Australia's biggest family winery

I’m not a big fan of wines from Australian big wineries but I have to admit that recently I have tasted some which exceeded expectation. It was with the renewed faith that I attended a casual tasting with Garrick Harvison, the Asia Pacific General Manager of McWilliam’s Wines Group.

The Hanwood Centenary Reunion in 2013

McWilliam’s is four biggest winery in Australia after Penfolds, Jacob’s Creek and Hardy’s but it stands out because it is a family run winery. Garrick insisted that McWilliam’s may be big, it still makes wine with passion very much like a small family owned business. J.J. McWilliam established the Hanwood Estate in Griffith, New South Wales and now the winery is run by the sixth generation. In 2013, it celebrated its 100th year anniversary. Today, winemaker Scott McWilliam continues with the family tradition to make wine that the family is proud of. The family’s achievement is recognised by renowned wine critics including Matthew Jukes who named McWilliam ‘Winery of the Year 2014’, as well as James Halliday who gave it a Five Red Star Winery recognition in 2014.

So much the McWilliams care about the family value that there is a charter stating that the family is not to sell the company - now that means something!

The family has four core brands and each brand sources grapes from a specific region. The idea is to make the best possible wine that expresses the best region, rather than making wine under the generic ‘South East Australia’ appellation. McWilliam’s brand is New South Wales, comprising of Riverina, the biggest and warmer region where most of its entry and mid-levels wines are made, as well as the four cooler, smaller and more exciting regions, Hilltops, Orange, Tumbarumba and Canberra where its premium Appellation series comes from.


We tasted six wines, four from the mid priced Hanwood Estate and two from the Appellation series. I was particularly impressed by the Hanwood Estate especially when I found out it is available from Park’n Shop at only $99/bottle. The 2014 Riesling was vibrant with intense citrus nose that is versatile to pair with deep fried, slightly spicy dishes or even enjoy on its own. The 2013 Chardonnay had a nice balance between yellow fruits and wood with a round mouthfeel, while the Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, both 2013, were pleasant without the usual heaviness of Australian wine. I have to agree with Garrick that Hanwood Estate over-delivers - good news for consumers!

The two Appellation wines were outstanding. The 2013 Chardonnay grapes were sourced at altitudes between 500 and 800m from the coolest region in NSW, Tumbarumba, at the foothill of the Snowy Mountains. The label, an artist impression of the vineyard with a snow-capped mountain at background, captured the essence of the region. The wine had a racy acidity with fine fruits and an elegant appeal, the impression actually quite matched with the label. The Canberra Syrah 2014 displayed all cool-climate characteristics of floral and white pepper supported by spices and fine tannins. This was the one wine I didn’t spit out!

After trying these wines, I’ll definitely try its entry level range, J.J. McWilliam, also available at Park’n Shop at $79/bottle. It may well be one of the best value wines in town!

A gem from Lebanon

If you don’t like the style of Chateau Musar, you will probably dismiss all Lebanese wine thinking they are all the same but it will be so wrong. Try Domaine Wardy and you’ll change your mind.

Lebanon is one of the oldest wine producing countries with the first documentation around 2,000 BC. Like most wineries, Domaine Wardy is situated in the Bekaa Valley, a plateau at 900m altitude, and its vineyards are planted on the slopes of Mount Lebanon reaching 1,400m altitude. Although the first vines were planted 130 years ago, it only focused in producing Arak, the anis flavoured national spirit. It was not until some 30 years ago that the winery invested in wine production and today, it has 12 wines including white, rosé and red. Its Arak remains the bestseller.

Given such a long winemaking history, it was surprising that there are only two indigenous grape varieties in Lebanon, Obeideh and Merwah (although some reckoned they are actually Chardonnay and Semillon respectively but there is no DNA proof yet). Therefore, like other wineries in Lebanon, Domaine Wardy planted French varieties including Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. In addition, there is also Tempranillo, mainly used as a blending component. Winemaker Diana Salame Khalil explained that the winery is still relative young and that they can afford to experiment. She also makes a white blend, Clos Blanc, dominated by the native variety Obeideh.

Probably because of the high altitude that moderates the temperature, allowing the grapes to ripen slowly without losing acidity, I found the wine understated, balanced and elegant. Its Sauvignon Blanc is restrained with a savoury mouthfeel that tips it towards a Sancerre instead of a full blown Marlborough counterpart. All the wine we tasted were food-friendly. My favourite picks were:

Rosé du Printemps 2012: A Provence style made from a blend of 80% Cinsault and 20% Syrah using saignee method. It was pleasantly fresh given the vintage. The smokiness added an extra dimension to the citrus and raspberries aromas, making it perfect with the dim sum we had. It also went well with the sweet and sour prawns.

