Southern Highlands
Australian Sparkling mit Austern – die Vorweihnachtszeit Down Under
Es geht auf das Jahresende und das Weihnachtsfest zu – die Weihnachtsparties in den Unternehmen haben längst begonnen und bei sehr heissen Temperaturen hier Down Under fliesst vor allem Weisswein und Champagner reichlich. Global Financial Crisis – die haben die Australier längst hinter sich gebracht.
Australian Sparkling for the Festive Season
Nun ist die Verwendung des Namens Champagner für lokale Bubblies ja bekanntlich verboten (die Franzosen wollen partout diesen Begriff nicht teilen) – und so schreiben wir eben über sparkling wines. Gestern abend habe ich eine Flasche Cuttaway Laurence Sparkling geöffnet, es gab herrliche Austern, frisch vom Sydney Fischmarkt.
Der Laurence ist ein Sparkling aus Chardonnay und Pinot Noir Trauben, nach traditioneller Methode gemacht und glänzt aufgrund ausgewogener Saeurewerte. Leider ist seine Produktion auf wenige Dutzend begrenzt, d.h. es ist schwer an diesen Bubbly heranzukommen. Er passt perfekt zu unseren Austern, das könnte ich glatt heute abend nochmals wiederholen.
_______________________________
Christmas time down under is sparkling time! With the hot weather since October, we are enjoying all sorts of bubblies from across Australia in the evening.
Last night we opened a Cuttaway Laurence Sparkling – great acidity and length – very suitable to our oysters from the Sydney fish market.
Michael Brecht
BYO – bring your own bottle Down Under – so werden Gäste zu Freunden
In Australien gilt für die meisten der privaten Einladungen: BYO – das steht für ‘Bring Your Own’ und führt, wie bei uns am vergangenen Wochenende zu etwas grösseren Flaschen-ansammlungen am Tage danach.
Bottles - the morning after
Sehen Sie selbst:
BYO ist ein grossartiger Brauch, letztlich bringe ich das Getränk mit, welches ich besonders gerne selbst trinke. Oder es wird, wie am vergangenen Wochenende eben, eine sehr bunte Ansammlung an Weinen (und Bieren), deren tiefergehende Analyse ich hier jedoch nicht vornehmen möchte.
Nur soviel sei gesagt: wir hatten vom Massenweisswein aus dem Hause Wolf Blass oder Jacobs Creek über diverse lokale Tropfen wie Tertini und Cuttaway Hill ein paar fantastische Köstlichkeiten, wie etwa einen d’Arenberg Dead Arm von 1999 oder einen Teusner Albert Shiraz aus dem Jahre 2006.
_________________________________________________________________________
BYO – bring your own needs to be explained to our European subscribers – Australians love bringing their own wine to parties.
We had a big Christmas bash with our friends last weekend, the results can be seen on the photo above.
Michael Brecht
The hot cool climate wines down under
Es ist Frühling hier in Australien, und da wir auf ca. 700m Höhe leben, ist es hier in den Southern Highlands normalerweise um die 20 Grad warm. Die Gegend gehört somit zu den ‘cool climate‘ Regionen Australiens, wohl temperierte Tage und kühle Nächte berechtigen zu diesem Titel und verheissen für das Wachstum der Trauben einen gut temperierten Ablauf.
My car says it all - it's hot in our cool climate region
Ganz anders in diesem Jahr – heute schreiben wir 41 Grad Celsius, das Photo belegt es – keine Spur von gemässigten 20 Grad im Frühling.
Das Panel meines Mietwagens zeigt 41 Grad an, ich gebe gerne zu, dass ich bei diesen Temperaturen den Musiksender Sydney’s 104.1 = ToDay-FM höre. Zu schwerwiegenden Diskussionen auf ABC Radio steht mir der Sinn heute nicht.
Wir werden in den nächsten Tagen einmal versuchen herauszufinden, was diese Wärme für die hiesigen Rebstöcke bedeutet.
Fröhliches Schwitzen hier in Australien allerseits wünscht
Ihr Michael Brecht
_____________________________________________________________________________
41 degrees centigrade, this is what my car thermometer tells me today at 11:16am.
That’s big! Especially because this measurement was taken on about 700m altitude in the Southern Highlands at 11:16 o’clock in the morning.
We’ll check with one of the local wine makers in the next days, what these abnormal temperatures mean for local varieties, which are normally cool climate. In my view, this is more hot climate today.
Trade tour – tell us the secrets of the vineyard
Sommeliers, Köche und Restaurantbesitzer sind glückliche Menschen in Australien. Sie erhalten zunehmend Einladungen zu sog. trade-show events, das ist nichts anderes als die Möglichkeit, im Weinberg vom Winzer und seiner Mannschaft mehr über die Weine zu erlernen.
