Kangaroo Island – new vines and wonderful wines from the green Island
Kangaroo Isand is Australia”s third largest Island and since 2001 been declared as a wine region. The Island is one of Australia’s newest cool-climate wine areas. Most of KI’s population is concentrated on the East Coast, where you’ll find the majority of the winemakers, food producers and the cellar doors.
Currently there are 18 wine labels and six cellar doors in operation, and there is more to come. The most prestigious winery, The Islander Estate Vineyard operates a cellar door only by appointment, with most of the wines achieving top marks with the Australian wine critics. As they follow the taste of a more traditional french wine-making style, most of the wines do actually not meet the taste of the local Aussie wine folk.
The Islander Estate Vineyard Cellar Door
“We do not sell to many of these wines here on the Island as they are not really made for the average Australian wine taster”, explains the owner of the bottle shop in Penneshaw. This is quite a franc statement that explains well, why my tasting of a bottle of Rose of the wine label didn’t receive high marks at all the other night.
Dudley Wines claims to be the oldest winery on the Island and has recently shifted its cellar door from out east, close to the scenic but rather deserted Cape Willoughby Lighthouse to the centre of Penneshaw. Samples from nine wines are offered here nicely bundled with some fresh oysters or a seafood platter.
Dudley Wines at Cellar Door in Penneshaw
I have tried the Sauvignon Blanc 2008 which was planted at Grassy Flat, one of the three major estates that the winery gets their grapes harvested from. The wine shows a grassy aroma and offers a tropical fruit palate. It is unwooded and finishes with a fresh and very clean acidity, very nice for a summer quoffa with just 12.5% alcohol.
Six kilometers west we find a Sunset Tasting Experience at the Sunset Winery. Hosting lunches and sunset dinners throughout the summer months, the winery also offers the best of local produce, such as Island pure cheeses. The wines are lighter and aimed at the Sauvignon Blanc drinker, definitely reflecting the palates of customers after a summers day with 38 degree and lots of sunshine.
There are more tastings to be done.
_________________________________________________________________
Kangaroo Island ist die drittgroesste Insel Australiens, liegt ca. 45 Minuten mit der Faehre suedlich vom Festland und ist seit 2001 eine eigenstaendige Weinregion, eine der neueren Cool Climate Regionen Australiens. Besonders auf der Ostseite der Insel finden wir die Wineries und die lokalen Cellar Doors.
Derzeit existieren 18 Weinlabels und es gibt sechs eigene Cellar Doors, viele der Weine erhalten heute bereits Topresultate bei Weinshows in South Australia. Neben The Island Estate Vineyards habe ich Dudley Wines und die Sunset Winery besucht, allesamt in der Lage gute Weissweine einer Cool Climate Weingegend zu produzieren.
Ihr Michael Brecht
Related posts:
- The Islander Estate Vineyard – secret wine address from the Island
- Vom Naturwissenschaftler zum Winzer – die Lethbridge Wines aus Geelong
- Cool Climate vor den Toren von Canberra: Lerida Estate
- South Australia – a wine lover’s paradise downunder
Hat Ihnen dieser Blogeintrag gefallen? Wir freuen uns über Ihren Kommentar. or Abonnieren Sie den downunderwines.net-RSS-Feed und sind immer informiert.
Comments
No comments yet.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.