Go west - MCV - Melbourne Community Voice for Gay and Lesbian Readers
Wednesday, 06 August 2008 00:28 - Last Updated Monday, 22 December 2008 13:52
Even the most casual wine snob should know about this vintage. When it was named theworld’s best shiraz by the French Syrah du Monde competition, heads turned. Recognition likethis seems plausible for a Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula vineyard. But who’d havethought that the world’s best was produced from a patch of dirt located between CarolineSprings and Melton?This clearly required investigation. With no little incredulity, I discovered several great wineries.The region offers the closest cellar doors to Melbourne. Witchmount Estate is in Rockbank,only a half hour drive west of the CBD; while only 10 minutes along Sunbury Road fromMelbourne Airport are a number of notable wineries. Craiglee, Goona Warra, and Wildwood areall within wine-spitting distance.By the time I get to Witchmount, they’ve sold out of the prizewinning 2004. In fact, they weresold out mere hours after the Syrah news broke. At $26 a bottle, it’s the grape bargain of theyear. After sampling some of their other wares, I bought the Cabernet Merlot 2005 (which, bythe way, was ideal with a roast).The hunt for shiraz took me to Craiglee. The 1868 two-storey bluestone building still standstoday, reborn as a cellar door. Here I find Pat Carmody, an unassuming farmer who turned hishand to winemaking in the 1970s with exceptional results.Craiglee is still a working farm, and Pat pauses from his task of pruning to chat. With toweringgums lining a creek that’s home to platypus, the view is striking; and so is the wine. Find it onlists at Circa, Di Stasio, Jacques Reymond and Stokehouse. Shiraz is Craiglee’s best knownand awarded variety. But the vineyard also produces cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir,chardonnay and sauvignon blanc.Across the road is Goona Warra. Expect more charming bluestone. Sunday lunches are a goodreason to visit. Chef David Cassar showcases the region’s produce. Find top notchsemillon-sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir, merlot, cabernet franc and of course, shiraz.
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