Smart thinking and judicious picking will
ensure your home cellar has a wine for
every occasion, saysMike Bennie.@mikebennie101 @mikebennie101WHILE IT’S NICEtohavealittlevinous
treasure chest hanging around, I propose
youstreamlinewhatyoukeepathome.
First,youneedaspreadthattakesyou
from affordable, everyday drinks through
to‘breakglassincaseofemergency’
top-tier stuff for celebrations and those
finicky, posh friends. But rather than
stockpiling an arsenal, be more strategic.
Think about your wine collection like
your pantry. Keep a base of staples you
useweekly,augmentitwithsomecore
ingredientsthathelpinspecialdishes,and
addasmallcollectionofrarelyusedbut
essential ingredients that might just come
inhandyforthosereallyspecialoccasions.
Startwithanaffordablesparklingwine
youcandrinkonitsown,splashsome
orange juice in, or add Campari to make
spritzes.KingValleyproseccoworksa
treat.Alongside,haveabottleofTassie
sparklingand,maybe,forthoseinclined
tobespoiled,abottleofChampagne.
While weeknights might call for simple
wines and dinner parties something
special, it’s ideal to keep wines on hand
that can effortlessly sit in both camps.
Lesser-known grape varieties like fiano,
vermentino, tempranillo, sangiovese,
nebbiolo or barbera work a treat. They’re
flavoursome,fun,andseemtoharmonise
withawidebreadthoffoodexperiences
justthatlittlebitbetterthantriedand
testedshiraz,cabernetorchardonnay.
Forupscalingadiningexperience,don’t
forgetthatgrapeblends–redorwhite–
oftenofferextradepthandpersonality.
Here’sagoodplacetosplashalittleextra
cash – it’s typically quality winemakers who
knowhowtoblendgrapesforbestresults.
Aswithanystash,perhapsacoupleof
top-tierwinesshouldbeincluded.Ilike
theexplorationofunusualwines,andthe
accompanying conversation that might
come with it. However, if you want to play
itsafe,researchthebestproducersand
keep some barolo, burgundy, chablis,
Mosel riesling or Rioja reds on hand.delicious.com.au/drinks
To peruse more of Mike’s
favourite drinks.FOR CELEBRATIONS:
TORZI MATTHEWS
VIGNA CANTINA
PROSECCO NV, $25
Prosecco is the fun side of
sparklingand,inAustralia,
increasingly produced with
higher quality in mind. This
example shows bright,
clean, citrus and tropical
fruitiness with a hint of
nutty savouriness.ALL-PURPOSE WHITE:
RAVENSWORTH PINOT
GRIS 2017, $28
Abitofskincontact,as
here, means you get a
rosy hue to the wine and
it sits in style somewhere
between refreshing white
anddryrosé.Delicious!
Withthatinmind,thisstyle
goes across a lot of
drinking occasions.TOP SHELF:CLONAKILLA
HILLTOPS SHIRAZ 2016,
$27Clonakilla is one of
Australia’s premier wineries,
with an almost cult-like
following. Hilltops is their
‘entrylevel’,buthasallthe
pedigree and winemaking
nous of their top wines,
which makes it a bargain.
Smooth, silky shiraz that
drinks like double the price.ALL-PURPOSE RED:S.C.
PANNELL FIELD STREET
SHIRAZ 2016, $25
Youstrikegoldwhenyou
find a red that pleases all,
cancellarabit,takeachill,
andgoesfromdaytime
drinking to looking good
on a dining table. Here’s
acracker:bright,fresh,
slurpy, medium-bodied,
lightly spicy shiraz. Go big.THE ‘LOOKS FANCY’
WINE:NOCTURNE
CHARDONNAY 2016, $27
Margaret River. Tick.
Chardonnay. Tick. Young-
gun winemaker with a slew
of top awards. Tick. Cool
packaging. Tick. All that on
topofbeinganoutstanding
wine.Putitonatableand
expect oohs; double so
when it hits the glass.FOR THE CELLAR:
WYNNS BLACK LABEL
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2015, $45Ifyouwanta
showpieceforadining
experience, Wynns Black
LabelCabhastobeone
ofAustralia’smostreliable
cellar-dwellers.Even
better, it’s often on special
at sub-$30. Such a bargain.
Drink now to 20 years.MIKE BENNIE IS ALSO CO-OWNER OF A SYDNEY-BASED WINE AND LIQUOR RETAIL BUSINESSWHY LESS
IS MORE
32 delicious.com.auDRINKS.