The M Word: Mourvédre, Mataro, Monastrell

Tickets are now available (here) for Swirl, Sniff, Spit's next event - focussing on the variety variously known as Mourvedre, Mataro and Monastrell.

Mourvédre, Mataro, potato, potato. What's in a name? Why in Australia do we see the same grape variety called variously Mataro, Monastrell or Mourvédre?  Why do we rarely see it shine in the spotlight on its own? Rather, we see it reduced to the letter 'M' in one of the many GSM (or variations thereof) blends that Australia does so well. 

It is some of these points, and hopefully more, that we plan going to explore. Mataro is not a new variety, nor:

"a case of the next big thing, rather it's an ancient beast of a vine that has survived in Australian soil for longer than just about any other grape variety"

Line-up (final line-up and vintage subject to confirmation):

Bracket 1

1) Andrew Seppelt Wines Esparté @barossandrew
2) Domaine de la Tour du Bonne

Match: Olive crostini with basil and lemon labne

Bracket 2
3) Woods Crampton Mataro Rosé 2015 @fourthwavewine
4) Bespoke Bros n/a

Match: Confit Duck with juniper

Bracket 3
5) Pikes SGM @PikesCV

6) Tim Smith MGS @TimSmithBarossa
Match: Yorkshire pudding topped with roasted rib-eye, jus and wild onions

Bracket 4

7) Tom Shobbrook Nouveau n/a

8) Ridgemill Estate Mourvédre @RidgemillEstate

Bracket 5 

9) Domaine Tempier Cuvee Classique n/a

10) Primitivo Quiles Raspaye Monastrell 2008
Match: Meatballs with tomato sauce and gremolata

Bracket 6 

11) Flaxman Wines Mataro @FlaxmanWines

12) Syrahmi Mourvédre @monsieurfoster
Match: Pork belly with cinnamon roasted apple and walnuts

Bonus Round

13) Ballycroft Wines Mataro VP

To join us for this exciting tasting, head on over to our ticketing platform Eventbrite:
http://mataro.eventbrite.com

"Hen's Teeth" - Wine and Food Event

Tickets are available for our 19th May tasting via Eventbrite here

hen’s teeth

1. plural form of hen's tooth
2. (idiomatic) anything very rare or impossible to obtain is said to be like finding hen's teeth.

OK, so we maybe stretching the idiom here - but the wines on show here are certainly rare, though not impossible to find, in an Aussie context.

Again we celebrate the pioneers, the growers, vignerons and winemakers who are choosing to express themselves via grape varieties so new to Australia, that they may be the only producers doing so.

As ever, we look to show some top drawer wines, impart a little knowledge and have a little fun.

At a new - to us - venue, the ticket price on this occasion includes matched canapés with each bracket of wines (sorry, no food substitutes available).

Wine and Food Pairings

Bracket 1

Coriole Picpoul 2015

Kaesler Stonehorse Palomino 2013

~ Fresh oyster with lemon

Bracket 2

Lost Valley Winery Cortese 2011

"An Ape is Loose" Greco

~ Crostini with zucchini, citrus, chilli and buffalo mozzarella 

Bracket 3

Dell'Uva Arinto

Billy Button Friulano

~ Salted cod fritters with lemon caper dipping sauce

Bracket 4

Vinteloper Refosco 

Sorrenberg Gamay

~ Buckwheat blini with beetroot and goat's cheese

Bracket 5

Dell'Uva Mencia

Hahndorf Hill Blaufrankisch

~ Meatball with spicy herbaceous Napoli and parmesan

Bracket 6

Woods Crampton Bonvedro

Ridgemill Estate Jaquez

~ Rich beef cheek ragu with polenta

Swirl Sniff Spit's Overseas Experience

Andrew Nielsen - Le Grappin

Tickets are available for Swirl, Sniff, Spit's February tasting; via ticketing platform Eventbrite, here.

Wanderlust! The early history of (white settlement in) Australia is full of the legends of intrepid explorers, of those seeking new frontiers and pushing new boundaries. The modern inception of that is OE, the beloved Overseas Experience.

Winemakers are no exception. Seeking inspiration from classic wines made overseas, drinking them in copious amounts too. And then there are those winemakers who take the time to make wines overseas, either on a permanent basis, to undertake vintage or just produce something under their own name elsewhere.

Can you see where this is heading....? So, pop Tuesday 17th February in your diaries...as Swirl Sniff Spit heads off for a bit of OE (passport not required).

Provisional Line-up (subject to change, vintage availability): 

Ulithorne Vermentinu 2013 @UlithorneWine
Timo Mayer Kemstal Kabinett Riesling Twitter 2011 n/a

Croser Tunakilla Riesling 2008 @Tapanappa
Le Grappin Beaune 1er Cru Les Greves Blanc @legrappin

Jane Eyre Sauvigny Les Baunes Aux Vergelesses 1er Cru 2011 @JaneEyreWines
Le Grappin 1er Boucherottes @legrappin

2 Men in Mendoza Uco Valley Malbec 2012 @TwoMenInMendoza
Jed Argentinian Cab Franc @JedWines

L'Imposteur Collioure AOC 2010 @MonsieurFoster
Fletcher Barolo 'Alta Pete' 2010 @FletcherWines