Trade tour in the vineyard
Paul Quirico von Tertini Wines führte uns durch die malerisch gelegenen Weinberge am Rande der Joadja Road in den Southern Highlands. Während die beiden Kelpies die in den Netzen eingeschlossenen Papageien jagden, erfuhren wir einige der Geheimnisse von Paul, grösster Erfolg der Tertini’s ist der Anbau der Arneis Traube, eine cool climate Variante aus Italien, die nur von einer Handvoll Wineries in Australien angebaut wird.
_______________________________________________________________________
Paul and the Arneis grape
I recently joined an invitation to a trade-show event happening right in the vineyard in the Southern Highlands.
It turned out to be a rather fascinating day out with the winemaker. Paul Quirico from Tertini Wines helped us understand the complexities of growing cool climate grapes on 700m altitude. His most successful ‘product’: the Arneis variety – cultivated only by a handful of wineries Down Under.
Ihr Michael Brecht
One of the best Australian Chardonnays 2009 comes from cool climate region in Australia
Best 2009 cool climate Chardonnay
We have just received news that the Cuttaway Hill 2006 Chardonnay has been rated in the top 5 Chardonnays from Australia and New Zealand for 2009 by the prestigious Winestate magazine.
During 2009 it received a glowing five star rating and review and was thus recalled for the finals taste off for the Wine Of the Year Awards. It is now in the running for The Best Chardonnay in Australia at the Annual Wine of The Year Awards to be held in December this year.
We tried this wine a few days ago and found a brilliant blend of ripe fruit and subtle oak characters. It is light gold in colour. On the night we tasted citrus aromas with peaches and melon on the palate and loved the length of this cool climate wine.
Our dinner was chicken with pasta and aspargus on the night, you couldn’t ask for a better combination.
This is what we call success of a smaller Boutique Winery in an upcoming cool climate region. Congratulations to the team at Cuttaway Hill Estate.
___________________________________________________________________________
Es ist wieder die Zeit der Bewertungen der frischesten Jahrgänge in Australien. Zum besten Chardonnay im ehrwürdigen Winestate Magazin ist gerade der 2009er von Cuttaway Hill Estate gekürt geworden.
Ein Trend setzt sich durch: die weniger opulenten Chardonnays aus den cool climate Gebieten wie den Southern Highlands oder auch Adelaide Hills und Mornington Peninsula gewinnen die Auszeichnungen – wir gratulieren.
Ihr Michael Brecht
Take a shot of wines and winemakers – wine photography as a profession
Michael met Nardia Guillaumier from NEG Photography at the Kiama Wine Show a few days ago. They started talking about photography and how to deal with the wine business. Both decided to have an interview to understand a photographer’s view of the wine trade. Read here what Nardia thinks about taking shots of wine bottles. Enjoy responsibly.
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
It is bike day in Australia
Thousands of school children took their bike to school today. It is a day across Australia for kids to learn about how to handle their bikes safely on the road.
Tempting on their way: a winery in the Southern Highlands.
Winery sign on way to school
____________________________________________________________________
Der 30. September ist der Tag der Fahrrad fahrenden Kinder in Australien, Tausende der jungen Schueler waren heute auf der Strasse mit ihren Zweiraedern unterwegs. Leider konnten wir hier heute nicht eine Pause einlegen.
The day Australia’s East Coast turned orange
I woke up this morning at about 5:30am and when I looked out of the window, I saw the world turned orange. My initial thoughts about an apocalypse happening over Sydney was quickly corrected by the coughing of my asthmatic son. There was dust in the air – the whole of Sydney had suddenly turned orange.
Bondi Beach in orange dust
This shot was taken by a friend of mine and it shows our famous Bondi Beach at about 7am. Get this.
And Michael sent me a photo of the roof of his car, which had turned brown-orange in front of the vineyard. The clouds in the sky had helped blow the dust away in the Highlands – much healthier for everyone living up there.
Green car turns orange
A quick phone call to a winemaker confirmed: no risk for the vines – there aren’t any grapes visible yet – it is still the beginning of spring here in Australia. That is the good news of the day.
_________________________
Wir haben heute einen unglaublichen Morgenhimmel über der Ostküste Australiens erlebt. Als ich um 5:30 heute morgen aus dem Fenster blickte, da war der gesamte Himmel in orange getaucht. Nicht die Apokalypse, sondern ein Wüstensturm aus dem Inneren des Landes hatte weite Teile von NSW orange überzogen.
Es besteht allerdings keine Gefahr für die Weinreben dieser Gebiete, zu früh sind wir noch in diesem Jahr für eine wirkliche Bedrohung. Zum Glück.
