with fresh, clean acidity. Subtle but apparent oak and lees complexity are evident on the back-palate.
Cellar: Enjoy now or over the next two to three years.
McWilliam's Hanwood Estate Shiraz 2001
Colour: Vibrant crimson with brick red hues.
Bouquet: Lifted spicy black cherry and ripe berry fruit aromas combine with smoky and vanilla oak characters.
Palate: Rich and persistent with an abundance of ripe plum and blackberry fruit flavours combined with cedar and cinnamon oak characters. The finish is long, supported by a solid tannin backbone.
Cellar: Drink now or within the next five years.
Mrs Ozzie was quite definite in her opinion, "It's rubbish!" and left it. The hostess was speechless! Oh dear! If you like cheap mass-produced wines, then this range may be for you, but if you're into more palatable drops, save your money! Why don't you try it and see what you think? Now pass me the Margaret River Shiraz! Cheers, Ozzie