This was written for the wonderful EAT Magazine, but they are on hold for the moment. It’s a fit with Fact & Feeling for Now, so here you go. Cheers!
Quick wine trip to Aus
The 2017 Shaw + Smith M3 Chardonnay from Adelaide Hills was “crisp, fresh and not particularly buttery”—Sommelier Ceri Barlow’s tasting notes, not mine. I was transported to Australia for an evening with the Victoria Wine Appreciation Society (VWAS) in Swan’s gorgeous penthouse. Mike Crawford founded this “no dress-code” society to “collectively try wines that you might otherwise not get to taste because of cost or availability.” The vibe in the room was welcoming and curious—the tone further enhanced by sweet beats from DJ Skez.
Working in hospitality in his 20s, Mike fell hard for food and wine. His passion grew when he moved to Australia and explored the various regions. “Along the way, I made a friend who had been collecting Bordeaux since the late 70s and got to try some of those wines…the rest is history.”
Ceri Barlow, the VWAS House Sommelier (ISG, WSET 3, IWS, FWS, Rhone, Provence and Champagne Master Level) shared “I hope to create a fun and inclusive way for people
who may not be wealthy or privileged to learn about wine and taste some special bottles—and create a buying group to pool resources.” One of Ceri’s many top qualities is her talent for including everyone. She imparts extensive, in-depth wine and winery education with obvious delight. Some of it went many floors over my head. But, then she pauses, checks in and clarifies. She brings you with her, wherever your knowledge falls. Ceri also wanted to stress that there are cellarable wines in the $20-$40 range.
So, onto the wines. We sampled the 2016 SHAW + SMITH Shiraz from Adelaide Hills, the 2015 d’Arenberg’s The Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier from McLarenVale, the 2017 Pinot Noir Henschke from Adelaide Hills and the Chardonnay mentioned above. The price points were in the $40-75 range. It’s fascinating, in a room of 15-20 people, to note the variety in palate. Most in the room preferred the Shiraz, whereas the Pinot was my favorite. It was soft and delicious and reminded me of when I first went to Australia and experienced actually enjoying a Pinot Noir.
The room was buzzing and the charcuterie yummy, and I was struck by the comprehensive treatment of the discussion in terms of current events and historical context. Two of the wineries were recently affected by the fires. They’ve chosen to leave the vines and see what happens next year, versus pulling them out. And in terms of history – Ceri spoke of the Phylloxera (a root louse) that ruined vines in the 1860s to 1900 in Europe. Vines that had already travelled to Australia were unaffected. As a result, many vines from Australia are genetically intact without the addition of American rootstock ironically making the these “New World” wines possibly more “Old World” than actual Old World Wines. Not just a fun fact.
Mike Crawford’s last words? “VWAS is a chance to connect with like-minded people. Importantly, better understand why wine appreciation is a doorway to the study of history, anthropology, religion, biology, chemistry etc.” It’s a cool group of people learning and tasting beautiful wines. As the society grows and matures, they will be looking at other speakers and events.
For information on the society and upcoming events, please see the VWAS website.
All photos by the lovely Katie Clarke.
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