Written by:  Terry South, Honorary Secretary, Macedon Ranges Vignerons Association

I really didn’t want to go to the White Wine Tasting this year. After all, I didn’t pick a single grape. Beaten by mildew.  And I wasn’t the only one. No-one would have any decent wine to bring. They would stay away in droves. Wine writers and journos have bewailed the terrible season we’ve just had – too wet during flowering, disease in abundance, too cold during ripening.

“The Tastings” (Red and White) are held each year by the Macedon Ranges Winemakers and Growers. They’re not public events. Not competitions where egos gloat at winning gold or slink at winning nothing. They’re meetings where the producers bring their current vintage wines – often unfinished, from the tank or barrel – and frankly discuss them. If there’s a fault, there may be time to correct it. If the wines are good, we talk about them and learn by sharing our experiences. Normally it’s a great event. But this year?
    
Llew talked me into it. I went.

How wrong was I! More producers turned up than I expected. And there wasn’t one bad wine. In fact, the wines were exemplary. So much for the bad season!

The cool ripening period meant that alcohol was generally lower than previous vintages (not a bad thing!). The wines all seemed to be well balanced. They certainly showed differences of style and vineyard location. But all showed that great characteristic of the cool conditions we experience in the Macedon Ranges – higher acid levels, giving a crisp edge and suggesting long cellaring potential.   

Chardonnay made up a third. Not your sickly, buttery, oaky canned peaches from the warm irrigated regions. Rather, they were crisp, restrained and elegant showing true fruit character without offending the palate. The sort of wine that’s already made it onto the best restaurant wine lists including Qantas first class. I enjoyed each of them and I don’t drink Chardonnay!

Pinot Gris/Grigio and Pinot Blanc were there. These wines are clearly emerging as part of the success story of the Macedon Ranges. They showed really interesting (and lovely) tropical fruit flavours with hints of ginger that only a cool climate can produce.

Of course there were Rieslings and Gewurtz. We’re known for these and the selection did not disappoint. The fruit characteristics varied from stone fruit to tropical fruits to pears and candy flavours. Each of them with crisp acidity. Each with great length of flavour – asking for another sip long after the last had gone down.

The Sauvignon Blancs would challenge anything the Kiwis might offer. True to style with lifted passionfruit aromas and tropical flavours.

There was even a lone Semillon – not normally grown in cool regions but none the worse for it. The flavours were more like Sauv Blanc than the lemon and lime normally associated with this variety but the wine also showed promise of cellaring potential.

Two growers brought sparkling base. This is the base wine used to make sparkling wine but before the bubbles are added. The Macedon Ranges region is well known for sparkling wine. True to our tradition, these base wines were nutty, lemony and perfumed – sort of butterscotch and Turkish Delight. I can’t wait to see them with bubbles. Needless to say Macedon Ranges Winemakers only make sparkling wine in the Champagne tradition with a secondary ferment in the bottle.

For all the lamenting about the season, I left the event thinking how proud I was to be associated with such a bunch of dedicated winemakers producing truly outstanding wines. No sobbing over my lost vintage; just enthusiasm to make sure I join them next year!

Make no mistake. 2011 was a great year for Macedon Ranges white wines. But be quick. Stocks are limited.

(Now I can’t wait for the reds!)      

Terry South, Honorary Secretary, Macedon Ranges Vignerons Association