Sydney Wine Week 2010

Mehr als 20.000 Besucher werden, jeweils mit einem Weinglas ausgerüstet, die mehr als 110 verschiedenen Winzer im Hyde Park aufsuchen. Einige der Winzer haben im vergangenen Jahr mit mehr als sechs Personen auf ihrem Stand ohne abzusetzen ausgeschenkt. Die Sydney Wine Week ist somit auch eine grossartige Gelegenheit, auf einzelne Weine aufmerksam zu machen und den direkten Kontakt zum Kunden zu suchen.

Und für sie als Weinliebhaber kann es jetzt nur heissen: auf geht’s nach Sydney am 14. März.
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In less than two weeks time, New South Wales Wine Week kicks off on Sunday March 14 with a Sydney Cellar Door installed in the city’s Hyde Park. What started as a smallish outdoor wine-show a couple of years ago has now become the state’s biggest outdoor wine event. A week-long celebration of NSW Wine in restaurants throughout the city and the State rounds up this unique marketing event for the wines from NSW.

20,000 people are expected to converge on Hyde Park South on Sunday March 14 for Sydney Cellar Door. This year more than 110 wineries from all over NSW travel to Sydney. Food from regional producers and Sydney restaurateurs will complement the wine on offer and all-day entertainment will create a real festival atmosphere.

Anabel

Berry Bottle Shop in NSW

Es fällt angesichts des vielen Schnees in Deutschland ein wenig schwer, an den Sommer in Australien zu denken.

Dieser Post ist daher auch mehr an diejenigen unter unseren Lesern gerichtet, die derzeit durch Australien reisen.

Die derzeitigen Rekordtemperaturen in Viktoria, die Buschbrände im Südwesten und diverse überflutungen im Norden Down Unders zeugen ja von der klimatischen Vielfalt des Landes. Und während die meisten Touristen in diesem Jahr zu Silvester in Sydney und Umgebung froren und kräftig nass wurden, so wechselten die Temperaturen in den meisten Teilen des Landes inzwischen wieder auf über 30, ja vielerorts 40 Grad.

Mein Post heute handelt von der riesigen Vielfalt an australischen Weinen in einem meiner Favoriten unter den Bottle Shops, jener an der Südküste von NSW: im malerischen Städtchen Berry befindet sich der Berry Bottle Shop von Justin Lill. Von aussen eher klein und durchaus nicht einfach zu finden, so ist er innen ausgesprochen gut sortiert und dank eines emsigen Justin immer mit Neuigkeiten gespickt.

Sollte Ihr Weg Sie von Sydney in den Süden des Landes führen, so machen Sie unbedingt einen Stop im kleinen Berry und schauen Sie im Berry Bottle Shop vorbei.

Lassen Sie sich auf alle Fälle im hinteren, verborgenen Teil seines Ladens die ‘aged wines’ zeigen – von den Penfolds Grange Weinen aus mehreren Jahrzehnten über Henschke und D’Arenberg, hier finden Sie Raritäten aus vergangenen Jahrzehnten.

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Justin Lill’s Berry Bottle Shop is probably one of the smallest though best sorted bottle shops in Australia.

You’ll find real treasures here – drop in on your way from Sydney down the South Coast. Especially the aged wine selection is not to be missed.

Michael Brecht

Photography at a Wine Show

downunderwines: Nardia, thanks for your time, let us start with a question about when you started with photography?
Nardia: I have been taking photos since my husband bought a Canon 300D camera in 2002 for his birthday, just for fun. He has never had a chance to use the camera though. But I have taken some great shots for friends weddings, family portraits, landscapes and businesses. In 2009 I have completed my Diploma in Photography and decided to start NEG photography as a semi hobby and profession. I never realised it would take off so quickly. But I am loving every assignment and really enjoy meeting new and interesting people.

downunderwines: How did you come to making photos at wine shows?
Nardia: JAi Events, located in Kiama, gave me the opportunity to capture some images for the Kiama Regional Wine Show this year. It allowed me to start snapping photos straight away, in fact I think I took around 350 photos on the day.

downunderwines: Isn’t it boring to take photos of wine bottles?
Nardia: Photography is only what you make it, as is everything. Any subject can be made interesting, imagination is only limited by your mind not by the cost of film.

downunderwines: What is the most difficult when taking photos of wines?
Nardia: In photographing the Kiama Regional Wine show, the reflections were a little difficult to master and also keeping the shots modern and innovative.

