Australian Gourmet Traveller - (04)April 2020 (1)

Top

drops

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month 2009 ChandonLate

DisgorgedRosé,

Multi-regional,$125

Nineyears’ageingon

yeastleesbringssubtle

complexitytothissavoury

rosésparkling.Hints

ofstonefruit,complex,

creamyanddry.

chandon.com.au

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2017 VickeryReserve

Riesling,Watervale,$32

Finally,thekingofAussie

rieslinghasa pairof

seriouslycellar-worthy

reservewinesunderhis

ownlabel.Ofthetwo,

thisis mypick:intense,

limey,stunningvalue.

vickerywines.com.au

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2019 BrashHiggins

ZBO,Riverland,$39

Muscatgrapesfermented

andmaturedonskinsin

amphoraeundera layer

offloryeastfor 150 days:

luscious,sweetandspicy,

butalsotexturaland

bonedryonthetongue.

brashhiggins.com

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2017 VillaMariaOrganic

Merlot,Hawke’sBay,$20

Lovelyexpressionof

themerlotgrape,grown

organicallyin Hawke’sBay.

Enticingherbalblackfruit

aromatics,medium-weight

juiciness,fine,powdery

tanninsonthetongue.

Importedbyhofw.com.au

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2018 Adam’sEvening

TwoFruitsCider,

YarraValley,$25

Refreshingcloudy

farmhousecidermade

fromwild-fermented,

barrel-agedpearsand

apples.Roastporkand

coleslawrolls,please.

adamsevening.com

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ofhopsintheirfirsttwoyearsofgrowing,

whichis astounding.It showshowgood

thesoilwas.Andthat’sbecauseAboriginal

peoplehadgoodcustodianshipofthe

land,andthat’swhereweneedtogetto.

Ashopgrowersweseethatas ourgoal.”

ChrisandGabMooredecidedtomove

fromSydneytoOrbostinEastGippsland,

Gab’soldhometown,whentheirsecond

childwasontheway(theyhavesincehad

another).WhentheysetuptheSailor’s

GraveBrewinginthetown’soldbutter

factorytheyquicklyrealisedtheywould

onlybeabletobuilda sustainablebusiness

byengagingwiththelocalcommunity.

“Whatwerealisedsettingupin

smalltownlikeOrbostis,it’sallabout

people,”saysChris.“We’daskthe

locals:whathaveyougot?A lemontree,

blueberries?Canweputit inourbeer?

Thatcreatedsomecommunityinterest.

We’retryingtobuilda commonpurpose.”

Gabseespotentialforrevivinglocal

interestinagriculture.Shehasjoinedthe

Orbostshowcommittee,andis engaging

localfarmerstogrowbarley,toencourage

moreofa connectionwiththebrewery.

“AfterI leftOrbosthigh-school,

I thought,I’mouttahere,I’mnever

comingback,”saysGab.“Nowourkids

gotothelocalschoolandI’msoglad

we’rebackthere.I’msogladthatwe’re

partofmakinga changeinthetown.”

Listeningtothesepeoplemademe

feelconnected,throughspaceandtime,

totheprocessofbeerproduction,from

thepaddocktomypalate.It reinforcedmy

viewthat– as hop-growerJadeMcManus

putit – thebestwayweas consumers

canhelpensurethesustainabilityofthis

processis tobuythebeersthatsupport

thefarmerswhohavegoodenvironmental

practices.Tocreatea networkofcommon

purpose,bythinkingaboutallthepeople

whomakebeerpossible.●

Fromfarleft:Wildflowerbeers;hop

farmerJadeMcManusofRyefield

HopsspeaksatWaratahDayin

2019;nativeflowersdecoratethe

hall; 2019 WildflowerStPhoebe

RaspberryWildAle;GabandChris

MooreofSailor’sGraveBrewing,

WaratahDayin2019;beersontap.

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GOURMET TRAVELLER 43

Drinks

PHOTOGRAPHY RYAN MEERS (WILDFLOWER).