Australian Gourmet Traveller - (03)March 2019 (1)

2018 Bertrand Bespoke

L’Ecume des Jours,

Central Victoria, $36

This excellent pét-nat is

a blend of white and red

grapes, which are brought

together to produce a

sparkling wine that’s both

crunchy-apple refreshing

and savoury-nut satisfying.

maisonlapalus.com

2018 Stargazer Riesling,

Tasmania, $38

Beautiful expression of

wild-fermented Tasmanian

riesling from a single

vineyard in the Coal River

Valley near Hobart:

scintillating floral, citrusy

aromatics; shimmering and

juicy on the tongue.

stargazerwine.com.au

2016 Domaine Gauby

Vieilles Vignes Blanc,

Côtes Catalanes, $80

Wonderful white from the

south of France that evokes

the sun-baked countryside

with its ripe yellow

fruit, hints of garrigue

herb and fresh mineral

texture. Imported by

apostrophewine.com.au

2017 Oliver’s

Taranga Tempranillo,

McLaren Vale, $32

A great example of how

the tempranillo grape can

produce red wines with

an irresistible combination

of black fruit and firm,

grippy tannins. Perfect

with grilled garlicky lamb.

oliverstaranga.com

Melbourne Gin

Company Single Shot,

Yarra Valley, $95

After years focusing on

producing just one gin,

MGC has branched out

with an outstanding

spirit that makes the

best Martini I’ve had in

years. melbournegin-

company.com

he works for, including Icebergs Bar and The Dolphin

Hotel. But he’s more excited about the casks of wine

he now also stocks behind the bars and in the fridges

• especially the most recent arrival, a 10-litre bag-in-
  box of orange wine made by cult Victorian vigneron
  Owen Latta.
  “I really like the idea that good-quality, well-farmed
  wine can also be accessible,” says Hird. “Because of
  the cost savings that come with cask, we can sell it
  for $9 a glass, rather than the $14 we’d have to charge
  for the same wine out of bottle. Which means more
  people can afford to try it: even my mum drinks
  orange wine now.”
  Chloe Oestreich took a very different approach
  with her first range of three upmarket casks, a pinot
  grigio, a rosé and a shiraz supplied by Mitchelton
  winery in central Victoria, which she sells under
  the Pord label. Rather than encasing the three-litre
  bladders of wine in a throwaway cardboard box, she
  packaged them in sturdy aluminium barrels printed
  with unique designs commissioned from contemporary
  artists. With a price tag of $160 per cask, Oestreich is
  challenging the disposable connotations of the format.
  “People nowadays are more and more conscious
  about the waste they produce,” she says. “It encouraged
  me to design a vessel which, after consumption of the
  wine, could be reused in a number of ways. Pord is
  a conversation starter and educator. I love the idea
  of it being re-used as a vase or sitting in your pantry
  storing sugar or flour.”
  Re-usable and delicious. ●

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GOURMET TRAVELLER 45