The Adventurous Palate
The Aussie food and wine tasting hosted by Palette Bistro and Wine bar last week was a huge success – we all had a great time with the wines and modern Australian cuisine proving very popular. The event was well attended but several regulars at my tastings sent apologies on this occasion, remarking that they were not too keen on Australian wine.
It’s true that there has been some dreadful wine coming from Australia in recent years: heavy, yellow chardonnays, over oaked with nasty oak chips and bland reds with the only distinguishable flavour being the bitter, persistent aftertaste. The demand for volume at ridiculously cheap prices has forced producers to take shortcuts with wine making techniques that have been all too obvious in the taste of the end result.
But there are some producers who have refused to compromise quality and are creating some great tasting wines. And, in fact, several of the big Australian producers are working hard to improve the flavours and overall quality of their offerings. The purpose of the big Aussie tasting was to demonstrate that Australian wine can express regional characteristics and exciting flavours. Amongst the wines in the tasting were three different chardonnays, one from the cool climate of the Adelaide Hills, one from the much warmer Riverina region and one from very old vines in McLaren Vale; each one was distinct, exciting and very flavoursome!
It was therefore disappointing that those who had previously not enjoyed their experience of Australian wine declined the opportunity to taste some excellent examples and perhaps gain a different perspective. I guess it is a little perverse, but for me, there is a greater thrill in discovering a really special wine where the expectation of doing so is low. Conversely, a tasting that features favourite regions or varieties can only meet expectation or disappoint.
I’m always delighted to make recommendations for my customers based on their previous preferences, but maybe I should also introduce the anti–recommendation based on their dislikes: “You’ve always hated French cabernet sauvignon, so why not try this one?” Afterall, I so often hear the assertion: “I hate chardonnay but love Chablis” If chardonnay was revealed as the varietal on the bottle, would it ever be tasted by the “anything but chardonnay” crowd?
So pour a glass of something completely different that you wouldn’t usually choose and toast the adventurous palate!