Clos Blanc 2013: A blend dominated by 40% Obeideh and 35% Saunvignon Blanc with the rest made up of Chardonnay (15%) Viognier (5%) and Muscat (5%), it is more on the aromatic style with floral, white fruits and melon. The heavier palate weight supports stronger flavoured dish such as the chicken fillet with black bean sauce we had.

Private Selection 2005: A complex wine with layers of black fruits, tea leaves, herbs and spices made from Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Syrah (40%) and a touch of Tempranillo (5%). An elegant wine that will age gracefully.

I always believe that wine is made in the vineyards and Domaine Wardy’s wine certainly reflects this.

Damine Wardy is available from Evercohol.

Luce - the brand, the style, the wine

Attending the Luce’s 20th anniversary dinner in Hong Kong was a privilege and the occasion was made even more memorable because it was hosted by Erika Ribaldi, its cheerful Asia Export Manager.

Luce is one of the brands of the Frescobaldi family. It is a super Tuscan wine made from Merlot and Sangiovese in Montalcino created by Robert Mondavi and Vit
torio Frescobaldi back in 1993. Although the Fescobaldi family took full control in 2005, Luce still remains a vision shared by the two families and a harmonisation of the Old and New Worlds — Sangiovese gave the finesse and structure while the Merlot filled it with opulence and fragrance. There is no doubt on the quality of Luce but I was more intrigued by its marketing effort and its brand power.

Luce is more than just a wine. It has evolved into one of the most creative brands that embraces the chic Italian design and fine quality. Its distinctive logo, a sun surrounded by tongues of flame, can be found on glassware, furniture and even cheese (yes, we were served this at dinner). It also has a couple of restaurants, one in San Francisco and one in Bangkok, under its name. The main course of the dinner was served on a Luce’s plate.

At the dinner, Erika was wearing a series of golden tattoos (albeit temporary), one of which was a necklace with the Luce’s radiant sun. I’m sure it could be developed into another successful Luce’s line of accessories.

The appeal of brand is most prominent in Japan. With 6,000 bottles per year or 50% of its Asian sales, it is Luce’s biggest Asian market. 80% of the customers are female, who are attracted by Luce’s elegant and stylish brand. Erika said the Japan market can still grow bigger but unfortunately with only around 80,000 bottles produced annually, the wine is on allocation only. To celebrate the 20th anniversary, Luce has made 10 exclusive gift box consisted of all 20 vintages, two of which are available in Japan.

I’m not saying that all wine brands have to follow Luce’s approach, and certainly not many brands have the resources to extend their names to other products. However, it demonstrates that a more consumer-oriented lifestyle strategy, backed by good quality, does take the brand closer to consumers and thereby increasing sales. Terroir and technical details are relevant and important but sometimes, a little personal touch may just differentiate a brand from the crowd.

Luce is available from Jebsen Wines

More than just Pinot Grigio

ASC recently hosted an Italian Grand Tasting featuring seven wineries from Alto Adige to Sicily. Wines were diverse but I was surprised to find five Pinot Grigios from three wineries, and each has its own different style.

It’s true that a lot of Pinot Grigio being served as house wine is inoffensive but often bland. A well-made Pinot Grigio should be delicate with citrus, apple aromas and vibrant, while some serious ones, like those below, are concentrated with a depth of flavour.

Alois Lageder Porer Pinot Grigio: Single vineyard biodynamic wine from Alto Adige. 20% was barrel fermented while the rest in stainless steel tank. The wine has an uplifted aroma, a round mouthfeel and an integrated spice.

Masi Masianco Pinot Grigio: Blended with semi-dried native Verduzzo grapes, the wine is more aromatic and intense than an average Pinot Grigio, with fresh stone fruits and honey notes. Definitely a wine to serve with food rather than just gulping.

Banfi San Angelo Pinot Grigio: A 100% Pinot Grigio IGT wine from Montalcino, richer than the typical Pinot Grigio from northern Italy because of the warmer Tuscan sun but still retained the acidity. The minerality from the calcareous soil added the extra dimension. I tried it the other day with dim sum and it was perfect!

The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) developed a PinotG Style Spectrum from crisp to luscious to differentiate them. It would be fun to have a PintoG dinner with wines from Italy to New Zealand and see how they fare and pair with food.

All the above are available from ASC Fine Wines.