It’s been a year since I visited Orange and tonight we’re opening Cooks Lot 2013 Chardonnay which was one of the acquisitions from this trip.
Orange wine makers talk about elevation as an important factor in grape growing and while it isn’t the only region in Australia that puts forward elevation as one of the elements of the ‘terroir’, it is a notable mention. The owner and winemaker of Cooks Lot, Duncan Cook, was a chef in his past life and completed his wine studies at Charles Sturt University and if this wine is anything to go by, he is certainly one to watch.
My visit to Orange 12 months ago is still etched in my mind for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I loved the wineries we visited but I feel I haven’t done the region justice in terms of getting out and about and sampling what’s on offer so I’m keen to go back. Secondly, my young daughter was 10 months old at the time and I thought it would be a lovely and relaxing holiday. Ha, punch me in the face the next time I even suggest taking a child this young on a wine safari. The violent crying for the last two hours of the journey have left me scared. Sorry, I more than digress. Back to the vino.
Tonight, Elle is making a seafood risotto. Now my beautiful wife can cook. She can do many things but cooking is a strength of hers. We bought some ocean perch, juicy prawns and calamari and with the slow roasted cherry-tomatoes at EPIC Market this morning and I’m salivating like $#%^ – bring it on!
The wine provides a floral note, lychee and pear drops. There are bags of flavour on the palate. Length is still with me. The weight in the mouth indicates full body and the medium level acidity brings out the balance. No big conflicts against the back of the bottle. The label speaks of papaya, pineapple (yes, I don’t mention this) but the full body is mentioned and I was pretty much bang on with alcohol at 13.9%. I said 14% but who’s arguing.
I can hear the calamari lightly sizzling on the stove so I’m going to end there. Overall, that is one cracking wine for around the $20 mark.
(And BTW, it was a perfect match with the risotto!)
Cheers!
Suits
