Tasted at lunch not a few moments ago were two wines made from Italian and Spanish varieties. I’m familiar with the grapes, but not the makers. The first was a 2004 Tempranillo from Inghams, under the Skilly Ridge label. It’s fresh, intrense, varietally correct and sour-edged. There’s a hint of Clare regional influence and some positive American oak, but the wine is a totally unexpected surprise. Inghams Skilly Ridge Tempranillo 2004 Brambly, spicy aromas of dark cherries, dark plums and briar over lightly minty nuances of cedar, bitumen and dark chocolate. Long and evenly flavoured, with a juicy expression of vibrant black and red berry flavour wrapped in sour-edged acids, creamy vanilla oak and fine, smooth tannins, it’s spotlessly presented and balanced. Long, vibrant and varietal; a delicious drink. (Clare Valley, 17.0/90, drink 2006-2009+) I also enjoyed a very Barolo-like nebbiolo from Mt Surmon wines, also in Clare. This is a firm, savoury and deeply flavoured wine of loingevity and genuine varietal quality. It was even more of a surprise than the Inghams wine. Mt Surmon Wines Reserve Nebbiolo 2003 Complex earthy aromas of dark chocolate and spices overlie nuances of red berries and plums, boot leather and spirit. Initially round and generous, its juicy expression of plums and cranberries is framed by kernelly, firm and astringent tannins, delivering a palate of genuine length, shape and persistence. Very savoury and Barolo-like, evolving, interesting and totally intriguing. A terrific food wine. (Clare Valley, 17.6/91, drink 2008-2011+) You can contact Inghams on [email protected] and Mt Surmon via www.mtsurmon.com.au. If you enjoy watching Australia’s progress with Italian varieties, you could do a lot worse than to take a glimpse at these.
