Australian Day Tastings 2009: What I Learned

So, what did I learn at the Australia Day Tasting? First, there is a limit to how much Shiraz I can drink. I sampled 102 wines, about 80% of which was Shiraz. Second, I really love Australian wines. (I already knew this, but this reinforced it). I especially liked the Dead Arm Shiraz by D'Arenberg at right. Because of the cost, I would never have tried it on my own but thanks to this event, I got the chance. Third, although most of the really quality Shirazes are best with food, there are a lot of good ones, and they provide good quality for the money. Fourth, when tasting, it's a good idea to pull your hair back. It keeps you from spitting through your hair when you're aiming for the bucket. Finally, I discovered that Aussies, like American winemakers, are much more willing to experiment with new grapes and new blends than most European winemakers. In Italy, France and Germany, most regions can only grow the particular type of grape that the law permits. The idea is that over centuries, experience has shown what performs well in what regions and, therefore, that is what you must grow. It's different in Australia. These winemakers and winegrowers are not afraid to mix it up--even if it means potentially falling flat (as a few of the more "interesting" wines today did). But several were quite good, and I applaud them and thank them for their intrepid nature because I was able to try several varietals that I had never or seldom had before and one that I had never even heard of -- marsanne, rousanne, petite verdot (which is one of my favorite wines, but is almost never bottled alone), Cygne Blanc (despite being white, it's a mutation of a cabernet saugivnon vine) and pinot meunier (nearly always used only in sparkling wines). It was a great day and I would definitely attend again next year -- if only I could get my editor to spring for the plane ticket!