To state the perfectly obvious, Australian wine is largely made from varieties of vitis vinifera that originated in France. Today there is much excitement surrounding the introduction of other varieties, especially from Italy and Spain, which have the potential to increase by some margin the diversity and spectrum of Australian wine. It is of course early days for these varieties, as growers typically have to adjust to new vineyards, varieties need to be matched to regions and specific sites, and makers often have to adjust to an entirely new series of processes and logic to produce identifiable varietal characters. One winery worth watching for its efforts with Spanish varieties is Cascabel. Located near Willunga on the Fleurieu Peninsula, it has something of a headstart since one of its proprietor/winemakers, Susana Fernandez, is Spanish. With Duncan Ferguson, Fernandez planted a range of different varieties from Rioja (Spain) and the Rhone Valley (France). The Vina Cascabel is its blend of Rioja red varieties, which the winemaking duo hope to fashion in the medium to full styles of Rioja itself. The 2002 vintage comprises 70% tempranillo and 30% graciano. There’s a hint of greenness and spikiness under its minty, ripe aromas of red plums and raspberry confection, while oak is content to play second violin. With a moderately full, but juicy ripe palate of sour-edged dark plums, cherries and bitumen, bound by pleasingly drying but loose-knit tannin, it presents a Rioja-like weight in an Australian context, finishing dry and savoury. The eucalypt-like aromas that emerge immediately after uncorking tend to blow away, while the suggestions of sage and cloves do linger. Drink this wine around 2004-2007+. It is rated at 16.8, which again makes the point that there is a great deal of fun to be had enjoying wines that might not merit extremely high scores.