Hunter Valley's Keith Tulloch

downunderwines: How do you cope with wine experts and their habits?
Nardia: I think their habits are to our advantage. As without their amazing palates and vivid descriptions of flavour, then as tasting novices we would have no idea what characteristics to look for. Everyone has their talent, which could be seen as habits for some.

downunderwines: So tell us, what is your favourite wine?
Nardia: At the moment Sauvignon Blanc.

downunderwines: If wine – red or white?
Nardia: Depending on what mood I am in. Party time – it’s white, relax and vege, its a red – normally Merlot.

downunderwines: What regions have you visited in Australia that produced wine?
Nardia: Southern Highlands, Shoalhaven, Barossa, Hunter Valley, Riverina, Coonawarra and Margaret River… is that too many?

downunderwines: Can you tell us of any anecdotes on wine people or wine drinkers?
Nardia: Well my husband, Brian and I love wine. Me more than him, I should say to be fair. On one of our adventures on the road (actually seeing the Solar Eclipse at Lyndhurst, SA, 2002) we visited the Coonawarra. After having drunk one too many with my sisters Marika and Sarsha, we all fell asleep, except for Brian who was the designated driver. Whilst driving Brian saw a wedged-tail eagle sitting right by the side of the road. Being my favourite bird, Brian did try to wake me (so he tells me). But due to the amount of tastings I had had, I didn’t wake up. When I did wake after 2.5 hours asleep, Brian told me about the magnificent eagle. My first response was…’Why didn’t you wake me?’ The look of dispare on his face was hilarious. Still to this day he tells this story. What can I say, just love wine …

downunderwines: So, how can people get in touch with you for their next shot?
Nardia: Either by emailing me on negphotography@bigpond.com or by visiting my website. I also have a facebook group, NEG photography, join up if you wish.

Nardia, thank you very much for your time and good luck with the next wine show.
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Nardia traf Michael auf der Kiama Wine Show und sprach mit ihm über die Schwierigkeiten Flaschen zu fotografieren, die Weinszene richtig ins Licht zu setzen und mit den diversen Eitelkeiten umzugehen. Gewinnen Sie einen originalen Einblick hinter die Kulissen der Weinszene hier in Australien.

Kiama Wine Show 2009

No one so far could explain to me, how wines from 700m cool climate Highlands could be compared to wines from a distinctly different climate at the South Coast in a regional show- but here you go: the mission for the judging panel was ‘make this judging work on the basis, that the wines compare on distinct ‘international wine levels”.

The results are a repeat of former years and a few big surprises to me- firstly the repeat: Coolangatta Estate won best White Wine with their 2001 Estate Semillon, a great wine without any doubt and for sure one of the outstanding Semillons in the country. Good to have a Hunter Valley expert in Keith Tulloch (his Keith Tulloch Wines are Hunter based) confirm the success of Coolangatta’s flagship again. Owner Greg Bishop was very contempt with its Semillons, he even confirmed to me that the years 2005 and 2006 looked even more promising but needed more time to develop.

The surprises came with the awards for two categories I was having a close eye on: best Red Wine and also Best Wine of the show was awarded to Southern Highlands Wines with their Cabernet Sauvignon and best Pinot Noir was scored by the 2008 Centennial Wines Pinot Noir. I tasted both of them and these results were very much to my surprise to put it mildly. I tasted at least three Pinots at the show that were far superior and had no faults.

The Centennial Pinot tasted foul, even faulty – to its credit the bottle was open for 24 hours when I tried it. Still, a wine under screwcap must hold onto its credentials for more than 24 hours. This Pinot was one I would have not cared to finish the bottle – even if I had bought it myself.

And taking into account, that the judges were asked to apply international standards in this regional show, I have no understanding for the decision to award best red wine (and best wine of the show) to a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Southern Highlands. There is simply no good Cab Sav from this region, most serious winemakers actually pull the plug on this variety these days as the Highland’s climate simply doesn’t work for Cab Savs.

To award a gold medal to the Cabernet Sauvignon from Southern Highlands Wines is an absolute disgrace for all Cab Savs from Coonawarra, McLaren Vale or Barossa, that scored less in other shows. These judges must have smoked good stuff when they made this call, sorry guys.

But this is wine judging in Australia – sometimes you have to ask yourself how these results come up. Let me put one thing straight: my opinion of no good Cab Sav from the Southern Highlands stands and if this particular winery uses grapes from other regions, than this wine shouldn’t have been entered in the regional show. A good judge should figure this out.
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In der letzten Woche war ich endlich einmal auf einer der vielen kleineren, regionalen Weinshows zu Besuch. Die regionale Wine Show in Kiama brachte in diesem Jahr neben einem wiederholten weissen Gewinner zwei dicke Ueberraschungen als bestem Wein der Show und bestem Pinot Noir. Jene beiden Entscheidungen lassen mich diese regionale Show eher ein wenig belaecheln, einer der Wine Makers vor Ort urteilte: well, there is another show next week. Den Besuch in Kiama werde ich mir naechstes Jahr allerdings schenken.

Ihr Michael Brecht